Necking For Change

HRI need to concentrate on their finances before forming think tanks and how to attract wider audiences. No prizemoney, no runners, no betting, no punters. It is a circle but a continuous flow of money is vital. First name and media training can come later

As for the article,it’s just more of the same,the whats wrong with racing theme,to which I agree with Brian for the most part and have contributed to the blog on several occasions.

But,alas,no matter how many people air their opinions on these blogs nothing happens. So lets move on a perhaps start a blog and ask for peoples opinions on the upcoming Cheltenham festival and let us compare our thoughts on what racing is supposed to be about ” HORSES ” !!!

I’d agree with the article. Having races run in metres, jockeys first names and odds decimilised isnt going to attract people. Neither is forcing them to give interviews. Why run 4 furlong races and cut down on time between races, isnt that just dog racing? I dont think the game needs to change much, it just needs to be advertised better in towns around the racecourses, make it a community meeting place, and on a wider level too. maybe get a stand down at the last fence or hurdle to get people closer to the action and the speed. People are either going to like racing or not, we just have to get them to try it once or twice and let them decide then.

The Racing for change is a bit of a joke. I hope the Turf Club does not follow suit. I think one thing should be done and that is to make Punchestown free on the Saturday of the Festival. Kids off from school parents off, makes perfect sense

I think you have addressed the crux of the problem with a throwaway paragraph at the end

“But wasn’t it also interesting last week that the British government sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, unveiled proposals to ensure all operators taking bets on British races should pay their fair share of tax.

Apparently he aims that all overseas based bookmakers will have to be licensed by the gambling commission if they want to operate in the UK.

Could this be an example to the Irish government, and as a consequence, Horse Racing Ireland, getting its mitts on all that betting revenue going overseas? Now that really would be something to get the IBA all worked up. ”

Surely the betting taxes currently uncollectable from all on line and telebetting would go a long way towards bridging the deficits currently existing and could make Irish racing self financed while also contributing various taxes to the exchequer.. income tax, vat etc

For the government to force this issue I believe that online and telebetting should be banned and have a situation like in the USA where it is illegal to accept such a bet from a USA resident.

To lay such bets legally the bookmakers/exchanges etc would have to use an Irish centre for any such bets and thereby making levies collectable in Ireland. Any bet originating in Ireland should be taxed in Ireland

Back on topic, Irish Racing needs to either get more new people through the gates or else keep those that are going through coming back. Changing odds and names etc wont address either.
Coming up with innovative ways to firstly get more new punters and also keep existing punters coming through the gates will. At least Racing for Change are attempting to do something - but what have HRI and most Irish racecourses done to date?

€25 in on Paddypower day in Leopardstown over the Christmas is evidence that there has been no great change in approach or thinking here and that most of the powers that be are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Here we are in the worst recession for over 50 years and what do they do? Abolish the cheaper enclosure altogether (which undoubtedly would have been very popular this year) and then make a song and dance of reducing the main one by €3 from €28 in previous years. They also made a song and dance of booking on line in advance for €20 - much more like it I thought - except there is a €3 booking fee added when you try to do this to bring the ticket cost to €23 and save you the grand total of €2…..

Then they say the recession is the cause of the attendance down by 20% or so on 2008 with tote and bookies turnover even worse hit……..
Its a cause alright and of course the main one in terms of the betting. However is it very convenient to blame the recession completely on the reduced attendance.
I think pricing policy this year and the inability to ADAPT to the recession was the main cause of the reduced Christmas attendance on days 1,2 and 3.

Why did they not bring back the 2 enclosures for these meets - and at a reduced price such as one at €15 and the other at €20?

What about 2 for the price of one offers - you can bring the Mrs, brother, sister, mammy, friend, Mrs Robinson etc - if they dont spend any money with the bookies they might provide badly needed racecourse support in terms of food and drink and the odd tote bet. A proportion may even get to like the experience and want to go back again!

My better half occasionally joins me at the races in Naas or Punchestown. She wont pay in because its a complete waste as she would only have enough interest to be there for a couple of races. Therefore she will often join me later for a drink, a bite to eat and a tote bet or two on the last couple of races. Do racecourses want this income - read Tom Ryan’s of Naas comments on this site this am - yes is the answer. What are HRI and most racecourses doing to encourage these people in - nothing. Racecouses should not charge in after the fourth race, then more of these people might start to go and might even find they enjoy it. Naas and Punchestown are quiet accomodating on this front but Leopardstown are always trying to charge her the full whack in when its nearly dark.

Just some of my current ideas arising from my recent experiences!!

good article brian

Changing betting prices from fractions to decimal is a waste of time. Race cards at all race meetings in Ireland have the weight a horse is to carry in stones, but in brackets beside this figure they also print the weight in kilos.

Not a bad idea you might think for our European cousins who come visiting, but then they only print the jockeys’ claims in pounds and only announce overweights in pounds.

Unless the race cards were to also carry a weights and measures chart this information is totally useless.

The other blog on this site in the betting section also talks about decimal prices this week. It seem pretty clear that the only winner from such a change will be the bookmakers.

As for the problems of racing many are self-inflicted. In this age of information I think racing has a huge problem in the manner in which it is reported to the general public. There are too many narcisistic self serving punters reporting and commenting on racing.There are racing pages in the news papers everyday and I have not once noticed a headline that might interest the average reader and stop them quickly turning over. People interested in betting buy the racing post so we don’t need more of the same in the dailys.If the only coverage of soccer related solely to the odds of each team winning I’m sure people would quickly turn away.We need to see more passion for the sport in reporting it and I would hold up Colm Murray as an example of a genuine enthusiast who does a great job on the news.

denis

You are spot on about Colm Murray. He is like a kid in a candy shop when giving daily bulletins from Cheltenham. There isn’t a cynical ounce in his body.

This whole racing for change business across the water is nothing short of a joke, the vast majority of racegoers got the bug (so to speak) very young,
being brought to the races by parents, siblings etc, yes, some people are introduced and are taken by the sport at a later age but they are few. the removal of the old traditional fractions is absolutely pointless, some of the other points are laughable, i’m all for anything that brings racing to those who are not consumed by it, in the hope they will find it appealing enough to become regulars, but these are few and far between. good point about COLM MURRAY, also can apply to his RTE colleague, ROBBIE IRWIN, (I think we’re all fed up of the bould HECTOR now.

Agree with all the rest of your article also Brian - great reading , witty , knowledgable , irrereverent, and true - one of your best so far

Colm Murray ??? What a laugh a complete waste of space, a typical bland RTE type that I cannot stand. His reports from Cheltenham are amateur hopeless and bland to the point of irritating. He is only surpassed by that other idiot on RTE racing that attenpts to imitate McCrirrick except with a thick Cork bog accent. But at least there seems to no more of that thing with the kancker Navan accent

Give me Robert Hall and Tracy Pigott anytime

What have you against American racing . Every time you get a chance you have to have a go at it.

Well here is an Irish one what do you do with an all weather track when the weather is bad. Why of course in Ireland you close it for a couple of months and have racing there during the summer.

If you dont think I am right. Why I ask is Dundalk not been used for racing.

Ways to improve and retain attendances at Race Meetings:

Reduce admission prices drastically, nominal €5 for most meetings and MARKET this properly. Better to have the crowds in spending than not have them in.
Stop charging €2.50 or €3.00 for tea- bag hanging out of a plastic cup. Improve catering but be reasonable in prices.
Go to small track like Tramore in SE of Ireland to see how jockeys, trainers, public etc are treated. Usually a great atmosphere.
Stop using annoying Hector O’ Whatever to promote racing as he is really starting to annoy most people.

Once again, in relation to the blog, Irish racing needs to sort out its future funding before tweeking racecards and the likes.

Tommy you are right, at least there is racing in the US.
Over here it has been just one crisis after another - Banking Crisis, Recession, Unemployment, Emigration, Pay Cuts, NAMA, Lisbon Treaty, More Borrowing, More National Debt, Swine Flu, Snow Panic, Schools Closed, No Grit, No Salt, Flooding and now No Water and NO RACING…………please please for the sake of some respite from this mess let Naas happen on Saturday

Hey where have all the blogs gone about you know who - both pro and cons have disappeared so I suppose “either way you look at it you lose”

I am very disappointed with your article Brian. You are contributing to the typical racing attitude of unwillingness to change. The harsh reality is that racing does need to change and become more accessible to the general public. The racing for change initiative is an experiment that should be welcomed in my opinion. Such investigations on how to improve the sport can only be a good thing.

I believe a trial of using decimal odds should be conducted. Again Brian you are assuming that the only people that will ever be going racing are the ones who are brought up with the sport and already have the bug. We need to look at how to inflict the ‘bug’ on the average sports viewer (and I don’t mean the gambling bug!). Sometimes our terms can be a bit confusing to the outside so they do need to be explained to a broader audience. For instance, a first time race-goer will not understand odds changing from 11/4 into 13/8 without it being explained to them. They will get their head around it if they stop and think about it but this can be a little confusing and off putting which then creates a question of uncertainty of am I right? Hence they tend not to get involved. We need the sport to be accessible for all. Every person will understand that the odds are shortening if they move from 3.75 to 2.60. So is this experiment not only a good thing?? Decimal odds may also improve competition in the betting ring. E.g. one bookie goes 2.50 and the one beside goes 2.55 and it escalates! (any improved competition is better than none!)

There are also some other points in the Racing for Change initiative that I welcome such as displaying any photo finishes on the big screen at the same moment of the judge’s announcement. This can certainly add to the excitement of a non-regular racegoer’s experience. I also welcome an introduction of standard each way terms.

I do think however that the most important initiative is an improved media campaign. It is essential that the sport become more connected with the average sports viewer. Ok, its never going to become as popular as football as football is a team sport and anyone can play it. But racing can still be reasonably mainstream. An improved media campaign needs to introduced to attract this audience. Imagine similar type advertisements for a race in the same manner as a boxing match. “A match up between X and Y. The history is ……., who will win, THIS WEEKEND!?” Or other advertisements building on a path to Cheltenham! A wider audience can be achieved and it can get the average sports fan talking about racing who would not be talking otherwise. This effect has possibilities to snowball and in turn attract more people to attend race meetings. In addition to mainstream audience, younger people should be targeted. Perhaps teaching young people about racing and introducing racing clubs in colleges.

Other problems in racing do need to be addressed such as ‘the value for money issue’ and the bookmakers contribution to the development of the sport. But for Brian to say this Racing for Change Initiative is a complete waste of time and it is better to do nothing is only disappointing. It was you who complained about the small crowd witnessing possibly the greatest flat horse of our time winning at Leopardstown. That in itself is a vibrant display that racing does need to move with the times. Apologies for my long winded ramble but I do think it is better to investigate solutions to our problems rather than do nothing. I only wish Horse Racing Ireland shared similar opinions about the sport I love.

Hey DM, you are right - every single reference is gone including Brians. Its PC gone mad. Makes a bit of a joke of this piece overall with all the blank posts as a result of all the comments that have been deleted. Wonder what Brian thinks of it all……

I agree with Shane that his blog is al ong winded ramble - self indulgent as well and a complete load of re-gurgetated nonsense - heard it all before Joe

I also agree with Brian that this racing for change is utter rubbish , all tried before and completely pointless, I suppose some PR companyy got a wad of money for coming up with the title “Racing for Change” what a load of old shit. Change 11-4 to 2.6 1 and bobs your uncle. Good God give it a rest. Whenw will the penny drop - there is absolutely now way you will increase race meeting attendences with this malarkey . My own view is that there actually is no way at all to increase attendences as pur population is too small and there are too many racecourses competing for the same audience so deal with the facts and let the cards fall where they will

DM you are wrong! You are not alone in thinking that their is no solution to the current situation, but their are always solutions, you just need the right people to find them.

Decimal odds are not going to make any difference on their own, but they might just be a step in the right direction. Racing is filled with conservatives and that is a fundamental problem.

Change is imperative and it needs to be a whole new and radical way of looking at the sport.

Would Sea The Stars have beaten the top American filly Zenyatta? Just put the race on. A Don King style extravaganza would have racing top of the sports pages for months all over the world.

Something as simple as one race like that could change the sport for ever.

I agree with Shane while racing for change might not be earth shattering, it certainly won’t do any harm to racing as it stands, as for the proposed change to decimal odds which seems to be the main gripe, there is a simple solution to this bookmakers can show both fraction and decimal odds on their on course boards or off course screens, if you go onto their websites they already offer a choice of decimal or fraction, on ATR you can see both the board prices and current exchange prices, so whats the big deal both the initiated and the uninitiated can be kept happy without the world coming to an end, there might have to be a slight tinkering with the odds thats all, nothing major.

Don’t see what would be wrong with opening up Dundalk. They’re running off some bumper races in the Uk on the all weather, would be an ideal way to get through the backlog, could also set up a few flat races for older horses, i’m sure many trainers would jump at the opportunity.

Yes, all the blogs hae vanished…
Looks to me like Brian lost his bottle….so much for democracy..
And the blogs were really good and direct opinions….
And I would bet my house, Brian is one of those who voted No in the Lisbon referendum first time….and then voyed Yes the second time…
Yeah, we live in a democracy alright…
Go on Brian, do yourself a favour and be a politician…

Hang about here! What is this, Pre-Perestroika Russia, Berlin before the f*****g wall came down?

I can understand Brian ‘editing’ his blog (when the horse has bolted, so to speak) in response to pressure from contributors, and athough I, personally, had no problem with his original opening paragraph, I can could see how it could have been interpreted as ‘crass’ in certain quarters. However, to totally eliminate the legitimate responses of the dissenting voices that actually lead to Brian, and/or his superiors’ re-think, seems perverse in the extreme, and flies in the face of the concept of the ‘blog’ as a democratic public forum for all.

Maybe it’s time to close the blog down, Brian, before it becomes a total joke??? O.k, it will be missed, but, on the upside, we get rid of Patrick’s neurotic, negativity, too!

I actually posted a reasonably positive response to this blog,

“However, to totally eliminate the legitimate responses of the dissenting voices that actually lead to Brian, and/or his superiors’ re-think, seems perverse in the extreme, and flies in the face of the concept of the ‘blog’ as a democratic public forum for all.”

Been slightly hypocritical are we D.D?? [your words above], I have my strong suspicion it was you who requested the removal of a post of mine from Brians previous blog.

Excellent initiative coming up on Saturday at Kempton wherby if Kempton’s jumps card is abandoned they will host seven all-weather Flat races for jumpers, six of which will be for chasers and hurdlers. Same thing should be done with Dundalk here. Unfortunately HRI is starting to operate more and more like a Government run Department by the week… afraid to take the brave decisions and stuck like rabbits in the headlights. Come on HRI wake up and smell the coffee… take a chance! If this is the start of a trend English horses will have a “match fitness” advantage come Cheltenham.

DD you are 100% right re the blog and your comments in relation to editing.

Double Eclipse, HRI im afraid to say IS a Semi State body so………..

Wow, what brilliant initiative by Kempton. It’s novel, it’s interesting, and, dare I say, even EXCITING, and it allows horses who are ready to run, to run. It’s the schooling bumper taken to a new level. It should provide a good betting medium and there’s no reason why it should not prove infomative. I can’t see much of a downside, and YES, HRI should be thinking of using Dundalk along the same lines on days when racing gets cancelled at our NH venues.

Patrick, I can assure you I did not request to have your comment regarding Kieren Fallon taken down! Hilarious! However, I would like to know how to go about requesting that comments with false accusations, such as yours, be taken down? Maybe this response will suffice. Are you there Brian??? Red card him while you’re it! How many yellows has he had now?

I find it bizarre that a group of people (even those evil bookmakers) suggesting that an AW track be utilised during a time when all other tracks are unraceable is seen as having a neck. I would have thought it was common sense. With the government and the industry crying out for a boost to betting tax, HRI (themselves reliant on the self same betting tax) don’t see it as a runner.

Meanwhile in Britain, they’re thinking outside the box and can run a contingency AW meeting at Kempton restricted to jumpers without any difficulty whatsoever. Expecting some dynamism from the drones this side of the water is wishful thinking I suppose.

“flies in the face of the concept of the ‘blog’ as a democratic public forum for all.”

Well you are making a total mockery of your statement by calling for my expulsion from this blog not once, but twice!!, which would suggest my initial suspicions are indeed correct.
Why D.D is this blog only for what you and your friends want to hear?.
As for my removed post been hilarious?, nothing hilarious about it at all, only a genuine and honest opinion on the said jockey, as I said, there are none so blind…………………………..

D.D you are right ,
The Comments are obviously not representative of Ireland racing Demographic - but the increasingly idle vestages left in the wake of the Celtic Tiger’s demise . i.e the Hunter wellie wearing platoon ( formally Legions ).
A note to Brian’s superiors , I know your publication was born from the same minded people as were mentioned in the Original draft of the above blog.

LEAVE THE BLOG ALONE . …

And be mindful that if the evolution of Racing in Ireland will certainly be developed from the younger generations , with the emergance of blogging this medium cannot be under estimated . Stop pandering to middle class Dublin based ( you all know who are ) ex Race horse owners , . Who have no genuine passion to improve racing . Try and be more inclusive to those working in all aspects of the industry , from the breaking yards , P2P farmers to Betting exchange employees , You will find this demographic is filled with youthful minded people who use this medium and who can appreciate some Humour.

its time some off these public school back slappers took a degree in common sense or try going racing on less than average wages join the majority in the real world

Antiplamo what would you know about humour ?? your piece has as much humour as Father Ted. By the way the word is demography not demographic in the context that you are using it, vestiges has an “i” not and “a” and “evolution” cannot be used in the context of racing

I am a middle class dublin based racegoer , an ex race horse owner and find my green wellies very suitable on a wet days racig but I dnt feel “pandered to” by anybody - smart ass

Joe says above that there is a solution to everything -incuding racing attendence. Well sorry Joe but there is not a solution to everything. This is unfounded optimism bordering on the naive - is there a solution to Israel Arab problem ?, the hatred in the North ( I didnt mention Mrs R so no need to censor this blog,) Muslim terrorism Greek/Turk hatred etc etc etc

No there isnt and the same for racing attendences - our population is too small with too many racecourses . Attendences will fall slightly more for the present but pick up agin when the economy improves - Dont waste any more time or money on more “innovations” they dont work - Racing for Change my arse BOC is right again as usual

Ah here DK, come off it! Your posts are ridiculous. Comparing Arab-Israeli conflicts with problems in racing!!!…..

Sure just let the world bomb one an other and ignore all problems. Your right, theres obviosly no point in improving any situation!

What I said was that some problems are insoluble and gave exapmles of same I wasnt comparing them to horse racing problems just making the point that we must accept that a lot of problems actually do not have solutions and horse racing attendences is one of them. Everything has been tried , nothing has worked and nothing will work becuase our population is too small to support all the racing we insist on running every week. Less racing means more people but at fewer races - Thats all

Thanks DM Father Ted was voted the second best sitcom of all time .
Dublin has a capital letter .This is how you spell don’t .
And you have proved that you cannot even spell Racing , or add anything postive to this forum .

Admit it Fallon if you rode as short as Eddery you would fall off?, and some blind people think that using your whip with ferocious force makes you better then everyone else, PAT could do that, but man PAT could keep his horse running in a straight line.
Imagine this! what the hacks are all about, they called fallons ride on DYLAN THOMAS VINTAGE, the guy nearly wiped out half the field such was his lack of control of the horse underneath.

The Curragh of Kildare has so much to answer for……