RACING EXPENSES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 850, 21 June 1906, Page 5

RACING EXPENSES.

A subject very often discussed by people who go racing is the question of expenses, and the point is very often raised that too much is charged for the sport. Take, for instance, the cost to a man going for a day’s racing at Ellerslie. The ’bus fare, return, amounts to two shillings; entrance to course, one shilling; entrance to saddling paddock, ten shillings; race book, one shilling; and luncheon, three shillings. This means seventeen shillings for a few hours’ amusement, and amounts to paying over two shillings for every race witnessed. The great body of the rank and file consider this too much, but the sport is so fascinating that the amount, although grumbled at, is still paid. The payment for the enclosure is less at Takapuna and Avondale, but otherwise the amounts are the same, although in the former case the admittance to the course ticket also covers the cost of the ferry. A’ great many people who go racing are of opinion that the sum paid at the suburban courses is quite sufficient to pay even for a metropolitan meeting. Whether the heavy increase in the totalisator percentage will enable the senior club to make this reduction in the cost to patrons remains to be seeen, and it must not be forgotten also that the actual cost of running a big meeting is very considerable. It may also be pointed out that in many cases English sportsmen have to pay far more for their day’s amusement. In the Old Country railway companies and racecourse executives seem to combine to squeeze the uttermost penny out of turfites, and sooner or later the longsuffering racegoer will rise in his wrath and demand a reduction all round. In this connection perhaps Epsom “ takes the cake.” To witness the City and Suburban or Derby in comfort it is first of all necessary to pay £1 for admission to the grandstand; if the visitor wants to bet he has to plank down another sovereign for admission to Tattersail’s Ring; while, if anxious to do the thing thoroughly and patronise the paddock, a further ten shillings has to be forked out. With a preliminary 8 s 6d for railway fare the Epsom voyageur is out of pocket £2 18s 6d to start with —a pretty substantial “ loser” with which to begin the day. In other respects the Epsom executive squeeze the last penny out of their customers. For a cold luncheon, which would be dear at half-a-crown, 6s is charged, and the tariff all round is fixed on the same exorbitant scale. In view of such facts as these it is not altogether surprising that the attendances at Epsom have latterly shown a falling off. Here, of course, such prices would not be tolerated for a moment, and the club charging them would soon go to the wall. Still, even as it is, the question of patrons’ expenses, with a view to reducing the same, is one well worthy the attention of the executive, for an increased attendance would mean an increased totalisator return, so that instead of losing by the innovation, it might mean considerable gain to the revenue of the club.