Owners chief urges racing industry to buy Tote
Chris Deuters, president of the Racehorse Owners Association, today warned of an “appalling” scenario for racing should the industry not buy the Tote.
He told the ROA annual general meeting in London that it was “imperative” for a racing trust to buy the Tote with an exclusive pool-betting licence lasting seven years – an opportunity that the Government had given the industry.
“This ideal is so precious to our industry’s future that all counter arguments, most of which are based on short-termism, must be swept aside,” Deuters said.
“For racing not to acquire the Tote would be another appalling give-away almost on a par with when the bookmakers snatched the off-course betting market in the early sixties.
“If we lost the Tote it would go to the big bookmakers and any hope of fulfilling its huge potential for the direct benefit of racing would go forever.”
Deuters also had a warning for racecourses as the sport embarks on a new competitive era when owners will have more power.
He urged owners – and trainers – to “vote with their feet” if certain racecourses did not offer sufficient prize money.
He told owners in his audience of ROA members and industry decision-makers: “The most effective way of forcing up prize money is to create proper competition for runners between racecourses.
“If as owners you ignore prize money levels, then how can you complain about them being so poor?
“Certain courses throughout the country – particularly those in Scotland - are already showing the way on prize money and, as the number of fixtures increase up to 1,500 in 2006 and beyond, so the racing world will begin to assume a different look.
“Racecourses won’t so easily be able to put next to nothing into prize money and remain confident they will fill their races with runners.
“There will be increased competition for runners, but I cannot urge you enough to stimulate this competition by getting your trainers to be more selective in where they run your horses.
“It must not be forgotten that racecourses are now penalised, through their BAGS contracts, if they do not come up with sufficient runners.”
Deuters also explained why the ROA was supporting the British Horseracing Board document ‘The Modernisation of British Racing’, but with provisos.
He said the ROA had compromised with the racecourses on the proposal to allocate 75 per cent of net data income to prize money, but the drop to 50 per cent suggested when such income exceeded £80 million was being opposed pending further discussions.
“This additional condition may be a step too far but, in trying to find a solution, it has to be considered in the overall equation. It is not just a point of principle. The practicalities of agreeing to this could cost the non-racecourse part of the industry a lot of money in years to come,” he said.
“It is with this in mind that we believe a part solution to this problem could rest with directing some much-needed resources to stable staff.
“I have to say this is not an owner problem – it is an industry problem.
“New initiatives will require substantial funding and before we go off handing our friends the racecourses another lump of guaranteed cash, I believe we should come up with some ideas as to how, if the £80 million threshold is exceeded, then at least some of the additional income should flow the way of stable staff.”
