SD's Racing Ramble: Stop pricing the public out of racing
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It probably surprises you that many, many years ago I trained to be an economist.
However, I don’t think you need to be one to realise that the average man has a bit less to play with than he did a few years ago.
This is not a political column, but thanks to a budget that would make my four-year old look like Charles Babbage, a burgeoning welfare bill, taxation through the roof , the leisure industry has to look further for its pound.
It can of course be done, but racing as per usual is slow on the uptake. It’s now £5.20 to buy a Racing Post. Should you wake up on a Saturday it’s £5.50. It’s increased a third since 2021.
Racecourses need to look long and hard at their strategy too. Too long has been the economically illiterate assumption that increasing pricing will do the same to revenue. In times of economic turpitude, even a static in prices puts pressure on. Increasing them turns folk away and adding new areas is downright madness.
The price of the Racing Post has been steadily increasing in recent times. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)
Cartmel last week announced a greenhouse, situated to the right of their main grandstand as a new enclosure.
As well as being an eyesore on the picturesque Lakeland horizon, it will charge £85 to enter when Olly Murs plays at the course later this year.
This is an addition to the numerous areas added to the racecourse in recent years of party tents, picnic benches and priority parking. The latter of which costs £69.
It’s a surefire way to rub people up the wrong way, when their pound is stretched.
Economics and the laws of supply and demand dictate matters and demand at a point of strained price point means racing needs to wake up and smell the coffee (which is constantly surfeit of what it should be).
Strike Gold
The Eider Chase is one of my favourite races of the year.
It’s a proper, proper test as those old enough to remember Companero can remember. The key to the race is bundles of stamina and it seems to me that Gold Clermont is coming into form at the right time.
Only beaten 3 lengths on her latest start at Bangor, she is languishing 5lbs lower than when third in this race last year .
The Bangor effort showed that the fire still burns and if stepping forward again, which is plausible given her slimmed-down rating, she is a crazy price at 50/1.
This weekend sees Newcastle host the Eider Chase (Photo credit: Alamy Images)
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