On the day the nation stops to watch a horse race, Australia’s first full time horse racing Chaplain says it’s a mistake to only focus on the gambling aspect of the racing industry.

Colin Watts, appointed as a racetrack chaplain in Sydney in 2009, grew up in a family of horse trainers within the harness racing industry. Both his father and grandfather were horse trainers, so Watts is comfortable with the racing scene. But he says there’s always been a ‘feeling’ within the industry that the church wanted “nothing to do with them.”

“In a sense, I’m trying to take church to them as a response to that feeling. To convey to them that God cares about them, even if they are in racing.”

Watts is part of the Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy (ARCC), established in 1996 to recruit and coordinate the work of racetrack chaplains. The organisation has four chaplains, three based in Sydney and one in ACT. To Watts’ knowledge, there is no racetrack chaplain in Melbourne¬– but they’re praying for one.

Watts spends his time at track works, race meetings, barrier trials– he’s right in the thick of the industry. He works mostly with jockeys and trainers, helping them work through the pressures of a performance-based industry that sees injuries every week and many people unable to get the rides or the horses they need to get by. “There are a lot of aspirations that aren’t always met,” says Watts.

But he says he hasn’t seen much evidence of gambling addiction within the industry. “That’s more an issue for outsiders.”

Millions of Australians are expected to ‘have a flutter’ on the Melbourne Cup, with data from IBISWorld predicting over $60 million will be wagered today. The market research group says smart phones have made betting much more accessible. With punters able to bet seconds before the race begins, IBISWorld is estimating a rise of 7.5 per cent from last year’s betting numbers.

A survey by McCrindle research found 37 per cent of Australians say the Melbourne Cup is the only time they place a sporting bet. The survey also found, however, that a further 37 per cent say they never bet, and the Melbourne Cup is no exception.

Watts says, despite spending most of his life connected to the horse racing industry in some way, he doesn’t gamble. Nor would be encourage other Christians to ‘take a flutter’ just to join in today.

“I mix regularly with people who gamble and have never felt ‘estranged’ from them by not having a bet,” he says.

Yet Watts believes encouraging gamblers not to gamble is often not the most helpful approach. While he is convinced that “everyone would be better off not having a bet”, he finds a positive approach works better than a negative one.

“I’d encourage [Christians] to focus on the spectacle itself. The Melbourne Cup is always a quality field of horses and riders, so it’s an exciting event, full of colour, drama and theatre.”

Watts says Christians too often only see the gambling aspect of the racing industry, and fail to look beyond that to the people involved.

“Behind the glitz and glamour are just ordinary people,” he says. “Many have a love of horses, who are seeking to make a living. They are people who are loved by God as much as anyone else, and likewise in need of Christ as much as anyone else.”

Watts has found the racing industry in Sydney receptive to his work. He says while the industry can be “somewhat insular, and distrusting of outsiders”, barriers can be broken down by showing a consistent care and concern, and a genuine interest in the work they’re doing.

He says a goal of the ARCC is to find Christians who live near a racetrack who are willing to visit their local track, get to know the people there and provide a Christian ministry to them.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know there was a Christian chaplain at the Melbourne Cup today, praying for punters and caring for people in such a high-stakes environment.

To find out more about ARCC, head to http://arcc.org.au/main/home