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MORPHETVILLE
West Australian Racing
bookielover
2,623 posts
Wife and I went to Adelaide for a weeks holiday.
If you want to get away from everyone and everything, Adelaide is the place to go.
Dead, lifeless, 10% unemployment, businesses shutting down, heaps of shops for lease in the once thriving Rundle Mall, and everyone is shyting themselves as to when the next black-out will be. And hows this for irony. Their only recycling plant in Adelaide which employed 38 people had to shut down about 4 months ago,because the price of electricity that they were charged had tripled and they couldn't afford to keep going.
This from a brilliant Premier, who is so taken up with the irrational fear of carbon emissions, that he blew up the last coal fired power station that they had in the State. Nothing wrong with that, if you believe that we are all going to die because of carbon emissions, but before you do it, would it not make sense to ensure that you have a reliable source of energy, be it renewables or other, to power your State, BEFORE, you blow up the power station, and so that the one thing that you hold dear, recycling, can continue in your State, in its only recycling plant.
Anyway, they had Irish day at Morphetville, on the 2nd September coz the Irish jumps jockeys were there. Absolute champion riders those blokes and easily won the series.
But here's the thing, the meeting was brilliantly promoted. There were up to 3,000 people there, all in complete comfort in the excellent grandstand and other purpose built facilities around the course. They had a rock band playing, but down stairs, away from the betting ring which is on the first floor of the excellent grandstand, so unless you were downstairs, and particularly wanted to listen to them, you couldn't hear them at all. A lesson that other clubs could learn.
The facilities inside the grandstand are fantastic. The bookies are in a prominent position with great betting boards especially for older people who may find it difficult to read them. Huge writing, jockey, trainer, and next to each horses name the colours that the jockey will wear, and the prices are easy to read. I didn't notice any really big betting, but a lot of business is done on the phones, particularly with Curly Seal who hasn't changed in the 28 years since I last had a bet with him. That's probably because he dies his hair nugget black. He had a staff of 5 and he was particularly occupied on Betfair for much of the meeting.
The other two bookies were Barrington and Lillis, the latter would have to be 140 kilos at least, and he ain't gunna lose any weight if he keeps eating those party pies that you get at the track. All three did a nice constant trade of $20.00 and $50.00 bets all cash. I saw a few nod bets, but as I said, most of the credit betting was done on the phones.
It was also interesting to hear punters there calling their Corporate Bookie, and betting with them.
Comfort levels were excellent, the bar and food service was great, and prices very fair from what I could see. That started with $10.00 entry to what they call a major meeting, and only $5.00 for pensioners, and I managed to get free parking a metre away from the entrance to grandstand.
You could walk out of the enclosed grandstand area, and sit down and watch a race, similar to that in Perth. Big difference between Perth and Adelaide, were the numbers of security that they had, and not old codgers like me, that couldn't punch an imprint in melted butter, but younger and very well mannered people, who quietly told those who had let the drink get to them, that they would be escorted from the course if they didn't calm down. It worked every time their warning was required, but it was, to be fair, only needed a couple of times.
I don't know if it's still the case, but surely those in charge at Ascot, could go and take a look at how things are done in Adelaide at Morphetville, so that the punters who bother turning up at Ascot, on a Saturday in 40 degree heat, are not forced, if they want to bet with a bookie, to put up with extreme heat downstairs under that tin roof, when a move to the first floor of the grandstand would alleviate everyone's discomfort. They could also take note of admission prices and look at their bar and food prices. We did buy a large box of chips, and when I say large, I mean it was huge, and it cost $4.50. Mind you, our racetrack managers in Melbourne, could do a lot worse than take a look at how you look after the on course punter in comfort without having to charge them a fortune just to get into the track, so at least they have got some punting money left.
We also went to Strathalbyn on the Wednesday. Nice track, once again cheap to get in, two bookies, and they made sure no one froze by opening up the members bar on the ground floor of the grandstand to everyone, which was heated and well catered. Only about 150 there, but a really relaxing day, especially if you win.
South Australia, are considered the poor relations when it comes to racing. Ordinary prize money, although it doesn't stop Weir and Hayes from racing heaps of horses there, but they are making the most of the cards that they have been dealt and spend money on TV advertising, I'm talking about channels 9,10 and 7, not just racing.com and it is paying off for them as far as them getting a reasonable attendance in a State that everyone is really doing it tough.
Anyone who is going to Adelaide in the near future and was not contemplating going to Morphetville races, should give it a go. I hope you win, but even if you don't, you won't walk off the track swearing under your breath about poor facilities and lack of comfort.
+1 -1
paraletic, Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.
Comments
Not that traditionalist me likes the thought of closing down any tracks. I'm 100% against closures but the above does give food for thought.
With the punters calling their corporate bookie for a bet what's the reason again why the corporates can't have a stand on course ? The more bookies operating on track one would think the better.
The more the merrier for me. At the very worst ( bookmakers ) ...a necessary evil , ( no offence BL said tongue in cheek ) and at best the more of them makes going to the track that much more enjoyable.
sonny likes this post.
Just a coincidence ? Too simplified ?
My two cents is that the establishment badly underrated a thriving bookmakers ring on track and in some ways have paid a price.
With the on course bookie - the price he had showing was the price he bet you! It was never less. Sometimes he rounded up , never down.
He stood and he delivered.
my memory in vic., is that the bookies were having problems with all the
punters that had read don scott, and were no longer the mugs they once
were.
they couldn't handle it at the time, so they started falling away.
one
bookie in particular who i have no doubt i put on the rails(high
turnover), because he would give me a roll of the board most times,
would not take a bet off us once he got there.
the bookies that kept going, for the most part increased their
overrounds, which in turn meant people like me stopped going, because it
was too hard to get the overs we sought.
they would also once
give you the fractions and you would not even have to ask for them most
of the time, but that mostly stopped too, and when you asked for them,
would get told to go take a hike.
so i mostly went to the tote and bet exotics there.
or else my memory is gone and i just imagined it went that way
it was the 90's and a long time ago!
the winning way
winning more
winning in the 90's
....maybe more.
i just looked at mine and it has become clear to me that i am too friggen old!
it was late 80's or early 90's when we left the track.
i reckon don scott made it hard for the bookies back than but he also made it hard for some punters that already knew a bit
riders i just meant that if the bookie was offereing 15/4 on his board he would let us on for 4/1.
slightly more than he was offering if we asked for it.
fractions just meant putting maybe 60 on at 16/1 would be 960/60 but bookies most of the time back them would just wirte the ticket at 1000/60, without you even asking for it.
Ridersonthestorm33, thefalcon likes this post.
Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.
can't remember ever seing him on a saturday meeting though
i know dom beirne well, so i might ask him about scott and how good he was.
regardless of how well scott himself may have done, he had a huge impact on punting in general, in that he made dills more racing savvy.
i certainly blame him for forcing me off track!
i was gone by that time(decimal boards), except for every blue moon when i would go socially.
racing to me now though, is just something that i used to do.
glancing through your post, you mention corporates....i can honestly say i have never had a bet with one.
although matthew whatshisname and his dad from near yarrawonga was the money behind one betting syndicate i was involved in for a time
is not racing victoria basically in bed with the corporates now?
bookielover likes this post.
Just a very small one here BL if just for the minimum of atmosphere and comparing tote and on course bookie...enjoyed going to Pinjarra trots here...just 2 or 3 bookies but they added something to the day...made the difference for me between going to Pinjarra and not going.
Then lo and behold their gone. Ended my days of going regularly and investing money on the on course tote at Pinjarra. Bookmakers for me on track didn't discourage tote betting rather it encouraged it.
The people who make these decisions can't see the forrest for the trees.
cisco, bookielover likes this post.
We have the rail at Belmont but not at Ascot.
Make Belmont (with an upgrade) the all year round track. With the stadium there as well, the possibilities are endless.
hash, goose, bookielover likes this post.
hash dislikes this post.
Depends on how you define impact.
Without doing anything or spending one cent. If the Eagles or Dockers have Saturday night games scheduled at the new stadium starting 6.10pm how many of those patrons will spend some time pre game at Belmont Park ?
Perth Racing promote it and throw open the gates I guarantee you will get big numbers on track compared to what we have now.
But we are in W.A and we don't like innovation or change.
bookielover likes this post.
bookielover, Ridersonthestorm33 likes this post.
detonator, thefalcon, jum, bookielover likes this post.
Takes a lot of food and beverage to fund a single $70k race.
Will still be funded by wagering.
Whats wrong with having atmosphere at the track on the days when there is action at the stadium ?
Perfect day. Punting, Footy and Casino. What else do you want ???? \:D/
I'm a realist, I'm 40 been an owner and participant since I was 18 and love racing and would love nothing more than to see it go back to the halcyon days.
I'm looking at it from a business model and ROI perspective, it's broken and won't work. Racing doesn't have the appeal it once did and on course patronage will never return like it once was.
On course Bookies will disappear and eventually it will become nothing more than a betting medium that will only have public attendance at carnival times.
Build it and they will come just doesn't apply to racing anymore, that saddens me no end but that's reality.
WA racing cops a bagging but as an owner, pound for pound (purchase price, training fees, prize money ratio) its still the best place in the country to race horses for a return and I hope that continues.
The only other thing I'd want is only a stones throw from the casino too, great way to end the night if you don't mind but can be quite an expensive hour (so I'm told)
jum, Thunderstruck, thefalcon, paraletic likes this post.
hash, detonator likes this post.
=)) Where's the High Five emoji when you need it =))
Can't stand the Trots as a rule, but if Ive been to the first day of the WACA Test, would ALWAYS walk over the road when they throw open the gates for a few drinks and some misguided investments.
Do similar at Belmont on a game day and encourage any walk-ups you possibly can...
hash likes this post.
Based on 2017 AFL season, that would be Round 10. The first Derby was April 29th Sat 6.10pm start time.
Wouldn't that be a shame or missed opportunity if history repeats.
Perth Racing should consider the racing dates for season 2019.
Healthy industry needs healthy clubs, PR has not made an operating for a profit for a decade. The only way racing clubs can make money is by getting people into their facilities be it on race day or other.
PR seriously need to consider aligning the Belmont season with not only the footy season but with footy games as well. They have to come up with a way to increase revenue and every weekend during the footy season there will be up to 60000 people rolling up next door. Imagine if they could get 2000 of those people in spending $20 each.
thefalcon, detonator likes this post.