One can’t complain about the service at Durbanville – there isn’t any!
What a tragedy in the making – even dear William Shakespeare would no doubt be moved. So much money spent refurbishing the course to the extent, by all accounts, that trainers and jockeys are content.
But sadly, it appears, that is where it all ends at Durbanville, writes Richard Head.
Being an RA member is worthless at Durbanville. You get absolutely no privileges at all. Upstairs is meant to be for members but nobody cares – there is no access control and the dress code is situated somewhere between beach wear and strip joint although I am not quite sure what the dress code is in such places but I can only imagine!.
If you want to eat something mid-afternoon – the races start well after lunch time – there is a substantial choice available. There is the buffet at R245 per person or … the buffet at R490 per couple! And, if you want a drink, well that is another story. First you have to find a waitron. Here’s a tip – don’t hold your breath while you look.
So, upstairs – the “members only better dressed section” is full to the brim leaving downstairs the only other option. No food available downstairs and if you want a drink you must get off your behind and stand in line and wait for the lovely bar lady to keep serving drinks from a literal hole in the wall.
Durbanville Racecourse
The afternoon at Durbanville last Saturday was not the experience that “Racing –it’s a rush” promised me. I ended up “rushing” to get home and away.
Who in their right mind wants to own a horse?
Putting the weak attempt at humour aside, the racing scene in Cape Town and SA is terribly sad. There are some wonderful people who love horses and the sport dearly and who want nothing more than for a return to the good old days where the playing field was more level than it is today.
Many of the folk to whom I refer are regular contributors to Sporting Post and who mostly all fall into the category of former owner, former punter, former racing enthusiast. And, they all talk of the same problems be it the merit rating system, allegedly corrupt/incompetent officials here there and everywhere, problems with the Stipes and starting procedures, pay outs for betting, and the best one of all, Tellytrack or is it “Telly trackless”?
Being an owner today just has to be for the mentally impaired.
I immediately apologise to the many absolutely wonderful people that do own horses or that really “got into racing” at a time when it was a great sport in SA. I do not mean to infer that you are “loopy” in any way or to disparage you, but ask yourselves –just why do you own horses?
Owners – swimming against the tide!
Owners are never going to make any money out of it and how many of them actually go to the races to watch their prized horse run? The thrill is surely in cheering your steed home along with any punters fortunate enough to have laid a wager on the winner. Sadly so few owners attend either Kenilworth or Durbanville meets and so one asks again – why are you owners?
Is it just because you want to launder money or is it that you feel sorry for the trainers and vets and you really just want to help with their pensions? Or, do you just want a tax deduction so that the trainers, breeders and vets can pay more tax?
And then, when your horse wins everyone has their hand out – such as your trainer who wants an extra commission for winning. I am sorry, what are you paid to do? Train the horse to win so that when it does win you have done nothing more than earn your keep.
Jockeys I can understand wanting something extra but they too are paid to ride so why get extra? Why don’t trainers offer more than excuses when horses don’t win? They don’t give owners a rebate because they didn’t do their job. They just want more when they win.
Then, and this is a good one, say someone wants to buy your horse. The buyer doesn’t approach the owner he goes via the trainer who then takes a 10% commission – for doing what exactly? Owning a horse today is a fool’s folly in SA at least. So if the sport is dying then get on with it so that the good folk can start to re-build.
“Ah to sleep, perchance to dream”.
Take Mr Jooste for example. Just how will history remember him?
Mayfair Speculators’ Markus Jooste
As the racehorse Owner of the Year for so many years or as a businessman at the helm of a substantial international company that succumbed to irregularities and caused tens of thousands of people worldwide to lose substantial sums of money?
The RA and membership – is it value for money?
Membership of the RA is joke. There are no tangible benefits that warrant the annual cost. You can support racing the whole year but when the big days come along, RA members are consigned to overlooking the car park! The RA will argue that the Paddock Room at Kenilworth is for members – right along with Joe Public and Tom, Dick and Harry in shorts, no shoes and small kids!
There is nothing remotely exclusive about being a racehorse owner or member of the RA.
One only has to read the excellent and informed writings of Adv Maselle and others to suspect that the NHA is devoid of any form of corporate governance. The rules are for everyone else – not the chosen few in the know. Can anyone say with confidence that racing is not prone to insider trading?
Did you read Advocate Maselle’s latest? click here!
To put it differently, can anyone say that person or persons unnamed are not able to influence the outcome of races for personal gain? Fining a jockey for appearing as a guest on a panel show that was viewed by the public at large is just quite extraordinary. The venue was surely incidental to the entire event. Besides, the industry needs sponsors and a sponsor that promotes betting is what is needed to get people to the races.
Having huge attendances at race meetings does not help anyone if they don’t have a wager. The industry needs punters to win – even a little – to keep them coming back. A punter that gets cleaned out every time will soon enough realise that it is time to do something else with his money.
Where to from here?
In my experience it does not take skill to criticise and it does not take a talent to be mean. So, where do we go from here and what is the answer to this situation?
I fear that the answer is not a simple one due to the fact that so much money is involved and money attracts all sorts of people wanting a slice of the action -sometimes they want more than just a slice!.
The sport needs punters but without owners there is nothing to wager on. I can’t for the life of me find enough reasons to want to buy a horse that makes everyone associated with it rich except the owner.
Take the horse that attracted the highest price at auction in recent years – Silver Coin went for 6 million SA rand. The colt probably has an outstanding pedigree but he is now gelded putting paid to any breeding prospects. He hasn’t done that well in races so what was the R6 million for – a demonstration that the buyer is/was wealthy? That can’t be the reason because what does it look like now? A record price was paid that is unlikely to ever be recovered and that excludes the cost of keep/training/vet bills and do those accounts reach new highs!
Sometimes in order to re-build one has to destroy and start over and that may just be the answer.
Racing is dying – everyone says so. It is a slow and painful death and one must worry and concern oneself with the animals that must never be allowed to suffer in any way.
“Business Rescue” – not in the sense contemplated in the Companies Act – may be an option but that would involve a total clean out of the existing control. The good guys, and there must be some, will easily find a home in any new dispensation or structure.
The failed folk should try and get a day time job that does not impact so heavily on the folk that really enjoy horse racing.
Bring back barrier trials and reject the merit rating system. Allow couplings on the Pick 6 and make going to the races more comfortable with reasonably priced sandwiches, salads and light snacks/meals on offer along with a reasonably priced bar. I remember that at Sun City casino drinks are free to players. The more they drink the more they play.
I am certainly not qualified to provide all the answers. That requires some collective thinking from the many loyal contributors to Sporting Post and others in the industry.
As with the country, a leader is needed – a Maggie Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Angela Merkel – ok, your turn!
I can sense that you don’t like my suggestions but at least it is a start. But back where we started – racing at Durbanville was not a great experience which is so sad given the beauty of the course and surrounds. Above all, don’t complain about the service!!
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