why wasnt the sale of clairwood put out to tender?

Buxtehude Wrote:

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> Great business vision to sell your only asset
> (race course wise in KZN) and hope that the
> business will survive. Good luck should "the
> landlord" change the rules on the other race
> courses.... Sounds like a fantastic idea. Virtual
> racing here we come.


IMO this post beggars belief...a typical response from someone letting off steam that is either totally uninformed or "playing dumb" just to have a go..

totally disagree with you titch its a very valid point ..

surely even the most cynical among us would have to concede that the powers that be would have take precautions before even contemplating selling Clairwood...

Titch Wrote:

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> surely even the most cynical among us would have
> to concede that the powers that be would have take
> precautions before even contemplating selling
> Clairwood...

Wasn't there something fishy about the selling of Newmarket?

Titch Wrote:

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> surely even the most cynical among us would have
> to concede that the powers that be would have take
> precautions before even contemplating selling
> Clairwood...


titch if you recall at the turn of the century they tried selling clairwood and all clairwood based trainers were thrown out but the sale was stopped ....the money for the sale would have been pissed up a long time ago and we would be minus clairwood...history repeating itself and remember when these decisions are proved to be right or wrong those who chose the path are long gone ...phone vaughn marshall and ask him abt the clairwood debacle 12 years ago

Tracks are privately owned world wide and maybe thats why the owners give a fuck about getting punters on track

gregbucks Wrote:

> Wasn't there something fishy about the selling of
> Newmarket?

Right or wrong the selling of Newmarket certainly never lead to virtual racing..love it or hate it racing is here to stay,despite the continued negative input from some who should and probably do know better but prefer to complain at any given opportunity...fear of change is an age old phenomenon but to suggest that the sale of Clairwood will lead to the demise of racing is just plain stupid,reckless and totally without merit.

the closure of racetracks in gauteng has led to their racing going backwards at the rate of knots..why have charles laird and mdk looked to move?now natal are closing a racetrack ...louis goosen wrote a brilliant piece on this forum about the state of the gauteng racetracks due to the closure of newmarket and germiston maybe you should read it sometimes titch.....

anyway as im not a gold circle member anymore due to personal reasons i guess i wont find out the answer to my original question on this thread....its pretty obvious to me just wanted confirmation

There was a rumour a couple of years ago that Jooste was buying clairwood and it was to be turned into a training centre for Charles Laird. This did not happen and there are always going to be stories running their rounds, I am sure the reasons for selling Clairwood must have some strong validation. Newmarket as far as I know was a rental where the owner/developer decided to be stupid and hold racing to ransom by threatning to change the racing theme as a attraction to a development planned. Phumelela made the right call (even though) we miss the track. Newmarket is a overgrown ghost town now. Remember Milnerton ? Some cape races don't even attract 6 horses that should alone justify the closing of that centre.

I did read it H, while MDK and Charles and Corne Spies did relocate Mike still has a big string there Charles trimmed his string down when he relocated but Corne still has a sattelite yard in Jhb as does Gav van Zyl...

I thought Newmarket was SOLD for peanuts and then rented back to the operator?