The major problem with Cape racing is the lack of competition.
Too many horses in to few stables
Too few trainers
The top 6 trainers in the WC won 56% of the races
In KZN 30%
In Gauteng 20%
That is by number no stakes value
The top 7 yards which include Kotzen who has his own premises have about 65% of the horses in training from club stables The other 35% are split between about 20 trainers
Anybody new gets told to go in the queue so no new trainer can get club stables as there
is a queue Mainly the big 6 wanting more boxes
Not going to be changed easily!!!
I have never owned a horse or a tail of it,never will even if i could afford it
Cape racing up to the early 90s was still fine,then it started going downward
For me it started with Millard & Kannemeyer moving up north (bigger stakes etc etc)
Dean Kannemeyer came back but it was never the same,he only want to train classic horses now:) What happens to the non classico's? They're also expensive?
Anyway in my humble opinion we are not in trouble in the Cape
Our Billionaires with the big studs and selective trainers do not give a rats ass for public opinion, and Joe Soap who think they can intrude in their rose garden
Eventually they will only race against each other,and without even a TOTE needed
(Thank GOD for Bookmakers,hopefully by that time i'd have learned to bet on SPORTS)
As Carlos said, they won't give the job to the right people
The responses to this thread all make valid points.
The role played by economic circumstances is continually overlooked when debating the decline in ownership. Declining disposable income = fewer owners. Fans would rather speculate a few rands on a Soccer 6 or Pick 6 as the 'spend' is quantifiable & controllable. Furthermore - if you have had a bad run you don't also get a R10,000 bill at the end of the month for your sins.
I recently had a major decision to make and was left with the following choice ;
A 'nearly new' Porsche or a middle-of-the-range (from a cost point of view) horse with a top pedigree.
It was a no brainer to choose the Porsche for the following reasons :
1.) It does what it claims 'on the tin'.
2.) It has a full maintenance plan so there are no 'training fees' for the first 5 years outside of tyres and fuel.
3.) If past experience is any guide it may well be worth at least 75% of what I paid for it when the times arrives to move it on. ( I bought my first Porsche for R29,000 in 1985 & sold it in 1992 for R60,000 ).
4.) I 'stable' it myself & it's a thrill to go and have a peek at it from time to time.
5.) If it doesn't perform the servicing department will not recommend that I cut body parts off it to make it go faster.
6.) It's fabulous to drive.
But just in case you were thinking that I have suddenly become clever.... I also bought another horse earlier this year. What a complete doos I am.
Why did you buy another horse?. You are NOT a doos.
Ownership of horses a passion in your case and therefore you bought another horse. (you could have bought a "Lambo" though.
Once a D**S, always a D**S, Garrick. But hey, don't feel alone!! You have a couple of friends suffering the same condition....just see the 'Punters WOE 1987' post - now there's another poor D**S.
I think the problem in the Cape is that trainers only want to race when they have good draws
it is common knowledge that trainers in the WC scratch or withdrew their horses if they don't get favorable draws
I am not sure how it works now but I remember that barrier positions was/is only allocated after final acceptance
JAMES BLOND wrote: I think the problem in the Cape is that trainers only want to race when they have good draws
it is common knowledge that trainers in the WC scratch or withdrew their horses if they don't get favorable draws
I am not sure how it works now but I remember that barrier positions was/is only allocated after final acceptance
There is no doubt!!! and although the allocation of draws after acceptance has been tried ,perhaps an innovative redesign of the course/s could help negate the extreme bias of draws!
In 40 years of racing I have always asked my trainers to avoid Durbanville unless no other options are available. (Which is particularly relevant in the lead up to the Cape season whilst Kenilworth is being 'rested').
Whether it is true or not the course is not deemed to be favourable for so-called 'galloping' or long striding horses.
Statistics suggest that horses drawn wide are at a HUGE disadvantage - hence the small fields and the perception that beating, for example, a 12 draw is a waste of nomination and preparation costs.
When I had horses with David Ferraris, and before his departure for Hong Kong, he described the course as a 'racecourse for hamsters'.
No one should ever underestimate the tragic loss of some of our technically better racecourses ie Newmarket, Clairwood, Milnerton and, possibly to a slightly lesser extent, Germiston.
I salute those of you who continue to follow & support SA racing where, in my personal opinion, only two courses really offer the environment worthy of the sport - The 'old' Turffontein track with the long run in & the summer course at Kenilworth.
I chanced to see racing at the Vaal on Tuesday and initially thought I had stumbled upon a televised bush meeting. The track appeared more like a cabbage patch than a racecourse.
Although I accept it is a matter of choice I wonder at how fans stomach the endless dross dished up on a variety of synthetic & sand surfaces. It's just so sterile. I long ago migrated to the UK fare............I just wish I could afford to fund a decent National Hunt horse and participate at Cheltenham. Dream on.
I make no claim to understanding the finances/politics of racing in the WC or anywhere else for that matter so I will go slightly to the side on this subject...
It is no secret I have long not been a fan of WC racing for a variety of reasons. I have also much reduced my interest and betting stakes over the last couple of months in SA racing as a whole. What I would say though, is that my interest in WC racing was somewhat revived by the Ramsden and Bass stables. They are the industry leaders in terms of transparency imo and I find their website comments absolutely fantastic generally and hugely helpful.
They made me feel that I sometimes had a chance of winning, or at least getting an honest run for my money. You want betting turnover increased, or at least maintained, then you have to make punters feel they can win, Bass and Ramsden fuel this thought/hope, and others need to follow their fine example... and pdq by the sounds of it!
