Horse Efficient and jockey Michael Rodd win the 2007 Melbourne Cup- AAP Image/Julian Smith
Can somebody explain to me why the government plans to invest $150m into a race track that nobody goes to? And, here is the biggie, they are going to fund it with a digitized product that will replace real racehorses.
I wonder how the thousands of sick people feel who are forced to queue up for hours for a doctor, or the frustrated people in daily traffic jams who are exposed to inadequate road systems.
The NSW government’s Racing Minister, Kevin Greene, has rubber stamped what could be the beginning of the end for the racehorse industry, which are already on their knees.
The mooted product is a simulated racing game called “Trackside,” that is owned by Tabcorp, who have convinced the naïve minister that if they install the machines all over the state, they will make $12m every year.
“Trackside” is like a poker machine.
The profit take out is massive, which makes it impossible for players to win. But the real “red flag” for the racing industry is that the digitized horses are in direct competition for the punters dollar, which is what sustains the industry.
Racing NSW has completely over-looked the younger generation, which even the egotistical CEO Peter V’Landys admits. The racing industries’ next generation (aged between 18 and 25) all have IPhones and IPods and all play games.
The racing industry is in real danger of losing them to online gaming, but sadly our administrators seems to be doing everything they can to push them away.
So let’s fast forward another ten years.
It is Derby Day 2020 and we have this beautiful big grandstand at Randwick with 200 people in it. The people who should be there for one of the biggest race days of the year are at home logged in to on-line casinos and playing their own race meeting that Tabcorp have just introduced digitally called “Don’t put your backside Trackside”.
Take a bow Minister and RNSW.
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