Newly appointed Mauritius Turf Club CEO Mike Rishworth has said that there were more people present at training at the Champ de Mars, than at races in South Africa.
Mike Rishworth
He was speaking at a press conference earlier this week and said that he was of the opinion that this passion will ensure that racing in Mauritius continues to live on.
Rishworth spoke about the Mauritius Turf Club being bashed by numerous stakeholders. He added that it was unfortunate that wrong information was going around and he stressed that the future success of the Mauritius Turf Club and racing in general must be the goal of everyone.
He echoed the thoughts of MTC President Kamal Taposeea by reminding the press not to report fake news and that any false reports would lead to speculation.
The revenue of the Club was another topic. According to Rishworth, it means that the facilities cannot be upgraded, and that trainers and horses are working under challenging conditions.
Furthermore, he said that international revenue is allowed everywhere and is essential to the whole horse racing industry as a whole. He said that big sources of income come from not only from extra races, but also international betting. If there was more income, the stakes money in Mauritius horse racing would be increased and it would boost the health of the industry. He added that due to the current situation, the Mauritius Turf Club finds itself in a state where stakes money cannot be increased.
Rishworth expressed concern about the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) changing rules and directives, and constantly declining requests from the Mauritius Turf Club, such as those of holding additional meetings and additional races in a meeting.
On the subject of betting, he mentioned the court case involving off-course bookmakers, who have expressed their displeasure at the fact that they will have to be at the Champ de Mars from now on. It is worth noting that the verdict in this matter has been reserved. Mention was also made on illegal betting and how it has increased in recent years. He further said that if the bookmakers have to be at the Champ de Mars, then illegal betting will continue to soar.
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The zilpaterol cases were mentioned and the CEO said that it is possible that it was a case of feed contamination. The inquiry into this will continue this Friday at 08h30 and a communique will be issued at the conclusion of the inquiry.
The five Simon Jones-trained horses that tested positive for an illicit substance was also mentioned, and he ensured that normal procedures will take place in order to find out the culprits.
The conditions of the Vocalcom Duchess Of York Cup was inevitably one of the main topics of this press conference, and Mike Rishworth is of the opinion that the changes had to be made to ensure that the race not only had a large field, but also make it competitive and fair.
In his conclusion, Rishworth said that Racing is at a turning point and opportunities for additional revenue must be opened up. He also expressed a desire for changes in legislation in order for racing to progress. He added that the Mauritius Turf Club knows what needs to be done to ensure racing progresses, and asked that permission be granted to them to do so.
