• Hi Guest Just in case you were not aware I wanted to highlight that you can now get a 20% discount on Inform Racing.
    Simply enter the coupon code ukbettingform when subscribing here.
    We have a lot of members who are existing users of Inform Racing so help is always available if needed.
    Best Wishes
    AR
  • Hi Guest Just in case you were not aware I wanted to highlight that you can now get a free 7 day trial of Horseracebase here.
    We have a lot of members who are existing users of Horseracebase so help is always available if needed, as well as dedicated section of the fourm here.
    Best Wishes
    AR

How to Make Horse Racing More Popular or Just Better for you

Intent to win must be the corner stone of Sport - to turn up and be applauded for doing one's best up is strictly for school sports days
the key to intent could be prestige but more pressing is Prize Money -

Personally I think the prize money is pathetic and encourages bad practices - tomorrow Southwell meeting total prize money for the card 7 race
£ 41,121.00 - average off £5,874.42 per race ?.

How can the course's expect to offer a decent experience for race goers and entice a better footfall with such races. Everyday we see meetings with no next to none paying customers - Needs to change

I would suggest having a daily pool of £ 105,000 total purse money 7 races - Min win prize £ 10,000 - 2nd £ 5,000,00 3rd and others £ 0.00
 
Last edited:
Think you hit the nail square on the head markfinn markfinn - if every run ran true then our lives would be so much easier - but on the other side might result in less bookies less layers less sport - hard to be sure what is the right way to get things sorted for thr best for the sport and punters alike
 
I would like all bookmakers to offer the Each Way Extra feature that B365 do.
B365 offer this feature at about 9am, I would like it to be offered at the same time the normal odds are.

When an 8 runner race becomes 7 runners just minutes before a race for whatever reason, I would like all bookmakers to still honour the 3 places.

The dead heat rule - if you placed a bet at say 10/1, that is what you should get and not a proportion of it.

I would like to see the Cheltenham Festival become a 5 day festival.
 
Stewards Reports : When connections are called in and "No explanation" is the outcome then i feel the BHA should follow up and make public any future findings. The other downer for myself is the way the large firm bookmakers now treat there customers not only back door account closure via punitive bet size restriction but the many other deceitful ways they now use to keep hold of your money. This has eradicated what used to be a given between backer and layer....... Mutual Respect and Trust.

Re the prize money aspect i do not know the figs but it does appear increasingly disproportionate between the top and bottom levels. We punters tend to forget that at the top end the real big money comes from future stud fees so if the Derby prize money was reduced by 50k would the entries follow suit.........i think not. If you then added that 50k to a lesser grade meeting would it increase the interest and intention........i suspect yes it would.

Re intention and gaming i like the latter which has always been part of the game because a horse can be fit and allowed to run to its best in the sure knowledge that it is unlikely to be involved in the finish, and as punters we can often draw the same pre race conclusion but actively conspiring to stop one even before the traps open is another matter. Again this has always occurred but if its on the increase then i wonder if Bet fair is playing a part because given the above circumstances dishonest connections can have there cake and eat it.?
 
Last edited:
I think racing can be seen as a grind - small print in the paper every day, a bit classified adds - not looking for a secondhand stair lift pass those pages over.

The sport need dragging from page 5 in sports section to page 2 - so they need to alter - prize money and the image of racing make every day a bit special.

Not a fan of the festivals full stop but they are the sports flagship event so fair enough have them - but what I would like to see is other work a day meeting treated as such - 7 races decent 1st 2nd money nothing below - an daily meeting award for every meeting -1 price only 1st prize of £ 1500.00 to the top trainer( in the case of multi entries trainer to nominate his qualifier) and same £1500.00 prize for top jockey = £ 1000.00 after tax etc - if not won roll over to next meeting at the same track - prizes awarded to be awarded in person at end of racing every day - treat every day special and give the trainers and jockeys added incentive to get the job done - might not be for Ryan Moore and other super stars but intent is all in this game and the sport need to give incentive to the major participants and provide more opacity to the public. Bookmakers will also earn by running a book - tote can do the same - gates up all happy

Edited
 
Last edited:
The problem of the tail wagging the dog is we now have the likes of Chester and Haydock racing on the same day and everyone wants a Saturday.
It is about time that the Derby is put back to a Wednesday and Cheltenham Festival back to three days. I am a dinosaur in youngsters eyes.

At the weekend Alnwick raced on Saturday and Sheriff Hutton on Sunday so neither clashed. If the complete amateur game can get it right why can't professionals.

As regarding bookmakers. There were books taking large sums on Saturday at Alnwick and though i wasn't at Sheriff Hutton, one bookmaker took a 1k bet without a blink of an eye. PTP bookmakers have to do just that, make a book as they don't have Betfair to back them up. Just three books at Donny yesterday.
 
No racing on Mondays and Tuesday most weeks.

The bookies who fund the sport can give regular days off to staff, jocks get an enforced brake rather travelling 400 miles for one ride and us punters get a break.

Should hopefully see prize money per race increase.

so if the Derby prize money was reduced by 50k would the entries follow suit.........i think not. If you then added that 50k to a lesser grade meeting would it increase the interest and intention........i suspect yes it would.

I can't agree on that point mick mick . Whist a lot of owners want a Derby win and it's won by a select band of owner/ breeders, I think the race has to compete on an International basis.
 
Re the prize money aspect i do not know the figs but it does appear increasingly disproportionate between the top and bottom levels
GAM - I would not reduce the top levels as we are already falling behind - if the industry cannot afford to return £150.000.00 per meeting back into the game they are are in bad state and some redressing measuring needs to apply - but I do not believe that the money is not there - just the lack of will and personal with the the charisma and invention - to long has horse racing relied on the twin suit and pearl brigade being gifted jobs - they need to get active and front up the bookmakers to partner together and get the sport headlining.

I agree gaming the system is all part of the game and its your living - betting exists on so many levels and there is clearly room for all methods - if the sport can advance it can only be good for all.

No racing on Mondays and Tuesday most weeks.
Sorry mate I could never see that happening
 
I can't agree on that point mick mick . Whist a lot of owners want a Derby win and it's won by a select band of owner/ breeders, I think the race has to compete on an International basis.
Yes i take your point and perhaps its just wishful thinking because when the race was run on Wednesday i could reel off the five previous winners no problem but currently i could not name last seasons winner. Perhaps its just me but i feel the historical value of our UK racing was part of the fascination and this appears less so these days.?
 
It costs too much to go racing, i was told that only 3 bookies turned up at donny the other day (sounds extraordinary to me) but it only confirms that betting with on course bookies rather than betfair is accepting bad value which is a hopeless situation in the long run.
 
It costs too much to go racing, i was told that only 3 bookies turned up at donny the other day (sounds extraordinary to me) but it only confirms that betting with on course bookies rather than betfair is accepting bad value which is a hopeless situation in the long run.
The cost any cost - is measured by the value we receive and how that value equates to other worthwhile costs - these will vary from person , personally I will not pay £ 60 per month to watch golf - but I will for golf holidays golf subs - proform subs - its up to racing to offer a better product that is equal to the cost - so how would you change racing / race days to make it more attractive.
 
On course bookmakers expenses are huge these days time they pay the entry fees for themselves and the clerk and workman. Then they have to pay the clerk and the workman as as well. They are probably out of pocket to the tune of £500 before they bet nowadays. No wonder when its pissing down and the fields are poor they don't bother as they can work Betfair at home.
 
On course bookmakers expenses are huge these days time they pay the entry fees for themselves and the clerk and workman. Then they have to pay the clerk and the workman as as well. They are probably out of pocket to the tune of £500 before they bet nowadays. No wonder when its pissing down and the fields are poor they don't bother as they can work Betfair at home.
Dont they have a national body that lobby on their behalf - thought they did ?
 
That's the going rate markfinn markfinn

It costs five times the entrance fee to get in regardless where your joint is. Pick 67 at Sedgefield was sold for £20 last year but the poor guy was so far away from the action it was pointless him even going. He still paid the same amount as the guy on Pick 1 to get in. He still had to pay his workman and clerk £120 each for the days work. So basically for the privelege of betting at the worst pick at Sedgefield it was costing him more in expenses than he was taking in bets.

Pick 54 in Tatts at the Cheltenham Festival went for £2500 and Pick 110 at Aintree GN meeting in Tatts went for 4k. Sam Black who bets on the rails on the all weather at Newcastle is selling his joints. Just no money in it.
 
That's the going rate markfinn markfinn

It costs five times the entrance fee to get in regardless where your joint is. Pick 67 at Sedgefield was sold for £20 last year but the poor guy was so far away from the action it was pointless him even going. He still paid the same amount as the guy on Pick 1 to get in. He still had to pay his workman and clerk £120 each for the days work. So basically for the privelege of betting at the worst pick at Sedgefield it was costing him more in expenses than he was taking in bets.

Pick 54 in Tatts at the Cheltenham Festival went for £2500 and Pick 110 at Aintree GN meeting in Tatts went for 4k. Sam Black who bets on the rails on the all weather at Newcastle is selling his joints. Just no money in it.
I know an on course Bookie who never bothers taking up his pitch at Wolverhampton any more because the "market" consists of shrewd late money and nothing else.
 
I know an on course Bookie who never bothers taking up his pitch at Wolverhampton any more because the "market" consists of shrewd late money and nothing else.
Did he elaborate on the sources of said shrewdness.? I do recall reading about the big firms on course reps at Wolv who expected big price reductions for less money and would only give the business to those who played ball.
 
Back
Top