19th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Graham Green
McCririck hails ‘definitive work on gambling’ Channel 4 betting expert John McCririck
News Archive 2001
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
19th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Graham Green
McCririck hails ‘definitive work on gambling’ Channel 4 betting expert John McCririck
19th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Michael Clower
Banned Kinane set to miss out on Galileo ride in King George.
19th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Jon Lees
BHB anger over ‘no’ to betting in pubs and clubs. The BHB yesterday claimed that racing was at risk of becoming ‘the victim of an increasingly unlevel playing field’ after its proposal to allow betting in pubs and clubs was rejected by the Gambling review group.
18th July 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth Opinion
Report thick in volume but thin on surprised.
18th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Tote AGM Howard Wright examines a dismal downturn in fortunes. Just as the Tote
18th July 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
Jones calls for end to the uncertainty over privatisation. Tote chairman Peter Jones yesterday made an impassioned appeal to the Government to privatise the organisation before the end of 2003 and vowed to ‘explore every avenue’ if this was delayed, including the possibility of a Private Members’ Bill. A grid shows The Tote: what it is and what it has.
18th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Gambling Review Special ‘A blueprint for the future’ Proposals for the biggest shake-up in the regulation of gambling for 40 years were handed to the Government yesterday when Sir Alan Budd’s review group completed its year-long investigation by offering the prospect of greater choice for punters but stronger controls to protect the vulnerable.
17th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Ray Gilpin
William Hill copyright appeal opens. The Court of Appeal yesterday heard the first day of William Hill’s appeal against a High Court ruling in the company’s copyright battle with the BHB. The hearing, sheduled to conclude to-day in London with judgement reserved until later this month , could have major significance for racing’s funding plans. The BHB won a landmark victory in February when High Court judge Mr Justice Laddie ruled that William Hill was ‘extracting and re-utilising” parts of the BHB database on its website……….
17th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Graham Green
Tote meeting to focus on delay in sell-off. Chairman Peter Jones is expected to vent his frustration over the Governments failure to set a time table for the privatisation of the Tote, when he addresses today’s annual meeting in London.. Hopes that Parliament would treat legislation facilitating the sale to a ‘racing trust’ as a priority were dashed when the subject failed to get a mention in last months ‘Queens Speech’ and Jones and his fellow executives are anxious that the plan is not allowed to gather dust indefinitely …The report is expected to be a the subject of a three- month period of consultation before the Government embarks on the lengthy process of deciding what eliments should be acted upon and how that can be achieved.
17th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Graham Green
Club go ahead with RHT inquiry. The Jockey Club has confirmed that an inquiry will be conducted into its relationship with its wholly owned subsiduary, Racecourse Holdings Trust. However a meeting of the Club’s stewards failed to finalise the make up of the review. The move followed intense criticism alleging potential conflict of interests between the Jockey Club’s administrative function-wherein it claims to act for the best interest of racing as a whole- and its status as racecourse owner via RHT. The issue came to a head when BHB directors three of whom represented the Jockey Club – were voting on the Go racing media rights deal.. Spokesman John Maxse said afterwards ‘The Stewards of the Jockey Club met today and discussed the concerns raised, they recognise the need to address those concerns and are considering the options on how best to proceed. To early yet for an announcement to be made.
17th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Paul Haigh
Pakistan horror a chilling lesson for the abolutionists. A story in last week`s Racing Post, taken up by the Sunday Times, will have sent a chill down the spine of any horse-lover. In Pakistan, racing at Karachi racecourse has effectively been suspended by the decision of the provincial Muslim government to increase the licensing fee for the Karachi Race Club to a level that makes it uneconomical for the sport to continue there. Horses have been just left there derelect with no treatment for injury, not been fed and, most importantly, not been properly watered in the ferocious summer heat’. Stable staff most of whom have not been paid for months, are doing their best but haven`t got the money to do the job properly, and as a result are having to go through the agony of watching the animals, on whom they have been used to lavishing devotion, wither away before their eyes. Two British Charities, the Brooke Hospital for Animals and the International League for the Protection of Horses, are on the case, and have sent a joint team headed by a retired Pakistani army general to do what they can to alleviate the horses` suffering …..
16th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Richard Griffiths
Facing up to an uncertain future. The Government’s decision to scrap the Levy Board has put a question mark over the future role of one of its responsibilities, the National Stud. Griffiths examines the more controversial possibilities being considered. There is strong concern that if breeding operations involving Al, embryo transfer and other advanced technologies are carried out on the same site as the National Stud, it would have a damaging effect on current business. Unique organisation forced to ‘justify its existence’ Leading trainer John Dunlop, a director of the National Stud, admits that the organisation is currently ‘ in a state of justify its existance’ But he believes the continuation of the National Stud is important at a time when ‘there has been a great reduction in the number of studs standing stallions in England …. There aren’t that many horses on the market and very seldom now do you find a top horse that is owned by an independent owner. We need some of the leading owner/breeders who have not sent their horses to the National Stud in the past to do so.
15th July 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
Shock as racing misses out on tax-free benefits. Racing will miss out on £1 million a month when betting duty is abolished on October 6 because of a controversial
14th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Oct: 6 the day betting tax will be abolished in Britain. Treasury minister Paul Boateng yesterday named Saturday October 6 as the day when betting duty will be abolished-an historic date for the diary of all punters. Betting- shop punters will be able to bet without bookmakers making deductions from their stake for the first time in more than 33 years from Oct: 6.
13th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Ladbrokes join Sky betting revolution. October start date expected for joint venture to provide wagering via interactive TV” goes on to explain what the deal means.
12th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Jon Lees
Paid officials to sit on racecourse stewards’ panels, from next May. Stipendiary to give secretaries greater say in inquiry shake- up. ‘Consistent’ system has worked well in Ireland. Grid to show how stewarding compares around the world.
07th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Mark Johnston
Stewards take shine off Star’s 21st celebrations. It was great to see old Star Rage win his 21st flat race on his 98th start at Southwell on Thursday but it was laughable, to say the least, to have the stewards’ secretary ask me if I had an explanation for the 11 year old’s improvement in form. I have been very open in my criticism of the Jockey Club’s H14 and H19 instructions, which deal with horses running on their merits and require trainers to try to give explanations for poor or improved performances. I could be accused of being a little
unco-operative, but is it any wonder when I get asked stupid questions like that ?” ‘I appreciate the officials need to ensure the integrity of racing but they show themselves up when they get it so blatantly wrong’. Second quote “Rumours of Saturday night success greatly exaggerated. The BHB ’s communications manager Alan Delmonte attended last Saturday’s meeting at Lingfield , and by all accounts, hailed it as a great success. A great success for who ? He tells us that based on this, and the ‘success’ of other Saturday evening fixtures, the BHB intends to build in extra evening fixtures for the 2003 season. He does not, however, tell us what has changed to improve the staffing situation which led the BHB to agree with trainers that we could not manageSaturday night fixtures on the eve of Sunday racing. Perhaps he is confident that, by 2003, the future funding plan will have kicked in and we will be racing for proper money on a Saturday night. If so, I shall support it wholeheartedly. I’ll race in the middle of the night if they will fund it properly. But this meeting at Lingfield was not funded properly and it was not a “success” for anyone other than Lingfield.
05th July 2001 Racing Post Quote Paul Haigh
Lessons to be learned from Pete’s generous response. It is pretty hard to imagine the trainer treating the ranks of the press with quite the same respect as Sampras in the midst of his disappointment.
News 2001
Wright Under the microscope the Vat registration scheme for racehorse owners is due to come under Government scrutiny shortly. Howard Wright talks tactics with Lord Donoughue, chairman of the BHB group set up to defend the scheme. Donoughue: why withdrawal of Vat concession would be so damaging.
03rd July 2001 Racing Post Quote Seb Vance
The Jockey Club said yesterday that there were ‘lessons to be learned’ for the bookmaking industry and about the way stewards’ inquiries are handled, following Sunday’s controversial sequence of events at Doncaster due to the inquiry delay.
03rd July 2001 Racing Post Quote Seb Vance
Under the microscope, the debate over the display of prices by rails bookmakers beat the Go Racing saga hands down for length and strength of feeling. On January 1, boards on rails became a reality. Howard Wright examines the situation 6 months on.
30th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Impartial input for RHT inquiry. Senior Steward Christopher Spence is aware of concerns and said yesterday that a paper on the topic will be prepared for the next stewards’ meeting on July 16th when the terms of reference for and make-up of the inquiry are considered.
29th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Yesterday’s Racehorse Owners Association Annual General Meeting. Gosden attack’s Club’s handling of rights vote, ‘embarrassing’. The power is there for owners if they choose to use it. Without owners the racecourse is an empty stage’. Gosden describes owners as ‘the sleeping giants’. If the Media Rights deal is not the right one, if we do not get a sufficient quantum leap in prize-money from the levy replacement, the giants may have to awaken, and owners might have to reserve their media rights at the time of entry”. Sir Eric Parker launches broadside at courses ‘The Go Racing deal is not in the best interest of racing overall. The bottom line was a sell out to the racecourses’. Peter Savill on Go Racing ‘British Racing has a history of disunity, but I believe that the future funding plan is a basis not only of unity but prosperity. Deal that represents a watershed for racing, ‘I am confidant that we will never again see the sort of conflicts which have beset us for the past 40 years’ ”. Owners urged to use their power as Gosden says Sheikh is concerned about health of industry.
23rd June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
At last the £307m TV deal is agreed. Long - running saga comes to an end as consortium agree terms with BHB. Future funding plan is agre Racing Post Thur: June 21 Quote: Howard Wright: “Go Racing deal odds-on to be agreed to-night. Major breakthrough over BHB’s last remaining point of contention. Savill holds the key to saving deal –Spence”. ed by BHB board and the industry will come together and we’ll have a better way forward in developing the rights. I’m relieved to have got to this point, and we all feel comfortable with the decisions’ BHB chairman Peter Savill. ‘We played a dangerous game to land this deal’. Savill puts super bet back on the agenda.
22nd June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Savill pushes for BHB to accept media rights deal.. Revised Go Racing offer under scrutiny in marathon Ascot meeting. What a day for Savill …Heroic Gold Cup triumph with Royal Rebel trained by Mark Johnston. Crucial talks on media rights …
22nd June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Savill pushes for BHB to accept media rights deal.. Revised Go Racing offer under scrutiny in marathon Ascot meeting. What a day for Savill …Heroic Gold Cup triumph with Royal Rebel trained by Mark Johnston. Crucial talks on media rights …
Saturday, February 11, 2006
22nd June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Savill pushes for BHB to accept media rights deal.. Revised Go Racing offer under scrutiny in marathon Ascot meeting. What a day for Savill …Heroic Gold Cup triumph with Royal Rebel trained by Mark Johnston. Crucial talks on media rights …
21st June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Go Racing deal odds-on to be agreed to-night. Major breakthrough over BHB’s last remaining point of contention. Savill holds the key to saving deal –Spence.
20th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Last- ditch bid to save deal as Go Racing talks resume. Arena ‘clinging on by fingertips’ says source close to the negotiations.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
19th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
End of line for Go Racing deal inside story on the collapse.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
18th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Racing holds it’s breath on TV deal. Concessions the crux of the issue … deal hinges on crucial BHB meeting.
17th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Go Racing makes concessions in bid to rescue TV deal. Crucial meeting to take place after series of on-off twists. The Go Racing deal sticking points, Length of contract. Future technology. Price of date. Foreign racing.
16th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Alan Byrne and David Ashforth
Maktoums hit out at Go Racing deal and back Savill, ‘clearly not in the best interests of racing’ All eyes on four who are likely to decide vote. Mark Johnston is shocked by the latest twist in the media rights issue. ‘ Gloves off in the fight for racing’s interests.
15th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
Bizarre move by senior steward Spence who attempt’s to force BHB
14th June 2001 Racing Post Quote David Ashforth
Media Rights deal is on the brink of collapse. Letter from Paul Muelle Denmead Hants, BHB needs time out to put house in order the need to reassess the workings of the racing industry. Mark Johnston is absolutely right. The British horseracing is at a defining point in it’s history, with a very grave danger that it’s future prosperity is being jeopardised by a relatively small group of opportunists.
13th June 2001 Racing Post Quote Howard Wright
Midnight deadlines leave TV deal on a knife edge. BHB setback after OFT announces inquiry. A monopoly complaint by William Hill over sale of data … BHB secretary general Tristram Ricketts ‘confidant we can satisfy the OFT.