CTS April Yearling Sale 2018

PeterD wrote: A very tough day at the office for the breeders.

louisg wrote: Muhti
I do not want to argue a point with you for the simple reason that I know that you love this game as I do and that, yes, we are both "victims" as such.

However, IMHO, these Sale prices have less to do with Jooste than they have to do with many other factors....the same factors that you and I have so often
written about. To me, the fundamental principle will remain that if Jooste's exit is the main reason for these low prices, then we must concede that the previous high prices were because he was still in the game.We cannot have our bread buttered on both sides.

To you, my fellow lover of Racing, Jooste is the red flag to the bull. He is the cause of all evil, the despotic controller of every positon in racing and the worst thing ever to happen to our beloved industry.

To me, Jooste brought value to racing. He put huge money into the game and he endeavoured to take SA racing back to its previous heights. He did this at a time when the industry was at a low and in big trouble. The coincidental timing of his ascendancy was when a boost was most needed. And yes, many used his name to get things done their way in racing and in the vast majority of times that this was done, Jooste had no idea that it was happening. And this I do know for a fact. Ultimately though, whichever way you or I stand, the bottom line remains right now, that Racing is in trouble.

So , I would prefer to leave Jooste out of the equation and to then try and accurately define what is really happening in racing.

To me tbe middle market collapsed about 2 years ago. The writing was on the wall about 3 years ago. A combination of lesser racing opportunities for most horses ( programming), handicapping ( merit rating) , cost of keep ( training fees) versus stakes, draw dependent courses, exorbitant vet bills ( vets cabal), absolute failure to create any sort of customer retention plan by the operators , a total lack of an effective marketing drive to gain new customers and a host of restrictive rules as well as a form of apathy when it comes to necessary rulings for the benefit of Owners ( eg EHV Vacs) from NHA are the causes of our current situation.

I cannot blame all of the above on Jooste. You again, can argue against me. But, whichever way you or I see things, we are still in this same situation, together, right now. The signs are there, clear as daylight, when we pull our heads out of the sand. And we better, all, put our heads together and find solutions.

And we must pray that everyone in racing recognises the same danger signs and that no effort is spared in our quest to revive our beloved industry.

And that no ego is greater than that quest....

Garrick wrote: As many of these lots may well sell for under R100,000 I see no reason to stump up an additional R 11,500 - R17,000 (excluding VAT) for a lot. That's 34% of outright theft for a R50k lot in session 1.

I'd rather keep my powder dry for the NYS.

Interesting to note that the 'levy' ( read : extortion ) has increased this year whilst the prize money for these 'million dollar' races has not. In actual fact they are worth less in real terms due to the strengthening of the rand against the dollar.

Clearly there must be a lot of bidders spending Other People's Money!