Charles, The short answer is that there will still be enough mug money coming in to disguise the fact that - in real terms - costs are rising while income is not, or not much. The dog shortage is much more serious and will need possibly five years to turn around. You have to remember that with hardly anyone at the track now the general knowledge of the breed and racing is terrible. Fixing that is a twofold exercise - one to better inform the public and one to explain the technology of racing. Everyone knows the underlying principle because GAP is seen to work. We just need a lot more of it and done in many different ways. One example I have put up previously is Open Days at studs - or any training establishment for that matter. See all the gear as well as mum and the pups. This is a lot of hassle for the participant and it has integrity issues to watch out for - but it has to be done. Similarly, a revival of the old Uncle Bens pet caravan doing a circuit of shopping centres would do wonders. It died for budget reasons so its return would be straightforward. Another would be billboards on highways to feature a top sire/dam (also suggested previously but ignored - the last effort was Flying Amy pix on buses in Queensland in the 1990s). Plus whatever some whizz kids can dream up. The other main challenge is to better educate gamblers and turn them into regular punters. For that they need information and advice - via articles, brochures, videos etc - all related to how the track is set up and how the race is run. To help reduce costs, get rid of all the complex grading systems and the myriad of restrictions, build a one size fits all system and have all the states salute the same flag. It worked well enough for 50 years or more so why not try it again? To implement that, dump the bureaucrats and the managing boards and install genuine managers with associated marketing skills. If they fail, sack them and get someone who can make it work. That's just for starters.
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