A jockey camera and a tracking system introduced by the Japan Racing Association this past spring have proven popular with horse-racing fans.
Intended for use in Grade 1 and other major races, the jockey cam was introduced in the Oka Sho race, also known as the Japanese 1000 Guineas, on April 9, while the tracking system debuted at Kyoto Racecourse on April 22, the day the facility in western Japan reopened after a period of renovation.
These new technologies had already been introduced in Europe and the United States and have been welcomed by many horse-racing fans.
The jockey cam allows fans to experience the race from the rider’s viewpoint. The French-made cameras, each weighing just 48 grams, give fans a completely new view of racing. Video shot from the jockey’s helmet is posted on YouTube on the day of the race.
The sounds of the horse galloping at 60 kph, the air rushing by, the breathing of both rider and steed, and the jockey praising the horse afterward all enhance the viewing experience. The video conveys the excitement of close races through the screen.
The video of three-time champion filly Liberty Island winning the Oka Sho race for the first time had drawn more than 2.17 million views as of Nov. 2. In fact, each jockey cam video posted has received at least 100,000 views. The video of the recent autumn Tenno Sho, which was held with the emperor and empress in attendance, captured a scene in which jockey Christophe Lemaire bowed deeply to the imperial couple from atop top-rated Equinox, which earned its fifth consecutive Grade 1 victory that day.
In Japan, the idea of introducing the jockey cam began to be discussed around 2018 at the suggestion of none other than Yuga Kawada, one of the country’s top jockeys, and others.
“Many fans have said they liked the service as it allows them to see the video from the jockey’s viewpoint, an experience that wasn’t available before,” Fumitaka Tsuruoka, senior manager of JRA’s management planning division, said.
It is visually interesting and fun even for casual fans, and the helpful way information is provided augments the fun of watching horse races.
The same goes for the tracking system.
The system precisely tracks the positions of all horses in a race using a sensor attached to the saddle cloth of each, which broadcasts their latitude and longitude every tenth of a second. During live broadcasts, the order of the horses is reflected in real time. The experience resembles watching a video game screen. Talks on introducing the system, which uses LTE mobile technology, now mainstream in Europe, began around 2020.
Before this system was introduced, only data from the horses in the top three positions in a race was visible, although this is still the case in most races. Moreover, the work to determine their positions was done manually. Whereas it was difficult to identify horses merely by their racing colors and the colors of jockey helmets, the new system has made it easier for casual fans to follow their favorite horses during races. It is seen as a breakthrough development.
“Since a few years ago, the latest technologies have diversified the ways fans enjoy games in many sports,” Tsuruoka said. “So we want to use new technologies to enhance our services for customers so that the appeal of horse racing can be felt by a wider audience, although we do intend to ensure horse-racing traditions are maintained.”
Racecourse visitors in their 20s, who represented about 4.7% of all visitors in 2019, before the pandemic struck, rose to about 12% in the fall 2022 survey, according to JRA. The increase in new younger fans was made possible thanks presumably to horse-racing events continuing when other entertainment was restricted during the pandemic.
Features that make sports more visually entertaining can help retain fans, hopefully adding to and further expanding the base. The appeal of the jockeys and the horses is of course a main factor supporting the popularity of horse racing, but enhanced services no doubt enhance the sport’s appeal.
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