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The sport has got nothing to lose with the Racing for Change proposals.
I do think that televising Stewards Enquiries is vital as it works very well in Austrailia and will put a stop to this behind closed doors scene which can annoy people.
Decimal odds is worth trialling and can only be a good thing for the sport if it attracts new people.
Cannot fathom though the shortening of race names though, the race name is whatever the sponsor wants it to be within taste boundaries of course.
Race times should also be posted on the flat with the standard time and track record posted as well to give some context.
Think what Athletics would be like to watch without records..
An end to all pointless dress codes (perhaps excluding Royal Ascot) would be good. What other sport tells its paying customers how they should dress.
Also, why doesn’t racing have a credible fantasy game? The nearest we get is the ten to follow, which is rather univolving. I’ve seen fantasy ownership for virtual horses but not the real thing.
ROAD TO THE ROSES! That’s the best idea anyone this side of the pond has come up with, it gets people to actually watch the prep races rather than just the Derby, and even my non-horsey friends still participate in it and will ask me if such-and-such horse ought to be in their virtual stable, what channel is the Bluegrass or the Lexington Stakes on, etc. Something like that could easily be done for races like the Grand National.
Another major thing is the cost of going to the races. I have 4 flat tracks within driving distance, none cost any more than $5 a person for general admission-one of them is free. Admission to the "clubhouse" is at most $20. As a result you a lot of families, especially in the summer.
I actually think the funky odds and stones and guineas make British racing more unique and traditional, but decimal odds should at least be shown once the race is declared official.
racing for change have no jurisdiction over bookmakers.
only the GAMBLING COMMISSION can force us to go decimal.
jobs for the boys change for changes sake forget it
racing for change have no jurisdiction over bookmakers.
only the GAMBLING COMMISSION can force us to go decimal.
jobs for the boys change for changes sake forget it
Typical arrogant response I would expect from you
The racecourse could very easily make it a condition of your entry that you offer decimal odds – of course if you don’t like it you don’t have to trade do you?
Some good points by grasshoper, paul, ginge etc. Still sense there is a resentment towards the people the racing for change initiative is trying to engage…namely people under 30. Or maybe that’s just Clivexx!
I am happy with fraction odds, its one of the fun parts of racing…the fact it is different! As big mac points out though there are far more odds available using a fraction system…punters could be screwed.
Instead of bookies going 7-2, 4-1, 9-2, 5-1 they will go 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0.
All a bookie need to is offer just the old fraction odds ie 4.9, 5.4, 5.9 instead of 4-1, 9-2, 5-1.
Cannot fathom though the shortening of race names though, the race name is whatever the sponsor wants it to be within taste boundaries of course.
Firstly I would insist that the famous races with longstanding traditional names are kept and those that have disappeared in recent years be re-introduced e.g The Great Yorkshire Chase
Secondly, all other races should be given a name that is memorable and/or of some local or historical significance: a horse, a landmark, a town/village, a well-known person, a theme for the day etc
Thirdly, any sponsor’s name to appear in brackets after pared-down race details:
The Great Yorkshire Handicap Steeplechase 3¼ Miles £xxxxx to the winner (sponsored by Skybet)
Class/Grade/Group/Listed, ‘added stakes’, age limits, place purses and other technical mumbo-jumbo to be kept to the small print beneath the header or, as course racecards tend to do, in an appendix
I would do away with the rather strange title ‘Listed’ particularly for the handful of handicaps so ennobled, and rename them Group 4 for Flat Conditions events
I am happy with fraction odds, its one of the fun parts of racing…the fact it is different! As big mac points out though there are far more odds available using a fraction system…punters could be screwed.
Instead of bookies going 7-2, 4-1, 9-2, 5-1 they will go 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0.
All a bookie need to is offer just the old fraction odds ie 4.9, 5.4, 5.9 instead of 4-1, 9-2, 5-1.
"Punters could be screwed"? You mean they’re not already by bookmakers?
As it happens Big Mac is wrong as pointed out by Sean Boyce, there looks more odds in your decimal list to me rather than your fraction odds list.
It could be argued that rather than a string of bookmakers all offering 7/2, one or two of them may go 4.7 or 4.8 so on that basis punters wouldn’t be worse off but they would get bigger on Betfair the vast majority of the time anyway.My more drastic measures for Racing for Change rather than these cosmetic changes would be to get rid of bookmakers instead of getting into bed with them and get prize money up to reasonable levels.
Drastically reduced admission prices – Southwell were still charging full price today after three races had gone.
Punting seminars at the track delivered free by pro punters an hour before racing.
Cav’s daily scratchcard – a superb idea.
The Twilight Twenty Grand – a "Showcase" handicap run every day from April – September at 5.15 to attract the office workers waiting for the bus. Concessions and added value. City bookmaker shops can employ a front-of-house promotions person to help educate and inform.
Get some enthusiastic, exciting, buzzing, non-horsey young people to present the shows. Put a few of the old guard out to pasture.We do this every three months and still I don’t know whether anyone who can actually do something about stuff reads these threads.
I’ve had another idea:
A series of races (let’s say six races over two or three months), feature the same horses in each. Run them all at level weights for the first race then handicap them against each other (rather than their official rating) for the series & have a big trophy at the end.
Broadcast all the races on TV.One problem I’d imagine a casual viewer has, is they happen to see a horse run once, they might never see it again (or not know when it’s going to be running again). But if it was series of races, people could latch onto their favourite. I think enthusiasm over a period of time would work better than trying to raise enthusiasm in a one time event.
If not a ‘series’ for horses, then perhaps for jockeys. A ‘Jockey’s Champions League’ if you will.
Sorry if that sounds stupid, it sounds good in my head but I’m pretty tired at the mo.
PS: I know there’s the Jockeys Championship for flat/jumps but by ‘period of time’, I mean a period of time that doesn’t massively exceed the average attention span!
PPS: Also, how about the this: Racing For Change run a tv advert aimed at football fans. The tagline: ‘Racing For A Change?’ Get someone like Lineker to say it.
Drone, I meant to congratulate you on your post.
The restoration of old race names has to be a major priority. I’d List them – in the sense of protect them.
Not just the stakes races either – the scandalously downgraded Gosforth Park cup has been utterly ruined by the cynical dangleberries at Northern Racing.
The Beeswing, Predominate, Virginia Water etc etc, I’ve gone on before about this. They should have been protecte and it isn’t too late.
The young appreciate tradition and security too.
How do the Casinos get clients to come in?Free busing to the casino. No admission fees.Cheap but good food.Wheels turning,slots ringing, Keno(bingo) cards even in the restaurant while eating.Busloads of senior citizens allowed in free Busloads of old women allowed in free(they love to gamble).
Now how about, not free admission, but a refund token(equal to the entry fee) to be used for betting purposes once inside.How about hot coffee free on cold national hunt days?Inside warm accommodation for all.Ladies and all under 21 allowed in free.Large closeup view of the parade rings in all parts of the enclosures.Interviews with winning trainers on the screen immediately after the race.Races from other tracks shown every quarter hour on large screens,betting on all races allowed.Close ups of all races enhances the excitement.Until the punters are placed second only to the owners will racing lag behind.What would be the qualification for entry and as the races would need to be on terrestial tv who is going to pay the broadcaster?
I hadn’t got as far as who would pay the broadcaster but I’m pretty certain Channel Five would go for it.
As for qualification, taking the idea of the six races being marketed as ‘Champions League’ it could go back to the beginning of the season. Start with horses that are maidens/novices & have a series of rounds through the season from then until the series proper.
On the subject of a ‘series’. How many races lead up to the Pertemps Final at the Festival?
- Total Posts 17716
The restoration of old race names has to be a major priority. I’d List them – in the sense of protect them.
Thirded! And Drone’s suggestion of adding the sponsors name in brackets at the end is exactly the solution I’d choose. After all, it’s precisely how they do it in the USA – shameful to think that the Yanks have cherished their sense of history and continuity better than we have.
Oh … and by the way, I hear a rumour that Brian and Ben are gearing up for a Civil Partnership. Sweet.
Cannot fathom though the shortening of race names though, the race name is whatever the sponsor wants it to be within taste boundaries of course.
Firstly I would insist that the famous races with longstanding traditional names are kept and those that have disappeared in recent years be re-introduced e.g The Great Yorkshire Chase
Secondly, all other races should be given a name that is memorable and/or of some local or historical significance: a horse, a landmark, a town/village, a well-known person, a theme for the day etc
Thirdly, any sponsor’s name to appear in brackets after pared-down race details:
The Great Yorkshire Handicap Steeplechase 3¼ Miles £xxxxx to the winner (sponsored by Skybet)
Class/Grade/Group/Listed, ‘added stakes’, age limits, place purses and other technical mumbo-jumbo to be kept to the small print beneath the header or, as course racecards tend to do, in an appendix
I would do away with the rather strange title ‘Listed’ particularly for the handful of handicaps so ennobled, and rename them Group 4 for Flat Conditions events
Drone (or should I say Mr. Wainwright).
I’d love to see proper names to races like the "Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase". But if the sponsers name is not prominent they will get less benifit / publicity. Therefore fewer sponsers will want to support racing. There has to be a compromise. What is wrong with "The Great Yorkshire Skybet Chase"? I do think it is important for the media to call the race by its full name, including the sponser. As long as the name is fairly short. This would also encourage sponsers.
Also, what is wrong with the sponser’s name?
If a sponser gives a guarantee of sponsership of a certain amount of money, for say 12 years or more; they should be allowed to have their name AS the race name "Whitbread, Hennessey" etc. One race per year per sponser known solely by the sponser’s name.Surely we need to encourage sponsers to stay and new sponsers to come in.
Do like the idea of replacing "listed" with "Group 4". Dare say there will be a certain Security firm that would like free sponsership too.
Value Is Everything
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