RA member expectations list

Regarding the progress of the AHS vaccine and other outputs of Racing S.A, as per their latest executive summary:

The Equine Research Centre is currently engaged in 7 active projects under its "Equine Infectious Diseases with particular focus on diseases with potential to affect International Trade in S.A horses" theme. Progress has been excellent with proposed time schedules being met and delivered on time. Outputs include scientific publications in International Scientific Journals, scientific presentations at International and National meetings, and lay presentations and publications. The canarypox vectored AHS vaccine project has also resulted in the filing of an international patent with the U.S patent office.

The follow up work on the joint project with Merial SAS of France and the University of California, on the development of a recombinant vaccine for AHS provided good results which indicate that this vaccine can provide protection to horses within 14 days of a single dose of vaccine. The data from these projects show that the canarypox vectored AHS vaccine is an attractive alternative to current modified live virus AHS vaccines. A study on a bivalent vaccine is about to start and should be completed early 2011.

The projects to develop rapid real-time assays for the diagnosis of AHS, Equine Encephalosis, and Piroplasmosis have also progessed well and have resulted in a number of scientific publications. The validation for these tests for international trade purposes is progressing well. Through a strategic partnership with Applied Biosystems, it is believed that it will be possible to commercialise these assays internationally.

@RA:

'The Equine Research Centre is currently engaged in 7 active projects ...' and 'advancement...'

Prior to corporatisation, the Equine Research Centre (Onderstepoort) was receiving a grant of R1-million per annum from Province via betting taxation.

The new corporatised entity solemnly undertook to adopt the centre and maintain it. Therefore, to crow about its achievements as contribution to advancement of AHS vaccines, etc should not be the point of emphasis.

What would have been meritorious is; how many students have been sponsored to become vets by the industry, or, graduated as such, within the past 10 years, especially blacks?

This question is intricately integrated with Government's policy (not mine!) of transformation.

Randjiesfontein:

I find it strange and a contradiction that there was an application for a licence for Randjiesfontein that is awaiting approval.

When such a project was submitted with a casino licence cum horseracing track, there was strong oppostion from the same group; that it woulld not fly and all other negatives were submitted to the Gauteng Gambling Board.

Now, after shutting down at least 3 race tracks country-wide (2 in Gauteng), this same track area becomes viable? What sort of decisions have been, and are now being, made?

RA Wrote:

---

> The following % take-outs apply to the stakes
> pot:
>
>
>
> Bookmakers levies
> 30%
>
> Unclaimed dividends and fractions
> 30%
>
> Net lotto income
> 15%
>
> Net Bingo income
> 15%
>
> Net LPM income
> 15%
>
> Net GC and international royalties SA product
> 30%
>
> Net share of IOM tote limited income
> 30%
>
> Fixed odds (Betting World)
> 30%
>
> 80% of the dividend paid to the Horseracing Trust
> by Phumelela is paid into the stakes pot.
>
>
>
> The RA has the stakes audited annually by KPMG to
> ensure that they are applied correctly.
>
> Each year, once the results of Phumelela are
> available, the RA meets with Phumelela to discuss
> the stakes for the following season. These
> meetings have been ongoing for the last month and
> are yet to be finalised because the RA is
> exploring every possible option to ensure that the
> stakes for the next season are as high as possible
> with the current stakes available.
>
> The RA cannot guarantee that stakes will not
> decrease. It stands to reason that if any variable
> in the stakes calculation decreases, the stakes
> pot decreases. What the RA continues to do is
> ensure that additional revenue streams created by
> Phumelela are included in the stakes calculation,
> whenever possible.


Thanks for engaging on this issue; please excuse my ignorance, but I don't follow the formulas as shown above:

'The following % take-outs apply to the stakes pot'

What is meant by 'take-outs'?

What is the precentages meant to show - if added together these come to 195%?

Which 'variable' (if any) is descreasing?

Dear RA

Thank you for the responses to date.

I am sure that all would agree that open communication is crucial in terms of resolving real and pressing problems

Looking forward to the rest of the responses

Regarding Phumelela and their policy on abandoning races.



At the request of the RA, Phumelela changed their policy regarding abandoning races. At present, the first option considered when a race meeting is unable to proceed is to postpone (an example being the night racing originally scheduled for Tues, 19 Oct was moved to Wed, 20 Oct). Night race meetings are easier to move as they are less likely to clash with other race meetings being held. Should Phumelela not be able to postpone the race meeting to within a few days of the original date, the RA has insisted that the races lost due to the abandoned meetings are added to future meetings.

Regards,

Regarding the changing of tote odds after the off.



The RA addressed the issue with Phumelela, a forensic audit was performed and the RA is confident that the problem is a timing issue. Phumelela were meant to have put in place measures to resolve this, and as far as we are aware, the problem has improved. I will investigate the issue regarding Wild Swan as the RA continues to engage with Phumelela to ensure that the tote is perceived to be fair. At the risk of opening the flood gates, could I ask the posters to keep me informed of irregular tote movements in future races and to identify where the difference was observed (online, at the course, on Tellytrack, etc). Having actual examples will help in identifying any common causes and finding a solution to the problem.



Regards,

confusing now, seem to be 2 separate threads with same issues?

Dear RA
what, if any, is the strategy for bringing in new punters/owners, and what, if any, is the strategy for keeping current patrons.

Merged the 2 RA topics together

Thanks Bob

Regarding shill bidding

The RA fully agree that it is vital to protect the buyers against this practice and therefore I will be arranging to meet/communicate with the TBA to discuss what measures are in place to prevent it.

I will also research both local and overseas auctions to get an idea of what “best practices” exist in the auction industry.

Gifts given to winning owners

The RA has just changed the policy regarding the gifts. Instead of 1 gift being given to any winning owner/s (RA members and non RA members), we have decided to give a more attractive gift (Jenna Clifford at present) to all winning connections that are RA members.

The owners must be on course in order to receive the gift. This is currently being done at the Vaal and Turffontein courses. Before each race meeting, Penny checks and marks the RA members in the computerform so that the gifts are only distributed to members.