Jumps racing is dead, it is just a matter now of reading the last rites.

Whatever future the sport had it is long gone, it is far too late to pick up the remnants.

The previous administration of Racing Victoria didn’t assist, they hindered, instead of taking some positive action they did little.

When they introduced the jumps, with the yellow cocky cones waving about, that was the last straw.

Furthermore, the writing was on the wall, with the re-structuring of Flemington, that jumping was in jeopardy, nothing was done, no worthwhile solution was ever mentioned.

With jumping having ceased at Caulfield several years ago, and jumps racing no longer at Moonee Valley, Sandown was thrown up as the substitute, and a very poor one at that.

The course was never designed for jumping, and for that reason it has never worked and never will.

Jumping has no longer a permanent home, whilst there is no recognised jumping course how can it be expected to prosper?

There is no substitute for the six fences as we knew in the lane at Flemington; they are no more than a distant memory.

Jumps racing is in serious trouble, it is too late to throw it a lifeline, the interest is not there any longer and no new recruits in sight.

Those that followed the jumping scene have long disappeared and there are not many newcomers.

The opening of the season at Sandown two weeks ago didn’t do anything to inspire confidence in the industry, with four runners in the steeplechase and three starters in the hurdle to follow.