Tracks must do more for owners

Sir, - Your recent feature on racehorse ownership (Oct 7th) contained the following introduction: ‘Would you like to invest in something with an average return of just 26% of the sum invested? If the answer is yes then racehorse ownership is for you’.

My initial thoughts on reading this were that, finally someone, somewhere was starting to get closer to finding one of the needles in the recent Horse Racing Ireland/Deloitte haystack!

Furthermore any prospective racehorse owners should note that presumably the average 26% return of the ‘sum’ invested did not include any part of the purchase price of their horse.

A section headed ‘Transparency and value for money the key’ focused on racing clubs and syndicates, where it seems there is a drive to recruit prospective groups of owners. Whether losing 74% of your investment constitutes value for money is a matter of opinion but surely the owner-casualty rate here will be the same as in sole ownership unless the underlying problem is fixed.

The article included a section in which the Association Of Irish Racehorse Owners’ manager Aiden Burns discussed the availability of refreshments for owners at Irish racecourses.

I found his statement that “there is still a handful of tracks not doing very much” staggering. It is disgraceful that all tracks do not provide every owner – and the trainers and grooms – with complimentary refreshments. This indicates the utter disdain which some racecourses are showing to owners and perhaps it suggests that a stronger line needs to be taken with them on behalf of owners.

The tail has wagged the dog for long enough and it is for this very reason we find ourselves in the situation we are in today. - Yours etc.,

JAMES MESCALL,

The Curragh,

Co Kildare