NHA APPLIED TODAY FOR A LOCKDOWN EXEMPTION

I think it's time to acknowledge that it's over for SA racing. We will continue to struggle onwards and support our trainers but the math is struggling to add up. The picture deals cannot be as robust as before. The coffers are empty and the lifeline is dependent on betting turnover and international revenue. If we start next week and the pools are affected and the picture deal is no longer the same its a small breath and then the sport will fizzle out.

Im not being alarmist, Its just that as this pandemic continues worldwide I cannot see the numbers betting into and supporting the ABSOLUTELY needed pools.

People with bookmakers accounts will bet into the open bet.

Telebet has reduced from over 40 000 accounts down to 3000 so how and where will Junes finances come from?

Hopefully now the last remaining people that have faith in the " inner circle" can see the light.

easy wrote: I think it's time to acknowledge that it's over for SA racing. We will continue to struggle onwards and support our trainers but the math is struggling to add up. The picture deals cannot be as robust as before. The coffers are empty and the lifeline is dependent on betting turnover and international revenue. If we start next week and the pools are affected and the picture deal is no longer the same its a small breath and then the sport will fizzle out.

Im not being alarmist, Its just that as this pandemic continues worldwide I cannot see the numbers betting into and supporting the ABSOLUTELY needed pools.

People with bookmakers accounts will bet into the open bet.

Telebet has reduced from over 40 000 accounts down to 3000 so how and where will Junes finances come from?

Hopefully now the last remaining people that have faith in the " inner circle" can see the light.

It’s sad but true. If racing hard to start, from my side I like going down to the tote but if they not going to be open,which we know they won’t then I will be betting on my accounts. I don’t have a tab account anymore as they could never offer a service that I expect. If I had to win then it was a whole mission to get paid,maybe it has improved but no business should run like that.If a punter wins and wants payout then they should jump on it,the punter also thrives on the feeling of seeing his money come into his account. If I win with Hollywood then I know sometimes within a hour I can fetch the cash at a atm with a cash send or have it paid into my account.
This is really the time when they need to swallow their pride and negotiate a deal with the bookmakers,give them a fair share and let the money go into our pools as the stronger the pools the more confidence one has to place a big bet.
Like on met day you can easily put 2-3 thousand wins on a horse in any race as the pools are big and you get better odds most times with big pools. But a normal day with low pools, 2000 wins doesn’t work. They need to work something out.
Lastly we talk about how racing’s future is not good,there are thousands of businesses in same position,I’m even losing money hand over fist in my locked up business at the moment and when racing is back I have to be very very cautious,my bets now have to be far less,so I expect things to be run properly and not have situations of doing my money in cold blood without a chance as in these times I cannot throw money away.
I’m sure there are addicts that are going through the same.

Lionel wrote:

Sheik wrote: No responsible government should allow horse racing until level 3 is achieved regardless any assurances , there simply cant be any holy cows. it is not the only industry affected casino owners, restaurants, hospitality are in the same predicament. Don't think the industry has built their own quarantine site or Covid19 hospital.

Why? The decision should be based on Risk. Risk is an assessment based on hazards, frequency of exposure to the hazard & ability to mitigate them, or reduce it to an acceptable level.

My take on this is that the government is trying to keep things tight until they have enough facilities and equipment in place to deal with the fallout, which they know will come, eventually.

Hi Lionel. Your last paragraph refers. This is exactly what “ flattening the curve means”. Yes, most will get the virus but hopefully at future staggered times when medical resources will be available. Everyone getting the virus four weeks ago, with very limited medical resources, would have been a momentous horrible disaster comparable to perhaps the holocaust.


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Horseracing needs to return to club level immediately. Tarry and de Kock are on the mission of the boiling frog syndrome.


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Imo, the biggest issue is that there is no consensus among racing folk - some say forget the past and let's move on, others say no way can we move on unless the 'guilty' owns up, I certainly subscribe to the 2nd option; then we have SABOAT (and I have huge respect for Easy in what he is trying to do), seemingly opposed by the 'new' RA which imo is backing the wrong horse in trying to sustain a dead organisation - in much the same way that Government has been propping up SAA for years ..... and anyone who is voicing an opinion opposing the 'mainstream' is being labeled a 'key-board warrior' who knows nothing about anything .....

So where to from here (doffing my cap to Stan Elley) ....

I agree that unless 'we' at least start pulling in the same direction, racing as we know it will change - and become even more of a 'fringe attraction' than it currently is - but I don't agree that it will die completely - for that there are too many that want to keep the game alive .... and I hope I am right ....

Then we have the NHA application - in broad terms I'm in the camp of those who think that SA should move to Stage 1 right away - so of course my view would be that racing should be allowed to start again ASAP - with the applicable 'social distancing' measures in place - but not to be policed. And I base my opinion on research that (to mention only one factor) is that the death toll in the UK for the first 3 months of this year (Jan thru March) is BELOW the average as measured in the last 10 years .....

Also ito the decision to continue Racing being based on whether Racing is classified as a 'sport'or an 'agricultural activity', I find this ludicrous - but based on that, surely 'breeding operations' should fall into the 'agricultural sector' - so Sales should be allowed under Level 4 ? And to group all sporting activities under the same umbrella, also does not make sense to me - surely a sport like Tennis (and one can argue Racing) has a negligible risk ito of spreading the virus - as opposed to Rugby - of course given no spectators .....

Anyway it is Freedom Day - under Lock-down .....

easy wrote: I think it's time to acknowledge that it's over for SA racing. We will continue to struggle onwards and support our trainers but the math is struggling to add up. The picture deals cannot be as robust as before. The coffers are empty and the lifeline is dependent on betting turnover and international revenue. If we start next week and the pools are affected and the picture deal is no longer the same its a small breath and then the sport will fizzle out.

Im not being alarmist, Its just that as this pandemic continues worldwide I cannot see the numbers betting into and supporting the ABSOLUTELY needed pools.

People with bookmakers accounts will bet into the open bet.

Telebet has reduced from over 40 000 accounts down to 3000 so how and where will Junes finances come from?

Hopefully now the last remaining people that have faith in the " inner circle" can see the light.

Hi Easy, would i be correct in saying that your organization would be cutting its losses? Or do you intend to carry on the fight going forward.....

louisg wrote: Basically, Govt must decide if we fall under Agriculture or under Sports.

If Agriculture, we can race on 1st May, under lockdown, level 4.

If Sports, then about June or later, level 2...

and that's the story folks.

Louis its more complicated than that, agriculture is allowed for eating purposes only, horse racing is a unique industry neither agriculture, gambling nor sports. I feel with proposal etc by Vee we have a good chance.

Dave,

I don't understand your chirp "cutting its losses"

I don't have an organisation !!! What I did was register a domain name and ask people to agree to be part of affecting change in the future whole ever ends up in charge. I have stressed this is NOT my organisation I am merely gathering the voices (by seeking to people every day) and sounding out where they stand.

I will also state that until my dying day I will continue to canvass for members. There are many things right with racing but its x10 things that are wrong.

Getting back to your chirp I fail to see why you or anyone that cares for racing would not want a voice? Why would you not want to be included in decisions? Why are you happy that an organisation with minority representation does deals that affect the majority? I don't care who takes over. That does not mean they won't do good.

Having said that on 100% of wedding days people stand in front of witnesses and make solemn promises. 33% of those wedding end in divorce. So I'm sure the intentions are good but sadly I think its time to play the form book and make sure that as a collective we have a voice.

No no there are no losses to be cut.

Ill add something else to my words. I literally have to do ZERO for racing to be in the doldrums and the powers that are inlace to fail. Its already failed without ANY intervention from the keyboard warriors. Lets face it THEY have stated on more than one occasion that we DONT have a voice. Yet we still find ourselves racing for pathetic stakes.

If what I have stated publicly is really that bad then perhaps Ill too be ostracised from racing in SA. That will be a sad day indeed because even though Im pretty vocal with regards to the past I certainly feel that I have loads to contribute to the future both as an owner as a person bringing new people into sa racing and as a contributor.

So there you have it.

Morning Easy

Certainly not meant as a "chirp" it was a genuine question based on your post.

"Its time to acknowledge that its over for SA racing"

However thanks for reply and as always "all the best".

easy wrote: I think it's time to acknowledge that it's over for SA racing. We will continue to struggle onwards and support our trainers but the math is struggling to add up. The picture deals cannot be as robust as before. The coffers are empty and the lifeline is dependent on betting turnover and international revenue. If we start next week and the pools are affected and the picture deal is no longer the same its a small breath and then the sport will fizzle out.

Im not being alarmist, Its just that as this pandemic continues worldwide I cannot see the numbers betting into and supporting the ABSOLUTELY needed pools.

People with bookmakers accounts will bet into the open bet.

Telebet has reduced from over 40 000 accounts down to 3000 so how and where will Junes finances come from?

Hopefully now the last remaining people that have faith in the " inner circle" can see the light.

.....one has got to ask....why was something not done in stopping this slide of tote account holders....why only now are they trying to get them back under this crisis.....they ignored their own customer base for years despite the gripes on shocking service and poor treatment.....why did they employ Vee Moodley at a big cost and put him in charge of this betting portfolio only for him to introduce new(bring back old) betting products and amend others that eroded the customer base further.....he did nada for the customers....now he is at the for front again in trying to save local racing.....oh heaven(or higher power)please help us....:dry:

I gather we should get a reply today if we can race again? If the exemption has been given the go ahead.

If we do get that lifeline, its obvious with the numbers above some drastic action would have to take place for survival.

Would really appreciate inputs on what the "special task team" plans are and who they are?

Dave

I believe you that it was not meant as a chirp but it reads that way even this morning. As i stated there is no losses to cut. Ive invested a small amount of £'s and lots of time.

Racing will resurface in one form or another. It might take a year or century but the glory days of SA racing will return.

What I wrote about it being over is based on math. At this stage for example Kimberley has lost another meeting. This is NOT racings fault per se but it affects racing. It affects everyone in racing.

You see I love to talk about kimberley racing perhaps it because we owned its champion stayer at one point, perhaps its because i like sand racing or perhaps i respect it enough to know that its a VITAL cog in SA racing.

If Kimberley folds it will fold not because it is not profitable. It will fold because its been neglected as a potentially viable business stream for many years. The knock on effect of its closure affects everyone connected in racing and even the bus company.

For me SA racing needs people like Paulo, people like me and many others to voice our opinions and suggestions.

If I was in charge the 1st thing I would do is bring Paulo on Board.
The 2nd thing I would do is speak to the bookmakers and re negotiate the open bet.
The 3rd thing I would do is raise capital for investment.
The 4th thing I would do is travel the world offering the proper racing from various venues at a suitable time 22 times a week. Yes if I was in charge we would race 22 times a week in sa.

and that would bolster the racing eco system loads. Punters Breeders Jockeys Trainers Grooms everyone would benefit.

Its not hard to do. You just need to

understand business
love racing
have a vision
know your customer