THROW OPEN THE GATES

The time is upon the racing industry to throw open the gates.

Let them in for free.

Obviously the major major days would be exempt but we need free entry if we are fair dinkum about welcoming crowds back to the track.

Last Saturday at Randwick even with the world’s best Winx racing only 9100 came through the turnstiles and it was even worse at Caulfield with just 7200 on a group one day and on an AFL free weekend.

Is racing chasing crowds?

Does it matter if there is no crowd?

Or is it just a matter as long as the wagering is increasing all is rosy.

Wouldn’t it be exciting if the new generation could experience a betting ring where bookies took on punters and runners were dashing all over the place trying to get set?

They are wonderful and exciting memories I recall from growing up and going to the track.

Sometimes the new way of doing things is better but as far as racing and gambling goes I think the days past were far more thrilling and portrayed racing as the place to be.

WHAT ABOUT ME? SPIETH

Redzel went terrific in winning Saturday’s group 3 Concorde Stakes but gee I’ve been surprised at the dismissal of Spieth following the race.

The race could not have panned out any better for Redzel as he pinged the gates and found the front with no real pressure and with residual fitness from a Brisbane campaign he was able to hold the others at bay.

Spieth on the other hand was a fraction slow out before being slightly crowed and then the tactics to come off the fence and follow The Monstar made the task even more difficult.

Spieth was also found to have bled from one nostril following the race.

He ran the fastest last 600m of the day and look I could be wrong but I’d rather be in the corner of Spieth come the Everest, that’s if he can find a slot before Redzel, Houtzen, Le Romain, Brave Smash, Clearly Innocent or She Will Reign.

HOUTZEN

Plenty of interested eyes will be on Houtzen when she resumes in the group 2 McEwen Stakes tomorrow at Moonee Valley.

She is currently the $2.6 favourite and I’d say if she can’t win tomorrow over 1000m around the Valley with 50kg on her back in a small field of seven it’ll be a waste of time her turning up for the $10 million Everest.

Houtzen has only been beaten once in her five starts and that was the Golden Slipper but this is the first time she races outside of her age bracket.

SPRUIKERS OFF THE MARK

I bet CrownBet wish they could clone Matt Campbell to do all its spruiking.

Spruikers for bookmakers are far more likely to entice clients to bet if they sound like they understand prices and talk in the language that punters relate to.

Joel Caine does a great job for Sportsbet in rugby league promotions as he is a former player but more importantly he is a punter.

I might be one out but when a spruiker that sounds nothing like a punter or seems to lack understanding of the sport they are talking about I tune out or switch channels immediately.

V’LANDYS GET NOD OF APPROVAL

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys cops plenty of criticism from the punting fraternity as he chases a bigger slice of the wagering pie from the bookies and exchange operators but his latest bit of technology is a winner for all punters especially the casual ones looking to delve deeper into form.

Racing NSW launched a new application this week, Punter’s Intel giving everyone the opportunity to access data for races run at 22 racetracks in NSW.

“The data is collated in the App to display race times, individual sectionals, distance travelled, top speeds and positioning for every horse in the race allowing punters to assess the performance of each horse in new ways and from multiple angles.

Whereas most race day sectional times commence once the leading horse passes a certain marker, Punters Intel goes to another level by providing accurate sectional times and the precise distance travelled for each runner”, V’landys told Just Racing.

V’landys added the App was developed with consultation from a variety of punters and Racing NSW would welcome feedback from all.

The Punters Intel App is available free via iTunes for Apple devices and Google play for Android and from Racing NSW website for PCs.

TWITTER PLZZZZ

I’ve finally worked the social media platform Twitter out.

It’s full of geniuses, it’s the official shit-potting vehicle for the weak, there’s a small group on there that believe they run racing, some on twitter believe they are the social barometer for all and every punter that has been barred by the bookies is on tweeting and whinging.

I think I am like most that I like Twitter for the most part but eventually we will all reach the stage of ‘that’ll do get me out of here’.

MARK SHEAN MAIL

Highly regarded judge Mark Shean set the joint on fire last Saturday with his followers getting the cash in seven of the nine races at Randwick.

Winning on the punt isn’t easy but being on the Mark Shean gives you the best chance.

Mark has proven over time that is a successful judge and punter and unlike some he doesn’t claim a winner if he happens to mention the horse in passing.

To join the winning team you better hurry up and join Mark’s late mail service for under $23/week  before tomorrow’s Rosehill meeting.