BY: THE SPORTS FAN
When the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, it brought about sweeping changes and transformation, which affected every sector and segment of society, and many people were left in an upheaval, feeling confused and disoriented.
While it is not necessary to list the damage the coronavirus wrecked, the horse racing industry was badly affected all over the world as turf clubs and racecourses shut down as race-goers and punters became disillusioned with the “Sport of Kings.”
In Malaysia, the Malayan Racing Authority (MRA) which has been organizing horse racing meetings since the 1800s witnessed the closing down of the Singapore Turf Club (SNTC) and the Penang Turf Club (PNTC).
Which means there are only two turf clubs now operating and they are the Selangor Turf Club (SLTC) and the Perak Turf Club (PTC) and both these clubs are reportedly struggling and finding it hard to keep going.
The rot set in a long time ago
Many pundits and observers in the local and Singapore horse racing industry saw the demise of horse racing coming a long time ago as many casual punters stopped patronising the turf clubs over the years leaving only the hard core gamblers.
A major concern was that a big portion of these turf clubs earnings were being siphoned by illegal bookmakers causing a drain on revenue which resulted in prize money for races being slashed down.
This caused horse owners to shy away from buying new racehorses and soon the number of races in a meeting began to dwindle and trainers were having a hard time upkeeping their stables and yards.
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck it was the trigger that virtually destroyed the turf clubs, and while the SLTC and PTC managed to stay afloat, the SNTC and PNTC had no choice but to put an end to on-course racing.
An industry without visionary leaders
The singular reason why the Sport of Kings began to go into the doldrums was the lack of foresight and vision by horse racing industry leaders and the corruption that eventually destroyed the sport in this country.
Representatives in the turf club committees began to tinker with the game to suit their fancies and they used their inside knowledge to profit at the expense of day members who were in the dark of all these sinister activities.
This resulted in the credibility and integrity of the horse races being seriously questioned and while the authorities turned a blind eye there was discouragement and no motivation for punters to come to the turf clubs.
With the advent of online betting only the seniors and elderly punters will show up in handfuls affecting food and beverage outlets and causing turf club workers to be laid off stage by stage in phases.
Dragging on to the finish line
If the SLTC and PTC are not to meet the fate of the SNTC and PNTC they will not only have to pull up their socks, they will have to figure out ways and means to re-invent the game in order to draw in the crowds.
While there is some improvement over the last couple of years, there still needs a lot of work that needs to be done especially in bringing in younger punters as the seniors and elders are fading away, to try and keep the sport alive in this country.
For that to happen, to convince the younger punters to participate in horse racing, the two Malaysian turf clubs must learn from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Japan Racing Authority where horse racing is a multi-billion booming industry.
Only by going to the ground and sincerely restructuring the game of horse racing can the two Malaysian turf clubs prosper, and from observer comments in the industry, they have to roll up their sleeves as they have a lot of work to do.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
