October
JuneSave our tote
Paul Richards’s tongue-in-cheek look at racing In Australia in 2031 (19/6) threw up some disturbing scenarios — with the notable exception of the one where Ange Postecoglou is our prime minister.
One particularly worrying suggestion is the thought that racing’s relationship with tote betting could be under some threat if a major bookmaking outfit were to buy the TAB. What? No more tote betting …. quaddies, trios and odds-and-evens? No more 50-cent wagering opportunities?
This thought came to me when watching the coverage of Royal Ascot on Racing.com. All talk was of the bookies’ odds, no mention of the tote — which appears to be a poor relation over there.
And we know how willingly the bookies contribute to racing over here, don’t we?
I reckon we need Peter V’landys around for a very long time, pugnaciously sticking up for racing and making sure it gets its proper whack in any new ownership model for the TAB.
Geelong West (Vic)