Track talk: Are ticket prices chasing away the grass roots fan?
THE grass roots murmurings about the ticket prices and general feel it costs too much for Victorians to enjoy a day at the races during the Melbourne Cup Carnival have been validated.
While the numbers attending the Spring Carnival have stayed steady in recent years, with a touch over 320,000 attending the four days of racing last year, there are less locals and more International visitors attending the event, according the Racing Victoria.
The governing body recently told respected tabloid, the Herald Sun, they were doing everything in their power to drag more Victorians back to the races. Including a recently finished early-bird sale which gave the state’s citizens the chance to buy tickets at the lowest prices since 2008.
The fact there is so much interest surrounding the Melbourne Cup is fantastic for Australia, the state of Victoria and the reputation of racing in this country, but we need to be careful we don’t alienate the fans who make the day what it is.
Gone are the days when the true racing enthusiasts attend the Melbourne Cup – these days it’s a crowd full of pretty young things (to quote Paul Kelly) who are there for the social side of the big day. You don’t often see the the stereotypical punters in the ring at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
It’s not just in horse racing, AFL crowds, as much as the governing body denies are declining because it costs too much. A club membership that guarantees entry to every game and a grand final ticket (which you still have to pay for) can cost you in excess of $1,000.
The lack of families attending sporting events should be ringing alarms for Racing Victoria and other sports – you lose the parent because it costs too much to take the kids and the next generation won’t get exposed to these great sports and in turn they suffer at a grass roots and eventually at the top level.
While the bottom line and the betting figures (which are nowhere near accurate because of the amount wagered offshore) are as healthy as ever, with the Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival estimated to inject $374 million into the economy each year, the people in charge need to give more back to the grass roots of our sport.
Alternate view of the cobalt scandal
The amount of high profile trainers and and connections being done or under suspicion of elevated cobalt use is more a reflection on the new testing regime, rather than a slight on the people charged.
It seems highly unlikely figures like Peter Moody and Lee and Shannon Hope, who have moved in the same respected circles for years, have changed how they train their horses in recent times, when they have fallen foul of officialdom.
Rather they have not adapted to the new rules which say it is illegal to have a higher reading than 200 micrograms per litre of urine, which were introduced in April 2014. Lets hope Moody and friends, who threatened to walk away from the sport as a result of the scandal, are given an opportunity to rectify the situation.
Who wins the Caulfield Cup?
It’s hard to look past Murray Baker and Mongolian Khan in tomorrow’s Caulfield Cup. The Kiwi horse has had 12 starts for seven wins and has won its only race over 2400m in its five races in Australia
The company it will keep in the Cauldfield Cup is better than it has faced, but the wins in the New Zealand Derby and ATC Derby show this is not beyond him. Adding further fuel to Mongolian Khan’s chances was an impressive fast-finishing third in the G1 Caulfield stakes last Saturday.
Having said that the $4.80 on offer at Crownbet (similar at all the bookies) looks far too short in a race that features such quality from overseas. The two Japanese runners Fame Game and Hokko Brave have the tickets to win, but may struggle first up in a new country.
Trip to Paris looks outclassed, in a field which couldn’t fit Godolphin stars Magic Hurricane and Complacent. The one that tickles this scribes fancy is the English horse Snow Sky who looks (in this educated opinion) the one to beat despite being $11 with Sportsbet.
If you are looking for a roughie you could do worse than Who Shot the Barman ($34 at Bet365) which has been killing it at weight for age level, but faces a much sterner test here.
Chris Waller’s Cox Plate options means he can grin more than most
It must be nice being top trainer Chris Waller. He announced during the week Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement would be spelled and would not race in Saturday week’s Cox Plate.
Now he faces the prospect of entering the 2040m race with only Preferment, Winx and the supremely talented Kermadec. It must be tough being Chris.
Did we mention he has to decide who rides what out of a bunch of no-name jockeys like Blake Shinn, Hugh Bowman and Glenn Boss? It must be tough being Chris.
It’s so hard being Chris that he is leaving it up to Bowman who he rides out of Winx and Preferment. Boss will ride Kermadec while Shinn will partner the horse Bowman does not want to ride.
“I could make it easy and make the decision for him (Hugh),” Waller said.
“I’m not going to get too fussed about it. I don’t think the punters should either. Both riders are good and both suit whichever horse they ride.”
Did we mention it must be tough being Chris?