SA night racing

As a Bookmaker and Tote Agent I am personally reviewing the feasability of night racing in South Africa.

I would appreciate your views and thoughts.

Do you attend the race course for night racing? Do you go to off course totes? Do you bet from home? Do you go home at a certain time? Are you concerned about your safety ? Would you bet more if the meeting was a day meeting or twilight meeeting? What are your views about 35min gaps between races, making a late finishing time?

With this information I am hoping to compile a report to the racing authorities as to whether DAY meetings are more condusive to better betting conditions than NIGHT meetings in South Africa.

You may also email me on colin@fsconline.co.za if you prefer.

Colin Fourie

Betting wise it does not affect me - watch TT and bet like normal; what would affect me is if I happen to have a runner at a night meeting (last time I had a runner at night was still at Newmarket) - would think twice about taking my family to that dump at night and from that point of view much rather prefer day meetings

Day meeting

It has a good vibe racing at night but to travel from Pretoria at that time of night is no fun to have a fun bus would be great

Punters lose their Internet when they leave work for home..

I prefer the night meetings, usually watch from home on tellytrack. Do enjoy the occational going to a night race meeting. I do feel 35 minutes between races is a bit much. Rather save the 40 minutes and start the meeting 15 minutes later and finish 25 minutes earlier.

At one stage they use to race at 30min intervals...Not sure why they went back to the longer version of the game?

The family don't always like it if I'm playing the gg's at night. So I am competing against CSI and Sevende Laan etc etc etc.

Much prefer mid week night meetings, hate missing a quality race when at work.
Never go to the tote, day or night, dreadful places.
The more quality races the more I bet, and vice-versa, day or night.
At home mainly laptop betting, at the course cellphone betting.

I am part of the young pretenders "3A Racing" syndicate and for the past 4 years our box has yet to miss a night meeting. We prefer night meetings because we work during the day and therefore it would difficult to attend a day meeting and 'have a good skop,skiet and donner' which we do most of the time when it is night racing. With that said, I totally understand why men with families prefer day meetings due to safety reasons! IMO you will probably find the majority of the younger generation enjoy night meetings, where as the "old school" wiser generation enjoy day meetings.

From a betting point, I would bet MORE when I am at the course for a night meeting, but if it was a day meeting, I would still bet, but I would definitely bet less because I would be running around for work!

So, quite a difficult one for you Colin but personally I prefer night meetings.

Best of luck!

Night racing for me ,sit on the couch,dops chops and tele betting

Night racing in principle is a brilliant idea. It allows working stiffs the chance to go to the course, especially weekdays. Unfortunately, in reality Gauteng has been left with only a sh!thole as a possible venue, but that does nothing to detract from the pleasure of being able to watch from the comfort of home. And Greyville is a splendid venue for night racing (as Durbanville and Arlington would bein a dream world).

I'm all for it, even in this (unfortunate) post-Newmarket era.