Could schoolyard level petulance and gamesmanhip be at play at the expense of our racing, in the 4Racing corridors of power?
Playing with matches, bullying and nastiness are nothing new in the world of corporate politics.
But the actions are really starting to speak louder than words, and while the good ship SA Racing flounders in heavy seas, it seems that a concerted effort is at play to throw some passengers overboard and probably ultimately sink the vessel.
National Horseracing Authority CEO Vee Moodley stood up at Thursday’s stakeholder engagement meeting at Kenilworth and warned stakeholders to ‘get real’ and that the industry could only navigate a pathway out of the turbulent waters with a unified approach.
But let’s look at two actions by 4Racing, in the last few days.
4Racing have failed to defend questions about their apparent failure to act in the best interests of the customer or viewer, and provide balanced quality coverage of all local racing.
Read Joey Soma’s vent about the treatment of the SA Champions Season opener on Saturday – please click here.
Sporting Post reader George Croucher writes that he is still awaiting a response to his question as to why it was decided that Saturday’s high quality Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting was not allocated a Pick 6 carryover, while R500 000 has been allocated to the Listed East Cape Derby racemeeting on coming Friday 13 May.
“I have nothing at all against Gqeberha racing. But surely a meeting that represented the opening of the 2022 KZN Winter Season with some of the best horses in the country on display, should have taken precedence over the mid-month PE meeting?” asks George.
He continues:
Whilst I want to re-emphasize that we must and do acknowledge the important role that East Cape racing plays in our racing calendar, it is clear to me that this was not an oversight at all but the deliberate and calculated snubbing of KZN Racing by 4Racing.
With that in mind it is imperative that 4Racing understands that the carryover pools do not belong to them but are, in fact, the property of Saftote as well as the seemingly forgotten heroes of the industry, The Punter, and should be utilized accordingly – that is with the interests of the punter and the broader SA horseracing industry in mind and not as a tool to settle their personal vendetta against KZN racing,
Sadly if my assumption is incorrect, then the only other logical explanation for this ‘oversight’ is gross incompetence. Either way, it hardly bodes well 4Racing going forward!
The Sporting Post put it to 4Racing on Saturday that, historically, we are aware that optimum tote turnovers are generally achieved from 25th to 7th monthly.
That despite the strategic significance, the quality of horse, the level of racing,and the timing, there was not even a nominal Pick 6 carryover into Saturday’s racemeeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Yet TAB record in an advertisement in the Computaform that Friday’s Fairview racemeeting will enjoy a R500k Pick 6 carryover.
Two Listed features head the meeting – the highest rated horse accepted so far for the East Cape Derby is an 89 – it’s almost mid month. When last have we seen a non weekend fixture carryover?
A commingling Agreement does exist between Gold Circle and Phumelela and that it was ceded to 4Racing. We have been informed that carryover policies are not part of that agreement.
We asked for the rationale behind the carryover allocation and whether 4Racing’s decision makers truly believe that they are acting in the very best interests of SA Horseracing?
We received no response. You be the judge.
