Origins Of Harness TurnoverHarness & Greyhounds

JayJay

Nice piece in The West today by Hayden King on the upcoming Ultimate Driver Championship, an interesting concept. Don't think the selection of Hall Jnr was ever in doubt but with Gingras and Dunn competing, it will be worth a watch. Like all drivers series, a big slice of luck on what horse you end up steering is a critical factor. But good luck to them, they have stumped up the cash and let's hope there is a result.

However, in the same article, Radley's often repeated statement that "90% of wagering on Gloucester Park is from the East Coast" and apparently now inclusive of all WA Harness racing, is something to think about.

I have never seen figures to support this statement, RWWA is not terribly transparent on public release of wagering data, but I have no reason to doubt it's veracity. Nonetheless, it is extremely concerning that the local product is so shunned by Western Australians. Is it consistent across the wagering landscape? If we are to compare "apples with apples", what are the percentages for both thoroughbred and greyhound racing? Are they also equally beholding to Eastern States punters for their prime source of turnover? Basing a case on just one figure represents the heights of specious logic. We need to know the full story before making judgements.

Is our local product across all three codes equally dependent on "Eastern States" puntersor is it just the Western Australian harness product that is so broken and so on the nose that savvy locals have completely lost interest? Is the predictability of our harness product (with last Friday Night a welcome outrider) totally off putting? The absence of almost anything approaching decent patronage on course would suggest so. In spite of very expensive sugar hit promotions like the Nullabor, Westbred Night and the upcoming Italian Fireworks and WA Cup night on November 11, on course crowds are deplorable along with on course turnover.

Does this explain what can only be described as frightening figures like last Saturdays Ascot Quaddie pool size at $448k in comparison to the Friday Night GP Quaddie pool of a mere $22k, a minuscule 5% of the thoroughbreds?

The performance of the Club management in returning GP to some degree of past vibrancy seems to be a complete fail, an acceptance of inevitability. If turnover is so dependent on eastern States turnover, why in an era of daylight saving do we run races at 10pm when over east it is 1.00am and everyone is asleep? Should we be starting at 4pm with horses traveling in the hottest part of the day? Does this become a horse welfare issue? What about building the local base so that we can race when we want to race without being beholding to the East Coast. A conundrum for decision makers to come up with a suitable outcome.

What difference will the spending of $25 million of RWWA funds along with a partial sell off (some say a giveaway) of the farm to retain an outdated 800m track, albeit with new stalls, new lighting and a comfy new pavilion for the few hundred members still on board...what difference will that make to turnover? Will it stem the current free fall to less than 10% share of overall turnover, will it revive flagging on course patronage, will it change the predictability of our product, will it reinvent "vibrancy", will it have punters flocking back to bet on our product or will we remain dependent on a few big syndicates over east betting with the corporates to keep turnover at the slither of what it once used to be?

Promoting GP through the "Gurus" in the Ultimate Drivers Championship utilising the skills of the states leading driver cannot be a bad thing. But the fact that our product is so on the nose that we have become an Industry at the mercy of the whims of Eastern States punters is hugely worrying. If we are to retain our independence as a financially viable industry and address falling numbers of licensed personel, owners, foals and most crucially local interest and turnover, the turn around cannot be achieved unless LOCAL punters and local enthusiasts return to the fray.

Nonetheless, good luck to the 'Gurus', lets hope it produces a huge spike in turnover, one that is without parallel, and one that can be sustained moving forward.

warrenrobinson

The peddling of spin and propaganda has started by GP ahead of a revised redevelopment plan meeting and the AGM in a few weeks time. I have no doubt the GP owners association and other followers will be in attendance to support the plans.

warrenrobinson

A question, as from the 1st January with a revamped business model of handicapping and programming will the eastern states punters so enamoured with  the predictability of our racing desert the sinking WA ship causing further decline in our turnover. What plans do management have in place to counteract any further decline in turnover. 

lick

I see no benefit building a grandstand down the back straight.

Make GP 900 metres - can be done.

Change the model so that every meeting is not dominated by odds on favourites.

4pm starts are fine with my friends and family and me - and trainers and drivers.

Why not lease out the stand building (towards the top of the straight) to a business(es), also could be done with the now defunct Caduceus Club. Easy access, plenty of parking (inside the track or float carpark etc).

Just some thoughts - but please fix the handicapping. Notice a still disproportionate number of trainer's horses drawing alongside each other.  "Hey Siri - give us numbers 1 to 12 in random order", or there are numerous web sites that could do it.

Markovina

Well where do you start with TAB Turnover re Trots 

TAB.Com , and you dont need an account ( even tho ive had a NSW one for 40 years ) to see them . just go in to any trots race , go to the left side down the bottom and click NSW ,and the novelty pools are horrendous - im talking $400 in a 1st  4 pool .

WA wont really release any actual figures , so people are in the dark , but the WA Trots have really ( compared to actual turnover ) had a dream run , because about 15-20 years ago , someone queried the 3 codes distribution for that year , and the bloke in charge said , look WA Trots are a main line sport , they employ all these people so thats why they are getting this distribution , but that was to the dettriment of the gallops and the Dogs , those 2 codes have propped up trotting for at least 20 years , by not getting their fair distribution on turnover 

The good old WA Trots , they have been on skidrow quite a bit , time gets away from you , but i can remember reading in the paper Mike Reed saying that the trainers are going to be eating the wallpaper off the walls soon 

As for the Drivers  invitation race , i can remember 40 odd years ago around Pacing Cup time , they had a WA , one off ( just the 1 race ) Invitation Race , i could be wrong on this , but Lou Austin won the race and he got a brand new car for winning it and he was most excited 

Chopchop43

lick said:

I see no benefit building a grandstand down the back straight.

Make GP 900 metres - can be done.

Change the model so that every meeting is not dominated by odds on favourites.

4pm starts are fine with my friends and family and me - and trainers and drivers.

Why not lease out the stand building (towards the top of the straight) to a business(es), also could be done with the now defunct Caduceus Club. Easy access, plenty of parking (inside the track or float carpark etc).

Just some thoughts - but please fix the handicapping. Notice a still disproportionate number of trainer's horses drawing alongside each other.  "Hey Siri - give us numbers 1 to 12 in random order", or there are numerous web sites that could do it.

4pm during summer , on the kwinana freeway, hard pass , the later the better and I would say most participants would agree

lick

Same temperature as in their yard - but with a breeze.

Chopchop43

lick said:

Same temperature as in their yard - but with a breeze.

Don't know if you've sat in a float during peak hour on a Friday but no , no it is not