view raw text
AUSTRALIAN B00KMAKING FEES. Taking the possibilities into consideration, there is do cheaper race course in Australia for a bookmaker than Randwick, and it is almost unnecessary to write that applications for licenses to bet there invariably exceed the number the Australian Jockey Club deem it desirable to grant. Some members of the ring are content to bet solely at Randwick, which is not surprising when it is remembered the cost per day of following their calling at most of the proprietary "horse" meetings in the metropolitan area Is actually greater than at the premier track. Licenses for Randwick work out at the rate of S.75 a day for the paddock. 0.25 for the leger and .50 for the flat, whereas at the proprietary courses they are as follows: Rosehill. Moorelield and Canterbury Park: paddock, 5; leger. 12.50 per day. Warwick Farm: paddock, about 0.50; leger, a tout .25. The only advantage in connection with the proprietary courses is that a bookmaker can take oat a half-yearly? license, whereas to bet at Randwick the full fee has to be paid for a year. For the current season the Australian Jockey Club has issued more licenses than last, but the increase is not great, there now being 140 bookmakers in the paddock, a similar number in the leger. and 130 on the Hat. or, a total of 410 to supply the speculative needs of the patrons of Randwick. In the way of revenue the club will derive 0,500 from license fees, which is a small sum by comparison witli what the totalisator would return. However, though it seems improbable that the Australian Jockey Club committee will ever make anv move on behalf of the totalisator, and we have heard nothing concerning its legalisation for some time, it luigiit be inadvisable for the members of the ring to Hatter themselves that all danger Is past. The war is going to prove costly to this a? well as the other States of the Commonwealth, and it is almost too much to expect that the govern incut in casting round for fresh sources of revenue will continue to overlook racing with its betting turnover of many millions yearly. Sydney Referee.
