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Somebody got it right.Races are not run for the owners nor for the fans nor for the horses!The meetings are run to facilitate the bookies.So basically we have the inmates running the asylum. In Ireland they have "Pony Races". Why not call your low class races "drudge races" and allow apprentices to learn how to ride by restricting those meetings to apprentices and slow horses?Riders to be assigned by the Jockey club the day before each meeting.
Whether or not having AW racing during the summer is desirable is another question, but as things stand it’s inevitable.
Which is the entire crux of the issue.
AW racing only exists to appease the bookies, which makes it all the more ironic when stings like last week’s take place and they all start bleating about it. Racing has to find a way to distance itself from these parasites in order to make the sport more healthy and self-sustainable. Getting rid of AW during the summer months would be a sensible first step in accomplishing just that.
Which bookies bleated about the coup. The only one I saw was Geoff Banks and he has been consistent as he has long been a critic of AW racing.
It’s OK saying racing should distance itself from bookies but that is just a slogan. Racing needs bookies far more than they need racing.
Bookies are contributing over £70m in levy per year. Add to that sponsorship and the fact they keep racing on TV. Where’s that money going to come from if they drop racing ? How’s racing going to be financed ?
How’s racing going to be financed ?
It’ll be up to individual racecourses to find their own funding. If that means that many of them close down, tough. Survival of the fittest and all that.
Besides, I’d rather have less racing than the bloated bookies’ benefit we have now.
How’s racing going to be financed ?
It’ll be up to individual racecourses to find their own funding. If that means that many of them close down, tough. Survival of the fittest and all that.
Besides, I’d rather have less racing than the bloated bookies’ benefit we have now.
Come off it. That’s just pie in the sky. Where are they going to get that funding from ? Every racecourse would close down. The money from the levy is essential. Without bookies no one would bet on racing and it would be finished.
Without bookies no one would bet on racing and it would be finished.
Do you really believe that the bookies care about racing?
Make no mistake: if they could get rid of all the Racing Post betting shop displays and just have wall-to-wall FOBTs, they would.
Sad to see the prejudice some posters have against all-weather racing.
It’s great entertainment, competitive racing and a good betting medium if you put the study in. You even get to see plenty of familiar names who featured on Channel 4 racing in their heyday. Tartan Gigha, Rakaan, and Huzzah are among the old favourites who have showed up in the last couple of weeks.
I guess the state of the economy means that people have less spare cash and less free time, so nights out at the races get cut. That has certainly been my situation until recently, but I am hoping to pay a visit to Kempton or Lingfield next week.
Agree with all of that. Racing may be basically a betting medium in essence, but it can be very entertaining for viewers and owners. The Tatling springs to mind. His final race is one of my favourites ever.
AW racing only exists to appease the bookies, which makes it all the more ironic when stings like last week’s take place and they all start bleating about it.
No bookies were "bleating about it". They understand it for what it is – good publicity.
Mike
Make no mistake: if they could get rid of all the Racing Post betting shop displays and just have wall-to-wall FOBTs, they would.
What’s stopping them? They could do that tomorrow.
Whilst it’s popularity is diminishing (particularly in shops) racing still has value to bookmakers. When it doesn’t, those Racing Posts will disappear.
Mike
It’ll be up to individual racecourses to find their own funding. If that means that many of them close down, tough. Survival of the fittest and all that.
Besides, I’d rather have less racing than the bloated bookies’ benefit we have now.
You’ll be in luck then. There’ll be two or three meetings a month.
Mike
I’d imagine most owners will want to sell if their horse is not good enough.
To whom in your scenario?
Men with aprons and cleavers I would suggest.
Mike
I’d imagine most owners will want to sell if their horse is not good enough.
To whom in your scenario?
Men with aprons and cleavers I would suggest.
Mike
Sold to race in countries with lesser quality racing Mike.
Those rated around 50 to 35 in Britain are certainly capable of winning races abroad.
Value Is EverythingSold to race in countries with lesser quality racing Mike.
Those rated around 50 to 35 in Britain are certainly capable of winning races abroad.
Where? And what evidence do you have that such modest horses "are certainly capable of winning races abroad?"
I have a cat and I love her dearly, so must declare an interest
I’ve heard of horses being sold to Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and other Eastern European countries. If you look at Sales results on the RP website you’ll find lots of the cheaper lots the 500 and 800gns ones go to people with names that suggest they are picking up horses cheaply over here for racing in other climes.
Sold to race in countries with lesser quality racing Mike.
Those rated around 50 to 35 in Britain are certainly capable of winning races abroad.
Where? And what evidence do you have that such modest horses "are certainly capable of winning races abroad?"
I have a cat and I love her dearly, so must declare an interest
One or two may be destined to be meeting your cat Drone.
But do you have an even worse opinion of our 50 to 35 rated horses than I do?
Surely even Southwell can not be described as the worst standard of racing in the World?
I’d hope most (if not all) those countries ST mentions plus many more would accomodate our lesser lights.
Value Is EverythingWhat’s stopping them?
The law. They can only have four FOBTs per shop.
Of course, but I was meaning if the bookmakers wanted to drop racing as a product they could do
that
immediately.
Mike
I’ve heard of horses being sold to Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and other Eastern European countries. If you look at Sales results on the RP website you’ll find lots of the cheaper lots the 500 and 800gns ones go to people with names that suggest they are picking up horses cheaply over here for racing in other climes.
Thanks ST, that answers my query "where" but it would be nice to know if all, most or some are sold to race in those countries or are put to other uses. Presumably the horse names remain the same and the BHA, or whoever oversees the live export of thoroughbreds, maintain a paper trail and know of their whereabouts and what becomes of them. If not, they should in my opinion
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