“Mugs and lunatics”

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32553, 12 March 1971, Page 6 (Supplement)

“Mugs and lunatics”

(N .Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright} British bloodstock breeding's maintained by foreign buyers, fools and lunatics, said a racehorse owner, Mr David Montagu, in a bitter attack on the structure of British racing. Speaking at a luncheon held by the Totalisator Board, Mr Montagu said: “The breeding industry is dependent entirely at the upper end on foreign buyers, and at the cheaper end on mugs and certifiable lunatics. Racing in this country has declined and is declining further, in every possible way.** Mr Montagu said a great opportunity of putting British racing on a sound financial foot* Ing was lost at the time of the legislation which set up the Betting Levy Board and at the same time legalised off-course betting shops. “The lure of the betting shops has affected racecourse attendances and has detracted from the growth of the tote,** he declared. “The problem of racing can be summed up very simply by saying that there is inadequate money, owners in this country cannot make ends meet, trainers must lose money, and stable labour is inadequately paid and therefore less good than it should be.*’