I was heartened to read about the return of the Punter's Podium at Randwick two weeks ago as it brought back a few nostalgic moments from the days I frequented the Randwick carnivals some years ago. I am not a big fan about handing over $20 and having someone bet for me but when Alan "Hats" Aitken was running the podium I always handed over a lazy red one. I had bought his book sometime before first seeing him in action and I realized this was a guy who knew the punting game properly.
I was heartened to read about the return of the Punter's Podium at Randwick two weeks ago as it brought back a few nostalgic moments from the days I frequented the Randwick carnivals some years ago. I am not a big fan about handing over $20 and having someone bet for me but when Alan "Hats" Aitken was running the podium I always handed over a lazy red one. I had bought his book sometime before first seeing him in action and I realized this was a guy who knew the punting game properly. We had some collects and some flops but in the finish it was a line ball moneywise for yours truly but gee whizz it was fun. The number of people entranced and involved in the shenanigans was fantastic. On one of the days the Podium had struggled all day and went all out on the last race, struck gold and returned the punter several times their $20 outlay. Apparently the roar of the crowd increased several decibels in the last 50m. Sadly, it was one of the days when I wasn't there but that's racing.
The return of the Punters Podium is a positive move and cannot do the attendance at the track any harm at all. It is all about involvement and be able to spread the dollar just that fraction further: something we all need to do these days. It amazes me the race clubs do not have more fun punting events going at the track. Each weekend I enter a tipping contest in two hotels where I have to select a horse in each race. If I tip the winner I get 3 or 5 points (different points structure at both) for a winner, 2 or 3 points for second and 1 point for third and if I am the highest point scorer at the end of the day I win the pool. In one hotel it has to be won outright otherwise it jackpots to the following week while the other splits the pool by the number of highest point scorers. I love this type of contest as it gives me an interest in eight races for a $5 ticket and often in races I consider non bettable, such as two year old races with several first starters. There is nothing stopping such a contest occurring at the races. Again no harm will be done to the attendance figures. Can you imagine several hundred people pooling their money and the excitement in the last moments of the last race if you are one of the live chances. The word would soon get around about a tipping contest of that magnitude.
There can be all sorts of other contests or syndicates going as well. It can all add to the days experience so why isn't more done? I guess someone has to be paid to run it and perhaps the raceclubs would say some punters would only bet into this pool and not into the TAB's or the bookies thus robbing the club of revenue. Sadly, it is this sort of negativity that has racing on it's knees.