In a sad indictment of the narrow-minded and selfish free-for-all attitude that is the order of the day in certain sectors of the South African horseracing industry, racing operator Phumelela has refused to allow one of our leading bookmakers the opportunity of sponsoring a race on a National Horse Trust raceday – citing a ‘conflict of interests’ for their shocking decision.
In a written response to a Hollywood official, an organiser said that she had been advised by Phumelela that she was unable to give the company a race name that would appear in Computaform, due to ‘conflict of interests’.
“Like we discussed,this is not about racing but about supporting the horses and my job is to raise funds for the trust, which supports the units nationally. I am able to give you branding in the room on the day, if that would work for you or alternatively, I will have to refund your contribution,” she said.
So retired racehorses and donkeys risk starvation and death, and Phumelela are more concerned with their ‘interests’?
Can we blame them for being so obviously threatened that they refuse to allow a well intentioned corporate bookmaker the opportunity to invest back into the welfare of the magnificent animal, without whose grace and magnetism, there would be no sport of kings?
Hollywood is an acknowledged pacesetter and South Africa’s premier betting brand, offering the public an upmarket ‘casino inspired’ environment where punters can bet in comfort and style.
The loser is the horse and the National Horse Trust, which was established in 1989 as the racing industry’s own charity to assist and take care of abused and neglected thoroughbreds after their racing careers were over.
The Trust established four Horse Care Units around the country and these have over the years evolved to include all breeds of horses, as well as donkeys.
The sad reality is that self-serving agenda’s and greed have reached the point where they consider themselves bigger than the game – and where genuine care for and interest in the horse is lip service preached when the moment suits, in the corridors of power.
And with all those sponsors standing in line to put their money into the game, Phumelela can obviously pick and choose their ‘partners’.
As for the ‘maintenance of the ethos of the game’…you’ve gotta be joking.
But let’s not go down that road.
