Simple question re W Cape & Stakes

I have a simple question regarding racing in the W.Cape.

On Wed, Oct 31st a meeting of 8 races is scheduled. On offer is R458,160 in total stakes and it has attracted 387 nominations. That is 48 runners per race (4x more than average 11 or 12 runners per actual race) looking to race for R57,270 per race on average.

(While we are here, would 9 races at 50K or 10 races at 48K each not make more owners and punters happiery? I would be, wearing either hat)

A few days ago a friend told me that an increase of stakes is in the wings. So my question is as follows: If racing in the cape has many problems and most problems come down to not having enough money, then why are management in the Cape trying to fix something that isn't broken? The business shows that the Cape does not NEED any more horses, and they don't NEED to offer more stakes.

The basis is that a 5% increase in stakes will make no difference to the game in the Cape in the short to medium term, but getting money in the bank to fix the stuff that people complain about is NEEDED eg track, facilities etc etc That will make a massive difference to the long term.

The owners of horses who don't want to race in the Cape because of stakes have had years to go find a better place. Those who remain would rather have a strong race "club" than a piss poor 5%, especially as greater percentage of owners and horses will not get to win anyway. (Note that 60% of stakes go to winners, so does any increase, and winners are not in the majority anyway.)

Sacrifice the increase and rescue yourself, how hard can this be? Well, maybe it is hard because members will howl but maybe leaders are there to take the uncomfortable decisions. No one gets to spend more than you earn and get off for free, so pay the "right" amount and make a profit because making a loss ain't the way.

PS
if the winners cheque is 60%, then on average each winner gets R34,362
A 5% increase would be R1,700 to a winner (nett R1,300 so who cares really?)
But 5% on 480K twice a week is a couple of million to the kitty over a year.
We should have started 5 years ago.

It's 8% and that money is due to the stakes pot in the Cape....it was always was due and .any increase helps.....

Do GC still only pay four places?

I think that announcing a stakes increase in the. Cape was a little premature.....
They should have waited for the CC ruling 1st.....

Of course hotline is correct, anyone who owners a horse must be happy to have a chance to win more.

But owners run racing, and they have paid out the absolute max to themselves to the point of extinction of the game. The facilities have gone to the metal badges for as long as I can remember, including myself when i had one.

Where i live, I expect my two closest totes to expire soon, 1 through years of neglect and the other is a shithole which makes you want to wear a spacesuit if you go in. Neither can provide a racecard the day before on a regular basis. Neither has seen an 8% investment...ever.

Racing thinks, or appears often to think, that gamblers will always be there for them and that only owners will leave, but there are no empty stables, only empty totes.

Hibs, in CT they only pay 4 places but Natal pays 5 from about 2/3 months ago.

I would just like to pick up on one possibility for the future that may be influential as we move (stagger?) into the future.

There are conflicting views as to exactly how technology affects racing. Whichever side of the fence you choose to sit the answer has to be - A LOT.

I believe one of the major driving forces behind the 'survival' of some off course totes in recent years has been the very high price of entry into technology via desktop/laptop computers and its necessary cousins : ADSL & Tellytrack ( read : Multichoice ) . Tot up all the costs and it is very expensive in South Africa to bet on horses via the web or from home. So this betting medium has not flourished as it might have in other jurisdictions.

The advent of mobi betting is likely to change all of that and MAY further reduce the need for off course facilites which have already decayed. Potentially this is a cost cutter as it is likely that people who could not afford computers are likely to have smart phones. Which still leaves the problem of Tellytrack although it appears that more and more people have varying bouquets with Multichoice. This bottleneck might be further alleviated when the national broadcaster becomes competitive - if ever.

I have no doubt the phone is the future for all of us.The main problem that I percieve is the movement of money in & out of accounts will need be a simple process...........sadly past record suggests TAB will lag behind on that front too

And a decent Stakes increase for Durban in the pipeline i believe

Titch Wrote:

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> And a decent Stakes increase for Durban in the
> pipeline i believe

Are you talking about the additional 20k for the kzn based horses in the maiden plates?

RELEASED BY: Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited

The savings in prize money resulting from the reduction in the number of race meetings in the Western Cape in 2013 are to be utilised to adjust prize money for all minor races in the region from next month and minor feature races from April to July.
From 1 November, prize money for all minor races in the region will rise by 8.7% across the board, thus restoring stakes for these races to 2010 levels. Examples include gross prize money for a Maiden Plate increasing from R53,360 to R58,000 and A division races (MR 104 and FM 100 Handicaps) from R88,320 to R96,000.
Stakes for minor feature races in the Western Cape off season (April to July) will also be adjusted. Prize money for all 16 feature races in that timeframe will increase by 9%, effectively restoring them to the same levels prior to being reduced by Gold Circle in 2011.
The Cape Winter Challenge will be the main beneficiary of the adjustment with the gross stakes of all three legs of the series going from R184,000 to R200,000.
Phumelela Horseracing Executive Patrick Davis said the redistribution of surplus money in the Western Cape stakes pot would effectively restore prize money in the province to the same levels before being cut by Gold Circle in the 2010-11 season.
“Tribute must be paid to Vidrik Thurling and Robert Bloomberg, who have worked tirelessly to accomplish this redistribution of prize money,” said Davis.
In addition, two Western Cape race meetings previously axed for 2013 have been restored to the programme as part of the redistribution of prize money. These are a fixture on the Kenilworth summer course on Saturday 6 April and another on the Kenilworth winter course on Saturday 15 June. On both days there is racing scheduled at Turffontein as well.
The breakdown of the prize-money increases is below:

Minor race stakes increases:

This isn't a stakes increase ................its the same stakes spread over less races..................nice but not quite the same thing