After 53 years of being a ‘punterholic’, Gauteng Gr1 winning trainer Joey Soma contacted the Sporting Post on Saturday afternoon to say that he is positive that he has now officially been ‘cured’ by Racing 240.
“No punterholic really wants to be cured, believe me. But this lot have just done it,” quipped Soma, who is one of a few attendees of last week’s National Yearling Sale currently believed to be down with covid.
Joey Soma – veteran has had enough of the games playing and incompetence (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“After 53 years of punting, I couldn’t believe what we were exposed to this afternoon. I was watching Dstv channel 240 and eagerly waiting to see the IOS Drill Hall Stakes runners in the parade. Instead we were provided with Borrowdale and views of the course. Don’t get me wrong. We want to support all racing, but how do they restrict proper viewer access to a leading Gr2 event and give us minor races instead?”
Soma said that he was not sure whether it was a conscious decision or incompetence that had led to SA racing’s prime season and the unofficial Hollywoodbets Durban July starter race, the IOS Drill Hall Stakes preliminaries, appearing to be mostly ignored.
“You know, we complain. I read the SP comments. I see the responses. But what do we believe? And what changes? Absolutely nothing! Racing is in trouble and nobody seems to give a damn. I have relied on this game for a living forever. I have not earned a salary. But the salaried guys need to wake up. And now I have had enough. I’m not punting on the tote. If I ran my business like this I wouldn’t last a week. I wonder how many other punters have called it a day? The turnovers tell a story!”
The Sporting Post wrote to the powers-that-be recording Mr Soma’s frustrations.
We asked if it was a conscious decision to curtail the KZN feature exposure or whether it was incompetence by the Producer on duty.
We have received no response.
