THE BEGINNING OF THE END ??

Back at the end of December I posted an article on this page titled "MANY QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED". The next day I removed the article as I felt that in typical Louie style, I may have gone off a bit half cocked! That is not to say that I didn't like what I had written but maybe I could have sought some answers prior to posting the questions. I also wrote that once I had done my homework, I would once again post the article.

As it turned out, in the first few weeks of January, I was able to do a lot of research and I was able to get answers to most of the questions which I asked. That is not to say that I liked or agreed with all of the answers I was given but at least I was able to have a clearer picture of where the racing industry is at the moment and where it is likely to be in the future. I have to say that neither picture is likely to win any award for excellence.

I have had concerns for a good while about various issues within the industry ranging from the likelihood of reductions in stakemoney levels, the funding of the industry and the maintenance of industry tracks and infrastructure being just a few of them. What eventually prompted me to post the original article was my concern for what I believe to be an industry in massive amounts of trouble. My concerns were highlighted by what I felt was a lack lustre carnival along with a number of bad financial decisions by P.R. during the carnival and a sense of apathy amongst the industry participants. The old adage of "she'll be right mate" may have worked for a long time however in my opinion, "she" isn't right and "she" is in trouble up past her neck! In fact as I see it, she is only breathing through a straw and the tide is still rising.

What I have read in the press over the past few days has done nothing to ease my fears nor erase my concerns. In fact it has brought them closer to the surface suggesting that if we don't act now, the industry is likely to be on a permanent life support machine just waiting for someone to come along and flick the switch off. If this all sounds a bit harsh or a bit melodramatic, then take a few moments to consider the following.

FACT.
On course turnover continues to fall.
Corporate bookmaker turnover continues to rise.
Stakemoney levels have been falling and will continue to do so in the short term.
The cost of maintaining Ascot as a training venue continues to rise.
The costs involved in repairs to the Belmont grandstand continues to rise.
The return to the industry from all turnover is in decline.
P.R. debt is close to being at an all time high.

NON FACTUAL BUT IN MY OPINION.
The cost to the industry of running RWWA is out of proportion to its worth.
RWWA in its current format is not working.

As I said, the pres reports over the past week or so have begun to highlight some of the problems we now face and the predicament we now find ourselves in. Should we sell Belmont? Should we retain it and spend more money there to bring it up to the standards expected in the year 2011? If we retain Belmont, are the funds available to improve the ageing facilities to last us another 20 or 30 or 40 years? How does P.R. rid itself of the massive debt it now finds itself in? Will the current financial structure and model of P.R. and RWWA take us into the next generation?

I could go on and on asking questions. As I said from the outset, I don't have all the answers. In fact I don't know if I have any of the answers. It would appear from what is happening in the industry at the moment that nobody else does either. We can go on and on blaming the effect the corporate bookmakers have had on the industry. History will show that racing has been down this path before. Invariably the industry somehow manages to kick and rise again out of the ashes. Remember the late 80's? Remember the late 60"s? What I will say is that the problems we are now facing have not just suddenly appeared. It has taken 5 or 6 years to get to the position we now find ourselves in. Perhaps those in charge didn't see it coming. Perhaps they have lost touch with where the industry is and what the industry is all about. At the end of the day we are in an entertainment industry and we need to take racing to the people. I don't believe that the industry is in the business of land development.

History and hindsight are a wonderful thing. If only our fore fathers had a crystal ball many years ago, I am confident that we would not be in the predicament we are in today. I say this on a national scale not just a state by state scale. Had our fore fathers decided years ago when they created the totalisator system, to make it ONE NATIONAL TOTE and get rid of bookmakers all together, racing in this country would be so flush with funds they would be the envy of every other industry in the country. Nearly impossible I know to think that each and every state in the country would agree on something but if they had done so it would have been heaven for both racing ind Government. We can't go back in time however we need to learn from the mistakes made over the years and create a model for racing which will take us forward at least 50 years.

To do that we must first look at the way the industry is financed and the model, if there is one, of how the industry is run. Only when those in charge get their heads out of the sand and realise how stuffed we are is any change possible. Then and only then we should draw a line in the sand and start again. We need a fresh approach with new financial plans for the future. Maybe those in charge can come up with new ideas or maybe they have run out of ideas and hence have lost the passion.

As I currently see it, it is not just a matter of should we drop stakes or should we sell Belmont. We have used up all the band aids in the box and we have run out of fingers to stick in the dyke wall. If this was any other comparable size industry in such a state of disarray, there is no doubt that the government would be rushing in to save it. Perhaps if the current government opens its eyes and its ears it may just realise what the state of play is. We need help big time and we need it now. Racing does not deserve to be used as a political football the way it has for so many years.

WHEN WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE SHOW SOME GUTS AND INITIATIVE TO MAKE THIS ALL HAPPEN?

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON!!!

Well its not really. Its the year of the Rabbit in the Chinese horoscope however as far as we are concerned it is definitely the year of the DRAGON!

Yesterday, SMOKIN DRAGON made it three wins on the trot and the way he won suggests that there are more wins in store for him yet. That is of course if his suspect legs can keep going. I have said on many occasions that I reckon this horse was a genuine group class winner when he first came through my stables but unfortunately he went amiss. His form this campaign has done nothing to make me change my assessment of him.

I must admit that prior to yesterdays race I actually went to the stewards room to seek permission to scratch the horse. I was concerned about racing the horse on a surface which was rain effected and with some definite soft patches. After discussion with my owner and my son and after further inspection of the track, we decided to go ahead and run the horse. Jason whiting was instructed to keep the horse as wide as he could but to still try and get cover. It worked out perfectly with him being able to track the second favourite throughout in the four deep line before going wide on the bend.

SMOKIN DRAGON has a genuine will to win and is becoming a stable favourite. He is a magnificent type and I am keeping my fingers crossed that he stays sound for a lot longer. The horse has come through yesterdays race in good style and we will look for another race in a few weeks for him. The way he won yesterday suggests that 1600m would not be beyond him.

TERADA WINS FIRST UP

Pint sized galloper TERADA showed that its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog when he won impressively first up at Pinjarra last week. The horse is only just over 15 hands tall but what he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and character. After slipping badly at the start and being held up for a short while, the horse exploded late to score a great win. He is a hard horse to place at the moment as there are few suitable races in his class and distance however we will look for another race as soon as possible.



Part owner Tony Bartlett is proud as punch as he accepts the trophy after the race.

SMOKIN DRAGON BREATHING FIRE!

SMOKIN DRAGON, shown winning below at Ascot last Saturday is one of those cases where the animal never ceases to amaze me. There is no doubt that the horses possesses well above average ability, which prompted me to declare him a Railway Stakes candidate as a 3yo. Unfortunately the horse went amiss in pre-training during his next preparation and was off the scene for some eighteen months. Even today I hesitate to look at his legs every day expecting to see a recurrence of the old injury which would more than likely spell the end to his career. The horse is such a magnificent type and has a genuine will to win so we are keeping all our fingers crossed that he can stay sound for a lot longer.



JASON WHITING expains to myself and part owner Steve Yovich, how easy the win was and how he was confident of victory a long way from home.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS

MAKE ME BLUSH won at Ascot last Saturday and her win was a great way to start the day for a few very happy stable clients. The filly was only recently purchased by a group of drinking partners from the Mt Henry Hotel and I am sure there will be plenty of tales told over the bar in the weeks to come.Imagine the fun and games if she happens to win the Magic Millions in a few weeks time!!!



MAKE ME BLUSH did a huge job when winning at Ascot last Saturday. The filly was having her second start in seven days and her fourth career start. Not a bad effort for a 2yo filly so early in the season. She had been a bit unlucky at each of her previous three starts and I am confident that she can develop into a consistent winner for her great bunch of owners.



SMOKIN DRAGON is a lightly raced 5yo who has now won two races both in impressive style.The wins have been nearly two years apart however the horse had a long break between races due to some soundness issues. The way he won at Ascot last start suggests that if we can keep him sound there should be more wins in store for him. Unfortunately the horse kicked the wall in the hosing bay after his impressive win and badly bruised his foot meaning it will be a few weeks before he is seen back at the races. Keep an eye on him when he does.

RECENT BUNBURY AND PINJARRA WINS

PRIMA VISTA won at Pinjarra when she stepped out over 1400m for the first time. Although the win was only narrow, it was a top class effort from the diminutive filly who was having her second start in seven days. The filly is a half sister to one of our stables top performers from last season ALMOHAD and it will not surprise me if she continues to improve as her races get a bit longer. She is capable of measuring up against some better company over the next month or so.



AMELIAS TIGER is only lightly raced and is another staying type who has taken a while to mature into a race horse. Her win at Bunbury a few weeks ago was full of merit and she is capable of putting a few wins together later in the season through the winter months.

PLANS FOR GUYNO UP IN THE AIR

The immediate race plans for grand old campaigner GUYNO are up in the air at the moment as we study all available options available for him. The horse ran the race of his life in the Perth Cup and I am sure he was the sentimental favourite with race goers if not with the punters. I was proud as punch of his effort and it once again showed that he is still more than competitive when he can get into a race on a reasonable weight. For two years now he has shown that once he gets above 56kg he may as well stay home as he just can't carry the bigger weights. I won't go on about that as I am sick of repeating myself.

There are a number of options available to us as the horse has come through his race in great style and was quite full of himself when I dropped him off at Amelia Park this morning. The horse loves to be fussed over and loves spending time in the paddock between runs. I have to keep my fingers crossed and my eyes shut when he first goes into the paddock as he typically caries on like a 2yo colt.

The first option and the easiest to tackle is the Bunbury and Pinjarra Cups. The races are over suitable enough distances however he is more than likely going to get 58kg in both races so that puts him out of contention in my opinion. Another option is the Mornington Cup over 2400m which is likely to be a smart field given the $300,000 overall stake money for the race. The other option is to go to Adelaide for the Cup and the final lead up where the horse would carry 54kg in both races and the field would most likely be of similar quality to the Perth Cup. Tasmania is also an option however it can be a nightmare of a trip and is the least likely of the options.

I guess we could always just leave him in the paddock for the next 8 months and then have another tilt at next years Perth Cup. Wouldn't be a silly idea but the old boy loves being involved and loves the stable routine so I can't see that happening.

YOU GOTTA LAUGH AT THIS ONE!!!

After a visit to a massage parlour, a man
discovers a painful lump on his penis, so he goes to see his GP.
'I'm afraid this is serious,' the doctor says after examining
him....
'You know how rugby players get cauliflower ear?'
'Yes,' the man replies shakily.
'Well,' the doctor continues, 'you've got a brothel sprout.'