so what do owners really want

Hi guys

I'm currently trying to help bart rice reshuffle and market the stable for the new year, we have about 40 horses and have been allocated a few more so we like to know from you guys what do owners really want from a trainer?
Obviously results will be at the top of the list but what about tips, hosting, honesty on prices, communication etc???
With the way racing as evolved from the suit n tie to going just about naked in the parade ring lol I'm sure every owner has different expectations from trainers, so please post even if you not an owner what you would like

Thanks
BC

Honesty I guess at the top of my list, I have had a few shares with different trainers over the years and the all pretty much the same when it comes to how good or not your horse is. What used to piss me off was if that your horse was kuk the trainer would say no it works well at home etc give another run or 2 or 3 or 10. I could see it was bad, my mates could see it was bad, and it's form told all that it was soupmeat. But no it will come good, so you pay good money after sh7t for a few more months................And still no improvement!

I always say it is easy to buy a horse, but fikkin difficult feeding it

As a non-punting owner I couldn't care less about the price or tips (I speak only for myself, obviously!) but communication is important. It's so easy in these era of cell phones and email, there's no excuse really for not getting in touch when needs be.

Keep me in the loop when there is something I need to know, and be honest - brutally so, if needs be, If the horse is useless, say so in so many words! I will be vastly less offended to be told my "pride and joy" is slower than a pregnant walrus than being asked to cough up month in and month out to keep the useless thing. That misconception that almost every trainer strings owners of useless horses along just to try and keep a box occupied needs to be shown up for a lie. It really irks me when people think that all trainers (except maybe the big boys) do that, because they sure as heck do not.

In return I won't expect miracles!

a non bullshiting trainer if a horse is no good get it out

Communication!!! -
horse is nominated
horse is accepted/scratched
horse is a runner (had 4 runs without knowing)
horse was scratched (travelled to the Vaal 2x )
venue/day change (pitched up to hear racing postponed)
injury ( I want to be informed) don't want to see it 1st time on a visit
vet (I want to know beforehand of any procedures) not only get bombed by the account.

The above mentioned are but a few not communicated by trainers and which gets my blood boiling!!!

No lying.

In my case ive had to tell certain trainers that its the horses last chance,otherwise the 101 excuses pop up,then find a good home.

Thanks for the inputs, very interesting!
About a year back I bought a 25perc share with a trainer that I don't want to mention, the horse was with him for three months so he asked me for r10000 for the 25perc, after two weeks I found out that he only paid r10000 for the horse, I felt that I'd been overcharged and imediately got out of the horse, I understand the bloke needs to make a profit but what he charged me was quite excessive.
I love that point about vet fees cos that spoils my mood every month, trainers should inform patrons if a horse needs treatment and the fee is in excess of r1500
Recently barry irwin posted an article about a US trainer that sold a ghost horse,did anybody have that experience, I might be going slightly of the subject but we wana tackle every aspect of ownership to develop the correct model

It's really a bad reflection on the industry when trainers (some) resort to skulduggery and short-changing patrons.

I would proffer that the problem lies with the system that has inherent problems and is extremely reluctant to find solutions.

The whole situation devolves around status and plugging a certain line...albeit politcal (which many will allude to and others wouldn't want to hear about!)

For instance, there is an incubation period of at least 18 months before a stable assistant can become a trainer. That rule is a typical farce!

They bend the rules to accommodate (wait for it....!) transformation to tell the Government 'What a good boy am I?'

However, they do not oversee the 'transformation' elements, have no interventionist programme, and no support because 'that's the game!'

Thrown in at the deep end, when one ends up with mediocre horses, has no understanding of the totality of the game, lacks judgement and goes through the motions (basic), what does one expect?

Shenanigans, skulduggery and all kinds of stories!

One of the major problems with our industry is that, at one end, we have a handful of extremely wealthy owners who patronised just a handful of trainers who, virtually, sweep the boards, except for the occasional freak (like JJ!)

The rest of owners are mostly the 'battlers' who dream of a July winner... or more! NOne of them (even in a syndicate) will bid R1-million or more for a horse. Whihc means that, the majority of trainers end up with 'soupmeat'! To survive, they resort to all sorts of tricks (even if they started off as angels...circumstances dictate!).

Some of these trainers are also at the mercy of some jockeys (the little god in the sky!) I heard of an instance where a jockey demands R10 000 from a trainer to ride for him (of course, the verification falls off as who wants to stir the pot?)

I had a trainer who charged me and my colleague (who I convinced to enter the industry) vet and farrier fees, etc. for a horse that had been put down about 4 months earlier! The prospective owner said he would rather stick to business and casinos!

Plus, the same trainer would coax owners that a horse was ready to (not run a big race) but win! There are dozens of gullible owners who lost their entire businesses and homes and have been lost to the game (did the NHRA ever investigate why so many owners disappeared overnight in KZN?)

Currently, except the Jockey's Academy and Groom Schools, there is no training ground for trainers except to serve a period and write exams. In addition, we also need to educate owners!

In fact, the entire industry is sitting on a very shaky foundation.

Now, if we look at such issues objectively, and apply our minds honestly to finding solutions....more and more owners are going to be pissed off the industry, leaving it entirely to the first group of owners and trainers!

I, for one, will not dare consider entering again as an owner unless, just for the sheer joy of it, I join a small syndicate at what I can afford without hurting my pocket.

There are many others out there.... but, there is no effort to mobilise them by the role players.

Then of course, which elitist (black or white) wants to rub shoulders with riff-raff (maybe even drug dealers and possible criminals!)?

@umlilo
Did you report this particular trainer or did the authorities take action???
I think owners are given the worse deal in racing and that what the rice stable wants to change,because I was a small owner some trainers never even watched my horse run with me

Yes and no!

Pointless!

It is the mechanism that needs attention rather than the sickness and victims!

Thanks guys, it is nice to see these points though owners/outsiders eyes, I too feel that owners are hard done by. I always say "it costs just as much money to feed a bad horse as it does a good one", I as a trainer am a very competetive person and enjoy going to races when I know my runners have chances - therefore I believe and encorouge my owners to kick out the battles.

I too, once bought a horse for a client and never got the horse or a refund, I went to the Jockey Club and they told me before they can help I need to have proof that I had been to a lawyer, I went to a lawyer (which cost a small fortune) took all the documentation back to the jockey club only to be told they are not prepared to get involved. I paid out my own pocket to replace that horse for my client.

It is very unfortunate that we have dishonest people in this game (SPORT OF KINGS). I do feel that comunication is key and you are paying for a professional service which you should be recieving from you trainer, whether you own 10 horses or just 10%. There is no excuse for lack of comunication, as Magic said, with all technology now days, comunication has been made simple.

Thanks again for your imput.