Towcester selling fixtures to Arc

Selling 7 of 17, sorry.

It shows the BHB (or possibly the Jockey Club) should have acted when fixture sales were made a couple of decades back, thus establishing the precedent that fixtures are owned by the racecourses.

Yet another example of gross incompetence by the racing authorities.

A big loss.You need good jumping ability,and stamina to win there,a true test for a horse.Good viewing too,but gets pretty cold as it is high up.

Surely it can't be high up at the bottom of the hill?

Unfortunately the stand is at the TOP of the hill!

ah , they may have been sold but are in safe hands with arc who will surely use them to provide top jumps action with decent prize money . not for a minute do i think they will use them to pile another load of dross , probably all weather , to the betting shops ......

They'll probably stage them at Hereford       

The BHA were made toothless when the repulsive EU decided it was illegal for them to set the fixtures . That's when it was handed out to the racecourses for a free for all . The only body to blame in all this is he European Union.

very grim news arc buying fixtures digging up Newcastle yet no effort made for Folkestone and Hereford.

Can't understand what's going on with racing at the moment.  Its like they are trying to destroy it.  Racegoers hate the AW but the betting shops like it so more AW.  Then the betting shops say they want to pay racing less money?  So why are racing doing what the betting shops want?  There are so many examples of this blatant stupidity in racing that it makes you wonder about those running it.

Absolutely right foxy.  Its very concerning that we are relying on ARC to be the custodians of our sport's future.

wasnot

the owners of arc the rheuben brothers, have no interest in horse racing,only once have they visited a racecourse that was fontwell for a childrens charity day when the sport was run by those old farts at the jockey club it was run right.now its a circus I have for many years been a member at Newmarket this is my last season because I have no interest in visiting the july course anymore.

Does anyone else think the dog track is a huge white elephant?  Heard it all before about world class racing, top track in country, huge investment etc when Coventry reopened.  It was busy for about 6 months with novelty value then it went the way of all dog tracks, racing to an empty house with empty pools in the tote, then shut.  The current dog tracks are struggling to survive with decades of experience.  What are Towcester going to do to succeed where everyone else has failed?  Might as well open an asbestos factory imo.  About as much chance of long term success.  Dog racing is a thing of the past.

Dog tracks that have the action close to the stands have a chance...

Does anyone else think the dog track is a huge white elephant?

Yes. Towcester (population 10k) aside, it's 10 miles to the nearest town (and railway station) of any real consequence. They're relying on people getting taxis or driving there. I can't see many people bothering to do that on a regular basis after the first few months.

I can only assume they've done a hard-nosed calculation and think that the reduced overheads for dog racing, and whatever money they get from the bookmaking firms, will make up for whatever they currently make from racing. Strikes me a big ask when you consider they're spending £1.5m on building the thing.

Im guessing they are making a huge amount of money on the sale of these fixtures.

they should set some of this aside for the bookmakers whose pitches will be devalued, im guessing by by 50-75% given all the weekend and bank holiday fixtures are gone.

I suggest there's a lot worse to come,at the moment many racecourse's see media rights as the golden goose thus this unholy alliance of evening all weather whereby they get good money for low cost investment and in return give betting shops justification in keeping open all evening ostensibly for the racing---but as we all know nobody at all watches it at all--never mind bet on it,meanwhile the bookies cuurent golden egg the FOBTs keep chugging away.
This house of cards will end in tears,I frequently pop in west london lbo's to catch a race and it seems to me interest in FOBTs is waining fast---18 months ago one would see people queuing like junkies hoping the guy playing would lose so they could get on--this Saturday popping into see the 2 main conditions races at Sandown nobody was playing them at all!

Wassy,why not ask  one of the 3 wise men whats going down.he seems to know whats what.you were a great supporter ov his from 2007-2012,and we all know were that ended up

Another nail in the coffin of the sport of racing.

if someone had set out to make racing as unattractive as possible by 2015 they could not have done a better job . i've been racing a lot  over 35 years and for various reasons will have to cut down drastically  in 2015 . years ago it would have ripped my heart out to miss meetings , favourite courses , etc ....now i'm ready for it . i wouldn't have an 'arc' member's pass if it was free .

Davy - Racecourse Bookmakers are of no concern to Racecourses just viewed as an easy source of additional income whilst they do as they please in terms of any alternative betting operators that show any interest

if someone had set out to make racing as unattractive as possible by 2015 they could not have done a better job

agree 100%

I am an on course bookmaker.  Racing is in my blood.  I used to have all the videos and on my days off would be keeping up with the form and finding small bets for myself.  Literally couldn't wait to get the Sporting Life (in those days) and get stuck in.  I have very little interest in it nowadays and the bookmaking is just a job.  I wouldn't go and watch AW if you paid me.

Geoff Banks has  it spot on when he says payments to racecourses should be penalised if low fields are produced... it would be a start so racecourses know it's not an open cheque book payment regardless of the dross they serve up..

Just to correct waay, Coventry isn't closed but it no longer runs under GBGB rules. The weekend attendances are fine.

Didn't see this one coming. I suppose Towcester are happy to keep their share of any recent pitch sales! Personally my biggest losing day ever.

Apologies IanP.  Knew they were flapping but it didn't help the point I was making!

I've just done in 2 Warwick pitches and now this whiskeyalpha.  Think I've done in close to 30 grand in total :(

Shame to see some fixtures go, though Boxing Day was a must miss meeting as a spectator. Apart from selling the rights, Towcester is right in the heart of dog racing country and with nearby tracks such as Milton Keynes (end of lease) and Oxford (GRA chicanery) closed then the catchment is there. Whether anyone is daft enough to buy a dog in the current climate is a different matter. Likewise how many rock up having got out of the habit of attending.

I will there with a new dog waited along time for this,since the MK demise..........

I believe Towcester had/have a vision of  racing at obscure hours for the global tv audience, whom apprentley much more accustomed to 8 dog races

Would have been a good idea to have a dog meeting starting say 45 minutes after the horses had finished. The crowd and staff are already there.

Dundalk do that, whiskyaplha.

Dundalk do that, whiskyaplha.

is there a Casino nearby to mop up the walking wounded ?

wheres the nearest underground station

And a "find the lady" team on an up turned suit case.

Will access to the dog track be free entry?