Servant of the Tote Pens an Open letter to Vee Moodley

Vee Moodley
Betting Executive
Phumelela

Dear Vee



I don’t officially have a surname, so I hope you don’t mind me using your first name. Yes, in my version of my name there are two parts – Grape Vine – but I’m not a Mr Vine kind of guy (and just imagine answering to the first name, Grape!).

I’m in bit of a situation. Well, if I’m not already in a situation I will be at some point, and I may need your help.



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I don’t officially have a surname, so I hope you don’t mind me using your first name. Yes, in my version of my name there are two parts – Grape Vine – but I’m not a Mr Vine kind of guy (and just imagine answering to the first name, Grape!).

I’m in bit of a situation. Well, if I’m not already in a situation I will be at some point, and I may need your help.

First, a little background. I started my career in Cape Town, where I will admit to being somewhat directionless. However, it all got a lot better when I moved to Port Elizabeth. I won’t say that I found religion, but something certainly shifted.

First time out in PE I ran a close fourth, and it didn’t take long for me to win two on the trot (if you’ll excuse the expression). In total, my PE career has comprised 14 starts. Other than the two wins, I also had five places, and four fourths. There have also been two fifths, which means that only in one start did I not earn money (the less said about the way my jockey rode me that day, the better).

On six occasions I’ve been beaten a length or less.

What I’m getting at, is that this record makes a true servant of the Tote*. I’m sure that your databases could tell you a lot about the role I’ve played as punters’ choice in exotic bets. Consistent chaps like myself, I’m sure, are good for your business. More about that later.

On a scale of unplaced maiden, to Frankel, I am extremely average. I don’t have any delusions of grandeur. However, I would say that my model of consistency makes me anything but average. If you totted up my earnings in PE you’d see that I’ve more-or-less paid my way. In all my averageness I’m a rare racehorse.
The handicapper must look at my PE form and feel rather pleased with himself. My suggestion to the handicapper is to not get too smug. I make him look good, with my always-trying attitude. In return for my honesty I’m stuck with a merit rating* that all but ensures I’ll never win again. What do they say about no good deed going unpunished?

Anyway, my pain is your gain. I’m good for your business.

Yesterday, once again, I ran my heart out from a bad draw (what is it about me and wide draws). The best I could do was fifth. The worst is that it was a dead heat for fifth. Apparently there were some ripe comments from one of my owners about sharing a measly R1500 in prize money. Even though my form yesterday was worse than previous form against Naval Intelligence, I can’t see my merit rating getting cut. That’s just not how the handicappers roll.

Vee, something has to give. I get the feeling my owners are getting frustrated by this thing of seeing the handicapper stand between me and the winner’s box.

It’s time for me to get to the point. Considering what I do for your business, in the event that their frustration gets a bit too much, would you consider a contribution to my training fees?

Kind regards
Grape Vine

*Tote: The principle of Tote betting is that all bets are pooled. After the government taxes and operator’s share have been deducted, the nett pool is shared amongst the winning tickets. The tote is a more effective funder of the sport than bets struck with bookmakers.
*Merit ratings: Most races run in South Africa are handicaps, which aim to equalise horses’ chances of winning. Better horses carry more weight. Merit ratings are the method for assigning weights to horses. Higher merit ratings indicate better horses. At the basis of handicapping is the measurable drag effect of weight (over 1600m, one length of a horse equates to 2 lbs in weight carried).

Sour grapes. This MR system is what UK handicap racing is all about and the Tote is not what UK racing is all about. Try and figure it out if you can.
I know of another Vee who is in the bookmaking business and now that you have no intention of ever going to Hollywood, perhaps you can try the Big Hole where things may be a lot better for a small town gelding?
Then again when breeders breed a lot less and lease a lot more, it will prevent moronic situations where people in the employ of racing operators are requested to donate towards training fees .In the history of racing in S.A. with all the Racing Managers that have been employed by the various clubs over the years, quite a few come to mind yet the mind is set on Vee ?

P.S. Word out on the grape vine is that all sports personalities will now be seeking royalties from all the institutions that bet on the outcome of their fixtures, whether Tote or bookies or bucket shops.
And the Lotto balls too........... :lol:

I did enjoy "the lotto balls too"

I must admit to being surprised that the target was the operator and not the handicapper

Over the Air wrote: I must admit to being surprised that the target was the operator and not the handicapper

The article is very much tongue in cheek imo ( title )

As much tongue in cheek as it may have been Bob, one thing that should be directed at the operators is appearance fees for runners. Stakes have not kept up with inflation and owners deserve something for effectively providing an important part of "the show".

The letter was written by the horse named Grape Vine. He is even cleverer than Mr Ed. Lol

Mac wrote: The letter was written by the horse named Grape Vine. He is even cleverer than Mr Ed. Lol

Grape Vine is owned in part by the trainer and other owners are the Folks that bred him at the family stud. :whistle:

Over the Air wrote: As much tongue in cheek as it may have been Bob, one thing that should be directed at the operators is appearance fees for runners. Stakes have not kept up with inflation and owners deserve something for effectively providing an important part of "the show".

Agree that this complaint is strangely directed at the tote???
AND INCREASED STAKES IS A Necessity!
But the operators have completely lost touch with the pricing of the racing product.In the 60's PA's and Jpots were 50c a line ,and other bets were R1 units!......and a fascinating fact is that over half of the exotic tickets were single line entries.
(I can only remember the vices but a packet of 20 lucky strike were 18c and I got 5 beers in the Royal Hotel for a R1....I also put R1 petrol every Friday in my Beetle)

How many other industries would survive with a 100% increase in 50 years?not only that ,fractional betting allows 1c exotic tickets!
No wonder Vee and his team were concerned that payouts were too small,and instead of fixing the real problem,they remove couplings and require punters to be clairvoyant in respect of 1st timers (and lets forget any naive suggestion that stable comments will fix that!!!!!)
Exotics should ,based on inflation, be at least R20 a line but that would be suicidal in one move,but a programme should be introduced to increase the cost to at least R5 a line quickly and to limit fractional betting to no less than 10%.
The old rules(preventing punters being stitched by the relay teams) could be re-introduced and the payouts would sort themselves out!
My bet is that after the initial shock ,pools will increase!
I would think that correct inflation pricing is a basic of any business strategy......why don't casino's have 1c chips - When I first played Roulette,chips were as low as 50c .........I think their minimum is R5 today!
If the product kept pace with inflation ,maybe stakes would have too????

I'm not so sure if that strategy will generate higher revenues. For me, a punter bets to his budget, whether the size of the bet is specifically calculated or not. If his budget is R50 on the jackpot then I think he will still buy the current-style jackpot for R50 irrespective whether it has a few or a multitude of lines which is percentage betting. Should the example scenario of say R5 per line be created then the punter will still buy the jackpot but only 10 lines for R50. However, like in the old days, should the punter want more lines for his R50, he will then resort to betting syndicates, which, effectively is, also percentage betting.

In 2015, at the Wild Coast Sun, I noticed to my surprise proliferate 1 cent machines.

It's interesting that we go from a "hard-done-by owner" to how to squeeze the punter.

Grape Vine, lamenting the fact that his horse has been hard done by and pointing out how it should be earning more by virtue of the fact that it's often in the placings and therefore generates income above it's weight by attracting extra turnover (Do I hear an AMEN?).

The suggested solution for Grape Vine's struggle, so far, is to implement strategies to "force" a bigger spend out of the punter. And from Messrs Mac/Foux no less. Whats the word we looking for again..."ironic" maybe?

Anyway, looking for relief from a dividend king like Vee is a double irony. If we don't somehow squeeze the punter, then appearance money or increased stakes would come from the pot that pays the profit to share dividends, not so? I mean, you can't ask Vee, he's a share holder, he works for the shareholders and his duty is to the share holders. (Do I hear a "DAMN RIGHT!")

So the answer is simple. Grape Vine, if you want more money take your 200k earnings and buy shares not horses.