Why Is Cape Racing A Failure?

Englander Wrote:

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> Heinrich bud, you miss the point a little I
> think... JAP said "perceived" and there is
> absolutely no doubt in my mind he is 100% correct.
> I PERCEIVE Cape racing as the most crooked in SA,
> I trust no part of racing down there. Until they
> correct that perception I can't see them going
> anywhere


Well look at the lovely steady pace they go at - And the majestic way senior jocks sit in a pack letting the little ole' appie steal the race - My perception is that either the SeniorJocks are poorly trained OR ....

What I observed in my racing career in the Cape :

I started racing in the Cape in 1972. In the early years on a 'big meeting' day you dared not leave your seat in the hour leading up to the feature or you would have nowhere to sit.

The status quo remained pretty much unchanged until about 1989 (?) when the new grandstand at Milnerton was completed. Within a period of about 2 years the crowds dwindled to a fraction of what they had been.

There were two factors which contributed : There was massive unrest in the townships from which a large portion of race goers came. 'Illegal casinos' had opened and siphoned off a large percentage of gamblers. They have never returned.

Within 5 years casinos had taken root and the cellphone had arrived. That's when most of the remainder left.

It should also be noted that Cape Town was rapidly morphing from a genuine 'sleepy hollow' to a desireable international tourist destination developing competing recreational attractions as fast as you could count them. If you don't believe me then ask Durban - which went from the premier holiday destination to also ran in an alarmingly short period of time.

Very Important Note : At this time the clothing industry ( a massive provider of jobs ) was also starting to implode. To what extent this affected the support of racing is difficult to quantify. But the impact on household budgets must have.

Racing as we have now come to know it had settled into its present format by the late 1990's - well over 15 years ago.

Regrettably there has ( and probably always will be ) an 'odour' surrounding the sport. The death of press coverage has not helped although the press quickly revisits the sport whenever animal abuse or 'illicit incidents' come to the fore. Almost as if to remind the general population ' We told you so.....'

Sadly racing management continues to spend more money and energy than is warranted trying to lure a bolted horse back into the stable. The embracing of technology has been remarkably unenthusiastic when it probably offers the ONLY route out of the hole. Instead of fostering the 'best possible' delivery of the product into whatever device the customer chooses to use racing prides itself on delivering the TV equivalent of 'amateur hour' accompanied by a picture quality that would make a 1970's porn film maker blush. And now you want a profit from that?????

I continue to pose the question : Why do you want me on course when I would rather be at home ? Surely your primary business mission is to sell bets? Or not?

Garrick Wrote:

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> Surely your primary business mission is to sell
> bets? Or not?

Bingo!

Jack Dash Wrote:

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> Garrick Wrote:
>

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>

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> > Surely your primary business mission is to sell
> > bets? Or not?
>
> Bingo!

Correct,at the end of the day nothing else counts.And in most cases in life perception supercedes the truth,so unless the perception gets changed it will become the truth as per Heinrich's post-"all the ou ballies say that cape racing is skelm as its been printed into their heads over and over by people...."

And it is the perception of the ballies that really counts,because racing hasn't won over any new local customers in 20 years.

And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his socks... or is just playing devils advocate. Or his surname is OSTRICH

The Madji Wrote:

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> And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his socks... or is
> just playing devils advocate. Or his surname is
> OSTRICH


(tu)

The Madji Wrote:

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> And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his socks... or is
> just playing devils advocate. Or his surname is
> OSTRICH


hahahaha...C'mon its not that bad as people make it out to be ekse!When 2,3,4 or 5 favs lose on a day...every1 says...crooked skelms...but in every other centre its the same thing!Didnt Hibs put up stats of the % of winning favs for every province?

heinrich Wrote:

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> The Madji Wrote:
>

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>

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> > And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his socks... or
> is
> > just playing devils advocate. Or his surname is
> > OSTRICH
>
>
> hahahaha...C'mon its not that bad as people make
> it out to be ekse!When 2,3,4 or 5 favs lose on a
> day...every1 says...crooked skelms...but in every
> other centre its the same thing!Didnt Hibs put up
> stats of the % of winning favs for every province?

watch the way the races are run rather than looking at results

mr hawaii Wrote:

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> heinrich Wrote:
>

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>

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> > The Madji Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his socks...
> or
> > is
> > > just playing devils advocate. Or his surname
> is
> > > OSTRICH
> >
> >
> > hahahaha...C'mon its not that bad as people
> make
> > it out to be ekse!When 2,3,4 or 5 favs lose on
> a
> > day...every1 says...crooked skelms...but in
> every
> > other centre its the same thing!Didnt Hibs put
> up
> > stats of the % of winning favs for every
> province?
>
> watch the way the races are run rather than
> looking at results


trust me Mr H...i do watch the races alot,so i know...

heinrich Wrote:

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> mr hawaii Wrote:
>

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>

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> > heinrich Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > The Madji Wrote:
> > >
> >
>

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>
> >
> > >

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> > > > And I reckon Heinrich is smokin his
> socks...
> > or
> > > is
> > > > just playing devils advocate. Or his
> surname
> > is
> > > > OSTRICH
> > >
> > >
> > > hahahaha...C'mon its not that bad as people
> > make
> > > it out to be ekse!When 2,3,4 or 5 favs lose
> on
> > a
> > > day...every1 says...crooked skelms...but in
> > every
> > > other centre its the same thing!Didnt Hibs
> put
> > up
> > > stats of the % of winning favs for every
> > province?
> >
> > watch the way the races are run rather than
> > looking at results
>
>
> trust me Mr H...i do watch the races alot,so i
> know...

Then what do you make of the fox and hare tactics that are prevalent there?

How many races do we have a year in CT, I can only think of 2 inquiries by stewards,why can't stewards see what you guys see in a race,

savasp Wrote:

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> How many races do we have a year in CT, I can only
> think of 2 inquiries by stewards,why can't
> stewards see what you guys see in a race,


Maybe because the stewards don't punt