Proposals to modernise British horse racing's image, including an end to traditional odds, have been unveiled. The initiatives announced by the Racing For Change taskforce on Tuesday are aimed at boosting the popularity of the sport and attracting a wider audience. Among them is a plan to end the use of the fractional odds system currently used by the betting industry. A racecourse trial in the spring will see odds of 15/8, for example, becoming 1.9/1, and 6/4 becoming 1.5/1. Among other plans are a major overhaul of fixtures to create premier racing events and clearly defined seasons. In addition, all jockeys and trainers will be listed on racecards by their first names as well as their surnames and official racecourse announcements will be simplified. The Racing For Change board features representatives from all of the sport's key organisations and stakeholders. BBC Radio 5 live's racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght predicted the decimal-odds proposal would not be universally popular in the racing world.
I applaud racing wanting to make itself more marketable, but by taking away terminology which endears itself to going racing, they are shooting themselves in the foot.
"Racing is struggling to hold its own in the media, in the nation's psyche and in the betting industry, where its share of turnover leading to income is declining," he said. "Most eye-catching is the plan to do away with traditional fractional starting prices and replace them with easier-to-understand decimal returns. Traditionalists won't like it." One of the leading punters' advocates in the UK, John McCririck, has mixed opinions on the proposed changes. Listen to his view here:DECIMAL ODDS DEBATE Courtesy of the BBC NEWS, 06/01/2010 |
ENGLISH RACING TO TRIAL DECIMAL ODDS
