As we said in yesterdays E-News, our info comes from a disgruntled former insider and yes anonymous was his name for his own protection but I suspect he is the one who pointed the finger. Don’t they all? But sometimes fingers get pointed in the wrong direction and quite deliberately but after what turned up yesterday it seems there is something more to the story.In my time I have interviewed most of the top trainers, bookmakers, regulators, Sports and Racing Ministers and many of the characters in the game and I suspect, heard and seen just about everything and written about it in my magazine and Newspaper articles , in TV and radio interviews, and in spite of the allegations I can assure everyone, that whatever Weir or people associated with his stable MAY have done it pales into insignificance compared to Australian Governments and what they have done to Australian punters.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE GOVERNMENT RORTS ARE WRITTEN INTO LAW TO PROTECT THEIR OWN REVENUE AND IN SOME CASES THE REVENUE OF MAJOR BREEDERS AND OWNERS.
In saying that, as an owner and breeder myself (via syndicates like most smaller players), I do benefit on that side of things by better prizemoney which mitigates the cost of racing horses, but goes against me if I want to purchase a horse (better prizemoney also leads to higher yearling prices). It is a bitter circle.
I don’t believe I have seen one protest against the geofencing laws which basically say that if you place a losing bet in one state then that state gets a percentage of your losses, as high as 15%. Do you think that the betting companies can simply lie down and not get that back somehow? They get it back by offering lower prices , fewer bonuses and so on and less advertising support for struggling country race clubs. So we the punters pay more while the politicians claim it is the price of our entertainment. I don’t bet for entertainment, nor do most people I know, we want a fair price for our investments and the Governments are stealing it from us ..LEGALLY?
IF THIS WAS HAPPENING TO WORKERS PENALTY RATES OR WAGES ETC. THERE’D BE FIGHTING IN THE STREETS.