Racing's 'Competitors are External'

Australian broadcaster, racehorse owner and breeder, Alan Jones has addressed the 33rd Asian Racing Conference in Sydney.

Speaking on 'Racing's Destiny; The Path to Success', Jones emphasised the need for racing industry unity to meet the challenge of change and commented to the conference that the challenges facing Australia, and its individual states, were not particular to Australia.

"Many of these challenges face the industry worldwide", Jones explained , adding "in politics they say that disunity is death, so it is too in families and so it is in the family of racing.

"Our real competitors are external ones, other forms of sport and leisure and other gambling activities.

"In those circumstances, to prevail, unity is important if we are to offer the best programs, the best racing experience and a consistency in the quality of the product throughout the whole of Australia."

Jones commented to the conference on the cost of running racingâs administration in New South Wales, and also about race field's legislation, continuing "we also have to be unapologetic in insisting that we get paid for the product that others are using for their financial benefit ... and I am referring to corporate bookmakers and betting exchanges.

"We welcome these mediums which offer punters a broader variety of opportunities for betting, but we are entitled to insist, as and industry, that we get paid."

Jones compared the international transfer price for racing that is shown in Australia of 3% to the NSW race fee of 1½% with the challenge by corporate bookmakers to that figure and legislation. He commented on gross profit as a method of charging.

Jones added that "people can run their business badly and not make a profit ... in other words they can use our product for no benefit to us.

"It is ludicrous to link the use of our race fields with the profitability of the user.

"Surely as with any other product, you pay your fee for using it and you do your best with it, according to your model.

"The pathway to the success of this industry involves having them pay a fair value for the use of the industry."

The conference also heard from Soong Tze Ming, Senior Vice-President Racing, Singapore Turf Club on Strategies to compete in a Changing Business Environment.

The theme of the Soong's paper was the challenge of customers having a growingwider array of entertainment and gaming options to spend their money on, the increased sophistication competition from illegal bookmakers and the online betting operators not based in Singapore that are taking bets on Singapore racing that is broadcast live in Australia, but not paying a product fee.

To meet these challenges the Singapore Turf Club is improving the quality of its track, training facilities, racing population and prize money and incentives for owners. It is refurbishing its grandstand facilities at Kranji as well as working on variable take-out adjustments.

Co-mingling will soon be underway with Australiaâs Tabcorp with additional broadcasting of international races in Singapore another facet of the internationalisation theme of the Conference.

Tabcorp's Chief Executive Elmer Funke Kupper briefed the conference on the progress of co-mingling with, once again, a rapid theme of development with internationalisation.

Funke Kupper addressed the Asian Racing Conference in Dubai in 2006 on the upcoming implementation of co-mingling on what were ideas at that time.

Now Tabcorpâs Sky Media division is broadcasting 17/7 in 2010 with co-mingled pools and racing from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and by 2011 that will increase to 20/7 with Singapore, UK/Ireland, USA/Canada co-mingling, and significant potential in the future with Hong Kong and France.

A third channel, Sky Racing World, commences broadcasting in Australia scheduling the best four to five meetings from Australia, New Zealand and Asia, along with the best meeting ...