Suggestions on racing moving forward.

As the seasoned owners,trainers,punters,have got to grips that our raceing is on the downslide,we need a high profile member to try and organise a meeting with the existing Regime.Believeing that they would not be intrested in talking too people that have been attacking them on a daily basis,we need a Oscar or a strong representative to represent us,to see if we are being bullshited,or if we have a future in the game of todays terms C...s.Years back they were Kings.Phumelela and the R A,are pulling the bluff on us,and its got to the stage where negotiations have to take place,as their is no feedback,or communication with the concerned.Do we have to go like England and form a union,are we all scared of Clyde,i suggest that we all cut out the shit,get the ball rolling,and see what the future holds for us.Boys we have to make an huge effort,or we have to do what the Greek captains do when their ship is sinking and BAIL OUT,hopefully after their crew.Any SUGGESTIONS PLEASE COMMUNICATE URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some good suggestions made here

Good morning guys txs again for the post will give it some thought during the day.

I spend lots of time considering the issues in racing.

Like Kantor said in an interview, part of the problem is that everyone is an expert. My view is that while everyone has a solution (to their particular gripe), that 'we' haven't really identified the problems.

Down south our part of our problems stem from politics and finance. Clearly we spend more than we earn and the will to face this is lacking. Or if they have, there isn't the courage to do what must be done, or perhaps not the mandate.

There are so many issues that are out of control that it's become very difficult to identify WHO should be addressing them and these problems include things from programming and raceday allocation to how the industry should milk it's punters to the stakes bill which will ultimately bankrupt the sport as a business.

Here's one small example:
I 'belong' to a small group of serious punters and every time a crap card comes around with really rubbish horses running, these blokes have begun to find something else to do. One has developed a taste for poker at the casino. I would guess as a group racing loses at least 100k turnover that day. On the other hand the casino is creeping towards 30K a day. It's just a matter of time before the casino does what racing never does, 1. identify the customer, 2. perk him with smalls like free parking and a little mvg treatment 3. start wining & dining him.

Racing is a spectator sport, and if it's rubbish it will fail, it should fail. We can't even get our chairmen right. So from tiny problems to massive one's..we don't have a clue. Someone somewhere referred to ABC as 'trailer trash', and what I say to that is: If the trailer trash at ABC can spend a few minutes a day worrying and fretting about the issues and coming up with the occasional bright idea or just witness to a hard truth, then shame on the paid professionals who have 8 hours a day for years on end and do nothing but repeat the same old ignorant 'in-the-box' mistakes. And the biggest error yet is to treat your customers as trailer trash.

Well said jack

You have probably hit the nail on the head Jack, most visitors here its free time, a hobby and a passion and we get frustrated and highlight our concerns/complaints and "hope" they will be heard and action will be taken.
Remember reading a post the other day "how many bosses in racing"?
So a good start would be a type or racing organogram with job descriptions or responsibilities on what the various sections in racing do or where we can address our queries.
I also get the impression I have been there done it and got the T shirt and the reply was generally they are not prepared to come on open Forums and end up spending time on bun fights and heavy interaction and in a way I can also understand this stance.
However there must be a reasonable approach or some channel where the voice of the punter/customer can be heard and given a decent reply to the various concerns.
I thought about a weekly or monthly newsletter "what is happening in racing" but the fact remains is what I get via post has already been on the Forum 3 weeks prior.
I will give it some further thought, but yes the people who are paid to administer racing in a full time capacity have to come to the party and stop treating us as the enemy

As an owner of a couple of tiny shares and I am appalled at the racing program in the Cape. Certainly it seems to me that when one race is run no one considered "where to from here".

As a gambler I have a handicapping database which I use to rate horses very similarly to the handicappers. Now I would be able to generate all the horses running currently by age, sex and class, see the frequency they run as a group, factor in the trickle up effect as each winner jumps to a new class and then be able to produce a model that should be closer to what should be offered. Factor in migrations (ie when CT leaves to KZN or when visitors will arrive) and new 2yos and retiring/departing older horses, and your picture gets clearer still.

From what's on offer, I seriously doubt anyone has taken the proper interest in this, and if I'm wrong I apologize. And again, this is an opinion from a casual point of view and it's not my full time job so imagine how good an expert would be at it.

scotia - 'the people who administer racing' - there is only a handful really, perhaps only about 10 with whom the final say lies, they have already in their minds a global strategy as to where SAF racing is going and the direction that is frustrating many of us is what they have decided and put in place, and yes any which way you look at it there would be casualties ...if you follow what was being said at the Asian Racing Conference in Sydney, you will see the pattern and why SAF (Phum_GC) have adopted the strategy they have.

I am not batting for them, make no mistake, as I also strongly believe that we should be growing organically and adopt a clean value for money product which will build generations of fans and punters as we run the risk now of not having a home product nor home market. I feel the drive to become a global player in terms of betting is being given too much attention - at the cost of saving the actual product. The change management is just shocking!

I would have liked to have read all the speakers' papers on that forum but don't have a password as I wasn't a delegate....

what i'm trying to say and this has been mentioned before, also with reference to hibernia's link above - there is no chance of saving racing in SAF unless we adopt the Japanese model (yes, with draconian measures!!) and do what they did 20 years ago to build their fan base - the Blood Horse reported on it about that time. There are still far too many mindsets to change both in management and players alike (referring to owners who think they own the first bet return on a horse etc.). This kind of change and drive needs to come from the top - unquestionable integrity. I don't think they have what it takes though, so it will keep on bleeding.

Wish list for SA Racing

1. Racing Trust is forced to sell its shares in Phumelela. Buy back racing assets originally sold and act as the racing operator. Alternatively, Invite interested parties to tender for the right to run racetracks and selected meetings as a viable stand alone business.
2. Licence to act as Racing Operator removed from Phumelela who must be a provider of betting facilities only. This is their core business.
3. Bookies and tote pay fair fee to NHRA for use of product. This is used to fund stakes pot.
4. Nomination fees and race sponsorships only used to enhance stakes pot.
5. NHRA properly polices racing and all stakeholders. Also directly handles handicapping, nominations and programming in conjunction with representatives of all interested parties. Punters rep to also participate.
6. RA remains as a select club funded by members contributions in return for representation and services provided. Non represented owners free to form alternative association and be recognised as such by NHRA.

I will leave it to others more worthy to fill in the finer details.

Scotia,you are investigating the wrong thread...the lucky post is elsewhere....or is that just Scottish diversionary tactics lol.

Txs Rob have moved