We are in a closed system with 2 operators, one of which has a legal obligation to make money for it's shareholders. In larger environments races, stakes and sometimes even weights are offered to attract runners, and the operators "job" is to get horses into starting gates and to attract gambling.
The day comes where the operator takes all those things as granted, and then starts managing the breed for breeders, managing trainers for owners and grooms for trainers.
One at a time the game concedes control of an accumulation of little things, and pretty soon racing will be a side show to massive popular soccer betting.
South Africa's great asset is not a massive gambling culture, but the fact that we supply our own horses. In fact, like NZ, the main focus of racing here may (end up) that it's value comes from the fact that it is a testing ground to qualify to run for $$$ overseas. Our program and racing culture should reflect that we bring in new young horses on mass, not that we have 7yo 3x winners running in a MR72 for the 99th time.
How did we let handicaps slip BELOW the level of a maiden in such a short time? It was never they aim of MR handicapping to become viral and allow so much racing to be for horses rated 60. When MR started, most of the winners came from the good horses to the extend that a 5yo Maiden did not exist in primary centres. Now most of our winners are from horses carrying less weight.
Do not buy a good horse
Next time you go yo a yearling sale, be sure to choose the lesser yearling of your fancies, hopefully that is the one that's gonna be well in and earn the money.
Of my last two horses, the horse 20 lbs inferior has gone on to run more and earn more off a MR56 (70 at best) and the other less even though was 89 at best. How do I face buying when I know the worse I choose, the more profitable it will be? Even worse, I afflicted spectators with having to watch a really poor athlete run again and again, whilst a superior horse stood at home waiting for gaps in the program.
For a minute I was invited as a guest on the handicapping panel...I got into a huge fight with the incumbents representing the poor owners of bad horses and got booted off for advocating less funny rules and opposing the gaps that trainers of these rubbish horses insisted they had to have to reward the buyers of poor athletes.
To this day it's beyond me. We have a race to find out whose fastest. Then we weigh them down and give the money to the slowest.
It doesn't have to be, and it never used to be. I was amazed the shit some of them had to say. But they said it very well.
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