Konichiwa Seken!
Despite the obdurate obstacles of a pandemic, 2021 has been a breakthrough year for Japanese sport. Hideki Matsuyama’s historic victory in the Masters at Augusta in April gave Japan its first …
Another Country
I was 14 in 1961 when my family moved to Istanbul, Turkey, from the United States for a one-year Fulbright appointment that my dad received. He was offered a position to …
Is The Track Prejudiced?
By The Terrible Tout Lots of misinformation and rumour are usually bruited about regarding Caymanas Park’s track bias. A cultish commitment to the advantage of a high number draw has become …
Nothing Wrong With The Track
Murmurs of discontent about track maintenance are circulating. An unfortunate incident occured in October 9’s ninth race when Primal Fear broke down (reportedly fractured a leg) 600 metres out. As his …
Protect The Punter – Protect The Industry
Horseracing regulation is all about protection of the punter. As a sport inextricably linked to gambling that earns every dollar of revenue from punters betting on races, there can be no …
Pupil To Outstrip The Master?
Horse racing’s survival despite eighteen months of pandemic buffeting has been a sports success story. It’s true that it has been the beneficiary of government ‘’see-and-blind” discrimination (some might say “hypocrisy”) …
Recruiting COVID Suicide Bombers?
The continued operations of small, crowded, unsanitary Off Track Betting Parlours (OTBs) during the third wave of a pandemic that has caused oxygen supplies to run out and the near collapse …
Backing Favourites Is A Mug’s Game!
If I had a dollar for every punter I’ve seen leaving the race track broke after cheering home more than one-half the day’s winners I’d be a billionaire. These bettors are …
Pace Makes Race
I first learned the fundamental mantra “Pace makes every race” in 1969 when I read a book titled “How to win Money at the races” by American professional horseplayer Nate Perlmutter. …
What About The Welfare Of The Horse?
On Saturday, July 10, a shadow was cast over the entire horseracing world. It was thrown by news that Galileo [(b.h. Sadler’s Wells-Urban Sea (Miswaki)], acknowledged as the best sire of …
Death And (St. Leger) Destruction!
For a long time now I’ve been shouting epithets at local Starters (convinced they can hear me) as they appear to hold horses in the gates interminably almost as if they …