A sickening YouTube video and growing disinterest from punters could well spell the death of jumps racing in Victoria, writes RALPH HOROWITZ.

Just when the jumps racing fraternity thought they had made a miraculous recovery after a seemingly triumphant week in their Warrnambool heartland, The Australian's Patrick Smith has double-punched with two columns that could easily see off the sport for good in this country.

In a nutshell, a hurdler called Sirrocean Storm had shattered a hind leg after skimming through a jump, and according to Smith's column/reports of the graphic Youtube vision, a decision was made to move him away from where the rest of the field were going to gallop, (on their second lap) prior to euthanizing him.

Footage of the Sirrocean Storm fall can be seen here. (Warning: images may be disturbing.)

The conclusion was that despite the horse's obvious distress, it was considered more important to complete a race for financial reasons, than to put a defenseless animal immediately out of its agony.

So while getting Sirrocean Storm out of the way may have saved the race, it also may end the sport.

Because while the pro-jumps race lobby and participants are passionate and dedicated individuals, they're battling a gathering storm of politically astute protestors and activists who have forgotten more about public relations than those they are fighting will ever know.

What also needs to be tabled is the elephant in the room. Despite some public bluff and bluster, the majority of those in racing are actually indifferent to that area of their industry, and if truth be told, not only couldn't care less if it survived or was terminated, would probably be relieved that the "do-gooders" would be out of their faces.

For instance, if an eight-race card during the winter months has a hurdle and steeple, as a form analyst, I'll only study the six flat events.

The reality of the betting patterns state that I'm not the lone ranger here. The pools are significantly lower in these events, and as the sport wholly and solely survives on wagering, this hardly puts it in a position of strength.

Keep in mind that the "pro" camp largely comes from the so-called 'glory days' of the ‘60's, ‘70's & ‘80's, where the only form of legal punting were racing, trots & dogs.

This was before casinos, before pokies in every pub, before tens of thousands people legally placed bets on mainstream sports like AFL, NRL and the English Premier League, all in the days before pay TV, and internet poker.

You could watch the event in full on "World of Sport Replay" every Sunday morning, and the champion jockeys and trainers were showered with Doug Elliott's sponsors products a couple of hours later with the champion VFL footballers of the day on World of Sport.

Thus it had a mainstream feel to it, and in a restricted wagering market, big bets were placed.

That doesn't occur any more, and as racing clings on to the one significant edge it has over it's competitors - an opportunity to win through study of form that random casino games will never have and strong probity advantages that the ball sports continue to grapple with - an area of the sport where no one wants to bet on simply struggles to fit.

Keep in mind too that it was also pre-Flemington getting over 400,000 to Cup week where the racing and high-fashion glamour now go hand-in-Gucci glove, and the one week of the year when it is truly the focus of the nation's sport.

Well the Cup Day hurdle also used to be a feature of the first Tuesday in November and the VRC read the play in its new era.

They declared it an embarrassment and eliminated it.

So while the jumps racing fraternity think their biggest challenge is overcoming the animal welfare groups like the RSPCA, they could well lose the fight to a bigger threat.

Irrelevance.

"Racetrack" Ralphy Horowitz is a full-time racing analyst for private clients and media commentator for Sport 927. He is a former producer at The Footy Show, Sunday Footy Show, 3AW & SEN. He purposely elected not to view the YouTube vision.