October
FebruaryRight coverage is crucial
Thanks, Richard Callander, for touching on race vision strategy (14/2).
I just want to let the powers that be from both states know what I think on the subject.
When I moved here from the US in December 2009, I was disgusted with the raceday coverage on Sky 1.
Little to no mounting-yard coverage, and more importantly no coverage of the horses warming up pre-race. There was a disconnect between what was being presented and what was actually happening on the track.
And for a horseplayer sitting on his couch, the object is to pass on the information that I need to make a successful bet.
Needless to say, there wasn’t anything that was compelling me to bet. So I didn’t.
After doing some research, I was turned on to TVN. I called Foxtel and had the channel added to my package.
Finally, some coverage that was what I was used to. Sure there was too much vision of someone rolling the odds on the bookie board and not enough coverage of the horses in the pre-race warm-up, but it got better.
The people making the show finally figured out that we can track the odds ourselves and if the commentators have information to pass on then they can still do it while the camera is showing a horse’s warm-up.
As a result of finding TVN, I was back to betting as much as I did in the US, or more. In addition, I decided to get back into the ownership game and bought a yearling.
I absolutely consider Australian racing the best in the world, but as good as it is, the gold standard for raceday coverage is still the show coming in from Hong Kong. I would suggest that Victoria and NSW should copy that show for their core customers. The amount of pre-race vision of the horses is massive.
I guess the message from this customer is, if I can’t see the horses in the mounting yard and in the pre-race warm-up, then I’m not going to bet. If the coverage of your product is substandard (see Sky 1), then I’m not going to bet.
I’ll be betting on the product that is presented to me in a way that helps me make what I consider an informed and winning decision.
Corlette (NSW)