MY CALL - ON-GOING HEAVY TRACK SCENARIO IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON PUNTERS' CONFIDENCE

By David Fowler | Tuesday, July 23, 2013

David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.

We can dismiss wet tracks as a necessary evil.

"There's always next week," can be a valid reply from all sections of the industry.

But south-east Queensland is discovering that next week doesn't arrive.

It is clearly understood that horses' preparations and racetracks are hugely disadvantaged by inclement weather.

Trainers and owners are now reluctantly giving the thumbs up to starts previously not considered, simply because the options on the table are fast running out.

Race-clubs are despairing if they will ever get the chance to hang up the "good 3" sign again.

I've never seen Ipswich take longer to recover. Only a few mills yesterday and we are back in the heavy 10 range for today's seven event card.

Sunshine Coast languishes in the "heavy" doldrums while Eagle Farm has its own problems that are well documented.

Doomben and Gold Coast are probably our best achievers but constant racing on wet tracks is not an ideal situation from a short or long term.

But what the industry really has to fear is a drop in TAB turnover on the product and it's certainly happening.

The figures don't lie.

Abandoned meetings are the worst result but racing on heavy tracks result in decimated fields and a lack of punter confidence.

The result of TAB turnvover equates to what is returned for prize-money, an area already met with concern by those who make a living out of the business.

For once, blame can't be attrributed except to the fickle nature of the weather.

We need a rapid turnaround in the weather for a variety of reasons but consolidating turnover I believe is at the top of the pile.

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Attended the "We Run As One" commercial shoot on Monday.

This Racing Queensland marketing initiative is big on the jazzy words and concepts but I hope it makes some real inroads.

Inroads to where I am uncertain of but the idea of promoting unity in the three codes is the right step forward.

"The "us and them" philosophy has been there ever since I was a kid and this is a concerted move to pull that apart.

It makes sense. We all want to see racing succeed and each code race for the best possible prize-money in the best possible conditions.

There was an excellent roll up to take part in the soon-to-be released commercial.

As RQ pointed out, "a racing commercial needs racing people."

Let's watch with interest what "We Run As One" achieves in the short and long term.

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I'm often asked questions about what Tattsbet can do and can't do.

Two that come to mind might interest you.

Why is there no betting on elections?

It's not for want of Tattsbet trying. Repeated calls to State Government to approve the process have fallen on deaf ears yet Corporates merrily take the punters' dollars.

You can imagine the holds on this year's Federal Election (due next month) considering all the twists and turns in Federal Parliament this year.

Why isn't there a TAB agencies at airports?

Airports are under Federal rule while State Governments are the masters of gambling.

Obviously the Feds haven't woken up to what a cash cow it could be.

Until next week.

David Fowler