By Orville Clarke, Freelance WriterACCORDING TO reports, not much was achieved at the second Racing Forum held at the Ministry of Finance, Heroes Circle, on Friday, January 9.
The meeting was attended by State Minister for Finance Fitz Jackson and major industry players such as Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) chairman Rudolph Muir, Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Chairman William Chin-See, Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission chairman Walter Scott and Executive Director Derek Peart.
Also in attendance were government advisor on racing matters Derrick Latibeaudere, Owners Association President Laurence Heffes, Trainers Association Vice-president Vin Edwards, CTL acting CEO Walford Brown as well as Cecil Charlton, president of the Jamaica Bookmakers Association and Xavier Chin, president of the United Bookmakers Association, among others.
Discussion for the most part was centered on the contentious opening hours issue with CTL stating its position on the matter and the UBA doing likewise.
Chin-See, in his capacity as chairman of the promoting company, was very blunt in his views:
"If opening hours are unrestricted CTL will lose most of its sale to the bookmakers. If this occurs, the company will go under and with it the entire racing industry. It follows therefore that the bookmakers will also suffer."
Chin-See is insisting that if there is a concession to the bookies to extend opening hours, especially on local racedays, CTL's losses must be covered.
"The selling of all day bets by the bookies would severely affect the OTBs which provide 75 per cent of CTL sales," he argued.
OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS
From his observation, Chin-See said that in Jamaica, the bookmakers do not act in the same way as their overseas counterparts. He cited England as a prime example, saying bookmakers in that country make their own odds and do not have to use the track odds.
Turning to the issue of proposed increase in right fees, Chin-See explained that CTL has taken the position that the half per cent tax paid by the bookmakers on reported sales that now obtains is just too low, and proposed an increase of 2-1/2 per cent.
"It's very simple", he said. "CTL has high overheads on a day-to-day basis. We have had to put in stables, roads, bridle paths. Electricity costs are now sky high and the overall maintenance of the plant is burdensome as we provide all the amenities," he was at pains to explain.
"In a free market system a man cannot demand my product, he must arrive at some agreement on how he is going to pay for it. Despite all that, we are prepared to sit with the bookmakers and negotiate on this issue."
In his turn, Xavier Chin said the UBA's position for extended opening hours will not affect CTL or the OTB sales.
"The numbers would not indicate that. The punter would be looking to buy exotic bets at the OTB's and normal straight and accumulator bets from the bookmakers. If we are unable to provide that, illegal bookmaking would increase to an even greater extent than now exists... And be reminded that the promoting company receives 4-1/2 per cent of our gross sales and this is without any management or infrastructural costs to them. This amounts to $100 million a year from the UBA.
"I don't know of any business that makes five percent of their gross as their net profit. That's like killing the goose that lays the golden egg. If the terms are right, we would be willing to sell exotic bets for CTL."
Continuing, Chin said the UBA would like to know what direction the government is going to take in regards to the proposal of gross profit tax and whether the legislation that the Gaming Commission has put forward will be passed by the Parliamentary Committee by April 1.
"For the industry to grow they should look at gross profit tax which has worked effectively in the United Kingdom instead of the 11 per cent Bookmakers Levy which now obtains."
Chin said the Minister is actually in favour of gross profit tax, but the question on what percentage would apply is still in the air.
If accepted, the UBA's proposal for unlimited opening hours would mean that bookmakers could open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. six days per week in direct competition with CTL.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
The proposed amendments by the Gaming Commission to the Parliament Committee allows for betting shops to be open from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Monday to Saturdays and remain open during racedays at Caymanas Park. The shops must be closed on Good Friday, Sundays and Christmas Day.
"These amendments, if passed, would have the effect of levelling the playing field and also would help to eliminate the illegal bookmaker."
He says he is awaiting a speedy resolution of all the issues relating to the UBA.
Ironically, Cecil Charlton, head of the Jamaica Bookmakers Association, is not in agreement with the UBA on the opening hours issue, preferring to side with CTL.
Ellis upstaged in Simpson's absence
Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
WITH CHAMPION jockey Trevor 'Slicer' Simpson on a seven-day suspension as of last Saturday, it was expected that title-chasing jockey Shane Ellis would come into his own and take charge in his absence. However, this was not to be.
Although having five highly fancied mounts on the 10-race programme, Ellis could only muster one winner JACK DE FREAK at 8-5 for trainer Ryan Darby in the second race over a mile.
In racing parlance, Shane was kept in jail by the apprentice jockeys who shared eight of the 10 winners.
The assault was led by in-form Oneil Mullings, who rode three winners in MEDICAL ACCOUNT (5-2) in the first race, OCEAN LINER at 11-1 in the fourth and CYCLOPS at 9-2 in the closing race over 1200 metres.
Dane Nelson (Bound For Glory, Emperador) twirled a double, as did the steadily improving Howard Newell (Elegance, King Al) who is set to explode in a big way this year.
Philip Clunis, a top 10 rider last year, provided the other winner in 4-5 favourite INSTRUMENTHAL who beat his little fancied stable-companion BLACKMOUTH (51-1), with Nelson up, in a driving finish.
Both horses are trained by Richie Todd who along with Howard Phillipps (Ocean Liner, Elegance) and returning champion Wayne DaCosta (Bound For Glory, King Al) saddled two winners each.
Incidentally, top apprentice Paul "Country" Francis was unable to join the party, having reported sick after finishing fourth aboard the well-backed MARVELOUS MINISTER in the first race over the circular nine course.
Francis came down badly with the 'flu' and did not ride for the remainder of the day.
Both the Pick-9 and Super-6 exotic bets were cornered. How-ever, there was only one correct forecast of the Pick-9, the lucky punter receiving $500,000.
Will the 'King' claim his crown?
VOTING FOR 'Horse of the Year' took place at Caymanas Park last week Tuesday, this by representatives of the press and select racing officials.
The 18-member 'Horse of the Year' committee not only cast ballots for the top horse, but Champion 2-Y-O, Champion 3-Y-O, Champion Foreign Horse, Champion Sprinter, Champion Middle Distance Performer, Champion Stayer, Champion Older Horse and Claimer of The Year, among others.
Winners of the various awards, along with those already determined by statistics (such as champion jockey Trevor Simpson, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta and champion owner Richard Azan), will be announced at the annual None/Such Horse of the Year Awards Dinner on the evening of Thursday, February 5 at the Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston.
Indications are that the Red Stripe Derby winner A KING IS BORN will emerge 'Horse of the Year', having won five races from six starts in 2003 and total stakes of $3.9 million for owner Howard Hamilton.
NARROWLY BEATEN
Trained by 13-time champion Philip Feanny, the speedy 3-y-o colt by Royal Minister out of the 1990 Derby winner Distinctly Native was narrowly beaten by stable-companion HERECOMESFUDGIE on July 5 when failing in his bid to win the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, the Cable & Wireless Mobile St. Leger over 2000 metres.
A KING IS BORN should also cap the Champion 3-Y-O award and that for Champion Middle Distance Performer as well.
Indications are that I'MSATISFIED will retain his Champion Sprinter award, while top apprentice Paul Francis and Anthony 'Baba' Nunes are hot favourites for the Most Improved Jockey and Most Improved Trainer awards.
The Claimer of the Year award will more than likely go to NO TEAR with whom trainer Noel Ennevor won four races from claiming $105,000 up to $260,000 last year, while the Wayne DaCosta-trained FORGOTTEN HERO should get the nod as the Champion Foreign Horse.
- O. Clarke
