Australian racing

[Lutruwita]

Anyone know the logic of the 'big' gap between Eagle Farm and Avoca then just 1 minute between Avoca and Newcastle? Frustrating.

Avoca is a Sky Racing 2 meeting (apart from race 1). So this means race times are run to fit in on a different schedule.

Edit: Narromine and Darwin are, too, for that matter.

[PDC]

Thanks for the info.

[Euler]

A change in mindset for Australia and New Zealand is going to be needed moving forward. I think that will be tougher in New Zealand than Australia given how little Covid they have experienced. Hearing the crowd roar at Randwick in the last was great.

Australia is a Federation. The change in mindset will be just as tough in Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory where there's basically been no covid. There's very strong political pressure not to open up. This makes it hard for pollies. Southern Tasmania is in a 3-day lockdown because 1 person, who tested positive, somehow escaped quarantine for a day. So who knows how these states will go about it once 90%+ of 12+ are vaccinated and the inevitable needs to occur.

It always seemed obvious to me that the role of a lockdown was to buy time while the vaccine was created and rolled out. When that was rolled out everything opens up again as while people will get infected the mortality rate will be low.

So it's odd to see people trying to eradicate infections. That will come whatever you do. Almost impossible to limit that to small numbers and achieve some sense of normality.

[Euler]

Good numbers at Caulfield so far, though the money is coming in late.

[PDC]

First £1,000,000+ race of the session R6 at Caulfield.

Some great volumes on these Vic tracks these days. Shame the turnover charge has put pay to NSW meetings so much. Hopefully the TO charge stays away from Vic.

[Euler]

First £1,000,000+ race of the session R6 at Caulfield.

Some great volumes on these Vic tracks these days. Shame the turnover charge has put pay to NSW meetings so much. Hopefully the TO charge stays away from Vic.

Y, the divergence is getting big now. Shows you how much NSW is missing out.

[PDC]

Y, the divergence is getting big now. Shows you how much NSW is missing out.

I am not sure NSW are missing out on much tbh. From a racing view I think the TO charge is a good thing and it is what is needed in the UK and will come in time. From a trading view point though it is horrible.

[Euler]

NSW are not getting liquidity and interest from a new source of revenue. I'd define that as missing out.

[PDC]

NSW are not getting liquidity and interest from a new source of revenue. I'd define that as missing out.

Not all money is 'good' money depending on where you are looking at it from.

NSW are protecting their other sources of revenue which have a much higher return for them and in turn protecting their funding and prize money. True they are missing out on the exchange money but they don't particularly want it.

I will be surprised if the next UK Levy negotiations don't see a change to a turnover basis, most things seem to be pointing to that happening, largely for similar reasons as NSW.

[PDC]

Have hit a wall this session the last hour

[Euler]

Plenty of other sports to bet on so, I would imagine the yield will fall as bookies and punters switch to other sports. It would be suicide for racing, certainly at the lower level of racing.

[Euler]

Have hit a wall this session the last hour

Best stuff yet to come.

[PDC]

Best stuff yet to come.

I got off to a flyer on the early races, not sure why but I often seem to have a lull mid-session but the tail end is usually my best and with the big races still to come as you say, I hope the usual pattern kicks back in.

[PDC]

Just the £3.5 million to the winner of the Everest

The entire prize money for the winners at the whole of the UK's Champions day at Ascot today is just £2.3million!

Tell me again which country has the better funding model

[Naffman]

Unbelievable lay money on Varda there