Who Needs Consultants?

So the racing authorities have instigated a review of racing with a view to making it more attractive to a wider audience – well that is good news.

The bad news is they are spending an inordinate amount of money paying marketeers to provide the answers.

A sure fire recipe for disaster if you ask me. Having worked in the “real world” for many years one thing I have learned is that most marketing people do not reside in the real world.

So to save the BHA a vast fortune here are my suggestions as to how to make racing more attractive to a wider audience:-

1. Clamp down on anti-social behaviour at the courses. It is the most off putting aspect of racing at the moment.
   
   Far too many race meetings are spoiled by drunken boorish behaviour.
   
   Simple - if they are drunk they are ejected if they kick up a stink about being ejected they are arrested for drunk and disorderly.
   
   Most race meetings seem to have a police presence and instead of strolling around chatting (which is what they seem to do) their time would be better spent dealing with those morons who confuse the racecourse with their local high street.
   
   The sooner courses sort out these drunks the sooner more decent racegoers will be attracted back.
   
   Even Newton Abbot last Tuesday evening sounded like a football terrace rather than a racecourse.
   
2. A contentious one but move to an off-course Tote monopoly with profits being fed back into racing.
   
   "Traditional" bookmakers allowed on-course only with the proviso that all betting is carried out via a central computerised system and their "admission" charge is a fixed percentage of their turnover.
   
   
3. Retain the split enclosure system, with one of the main enclosures being completely alcohol free.
   
   This will give racegoers a choice. Single enclosures are all well and good but no fun if you want to avoid the drunks.
   
   This also give a range of price options for those attending, from a cheap day out to that little something extra. i.e. you pays your money and you takes your choice.
   
4. Engage racegoers more.
   
   There is a PA system at the course - use it.
   
   Have paddock commentaries and make preview sessions mandatory at all meetings.
   
   Have the commentators comment as the horses are going down - most are excellent readers of horses condition.
   
   Publish the weight of the horses, it is not rocket science and is an invaluable aid to punters.
   Have two racecards at each meeting - one "traditional" one aimed at the beginner with plenty of information for beginners and a second, more "technical" one with form lines and form data.
   
   
5. Big screens and plenty of TV's in the stands at all meetings. Not all courses have perfect viewing.
   
   If people cannot see what is happening they will not bother coming again. Some courses are victims of their topology – where this is the case it is inexcusable not to have big screens and televisions.
   
   
6. Have plenty of racing related displays at the course, again engaging racegoers.
   
   
7. Have more (or in many cases - some) seating in the stands. My father-in-law is in his 80's and still loves his racing, however he is limited to the courses he can attend as most do not have anywhere where he can sit and watch the racing.
   
   
8. Adoption of point 2 will allow for entrace costs to be subsidised and therefore reduced to a more affordable level. Admission costs should also reflect the quality of the racing on offer.
   
   
9. Stop wasting money on consultants - the money can be better spent elsewhere.
   
   
10. Stewards enquiries should be "open", ideally cameras should be allowed, at the very least the press should be allowed in - the PA or RP could provide pooled coverage to prevent a media scrum.

and finally:-

Stop pussyfooting about and tinkering with the fixture list - just slash it.

All Monday's, apart from Bank Holidays, should be blank days.

We sometimes have bad weather in the winter - if this results in blank days accept it - don't bother putting on low grade betting fodder as a late replacement.

There should be more than three concurrent meetings in the afternoon and no more than two concurrent meetings in the evening.

There should also be a reintroduction of a proper geographical split of meetings.

Another New Year

It’s hard to believe it is 2008 already.

It seems it was only yesterday when we were looking the end of civilization in the face, as the new millennium approached.

The New Year is also a time for looking back at the previous year.

From a racing perspective it was an interesting year.

The race fixing trial started at the Old Bailey and what an anti-climax it turned out to be, with the Crown offering no convincing evidence whatsoever. It was no surprise when the judge threw the case out.

Mr Fallon’s relief was short lived however as, within 24 hours of the case collapsing, news emerged that he had failed a drugs test at a French race meeting earlier in the summer. He faces a inquiry in France later this month.

On the track, once again it was Frankie’s year, when he finally broke his Derby hoodoo, winning the premier classic at the fourteenth attempt.

The day before, at the same meeting, The Oaks went to Henry Cecil after a few years in the doldrums and there were few who begrudged him the win.

The flat jockey championship was the most thrilling in living memory, with the dual between Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer going to the final race on the last day. Spencer took that final race to tie the title and most agree it was a fitting conclusion to the race.

Over the sticks it was, once again, Tony McCoy’s season as he won his 12th jockeys championship. It still staggers me that such a consistent, consummate sportsman continually fails to make the final ten, when it comes to the BBC Sports Personality of the year awards.

Of the equine stars there was only one star - Kauto Star. Winner of a £1m bonus for winning the three top chases. He is on target to win the same bonus again this year, having already won the first two legs.

He is destined to be one of the greats.

However he also faces a young pretender in the shape of stable mate Denman. A young horse showing precocious talent.

All things being equal they look destined to meet in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March – if the clash takes place, get your tickets. It is going to be an “I was there” race.