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A top class card at Navan today and they couldn't get sponsorship for any of the races. The best they could come up with was the Prancer and Dancer Handicap Chase. The Navan Hurdle use to be known as the Barry and Sandra Kelly Memorial Hurdle. Surely, they could have kept that title for the race. As someone said recently, they havn't yet published the 2011 Annual report. What do they do?
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what do they do?
As of recent times they keep their collective heads down and hope that the relatively-new Minister for Agriculture is a soft touch. One of the things they like to "do" is the soft-focus PR stuff so we get yet another awards ceremony last week held in Leopardstown with no expense spared. Expense doesn't come into it because it's probably in the budget and we don't have to live like other mere mortals and decide that maybe, just maybe, in 2012 it might be wise to spend nothing or less on the annual jamboree i.e. cancel or rein in the Christmas party.
As a follower of the body language between said Minister and the industry it seems Coveney is getting a little frustrated with the failure of HRI and the Turf Club's integrity services to merge and seemed to be telling us that he is getting a little cross with them. And then the "bombshell" was announced (a bombshell if you live on the planet Zug or are a cheerleader for the industry) that whatever tax may be raised from betting duties (under existing or new legislation) will not be ring-fenced for racing and may even go to more deserving causes like ehm, health or ehm, education and not into three-runner graded national hunt events with a fives-on favourite owned by one of three individuals and trained by one of a handful of trainers. I near choked on my creme brulee!
a few other current topics:
1. The new legislation on taxing the location of the punter drags on and on and is now estimated to yield €15m annually in addition to the 1% levy on existing bets. I still fail to see how this legislation can work effectively and, despite delay after delay in introducing the legislation, no-one seems to think that it is unworkable.
2. Is the Coolmore axis about to lose its influence in the corridors of power? Unlikely as it seems it is possible that recent changes do not reflect any connection to Tipperary. Brosnan replaced by Keeling in the chair and John Power (legal eagle) by James Gough on the owners' side. As the big wigs in Irish racing and breeding were traditionally soldiers of destiny the final composition of the board will be enlightening with the minister's stated aim of having more influence.
3. Is it time to consider new means to fund the industry in addition to some contribution from the State? Levies are nothing new to sections within of the industry and "self-help" has been evident in the past with foal levies and the incentive scheme for two-year-olds. Should stallion masters or successful jockeys help to pay their way of are we still insisting that betting shop joe pays when he has a bet on Liverpool's first goal scorer? Or how about those greedy racecourses releasing some of their tv rights money to fund the bigger prizes? does it make sense that bookmakers are paying just 12.5% corporation tax and would it not make sense to increase this to fund the game? the same argument could be advanced for some of the mega-profits being delivered to breeders from some of the existing and new money being ladled into the game by mega-wealthy investors at public auction.
4. No sign of the 2011 annual report as yet: is there something to hide within?
As of recent times they keep their collective heads down and hope that the relatively-new Minister for Agriculture is a soft touch. One of the things they like to "do" is the soft-focus PR stuff so we get yet another awards ceremony last week held in Leopardstown with no expense spared. Expense doesn't come into it because it's probably in the budget and we don't have to live like other mere mortals and decide that maybe, just maybe, in 2012 it might be wise to spend nothing or less on the annual jamboree i.e. cancel or rein in the Christmas party.
As a follower of the body language between said Minister and the industry it seems Coveney is getting a little frustrated with the failure of HRI and the Turf Club's integrity services to merge and seemed to be telling us that he is getting a little cross with them. And then the "bombshell" was announced (a bombshell if you live on the planet Zug or are a cheerleader for the industry) that whatever tax may be raised from betting duties (under existing or new legislation) will not be ring-fenced for racing and may even go to more deserving causes like ehm, health or ehm, education and not into three-runner graded national hunt events with a fives-on favourite owned by one of three individuals and trained by one of a handful of trainers. I near choked on my creme brulee!
a few other current topics:
1. The new legislation on taxing the location of the punter drags on and on and is now estimated to yield €15m annually in addition to the 1% levy on existing bets. I still fail to see how this legislation can work effectively and, despite delay after delay in introducing the legislation, no-one seems to think that it is unworkable.
2. Is the Coolmore axis about to lose its influence in the corridors of power? Unlikely as it seems it is possible that recent changes do not reflect any connection to Tipperary. Brosnan replaced by Keeling in the chair and John Power (legal eagle) by James Gough on the owners' side. As the big wigs in Irish racing and breeding were traditionally soldiers of destiny the final composition of the board will be enlightening with the minister's stated aim of having more influence.
3. Is it time to consider new means to fund the industry in addition to some contribution from the State? Levies are nothing new to sections within of the industry and "self-help" has been evident in the past with foal levies and the incentive scheme for two-year-olds. Should stallion masters or successful jockeys help to pay their way of are we still insisting that betting shop joe pays when he has a bet on Liverpool's first goal scorer? Or how about those greedy racecourses releasing some of their tv rights money to fund the bigger prizes? does it make sense that bookmakers are paying just 12.5% corporation tax and would it not make sense to increase this to fund the game? the same argument could be advanced for some of the mega-profits being delivered to breeders from some of the existing and new money being ladled into the game by mega-wealthy investors at public auction.
4. No sign of the 2011 annual report as yet: is there something to hide within?
The dead hand of semi-state bureaucracy has never been as evident as in yesterday’s statement from HRI that “The Board confirmed its commitment to maximise efficiencies in the organisation of racing and is targeting savings of up to €1.5m per annum. A joint working group has been established between the Turf Club, the INHS Committee and Horse Racing Ireland…”
This statement comes just days after the Minister tells them to “get their finger out” and move on his demands for more efficiencies. In the ra-ra land of commercial organisations depending on Government hand-outs (because this is how every vested interest within the industry wants to be funded) and a full six years into the pain of cuts and cutbacks they can still confidently state that €1.5m can be saved. €1.5m must be a very large sum in relation to their administrative and integrity budget and it’s astounding that this type of fat is still available for slashing so long into a process that most businesses and individuals dealt with head-on in 2008 and 2009.
Now, presumably, this coterie is protected by the god-awful Croke Park Agreement and one wonders where the savings are going to come from? volunteer pay-cuts? smaller pension funding? redundancies (which will probably be funded in a creative fashion)? where could there possibly be €1.5m in savings in an organisation that cant touch salaries?
One would anticipate that services such as “integrity” must suffer yet their statement adds: A small increase (2%) in the integrity services budget as presented by the Turf Club was approved.”
I would like to think the Minister Coveney received plenty of wise counsel during the Indecon consultative period and has decided that this organisation needs some strong medicine. His three “public interest” nominees to the board will be interesting although these individuals very soon get institutionalised if Dukes and McSharry are any guide (not that that’s any great surprise given their particular provenance).
This statement comes just days after the Minister tells them to “get their finger out” and move on his demands for more efficiencies. In the ra-ra land of commercial organisations depending on Government hand-outs (because this is how every vested interest within the industry wants to be funded) and a full six years into the pain of cuts and cutbacks they can still confidently state that €1.5m can be saved. €1.5m must be a very large sum in relation to their administrative and integrity budget and it’s astounding that this type of fat is still available for slashing so long into a process that most businesses and individuals dealt with head-on in 2008 and 2009.
Now, presumably, this coterie is protected by the god-awful Croke Park Agreement and one wonders where the savings are going to come from? volunteer pay-cuts? smaller pension funding? redundancies (which will probably be funded in a creative fashion)? where could there possibly be €1.5m in savings in an organisation that cant touch salaries?
One would anticipate that services such as “integrity” must suffer yet their statement adds: A small increase (2%) in the integrity services budget as presented by the Turf Club was approved.”
I would like to think the Minister Coveney received plenty of wise counsel during the Indecon consultative period and has decided that this organisation needs some strong medicine. His three “public interest” nominees to the board will be interesting although these individuals very soon get institutionalised if Dukes and McSharry are any guide (not that that’s any great surprise given their particular provenance).
Yeah, the strange thing about it is, Seattle Dancer you joined IrishRacing.Com to curb the influence of the cult of Patrick, yet funny you have virtually the same ideology?, so what is your problem with Patrick?
Or is it Patrick is not as articulate as you, I'm sure you wouldn't last a day in the jungles of Papua/New Guinea, yet these people are ignorant but would buy and sell you in how to live off the land.
Education is just a bluff, intelligence is hereditary.
Education is just a bluff, intelligence is hereditary.
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