By Mark Nowell
The recent publicized "calling it quits" from Paul Belsham after 24 successful years as a trainer, has reinforced the state at which New Zealand racing stands at present.
"It's now too tough to make a dollar out of racing. New Zealand racing facilities of clubs were in dire need of modernization, and that they simply hadn't moved with the times. Centralisation was probably the only way to save it from falling off a cliff. Stakes are down to the levels they were 20 years ago," Belsham said.
How many more ''Paul Belsham's'' are there waiting to give up....?????
Love of the game v commercial reality????
Changes are needed in the industry. Quickly!
These views are agreed throughout New Zealand's various sectors of the industry.
Some key questions need to be asked:
Is stake money far too low? Most trainers would tell you, they lose money - and the money they do make is either by winning races or selling horses overseas. One prominent trainer stated "every horse in my stable is for sale."
Are there too many race tracks? There are 52 race tracks throughout New Zealand. It is generally accepted that there are too many race tracks in this country, and centralisation is needed if racing is to progress.
What about an all-weather surface?
What about NZRB's investment in the industry? The landscape has changed withNew Zealanders betting offshore more because foreign gaming companies have a wider product range, offered better odds and are more aggressive in acquiring customers. Adapt or die?
From a Club perspective, there has been no investment by NZRB for years. Think old signage, old totes, ageing staff, old TVs. A generation of on-course patrons has been lost.
We've missed a generation of 20 to 40 year olds.
The sport of horse racing has been neglected as NZRB over the years has concentrated on maximising wagering revenue. It's cheaper for NZRB to have customers place bets via accounts - why encourage the on-course experience?
It is noted that NZRB posted a profit of $144 million for the year ended July 31, 2015, up 5.1% from a year earlier. That included $4.9 million from the sale of its former head office building in Petone.
Where's the money going? It's discouraging to all the sectors of the racing industry, of how little the NZRB are reinvesting and little money from gaming turnover is filtered back down to grassroots racing. Stakes are still the same (some major races have decreased stakes) from 20 years ago.
Castletown's 3rd Wellington Cup in 1994 carried stake-money of $250,000. The 2016 edition of one of NZ's iconic races was worth $200,000.
