Howard Hamilton - Horse Sense HOW MANY of you remember the headlined calypso song from the '80s. It typifies the state of our racing industry which continues to show declining sales.
One gets the impression that we are sinking in a rudderless ship. The recent announcement of the cancellation of the race meet scheduled for today is symptomatic of the malaise that has set in. This is now being manifested at even the management level of the promoting company.
There seems to be a total lack of understanding that horses are programmed and trained with specific races in mind and that is why a programme is prepared months in advance so as to guide trainers in the preparation of these horses.
I sincerely hope that this is not a "tit" for "tat" kind of immature behaviour on the part of the promoters where they are teaching "recalcitrant trainers" a lesson for having dared to suggest they may not have nominated horses some weeks ago.
It is the business of a Racing Secretary to see that nominations are kept at the maximum. His duty is to visit stables ensuring that trainers are maximising their starts per stall and making recommendations to management when trainers fall below the agreed minimum starters.
I'm not buying the argument that owners and trainers are awaiting the increased claiming tag and purses. That is nonsense. The programme could easily have been filled with the simulcast of overseas racing.
On that subject, when are we going to increase our reducing betting handle by simulcasting racing during our local programmes at the track?
I was shocked to hear the Minister of Finance suggest, at the recent meeting with stakeholders, that overseas racing should not be part of our local handle.
Could the various agencies please bring the Minister up to date on the fact that racetracks all over the world have only been able to survive because of the introduction of simulcast racing from other tracks to their local programmes?
We now need to rationalise the income from this activity to ensure a minimum eight per cent return to the horsemen so as to further ensure the sustainability of the proposed purse adjustments.
On the subject of the announced $100 million adjustment to purses (40 per cent) proposed for implementation on July 1, this will be of little value if race meets are cancelled "because of insufficient entries".
Further there has to be major structural adjustments in the attractiveness of wagering on horses if the quantum for purses is to be achieved and sustained.
This column is frustrated with the failure of the powers that be to appreciate that reduced take out and hence a higher payout to the punter will attract a higher turn over and hence more money for every one.
May I recommend a paper: "The Business of Racing; when is less more and more less?" written by Jagiit S. Brar, Ph.D., Professor of Economics at Southeastern Louisiana University. The paper was commissioned by the Louisiana State Racing Commission and his research concluded that:
i) There must be increased value received by the patron.
ii) The quality of the wagering product must improve.
iii) We must organise educational and promotional programmes to enhance consumer awareness of the meaning, value and economic impact of horse racing.
iv) Enhance the equity with which take out is distributed.
v) Increase accessibility of wagering.
The paper deals with a number of issues central to which is the importance of We wait to see what decisions are taken and can only hope that good sense will prevail.
The struggle continues and we must not lose heart.
Howard Hamilton is a former Chairman of Caymanas Track Limited and is currently President of The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He may be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.
