I would appreciate it if someone from Tellytrack or the Operator would be kind enough to provide me with the logic behind the following, as none of this helps the punter, writes FJC in the Sporting Post Mailbag.
FJC – Why do the on-course presenters continue providing their views right up until the horses start loading – do they think that punters then rush off to the tote window and take bets?
Tellytrack respond:
The Tellytrack picture is not only broadcast locally but also to many international consumers of South African racing, who are critical to the sustainability of the local industry.
International customers have to fit South African racing into their schedules and begin to screen the live feed at different times leading into the race – some 10 minutes before, others one of two minutes before.
Providing the latest information until the horses are loading enables this process and is essential to the sale of South African racing abroad. Giving the latest information until the horses are loading is anyway of interest to many Tellytrack viewers, even though there comes a point when there is insufficient time for them to act on it.
For the record, and for the same reasons listed earlier, it’s common practice internationally, as evidenced for example by the Investec Epsom Derby recently when the UK presenters kept talking until there was only one horse to load.
FJC – Why do horses at Greyville canter down to the start on the Poly when the race is on Grass and vice versa?
Gold Circle respond:
The final 200m of the Greyville turf track is under shadow for most of the day as a result of the North Wing Suites. To preserve this area of the turf, all parades are done on the Poly where possible
Legal Eagle
FJC -Why do the rules allow for all the nonsense surrounding whether or not Legal Eagle would run in the July?
Gold Circle respond:
The decision to run Legal Eagle or not had nothing to do with rules – it was simply the decision of the connections as to whether Legal Eagle would run or not and they indicated a long way out that he was unlikely to run.
Yes, they may have committed a “professional foul” by leaving him in until the weights were published, but they were within their rights to do so and it is not our intention to make changes to the conditions of the race off the back of what might be an isolated incident.
Ed – thanks to Tellytrack and Gold Circle for the response
