Re:Form Study in KZN to be Much Harder With New Move

Eish. This is not good move in my opinion. Will make form study much more harder as allotted weights of horses will not be in descending order like before.

www.sportingpost.co.za/2019/11/kzn-barrier-draws/

Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets have announced that in an exciting change, beginning 1 December 2019 and on a trial basis for 3 months, the carded horse number will reflect the barrier draw of the horse for all races in KwaZulu-Natal.

In a change from the traditional top-weight-down, or alphabetical order, horses will now be carded according to barrier positions, regardless of the allocated weights.

Whilst this breaks with the traditional system used to allocate card numbers in South African racing, it will serve the purpose of making it easier for newcomers and racing fans in general to follow their selections from the saddle cloth number and standardised saddle cloth colour, through to the starting stalls where the number and colour will be clearly displayed.

Reserve runners will no longer be allocated a barrier draw, but should there be a scratching, the reserve will automatically take up the barrier of the scratched horse that it replaces.

“This move aligns our racing with international standards currently used in the USA and South America, and will make our KZN product more attractive to international racing punters, which in turn will increase turnovers in commingled pools”, said Raf Sheik, Racing Executive of Gold Circle.

Brand and Communications Manager for Hollywoodbets, Devin Heffer, added: “As partners with Gold Circle, this is another joint initiative to differentiate KZN Racing, to generate interest and provide something new to our current racegoers, and make racing brighter, easier to follow and more appealing to newcomers to our wonderful sport. This trial period will run in conjunction with the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge, details of which will be released soon.”

I have noticed tomorrow at Greyville, they have

a Graduation Handicap
a Progress Handicap

Never seen that before

I'm all for innovation but this is a horrendous idea. I can deal with the different coloured saddle cloths and the numbered armbands being worn by the jocks now but that's where it stops. Would the NHA have had any input on this?

“This move aligns our racing with international standards currently used in the USA and South America" - Daft comment. Not international standard, just one used by USA and South America.

"will make KZN product more attractive to international racing punters, which in turn will increase turnovers in commingled pools” - We don't care much for our local customers anymore

"this will provide something new to our current racegoers" - I can bet that not a single existing punter has asked for anything like this. Not even once.

Is this really something that can be considered to be progress and good for the game?

Interesting.
I’ve always wondered “why not”.
But please don’t adopt the outriders.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Losing the plot, what next?

Glad i stopped punting

Maybe lets take sensible rules from the USA like the Objection rules - This is just plain STUPID -
easier to follow and more appealing to newcomers to our wonderful sport.
There are NO NEWCOMERS of any substantial amount and a crazy nonsensical move like this can only help to lose the few loyal punters left in the game - Who thought of this? Someone from the Casino Industry?

mr hawaii wrote: Who thought of this? Someone from the Casino Industry?

First thought was that this was something initiated by bookmaker sponsor with view to introducing a wave of new lucky number type bets.

Not sure why anyone would want to boldly proclaim adopt anything remotely related to US racing at the moment given the scrutiny that the industry is under there.

What is the point of merit rating then?????

Clearly the rocket scientists behind this strongly disagree with Jeff Bezos and he has it completely wrong with "start with your customer and work backwards"

SO this will make it easier for people new to racing? What trite, besides its not important to do anything for the customers currently betting beside confuse them.

Tigershark wrote: What is the point of merit rating then?????

Clearly the rocket scientists behind this strongly disagree with Jeff Bezos and he has it completely wrong with "start with your customer and work backwards"

SO this will make it easier for people new to racing? What trite, besides its not important to do anything for the customers currently betting beside confuse them.

One of the key aspects analyzing form is ratings. The horse with the highest rating is normally number 1 and all other ratings below that follow. Even in Graduation plates, Novice races, etc, the horse with the highest rating is number one followed by others. This method makes it so much easier to find out which runners are under sufferance.

Hence my topic heading because everything will be jumbled up and form studying therefore will be much harder.

KZN boyz are innovative, the leaders in SA Racing. I am proud to be a KZN Trainer and Gold Circle have my full support, as they innovate and push new ideas .

However, this one does not make sense to me. I could be proven wrong, but imho, we have already made it difficult for Punters with MR, draw bias etc. Now we make it more difficult and time consuming for them to study form.
Are we purposely trying to create losers, for carryover's sake ? Winners and losers both contribute to tote and tote is not effected, cannot lose. Bookies, of course, gain from losers.

The problem is that if we keep Punters losing, we keep losing Punters.

This is why I have always preferred the Operators to concentrate on their tote and not buy bookmaking rights etc.

That's just my opinion. I pray for a shining light to awaken me and show me that I am wrong....

Absolute tripe.

Please listen to the punters. Don't even go there.
This format will confuse the punter even further.
I hope Sporting Post don't change to this format.

louisg wrote: KZN boyz are innovative, the leaders in SA Racing. I am proud to be a KZN Trainer and Gold Circle have my full support, as they innovate and push new ideas .

However, this one does not make sense to me. I could be proven wrong, but imho, we have already made it difficult for Punters with MR, draw bias etc. Now we make it more difficult and time consuming for them to study form.
Are we purposely trying to create losers, for carryover's sake ? Winners and losers both contribute to tote and tote is not effected, cannot lose. Bookies, of course, gain from losers.

The problem is that if we keep Punters losing, we keep losing Punters.

This is why I have always preferred the Operators to concentrate on their tote and not buy bookmaking rights etc.

That's just my opinion. I pray for a shining light to awaken me and show me that I am wrong....

I agree with your comments entirely. GC wants to create losers.
My prediction is that turnovers will drop. We want punters into the game ...not driving them away.

I shudder to think what will happen to turnovers when the current age group and the big punters are no more.

The youngsters of today are not really interested in punting in horse racing.