who is running horse raceing in south africa?

harry is just come back from greece and let me tell you it is the big problem. for to long the people dont see the reality of the debt problems and when it hit it is the chaos. i think the same thing is happen in south africa horse race if we dont be care full? let me explain why i think this. to me the south africa horse is become the minor focus for phumelela. i under stand it cost a lot more for sa racing than to bring the over sees horses. so if some one bet 1 rand on south africa race then phumelela earn less than the same person bet 1 rand on england or where ever. also now we see the soccer and sport bet it grow bigger and bigger and the profit is probably better than local horse race so that to become more important to the phumelela guys. this is business i under stand they must maximise there profits. but it worry me be cause where our local racing is going?

then i think who is in charge of the horse raceing. the operators "report" to the jockey club but the jockey club is no really the boss if you under stand what i say. they make the rules and (should) enforce but really they do nothing to take the local horse raceing forward. now i dont want to get in the politic but when you look at the operator and the jockey club is almost one and the same with the boys from the operator on jockeu club board. now we ask what about the owner and trainer? they are represent by the racing association who is also part of the jockey club board and i think is also major share holder in phumelela so this is again the same guys around the table. you look at the influences and it come down to 5 or 6 major guys that control the horse raceing.

so now is long story but i get back to greek problem. the problem in greece is no one now how big the problems is be cause every thing is secret only the big boys now what is happen. this is the same with our horse here. is only a few guy who now what is happen. i here many trainer say they dont now how the local race is staying ahead without the asset get sold. now i ask why do the owner, trainer and punter have any say in the future. if it is like greece you will be wipe the shit out your face and you knee deep in trouble.

i for got to say on plane with me is patrick davis from phumelela, may be they send him to study the greek disaster and learn < i have no idea what is he doing in greece? maybe they buy a race track there and it fall under south africa control?? ()

You are 100% correct.They focus more on overseas races to our detriment.They have their face up each others ....
so deep they can't see the shit.

U are correct flash.there are just a few guys who control racing in sa.the same old guys are sitting on all the boards and getting paid bombs to do so.things are only getting better for them as individuals.the scary part is that they know they control the monopoly and no one can touch them.

The big picture has failed , time to switch back to the 14 inch screens again

No sh!t Sherlock.............:S

I never thought I would write something even mildly in support ( sympathy, perhaps? ) of the operator but here goes :

SA racing, in my opinion, is a relatively accurate mirror of the overall state of our general local economy :

We have a tiny percentage of the population which is educated, well remunerated and, therefore, active in ownership, breeding and administration. The balance have little disposable income or are semi-destitute.

One of the major reasons why I feel it is difficult to 'grow' SA racing is attributable to the illiteracy and abovementioned poverty of the majority of the population. So teaching people (whose home language is not even English) the subtleties and complexities of horse racing is extremely testing. To say nothing of the 'school fees' paid in unsuccessful bets whilst one learns.

Whether we who populate ABC like it or not the operator has identified the core support group ( from a tote perspective ) as being the rather dismissively labelled 'R20 punter' group. So this is the group that has been targeted in recent years with a slew of new bet types all offering the prospect of big returns from negligible outlays. A sort of 'you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket' approach.

The rise of interest in sports betting further supports my belief - the popular bets are the exotics which, despite being about as difficult to 'catch' as the lottery, do nevertheless offer the prospect of a life changing payday. This 'mirage' also addresses another shortcoming of simply punting horses on the nose - inflation. When I started racing it was entirely feasible to win ( for an outlay of R1 ) a comparatively simple exotic which would yield a payout of, say, R300 - R500. Sounds like chump change today but back in the 70's R500 would have bought a punter a perfectly serviceable second hand car! Not today. So the only way to win big money is through outlaying bigger stakes or turning to exotics. Clearly the majority prefer the second option.

It should also be acknowledged that it is highly unlikely that the old 'club system' would have made the kind of structural shifts that are presently allowing this sport to survive. Now that racing is a business it is perhaps inevitable that focus will shift to activities which promote continued survival and profitability. These do not always meet with general approval. Or do they? As stated earlier - the outspoken ABC group is only representative of a small minority. Do we even know what the 'R20 punter' thinks and wants?

Despite the above I still remain very critical of how little is done to nurture and acknowledge existing supporters. The tote is particularly guilty in this respect. Anyone who has a tote account is, in fact, feeding the operator a stream of free information on spend patterns, preferred bet types etc. There should be regular ongoing communication and incentivisation to these individuals as a well looked after punter is, in fact, one of the most powerful ambassadors for bringing in new blood.

Garrick,as usual an unemotional assessment making good sense.
However I would have to debate with you your suggestion that there was an inevitability about the state our local racing

The reason I say that is because I saw the Poker explosion.........a gamble which appeals to the "sophisticated" gambler,looking for a gamble that is perceived to be a game of skill.The uncertainty (albeit temporary IMO) of interactive gambling should have created an opportunity for racing but I believe the trust factor is missing,which is the basis of my strong feelings about trusted regulation.

A very large number of the players on the Piggs Peak poker site were based in universities,ironically Cape Town and Stellenbosch being very prominent,in an area notoriously unable to attract racing punters!

I would like to see local racing in the hands of a body,with only the local product as their focus and strategy,as I believe,maybe naively,that the local product could thrive under the right management!

are you implying it has been joosterized

ballie Wrote:

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> are you implying it has been joosterized


I doubt it..........he doesn't even manage his own horses...............lol :