RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
Barry Lichter

Racing Industry Bill passes

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Why on earth would McKelvie say : “There is an urgency to get people who understand the gaming industry on the board.” Are they planning to shift the focus from sport and racing wagering to gaming as a source of revenue or what?

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Leggy, I gave little doubt racing is a gone burger and sport only sings at major events. Both do not give a predictable future. 

Gaming is most definitely on the agenda and I would suggest ahead of Racing and sport, both of which are sunset 

 

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If you don't mind a perspective from somewhere else:

The way horse racing is run in NZ is so totally different from how it is in the UK but both models have plenty of issues and problems.

For me, the first question is to determine who owns the product - is it the courses/clubs where the action happens or the owners/trainers/jockeys who are more closely involved?

In the UK, the product is sold directly to the bookmakers and the broadcasters through the various media rights contracts - the one for showing the races in off-course betting shops and the other for broadcasting on the two specialist racing channels and for overseas consumption.

The racecourses have effectively claimed ownership of the product and are one leg of racing's "Triple Alliance" with the Horsemen (owners, trainers and jockeys) and the bookmakers.

The fixture list is carved up between the racecourse ownership groups - each track gets its share with the all weather tracks racing more in the winter to provide a continuous income stream. Even though they buy the product, the bookmakers have decided they'll pay nothing for races they can't sell as betting propositions to the few punters in the shops not playing the FOBTs (what you call the pokies) so in theory there's no point a course putting on small field races. The Horsemen want lots of racing to provide opportunity and income for owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.

The Government gets its share via the top-slicing of bookie profits based on revenue. The bookies of course have other sports for income generation such as football. Dog tracks are directly owned and run by bookmakers but they aren't allowed to own gallop tracks.

Many courses can generate other income via conferences, exhibitions and the like but others can't and for them this year, with the loss of the big summer evening meetings in terms of spectators, is going to be very difficult.

Where am I going with this?

Every time I debate this with Kiwi racing people, I start with the "who owns the product?" question. Why can't the clubs get together and decide when they want to race, accepting the midweek cards will be for off-course wagering purposes. Negotiate a punter-friendly and horsemen-friendly fixture list and I have to say where you are well ahead of the UK is prize money. I've just seen the Riccarton card for tomorrow - every race going for $15,000 - call it £7,500 in UK money. 

At Lingfield tomorrow evening, the Class 6 handicaps have a first prize of £2,782 while the feature Class 4 goes for £4,690. You'd better believe jockeys and trainers and owners have bills to pay and all (or almost all) are struggling to make ends meet. The solution is more racing, more meetings and the wheel spins ever faster. Yet the runners aren't there - despite a 3-month shutdown and fewer meetings, tomorrow's Newmarket card has just 51 runners in 8 races.

I think the most successful racing jurisdiction is Hong Kong but the best operating model for NZ may be France. France Galop is a powerful lobbying force and racing is treated not as a sport but as an agricultural pursuit with all the advantages that flows from that - just a thought.

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38 minutes ago, stodge said:

If you don't mind a perspective from somewhere else:

The way horse racing is run in NZ is so totally different from how it is in the UK but both models have plenty of issues and problems.

For me, the first question is to determine who owns the product - is it the courses/clubs where the action happens or the owners/trainers/jockeys who are more closely involved?

In the UK, the product is sold directly to the bookmakers and the broadcasters through the various media rights contracts - the one for showing the races in off-course betting shops and the other for broadcasting on the two specialist racing channels and for overseas consumption.

The racecourses have effectively claimed ownership of the product and are one leg of racing's "Triple Alliance" with the Horsemen (owners, trainers and jockeys) and the bookmakers.

The fixture list is carved up between the racecourse ownership groups - each track gets its share with the all weather tracks racing more in the winter to provide a continuous income stream. Even though they buy the product, the bookmakers have decided they'll pay nothing for races they can't sell as betting propositions to the few punters in the shops not playing the FOBTs (what you call the pokies) so in theory there's no point a course putting on small field races. The Horsemen want lots of racing to provide opportunity and income for owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.

The Government gets its share via the top-slicing of bookie profits based on revenue. The bookies of course have other sports for income generation such as football. Dog tracks are directly owned and run by bookmakers but they aren't allowed to own gallop tracks.

Many courses can generate other income via conferences, exhibitions and the like but others can't and for them this year, with the loss of the big summer evening meetings in terms of spectators, is going to be very difficult.

Where am I going with this?

Every time I debate this with Kiwi racing people, I start with the "who owns the product?" question. Why can't the clubs get together and decide when they want to race, accepting the midweek cards will be for off-course wagering purposes. Negotiate a punter-friendly and horsemen-friendly fixture list and I have to say where you are well ahead of the UK is prize money. I've just seen the Riccarton card for tomorrow - every race going for $15,000 - call it £7,500 in UK money. 

At Lingfield tomorrow evening, the Class 6 handicaps have a first prize of £2,782 while the feature Class 4 goes for £4,690. You'd better believe jockeys and trainers and owners have bills to pay and all (or almost all) are struggling to make ends meet. The solution is more racing, more meetings and the wheel spins ever faster. Yet the runners aren't there - despite a 3-month shutdown and fewer meetings, tomorrow's Newmarket card has just 51 runners in 8 races.

I think the most successful racing jurisdiction is Hong Kong but the best operating model for NZ may be France. France Galop is a powerful lobbying force and racing is treated not as a sport but as an agricultural pursuit with all the advantages that flows from that - just a thought.

Very good thoughts,  Stodge, interesting - and thanks for taking the time to post.   Unfortunately, clubs here have no power at all [ officially ] although the larger ones, especially those with 'influential' people on their committees, can and do push their agendas.    The smaller ones just have to suck up what is thrown at them.

Have you given any thought to Australian racing?  As our closest neighbour, with a very successful model - at least in the two most populous states -  that is possibly where we should be looking for examples...?

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1 hour ago, Pam Robson said:

Very good thoughts,  Stodge, interesting - and thanks for taking the time to post.   Unfortunately, clubs here have no power at all [ officially ] although the larger ones, especially those with 'influential' people on their committees, can and do push their agendas.    The smaller ones just have to suck up what is thrown at them.

Have you given any thought to Australian racing?  As our closest neighbour, with a very successful model - at least in the two most populous states -  that is possibly where we should be looking for examples...?

Thanks for the response.

I don't know enough about how Australian racing is organised but it seems each State has a degree of power and autonomy. There seems a degree of tension between Victoria and NSW to this observer but maybe I'm wrong.

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2 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

Very good thoughts,  Stodge, interesting - and thanks for taking the time to post.   Unfortunately, clubs here have no power at all [ officially ] although the larger ones, especially those with 'influential' people on their committees, can and do push their agendas.    The smaller ones just have to suck up what is thrown at them.

Have you given any thought to Australian racing?  As our closest neighbour, with a very successful model - at least in the two most populous states -  that is possibly where we should be looking for examples...?

Good luck today Pam , enjoy your return to racing and you get a return . Had a small nibble on your boy in the last , hope i haven't put to much extra weight on him .

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9 hours ago, nomates said:

Good luck today Pam , enjoy your return to racing and you get a return . Had a small nibble on your boy in the last , hope i haven't put to much extra weight on him .

Congrats Pam!....wow great price! :o

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