A 10% tax on gross profits (as opposed to one on turnover) will be in place from the 1st of that month, much to the dismay of bookmakers who feel that their profit margins will be drastically reduced.

Several waves of strike action – bookmakers refusing to provide official starting prices and others refusing to give information on bets placed on course - have taken place, a total boycott of a meeting the next possibility.

Discussions with the British Horseracing Board in early February did not end to the satisfaction of bookmakers and the crisis looks set to continue.

WINNERS GALORE
On Course wishes to congratulate those bookmakers who have raced winners over the past 12 months or so. Racehorse ownership is one way that bookmakers have been able to give something back to the industry from which they make their living.

Darren Gilham: LET'S WENT
Michael DeCampo: JUMBO
David McLaughlan: JUMBO
Frank Hudson: JUMBO
John Dow: SILVER BIRCH, FANATIC, BROOKLYN
ROAD, BEAUCIL, PERRI BINGLE
David Cox: BEL ESPRIT
Stephen Stoios: THUNDAHAR

POWER SUPPLY AT PROVINCIAL RACETRACKS
Paddy O'Brien, Chairman of the VBA's Sub-Committee on Country Racing, has voiced to Racing Victoria his concerns regarding power supply at provincial racetracks.

Whilst praising the efforts of country clubs in normally supplying adequate power for bookmakers' boards and computers
(hand-in-hand with "a safe working environment"), he has written to the clubs regarding the bigger days.

On Country Cup days, theme days and those coinciding with major metropolitan meetings such as the Melbourne Cup, more people are at the track and therefore greater demand is placed on catering.

For this reason extra caravans are usually brought in - selling fast food, ice-cream, etc. Unfortunately the operators of these set-ups hook into the same power supply as the bookmakers and this, according to O'Brien has "invariably caused problems."

On numerous occasions the power supply has simply shut down, causing inconvenience not only to bookmakers but also to punters and the tote - everything on course tending to close down.

"I am not being critical about this issue," said O'Brien, "as to their credit 95% of the clubs have reacted positively to our concerns - but this is becoming a common problem."

BYO PICNIC FUN UNDER THREAT
An issue of even greater concern to O'Brien and other country and picnic bookmakers is the growing trend to ban racegoers from bringing their own alcohol to the track.

Whilst this has not proven a great problem at city meetings and the inner provincials, racetracks throughout greater Victoria rely on their "picnic" atmospheres.

"To have a picnic on the lawn, to enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer is part of the fabric of country racing," said O'Brien, "and it is vitally important that we keep those sort of racegoers coming."

But will they if the costs increase? O'Brien thinks not - "Say you pay $10 to get in and you want a nice day out. You go to the bar to buy a brand of wine that is not necessarily your top pick and they give it to you in a plastic cup and charge more than bottle shop prices for it."

O'Brien is sure that such a scenario turns racegoers away and he has seen it in action - large crowds arriving at a normally popular country raceday last year but many going home when finding the BYO rules had been changed.

"This is a big issue," said O'Brien, "and unless it is resolved the picnic atmosphere will be lost."

VBA RACEDAYS A FUTURE POSSIBILITY
A further idea relating to country racing that is currently being discussed is that of VBA sponsored racedays where the public would be admitted free of charge.

The meetings targeted would be those not already being promoted - ie: the standard weekday race meetings that are not presently well attended.

"Discussions with Country Racing Victoria are continuing," said VBA Executive Officer John Clancy, "and a decision on this matter should be made shortly."

"The VBA is looking at this as one of several initiatives in our strategy to support and encourage attendance at country race meetings," he concluded.