Pause for thought-Metday and other days.

The Tellytrack face at the Vaal had a short chat with Neil Morrice,who is obviously out from England.
Neil made a comment that this was the 8th time he had been to the Met and though he enjoyed the day the turnout was seriously down from previous years.
I understand that the Queens Plate crowd was a bit sparse as well.
All these fashion models,jazz bands,wine estates,Usain Bolt,Jumping castles and of course Corporate Pissups are not regular racegoers.
If I go to Fairview I want to watch the Racing and have a punt.Along with the other addicts.
I feel,much as I would look forward to the Met Racing and the quality fields,a certain resistance to all this
peripheral nonsense and it might put me off going to watch and bet.
I appreciate the Sponsor wants his pound of flesh and all the razzamataz lead up to the Big Race but it struck me that a lot of people who were there on Saturday won'i be there till next year.

It`s a shame the racing is fantastic... The Green Point Stakes produced one of the best finishes" ever" in South African racing... And there was more people in the local Burger King!

Big days are important as they can be a breeding ground for future "addicts". I noted with interest the televised comments on the day about poor attendance. My observations as follows:

1. Television production was a shambles.
a. Better for Queens Plate than it was for the Met in my opinion
b. No switching to celebrities fashion shows and things on offer (probably afraid to show empty stands
c. SuperSport 10 posted the incorrect graphic of the first 4 in the main race Apparently Double Mint won
d. Until T Track has the technology and gear they should really stop trying to emulate Investec Derby type footage. It looks Fong Kong
e. Loss of audio and feed just as we are about to get info pre race
f. General loss of feed

2. Anything billed as "the Richest Race in Africa" is pure desperation. This was tried and failed in JHB but now that Phumelela has control of Cape racing I am not surprised, as there is clearly a lack of imagination

Some reality checks

1. These days are less about racing and more about an event on a social calendar
2. Stop with the Gimmicks, Bolt is not going to pull people to the track, a well-organised event will, the party will
3. Move with the times. the Durban July has become a main market event. People want to be seen there swirling bottle Johnny Blue and Chivas. The old school need to rather watch from the comfort of there lounges. I don't see anything wrong with this but I for one probably won't go back until the day I own a champ of my own.
4. Stop trying to be better than July day. Yeah the course is fucked with the intro of the Poly, the races are becoming more and more second rate but is still an event that brings in millions for Durban and KZN. I have been shot down on here for promoting provincial competition but during the broadcasts, I cannot tell you how many times I heard them say "Capetonians are fiercely proud of anything to do with Capetown". Well, that was not evident. Take a cue from those comments and market the event in that way. Stoke provincial competitiveness.

One out in the Pick 6 on the day. Banked Lady in Black because I am a born and KZN boy. Took Cover with another Kzn rider (Front and Centre) then the Clouds Unfold ed. Haha gotta love the one out syndrome!

There is no hype to get to the course :blink: :ohmy: :huh:

J and B Met was stuffed the day P took over racing the Western Cape.
They cant run a bath never mind a massive undertaking that J and B Met day was in the past.