Is racing nationally divided? Yes and I think it shows in no uncertain manner when the Durban presenters are raving about picnic sites at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday and don’t say a word about the Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Jan van Zyl of Parow writes in the Sporting Post mailbag, with a special request that we publish a black and white image.
He writes that in a country with a racing community the size of ours, how is it that we have two sets of covid rules, Tellytrack in trouble and being dissolved, half the tote, Tabgold, that works, and the one lot trumping about an ordinary Sunday meeting, when there is really top racing at Kenilworth.
I enjoyed the best days of this game. I can’t remember any politics. We spoke racing – and racing only. I could afford to race a few small shares in horses, drank beers with all the characters at Milnerton, and couldn’t wait for the racecard, they used to sell it at the gate after the races, to come out for the next meeting.
We were nobody really but like church on Sunday, we wore a tie if we had a runner. I took hell from my late wife for not upgrading our car, when I had spare cash for shares in three fairly slow horses. But it was worth it.
Model Future wins the 1994 Listed Milnerton 2000
What’s the point of finger wagging today– but can we blame greed, ego’s , commercial realities, incompetence? I see Brandon, the young commentator, sitting in a booth at the Vaal commentating on Mauritius racing. The man deserves a bonus. There is talent and passion still, although no youngsters in our tote.
I follow the Sporting Post every day and used to buy the weekend issue. Beyond them I haven’t seen a story about the Guineas in any platform countrywide. It just doesn’t feel like Guineas week. There is nothing in the newspapers. Then I checked the racecard for the sponsors name – and there isn’t one. No bloody wonder.
I hear from the boys in my tote that the pools are floundering. Frankly, I don’t know what the pools are and don’t care if the pool is R300 000 or R100 000. I only ever win R250 if I’m lucky, it’s entertainment, not a road to riches.
I gave up smoking years ago, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here today. But how I yearn for that cigar smell and racecourse atmosphere of yesteryear. It was a home from home.
