By Nico Kritsiotis, 10bet Racing Ambassador
Horse racing is heavily regulated, both the betting on horses and the sport itself. The main body overseeing the sport in South Africa is the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa (NHRA), based at Turffontein Racecourse. Its website, www.nhra.co.za, is well worth a look for any serious punter or racing enthusiast.
Who keeps race day honest: the stipendiary stewards
Every race meeting in South Africa is presided over by a group of officials known as stipendiary stewards, who are responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly on the day. Their duties include, but are not limited to:
- taking samples from horses to check for irregularities;
- watching every race to spot any infringements by the jockeys;
- establishing the final order of finish; and
- deciding whether a meeting should continue when the weather turns bad.
Stipendiary stewards are normally people who have taken part in racing before, as jockeys, trainers or in other areas of the business, and so have a thorough knowledge of how the game works.
A sport that keeps up with the world
Over time, the NHRA’s rules are amended as the sport evolves and the rest of the world changes theirs. South Africa is firmly part of the international world of horse racing, and it needs to adhere to international best practice to maintain its professional standing.
So, is racing rigged?
It really bugs me when people ask, on meeting me, whether racing is rigged or fixed! For any individual or group to engage in irregular activity would be extremely risky, as the NHRA’s rules would bar them from ever participating again. Every professional sport has had its transgressors, and it is incumbent on any sporting body to make sure the bad elements are eradicated. Name any sport and you will find some negative story reported somewhere along the line.
That said, shrewdness is not cheating! Look up the names Barney Curley and Bill Benter, who became renowned for beating the system after meticulously working out how. Punters and racing analysts like myself study for hours on end, trying to outwit the bookmakers and take advantage of horses’ prices when the odds lengthen. But there is no funny business: you work with the system and try to beat it. It is uncanny how often horses run to form, which can reward punters who learn to read the game.
Just remember: there is no such thing as a certainty in horse racing, and the sooner you get that into your head, the better! We rely on the NHRA to do its job efficiently and effectively, and we do ours the same way. That way, whether we win or lose, we can go to bed at night and sleep soundly.
18+. Winners know when to stop. National Responsible Gambling Programme: 0800 006 008. Play responsibly.
