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If anybody is interested in more detail on the initial Racing For Change report I have put a full copy of their press release on my web site.
Thanks, Paul. Welcome initiatives, they will certainly not detract from the show. The fullness of time will of course reveal the list to be a window dressing exercise. When it comes to funding you know where they’ll come looking, but almost nothing on there for the levy payer.
TRF complied a better list in a week.
Completely agree with you Cav
There is nothing seismic in this first report, more aimed at de-mystifying the sport for newcomers, which may not be a bad thing.
It still doesn’t address the fundamental problems facing the sport.
I am sure there will be some who fight the passing of fractional odds but let’s face it, don’t those of us who are used to the old odds immediately convert them to decimal anyway? Whenever I see 15/8 for example I immediately translate it to 1.875/1
Some good ideas in there. I think where a big screen is available, they should always show the print of a photo finish when required.
One of my biggest issues though, is that alot of towns with racecourses seem ashamed that they are there.
Certainly, you could drive right past Wolverhampton or Haydock & easily miss that a racecourse is even there. Also with those two courses (and I’m sure others are in the same boat), signposting is abysmal, as is access by public transport. It’s no good getting people interested in racing if they don’t know how to or physically can’t get there!
Whenever I see 15/8 for example I immediately translate it to 1.875/1
Bit of a boll…s for the tic tac man.
‘The genetically engineered tic tac man of the future, 6 arms each with 14 fingers!’
I don’t like decimal odds at all. Still, if they were to be introduced, I’m sure I’d manage. I don’t think it would kill the bookies if they showed prices in both.
Come to think of it, they could give out ‘conversion tables’ at the gate. I might be statistics obsessed but for me, I think it would add to the fun working it all out.
Whenever I see 15/8 for example I immediately translate it to 1.875/1
Bit of a boll…s for the tic tac man.
‘The genetically engineered tic tac man of the future, 6 arms each with 14 fingers!’
Should open up a few more job opportunities in the Forest Of Dean!
I am sure there will be some who fight the passing of fractional odds but let’s face it, don’t those of us who are used to the old odds immediately convert them to decimal anyway? Whenever I see 15/8 for example I immediately translate it to 1.875/1
Fractions are colourful and fun but anachronistic to the percentile generation so decimals it must be. Haven’t used fractions myself for sometime
Using your example of 15/8 presumably the experiment will be using the Betfair equivalent of 2.88 and will be following their increments across the board. Literal translation from old to new will only confuse and 1.88/1 would be a typical British compromise
The establishment of a new free membership club for younger adults that will offer discounted admission to many racecourses and shares in several racehorses.
This is a good idea and I’d also welcome discounted family tickets akin to those offered by some railway companies and hotels.
Nothing else of particular note in the report but it does at least read positively so best regarded for now as a step forward
Why do the BHA have this obsession with the ‘young’? They generally don’t have a pot to piss in, and are more likely to spend any disposable on alcopops at the track, rather than bumping the Levy with their £1 each-way Tote bets?
Why are there not more inducements to the 30+ age bracket? Or families?
Drone, if fractions are anachronistic, then so are race distances in Imperial measurements. Would you want to do away with them too?
Paul…i wonder if many of the new targeted punters will think 1.875 to one or "i make fifteen on eight"?
Agree with Grasshopper. Young people are pests anyway. Have you ever left c4 on after the Morning line and caught that dismal T4? Machine gun the lot of them i say. Most of them lie in bed all day watching Countdown anyway
Why do the BHA have this obsession with the ‘young’? They generally don’t have a pot to piss in, and are more likely to spend any disposable on alcopops at the track, rather than bumping the Levy with their £1 each-way Tote bets?
Maybe they are thinking that the young generally become old whilst the old die?
I can understand them wanting to rope in people as young as possible, TDK. It’s the fact that all the incentives seem to be geared towards the under 25’s to the exclusion of every other demographic that I take issue with.
If, for example, the BHA were to offer subsidised family memberships covering all courses under a geogrpahic location…..say all five Scottish tracks, or the Yorkshire tracks (you get the idea), then I would seriously consider signing-up and taking the family racing.
Unfortunately, between petrol money and entrance fees, I’d have to fork out the best part of a cenny to take my mob racing at Ayr for the day (for example), and that’s before I’ve even seen a horse or had a bet. I therefore have no incentive to go to Ayr.
However, if I could do the same thing for half that starting amount, I would seriously consider it as a day out for the family. My contribution to the Levy would increase, and my kids may potentially develop an interest in the sport that does not currently exist.
As for death, I was of course refering to mere mortals like yourself. I have no worries on that score.
Disagree with you there, TDK. I’ve never been charged for my lad at any racecourse whereas next week, when I travel to Bradford City, I’m expected to pay £20 for me and £12 for my 13 year old. I’ve written to them in the past but they have a seat occupancy policy.
You can take a primary school class into any racecourse for nothing. That’s one thing the racecourses have got right.
However, I will wholeheartedly agree with you about the price of catering. A scandal worthy of a white paper.
Clive/Grass, if we don’t catch em young, they’ll be running the National at Wick Point-to-Point in 2050 in front of an audience of a hundred so enough with the Clarkson impressions.
TDK , agreed the cost of going racing is just too much , I went 42 times last year , 24 to Newmarket for which I had a membership , and 18 others , even though I used the racegoers club vouchers for all of those (I would encourage anyone to join them its 25 quid a year ), it still cost me quite a bit
My entry costs together with fuel cost 1300 , so the average cost was 31 quid per race meeting , not so bad I suppose , but if you were thinking of bringing your wife /partner then it would be insane
I notice the RFC folks havent mentioned this , its a fundamental , lower costs , get more bums on seats , its simple , but then again I imagine the courses wont play ball , its probably a non starter , so we will get a lot of other stuff changed which will only make a material difference , when you actually hace a racing audience to talk to
cheers
Ricky
I’d like to see better offers for families, I love going to the races with the lads, but at the same time it’s a great family day out aswell.
On some occasions I think racecourses could work with local sports clubs to either avoid clashes or join together and offer deals.
An example of this was last year at my local course Pontefract, the big Sunday meeting of the year ended up clashing with the local rugby league derby of Wakefield and Castleford, 2 places where you would expect a large number of punters to come from.
As I said before the two organisations could have worked together, maybe joining up and offering a discounted ticket for the races to anyone who went to the rugby match, bringing the kick off froward a touch so it would have been easier to get to the races would have helped aswell as I know quite a number of people who didn’t go racing because of that.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, Ricky.
Courses are commercial entities, and are therefore free to set their own charging policy. The BHA have no real control over this, and can only state a desire policy of making racing more accessible.
Unfortunately, a commercial entities short-term commercial best-interest, will always take priority over the BHA’s strategic aims. In essence, they work against each other – something evidenced to a large extent by the coverage (or lack of, more accurately) of RUK races being on YouTube….though that thankfully seems to be slowly changing.
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