MY CALL: NOT BLINDING YET, BUT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS GETTING BRIGHTER

By David Fowler | Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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.

Cautious confidence continues to build that the racing industry can begin a transition out of the extraordinary situation it finds itself in.

Last week’s column offered a glimmer of hope. I would describe it as a strong ray a week down the track.

Racing, of course, is just one of many passengers on this long ride and its fortunes wax and wane on the figures resulting from positive cases and recoveries.

There is now a clear indication the recovery figure is beginning to overshadow the active case figure.

It’s a terrific and welcome result.
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What does this mean for racing?

Fortunately, racing has proceeded with the exception of Tasmania so trying to sort out return dates like the football codes are currently contemplating is not an issue.

On the flipside, irreparable damage has already been delivered with prizemoney and carnival cuts and job slashing.

Racing’s chief malaise is the significant drop in turnover it has experienced with the pubs, clubs and TAB agencies closure which enters its fourth week.

While the tide is turning, it is unlikely the Federal Government will be rushed into re-opening the above but the originally mooted “six month plan” is looking unlikely.

There is a strong possibility these betting outlets could be up and running by early June.
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The other plight is faced by race clubs with their commercial models basically ground into dust.

They need people coming through the gates but that is akin to large gatherings which is a definite “no-no” at the moment and in the short-term.

I believe a transitioning model is the best concept to adopt.

Could, for example, owners be permitted to attend the revised south-east Queensland carnival in May and June with the strictest conditions applied?

Race club members might be permitted a month or two after that.

It’s not an unreasonable assumption that what we considered a “normal life” will not exist again.

The switch won’t be flicked overnight and it’s business as usual.

I have no doubt race clubs will revise their business models, particularly in terms of employment.
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There were promising developments last week with the announcement of a pruned Winter Carnival, rather than nothing at all and horse movement within zones.

It won’t be racing administrators who will decide when the shackles on the industry created by this pandemic are released.

But it will be their responsibility to have transitioning plans on all fronts to offer to Federal and State Governments.

To say the industry collectively has been a shining light in this whole mess would be an understatement.

Every week that light shines a little brighter for all of us.

David Fowler