Extra $1m For Clubs

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32038, 12 July 1969, Page 6

Extra $1m For Clubs

Because of th* Increase caused by th* 2.68 per cent commission on doubles turnover which camo Into effect from last August 1, the total amount or distribution from T.A.B. profits among clubs—both racing and trotting—this gear Is expected to be greater y about slm.

The president of the Racing Conference (Mr R. A. Whyte) in his report yesterday said that last year the board’s surplus was 31,804,260, of which racing’s share was 01,358,699. This year the board's turnover was expected to be S76i million, an increase of 1.46 per cent on last year's figure. Mr Whyte said that of the estimated $761 million bet offcourse this year, $56,900,000, or 74.4 per cent, had been invested at galloping meetings. The only time that the percentage had been higher in the last five years was in 1967 when the total off-course turnover was $77,864,178, of which $58,073,996, or 74.6 per cent, was invested on galloping meetings. DRUG DETECTION Since the last annual report and the . preparation of his present report there had been three positive swabs reported by the analyst, said Mr Whyte. The figures in the two previous years had been four and two respectively. Mr Whyte said that he considered that the result was not displeasing for three positives was not a large number having

regard to the hundreds of samples taken from horses during the season. “It was, neverthless, a matter of continued concern that in two of the three cases decided the cause of the positive was again Collovet,’’ said Mr Whyte. “In spite of the wide publicity given to the dangers of using this drug, and the many persons who have been disqualified in connection with its use, it raises the question whether the penalties which have been imposed acted as a sufficient deterrent."

OPTIMISTIC The additional 2.68 per cent deduction from doubles investments from the start of the season had tided most of the clubs over a difficult year, Mr Whyte said. Since November last, totalisator turnover had shown a slight but stable increase compared with the previous season and the present season was closing on a more optimistic note.

Clubs had already benefited from their share of the oncourse doubles revenue, said Mr Whyte. It was hoped that when they received their share of the off-course doubles, when the Totalisator Agency Board made its distribution of profits in October, and programmes were being framed for the new season all clubs would find their way clear to increase their stakes.

FILM PATROL Mr Whyte said he felt strongly that all clubs should make the film patrol priority equipment because it gave protection to the public, the owner and the jockey. The season under review had been largely free from trouble experienced in previous years when many decisions by judical committees on race days were reversed on appeal to a higher body. Greater use of the film patrol might have led to this improvement," he said. The cost of installation was fairly substantial but it was an

essential race-day aid to decisions which gave justice to all parties involved and it had been established that at those meetings where the film patrol was used there was less interference in races.

JACKPOT SETTING If jackpot betting was to continue, and there was an ob* vious public demand that it should procedures should be standardised and it should be legalised by its inclusion in the Gaming Act, said Mr Whyte. “The introduction of jackpot betting, which was pioneered by clubs in the Waikato district committee’s area, had resulted in a massive upsurge in public interest, illustrating that the public was interested in more diversified forms of betting than those at present available," said Mr Whyte. “Clubs in the Waikato area enjoyed record attendances as the jackpot pool expanded, with correspondingly increased totalisator turnovers, which mean a welcome stimulus to current accounts.

“At present the executive committee had under consideration a mass of information gathered from all parts of the world relating to varied forms of betting which might be adopted as adjuncts to the existing system," said Mr Whyte.