Alarm bells ringing as turnover bottoms out

DustyCarpet · August 2014

Yes they have one track, Belmont would have two one for winter and one for summer I think.

bookielover · August 2014

TRK, If SA Racing had not sold Victoria Park and Cheltnham, they would have been stone motherless broke years ago.

They had to do what they did because they were losing millions and the Government had no interest in bailing them out.

Yes, racing there isn't the greatest, but their prize money on a Saturday isn't too bad, in fact it continues to tempt trainers from Victoria like Smerdon and moody, Weir and Hayes and some of our Country trainers to bring horses across to SA to race.

What SA racing did, has saved racing in that State.

I said it on another thread, and will say it again here.

Sell either Ascot or Belmont. Build two new tracks at the venue that is kept, plus an all weather track for emergencies which can double as a track for track work. Build a new grandstand that looks after both members and public in comfort. And put up a set of lights for night racing, so that all possibilities for racing in the Metropolitan area, can be explored.

Piston_Broke · August 2014

Heard a rumour that RWWA called in the head honchos of PR and told them to get their act together only last friday

IntoIt · August 2014

Wasnt aware that the trainers at Ascot dont have to pay for the use of its facilities except the pool and the grass. A big complex to maintain for next to nothing.

Problem there i think.

PS Damien, Andrew and Falcoln suck lemons i'm sure.

=))

Rodent · August 2014

I disagree with a lot of what Mailman writes and especially how he writes it. However, on this I agree.

I've been making good money on WA races for well over a decade but I stopped betting on Saturdays. It was the one day of the week I lost consistently. Why? Simply, that those dictating the market ALWAYS knew how a race would be run. Even if it was an unlikely scenario.

Such intimate knowledge is a massive advantage and one I and most other punters simply cannot overcome.Until the authorities get serious and root out the cause of the problem, I and others will simply not bet.

mailman505 · August 2014

I do write things that are **** and write them so they are hard to read for the reason to get people to react granted.But hey look at the forum its not a sleep so that's something lol.

DamienWyer · August 2014

The Trainers meeting held at Ascot the other day, I'm told was filled with plenty of emotion. Traditionally, Trainers have always kept opinions to themselves, along with not being actively involved as Members of the WATC. A couple of years ago that changed and Trainers were invited to join, but most didn't. I understand from the meeting held that the majority now wish to join and take an active role in the future direction of the principal club.

DamienWyer · August 2014

If all Industry participants are involved in such a major shift in direction, a lot of the bumps will be removed from the process.

However, having the current eight individuals that form the Perth Racing Committee at the helm, is a recipe for financial disaster. Seldom would you find eight people with a collective sum total of incompetence, but these guys have it in spades. Their seemingly constant ability to stumble from one crisis to the next beggars belief.

The re-development of Belmont is from a commercial standing, dead. It will in all likelihood require a lead time now of 15 years. As I have stated before, the current excess of apartments in Perth, coupled with the falling level of investor returns, and record low mortgage rates, has made the current 10% drop in real estate sales. In a market that has nowhere to go in the short term, almost all developers are exercising caution. Nowhere more than in the high rise sector of residential living. Perth does not have the interest from Asia that other markets such as Melbourne or Sydney rely on to keep auctions and private treaty sales ticking along. There are over 1400 apartments for sale in Perth that cannot find a buyer. Plenty of smaller projects are springing up around town, so the last thing we need right now is more concrete reaching for the sky.

Reading the market has never been a priority for the men of the Perth Racing Committee. They believe in magic. Now they have engaged consultants to tell them why they are getting it so wrong, as in their own words, they are operating a failing business. Why this isn't the concern of the membership is a genuine concern. Only the membership can change the current situation. At the very least they need to call an extraordinary meeting and ask for real explanations rather than a rushed power point demonstration of smoke and mirrors. The Chairman needs to answer actual questions, not those of a scripted media interview, where the interviewers always have in the back of their minds that their employment hinges on them not being too exploratory. The mainstream media have expressed a view that they want to talk openly about the current situation, but so much rides on everything they say that like their Racing Radio colleagues, they too are handicapped into submission. If it wasn't for the political reporters getting involved this week, the Racing Radio interview would have died on the ears of less than a thousand listeners no doubt.

In terms of strategy, and in the absence of a resignation by the entire Committee, a ticket needs to be organised of eligible members to stand for the four positions that are on offer in October. Hopefully political pressure will have been brought to bear and Ascot titles will not have been handed over by the Govt that would allow their sale. It is doubtful if even with the numbers in the Parliament, that the Govt could pass the necessary legislation changes to the Act in time anyway.

The four people standing wouldn't necessarily have to be high flyers, just resolute in their commitment to get the policies that control Perth Racing rectified and back on track trading as the viable entity it should have always been. Of those four people, one should be designated to be the leader of the ticket who will stand against the present Chairman, and everyone knows this going into the election. So there is a clear mandate for a challenge and removal of the current Chairman from that position.

It is only the future of the Club that is at stake.

AndrewCarter · August 2014

I've heard it before Damien but sadly at times they're are their own worst enemy with their apathy. I really do hope they start taking an active involvement in what happens at the Turf club as they bloody well need to for everyone's sake.

Tivers · August 2014

Fridays meeting was about the proposed sale of the TAB.
Nothing to do with Perth Racing

Pandora · August 2014

My info is that is was definitely discussed amongst those there and there was a clear opinion on the sale of Ascot!!!

thefalcon · August 2014

one would think it would be the main topic.....

Fastmoney · August 2014

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/horseracing/jeff-kennett-savages-damien-oliver-ban-calls-corporate-bookmakers-a-cancer-20140818-105dvw.html

paraletic · August 2014

"says he was wrong to have privatised the TAB because it allowed the "cancer" of corporate bookmakers to push the racing industry towards financial catastrophe."

Summed up in one sentence.

thefalcon · August 2014

he is 100% spot on with all he says.
I just hope the Premier see this article.

sadly there we ads for classicbet and Ladbrokes at the tail of the article...how stupid is that?
like having a plug from Rothmans after a speil on lung cancer...

G'day Punter!

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