I commissioned this spectacular art from TheOwlette! She really put a ton of detail into this one, and Ashar just looks amazing--and so does his gear :3

Horse racing will always have its loyalists, but there's no doubt the decline in more casual viewership is directly linked to the rising popularity of the sport's much flashier cousin: dragon racing. Maybe a dragon doesn't have the same raw foot speed as a Thoroughbred, but the addition of airborne sections to the racecourses and the exotic nature of dragons themselves lend unmatched spectacle to this new form of racing. The sport even avoids horse racing's moral questions and animal rights controversy, making it easier to casual fans to watch: there's no doubt dragons compete willingly, for the lion's share of the winnings, and their greatly more robust constitution lends itself to far fewer and less severe injuries.

Or at least, once the appropriate safety rules were established.

Draconic competitive spirit is known to be very high--excessively so, in some cases, especially among those drawn to dragon racing competitions. The instincts and social rituals of brawling or otherwise competing for dominance extend quite naturally to the track, and in early races dragons did whatever they could to win: biting, slashing, or burning other dragons and their riders mid-race to gain an advantage was frighteningly common, and even when banned by the race rulebooks dragons just couldn't seem to resist snapping or breathing fire at another competitor who cut them off or knocked against their wings. At last the big leagues and tracks took the inevitable steps and required boots and bridles for all competing dragons, ensuring the safety of the dragons and the riders while disappointing only those spectacle fans who hoped to see races dissolve into a fiery brawl.

Ashar here is a natural race dragon. Built slim and wide-winged for speed, with all the nimble maneuvering and endurance one would expect from an independent dragon who hunts on the wing for his meals, competitive enough to throw himself into every event while friendly and easygoing enough to interact easily with fans, his skill and tendency to show off and distinctive coloration make him a ready-made racing star. Competition is fierce, but he's fast and he's clever and always seems to find a way to get ahead!

And most importantly, he loves racing, loves the attention, loves the breathless rush of flight at top speed! Here he is pawing at the straw impatiently: he's bridled and saddled up and his boots are buckled on, he's more than ready for his rider to take off the cross ties, mount up, and get him out onto the track. Come on, come on, those bright eyes say. It's time to race!