Why Racing Continues To Be In Trouble

Titch Wrote:

---

> Would you reckon that racing is any more "corrupt"
> than Cricket or Soccer? the answer is quite simply
> no...anywhere that there is an opportunity to have
> a bet there will always be certain elements that
> will try underhanded ways of shifting the odds in
> their favor,however of the 3 mentioned there can
> be little doubt that the racing industry spends by
> far the most money in policing this scourge and
> trying to eradicate it....

Racing , Cricket and Soccer per se are not corrupt at all.... it is the people wagering, trying to get an advantage by illegal means and certain stakeholders (players, trainers, bookies whatever) that are corrupt.

You only have to ask people like Garrick who have been in racing for ever and a day why they have turned up SA racing.This thread is not only about corruption,it is about the general apathy that exists in this industry.They just haven't got the slightest clue how to treat their existing customers as it is,so how on earth are they going to attract new ones?

My telebet account has been unused for over a year now.I used to be a reasonably big player,but has anyone ever bothered to call me and ask why I don't use it anymore.Of course there will be plenty of bitching and moaning when the day comes that the people that have had their jobs for 30 or 40 years land up getting laid off,but until then the wheels on the bus just go round and round and nothing changes.

We live in a global economy where service is right at the top of the tree.What is service in racing?There is no such thing.It's just pathetic!

I've beat this drum for a few years now,as have many others on this and other sites,but nothing has changed.I doubt it ever will too.

It's such a shame,I really love this game,but I think we have reached the point of no return.

or the point of change! which would be very exciting.

If the Zimbo's had our attitude then their racing would have been gone years ago....in general our attitude is akin to a spoiled little rich kid who will always bitch and moan about how much his car costs him to run whilst others wait for the bus...sad but true

Titch 100%. We are not as bad as some make us out to be. Most of my owners love going racing.

Having a glass-half-full attitude is brilliant.

Being prepared to suffer mediocrity is foolish.

Accepting mediocrity is indeed foolish but when all is said and done it aint all doom and gloom by any stretch of the imagination

I am in my mid sixtes and fully agree with comments made on this tread. I used to be a punter, went into breeding on a small scale, raced some of the off spring but became disillusionsed. I was done in by the Jockey who had taken the price of my first time filly,
I can give details but anyone who thinks that Jockeys do not take bets live in a dream world. The promlem is the policing, I would like to see a SIU investigation into this.

Justanotherpunter -

One of the interesting points which you raise in your post is the issue of your Tote account going effectively dormant or only occasionally active.

Most big, successful businesses continually mine and analyse customer behaviour. In fact - many of them spend independent fortunes for the kind of focused, detailed information your account would reveal.

Racing effectively flushes this behavioural information down the toilet. They KNOW when you bet, which centre you prefer, bet types. The lot.

At the very least they could run a highly effective Very Important Punter incentive scheme off it. How about ( and I kid you not ) one Phumelela share for every R100,000 of turnover? Forget about the value of the incentive - it makes punters FEEL part of the sport and appreciated for it.

Or alternatively send YOU to the next July instead of the social butterflies they pander to three times a year.

Most of what appears on this site is not negative. It's highly constructive, pertinent and concerned feedback. But as soon as it even marginally 'rocks the (sleeping ) boat' is is labelled negative and stirring.

punters, who are they? huh? do they exist?

Garrick,

you have known me a very long time now.I am not a negative person by nature.I'm just sick and tired of the shit I'm expected to just swallow,and like it at that.

The biggest problem with this industry is that there are too many people with vested interests who don't have the balls to stand up for themselves.You only have to have a look at the number of 'read's on each post in comparison to the actual posters to realize that there is a helluva lot of interest in what gets said,but the racing authorities consider it unimportant to respond.

I know of people who get others to post on their behalf if they want something said simply because of all the politics involved if they were to post under their own name.

I'm disheartened,nothing more.

Conversely others seem to think we should just swallow the bitter pill and be grateful to actually still race.

Clearly Durbanville's abandoned meeting is meaningless.

With regards to the tote account,I have specifically stated it on here over and over in the forlorn hope that it might ellicit a response.Clearly to no avail.

And then of course all the blame lies at the bookmakers door for offering the open bet.No wonder the open bets thrives.