Is it shadow dancing with two left feet – or are the promotion, public relations and communication capabilities of five of South African horseracing’s biggest players really just simply very ordinary?
Phumelela, Gold Circle, the Racing Association, Bloodstock South Africa and Racing SA are, one would think, mostly fuelled by local stakeholders – from punters, owners, breeders and investors.
Yet not one of these esteemed industry players have seen fit to issue a simple press release to publicise their presence as sponsors at the Champ de Mars on Saturday.
Twenty four hours in advance of the eight race programme on Saturday, there has been precious little – if anything – said about the eight race sponsored meeting in Mauritius.
It costs nothing.
They all have functioning websites. And we in the racing media are looking for good news stories.
So, we wonder, why?
Surely the whole idea of sponsorship is a mutually beneficial, premeditated and focussed spend of your stakeholder’s cash in order to reach certain hoped for goals and spin-offs?
The fact that it’s the punting rand, the owner’s rand, the breeder’s rand and the general local investor’s rand that are funding these entities’ ability in the first place, to pump sponsorship money into a foreign raceday, seems to be of no consequence to anybody.
And we are not debating the relevance and importance of the Mauritian racing product and its relationship and ties with the sport here.
Although, these days it is a substantially reduced net for our second -hand horses.
Equine imports from SA were down 75% this year, according to reports.
After changes in the bilateral export protocols a few years ago – and an awkwardly timed Commission Of Enquiry set up by the island government’s Revenue department, owners and trainers have been treading carefully and watching their rupees.
There is also the added fact that many of our jockeys have earned a good living there, plying their trade and earning decent money.
And the time-zone differences mean that their live racing is also popular at a fairly quiet time of the day on most Saturday mornings for SA punters.
So it is not the principle of the token support of Mauritius horseracing that one wonders about – it’s why it is so low-key and just not trumped up or promoted?
In tough economic times, one would think that sponsors want a louder shout from the rooftops, a bit of a song and dance – and more bang for their buck.
Or does nobody really care?
