protecting the image of racing

Over the Air wrote: Louis thank you for taking the time to respond. I agree with Pirates, it seems the original message has been lost. Well done to all of you that think these type of results aid this sport, and my sincere and humble apologies that I believe this sort of result drives more away than it attracts.

There are a few things that I would love to highlight. Firstly not all punters can follow the money as they work. So if you need to get that p6 on at your tea break at 10am, it is quite easy to leave the 25/1 shot out of your play, it surely is not fancied by the stable is it? It is all good and well saying follow the money, but when you not there to follow it what do you expect the reaction to be if this was the leg that was missed? Fat cats do not the majority of the betting pools make.

What has happened to the much heralded timing devices that were supposed to be introduced to South African racecourses? Why can we not have compulsory timed barrier trials and action against connections should the race a few days later show marked improvement? Why is it that certain people and here I target trainers and owners particularly, still feel they have a right to exclusivity on their horses chances? There is a very simple reason the pools are massive in the EAST, punters feel that they are having a fair run for their money with the information available. It is hardly the case here.

excuse me if im wrong but I cant find the post that says that this type of results are good for racing

you want a polished product that involves gambling?

owners pay good money for their horses and then some more to have them trained
are you expecting them to let you in on the info

you accept the risks when you wager so you do your proper studying and if you see its not working out the answer is simple

owners and trainers have little to do with the decline

OTA, we see favourites beaten in racing all the time, Worldwide. This has happened for years. Even in Dubai where there is no betting...
We will see more of that tomorrow at Kimberley and the rest of the week. We will ALSO see horses shorten and not arrive. That's racing. We accept that as being part and parcel of racing.
Our problem , based upon the posts in this thread, seems to be the name of the Owner. Heaven forbid that someone in authority has a winner that was backed ! This MUST be "bad for Racing's image", especially when we are anti establishment.We pretend that this is not part of racing, that backing your own horse before telling punters is a crime. What selective memories we have as we pretend that this is not allowed or accepted in racing !
Owners and Trainers must be issued with batons with which to knock punters on the head and force them to get on quickly. We assume that EVERY bet that Owners and Trainers have will arrive....And we wake up and find that our coffee is cold.
We , by virtue of this thread, assume that Barend and Mr.o Connor made a lot of money. We assume that they have never been wrong. They never lose.
Also, we now believe that Matthew Stevens phoned Barend. We weave a Web of mistrust and deceit.
Why ?
Because, unlike Matthew Stevens, we COULD NOT FIND THE WINNER and so we now attack the image of racing, simply because of the Owner and his position in Racing.
The only damage to the image of racing exists in the minds of the few who cannot accept the result.
As I said earlier, u got some more "image" problems coming this Winter. ... its called racing !
Get used to it.

I don't believe in SA racings image is the problem when it comes to new blood coming into the sport. the problem lies elsewhere. Bad results won't lead to lost owners or such. the 21st century is a way different world than the one of 30 -40 years ago where honour, dignity etc were values to strive for. now we chase money and quick wins, low hanging fruit and other shite that we here about.

These dodgy results may cost us a few punters but hey as long as they keep playing sports betting why will anyone care. The money still adds to the bottom line.

My problem with this winner will be if he runs crap next time and the authorities don't at least question the trainer.

if it gets to hot for the owner just amend the constitution or something like that.

I cannot fault your reasoning re next run Sly. Once a horse is sorted out, the form should be thereabouts next run, or at least within some sort of parameter.
But, problem horses can make fools of us....especially when we back them in from 25's to 7's and they go missing, instead of winning. It's frustrating for Owners and Trainers too, as u well know.
Good horses are easy to train. The lesser talented or those with problems are a bit more difficult.
If I could, right now, be sure that my next 10 strong fancies will arrive, I would be in a position to retire .

I suspect very little is Brave bookies, rather bookies laying to balance their books - another science that punters should understand when betting.

A horse that shortens is akin to the bookies saying - please don't back this horse any more you are unbalancing my book, while the opposite is true with drifting odds - please back this horse and balance my books.

The odds drifting or shortening have less to do with the winning chances of a horse, than it does with balancing the particular books of the particular bookie. Or another bookie just laid off on a particular bookie to balance his books.

Of course there is valuable information when it's understood - but blindly following the odds will lead to the poorhouse.

Horse racing is and always will be financed by the ill-informed majority , to the benefit of the inside few. Become one of the inside few - who takes time to study all aspects of the game, analyse and practice risk assessment, while understanding probability theory, and financial market concepts like ROI. Even direct insiders who don't understand the science of making up and balancing the book, risk, probability and ROI , will not be successful in the game.

Remember that there are in running variables, that will invalidate form study, possibly impacting form by about 20% - 30%. Take Bengal Boy and Piano Man, race those two together on any given day and you might end up with a 50/50 split result, Much like Helderberg Blue, No Worries, and Serissa, a different result on any given day. Why would any serious punter even risk money on a race like that?

Rushing to the tote in the last minute to place an exotic, with 10 minutes of homework - unfortunately will not get you there, neither will toteboard watching.

If we ever reach a state of such transparency that every punter is on the winner - racing , the game we love so much - would cease to exist.

There are locations where racing thrives despite , betting being prohibited - but how much fun would that be for non invested individuals - (Punters)

Racing's challenge is to turn playing into entertainment which means foregoing big revenue initially in favour of a protracted investment in participation and capacity building which will ultimately deliver skilled players, Once skilled, migration into traditional, more profitable products would not be difficult.

The preceding post touches on players not putting in the time which is very true. In this day and age no one has the time or will to spend hours on a single activity especially when it involves sacrificing a host of other interests or responsibilities.

The game has to be made more enjoyable for novices and experienced players alike which suggests a completely different approach to what has become the predictable boring marketing efforts that we see year in and year out.

This is one of those threads where passions or whatever have taken it away from the main point... the simple fact is that image is vitally important to the game, irrespective of whether the "issue" be entirely innocent or not. Transparency, communication, explanation and seemingly accountability etc are all sorely lacking in SA racing imho. If people don't start thinking outside of the box, not as someone already in the inner circle or a punter who has been punting all his life, then there will be very little new blood who will get interested and the numbers (of everything... courses, horses, owners, trainers, punters, pools etc) will continue at their alarming rate of decline. Think not about what is necessarily "right", think about what must be done to prolong the "sport" as long as possible...

The Hong Kong system would be great, only tote betting, horses are trialed and trained where the public can see and journo's can report, jockey and trainer phones/cell phones and earning are monitored. Strict stipes who give holidays for bad riding.

How much was bet on the single tote yesterday on QEII CUP day? 1,346 Billion Hong Kong Dollars, enough to cover the 20 million stake money for the main race.

Tigershark wrote: The Hong Kong system would be great, only tote betting, horses are trialed and trained where the public can see and journo's can report, jockey and trainer phones/cell phones and earning are monitored. Strict stipes who give holidays for bad riding.

How much was bet on the single tote yesterday on QEII CUP day? 1,346 Billion Hong Kong Dollars, enough to cover the 20 million stake money for the main race.

We can only dream about the HK system here in S.A. It's all about the take-out in S.A.
In H.K. the tote is the biggest payer of revenue and is a non-profit organization.

The Chairman Dr. Ip [any relation of Shan Ip, wonders ] owns horses so does the previous Chairman.

Hong Kong Racing............

corporate.hkjc.com/corporate/corporate-n...s_2014091102007.aspx


Dr Simon Ip becomes 23rd Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Margaret Leung joins Board of Stewards



Following the Annual General Meeting of The Hong Kong Jockey Club today (11 September), the new Board of Stewards elected Dr Simon S O Ip, CBE, JP as Chairman of the Club for 2014/15 and Mr Anthony W K Chow, SBS, JP as Deputy Chairman. Dr Simon Ip (please see biography attached) succeeds Mr T Brian Stevenson, SBS, JP, who has retired from the Board after 15 years as a Club Steward, the past four years as Chairman.

Earlier, Voting Members at the Club's 2014 AGM elected Mrs Margaret Leung Ko May Yee, SBS, JP to the Board of Stewards to fill the vacancy created by Mr Stevenson's retirement. They also re-elected three Stewards who retired by rotation, namely Dr Simon Ip, Mr Lester C H Kwok, JP, and Dr Eric Li Ka Cheung, GBS, OBE, JP. All four Stewards will serve three-year terms until the 2017 AGM.

Mrs Margaret Leung (detailed biography attached) brings to the Board of Stewards extensive experience in the banking industry as well as an outstanding record of public service. She is currently Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Chong Hing Bank. Mrs Leung is also a keen horse racing enthusiast, having been a co-owner of some 10 horses in the past 15 years in her own right or as a member of the Waylee Syndicate, which she currently manages. Two of these horses – Sunshine Kid and Winning Mascot – are still currently racing.

Speaking after the initial Board meeting, new Chairman Simon Ip paid warm tribute to his predecessor. "Brian Stevenson has overseen a period of tremendous growth and development for the Jockey Club on both the sporting and charitable fronts," he commented. "Our returns to the public purse through duties and tax have increased by more than 43% since 2010 and our charitable donations by a remarkable 137%. Brian has also led important long-term developments for the Club like the revitalisation of racing, the Racecourse Master Plan and the launch of commingling, all of which have now come to fruition.”

"Most recently, he has championed our HK$1.3 billion support for the new teaching hospital at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which will greatly benefit the city's sandwich-class and elderly residents. Moreover, our Sichuan reconstruction projects which Brian has overseen, involving the Club's largest-ever single donation of HK$1 billion in Mainland China, have brought great value to the lives of those affected. Brian has worked tirelessly for the Club and the wider community and we owe him a great deal."

Dr Simon Ip said he looked forward to continuing this good work in the year ahead. "It is going to be a very exciting year for the Club as we celebrate our 130th Anniversary of serving the Hong Kong community.”

"We shall continue to achieve excellence in our operations and to elevate still further Hong Kong's high standing in world racing. We shall also seek further ways of enhancing Hong Kong people's quality of life through our Charities Trust donations, by proactively looking for projects of impact that can contribute to the community's long-term sustainability, especially in areas of concern like the ageing population trend, youth development and societal integration. We want the Club to continue making a positive contribution to Hong Kong society, just as it has done these past 130 years.”

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus for charitable and community projects. In 2013/14, its donations reached a record $3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,275 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,800 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.

Attachments
1) Biography of Dr Simon S O Ip
2) Biography of Mrs Margaret Leung Ko May Yee



Photo 1:
Dr Simon S O Ip, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club


Photo 2:
Mrs Margaret Leung, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

louisg wrote: I am confused because this thread sounds like sour grapes, from the pocket only and now the Owner and Trainer are being attacked by some.
My point is that we live in the info age, so surely all astute punters would have followed the money, noted the support in from 25's to 7 ' s. ..?

Maybe with a different Owner there would have been less fuss here on ABC ?

Also, in my experience, it doesn't take that much money to reduce long odds horses nowadays. If it were Alesh Naidoo's or maybe Lawrence Werners horse, for example, it would have started at 7 to 10 and would DEFINITELY NOT have opened at 25's. (I use those two Owners names with the utmost respect ).

So, from me it's a huge WELL DONE to Barend and to Mr.o Connor. It's so very important that the Chairman of NHA is an Owner, so that he can understand the many challenges which face us and I pray that some of the money on the horse was his. Because then he will also understand how the Punters feel.
For the record, I have been present at various meetings where Mr.o Connor has been very strong in his support of Punters and info being disseminated to Punters.
Finally, well done to my mate Matthew Stevens for tipping the horse.


My only disappointment is reading here that Matthew phones the Trainers. So why doesn't he call me for info but calls Barend ? Maybe he is just good at what he does. ..

So guys, Winter is upon us, so PLEASE watch the betting, as we have a few coming (not Owned by Mr.o Connor), which will shorten from long odds.

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Maybe Louis he doesn't have your phone number.