Bets dry up at Harare horse racing track
ONCE the preserve of the ruling white minority, horse racing in Zimbabwe adapted to survive after independence in 1980 by attracting a loyal following of local fans who enjoyed a bet.
Now the country’s only track, at Borrowdale outside Harare, is threatened with closure – highlighting the country’s worsening economic crisis.
“We do fear for the long-term survival of the sport,” leading trainer Bridget Stidolph said as she stood in the unsaddling paddock after a race.
“We often ask ourselves how we keep going, but we want to continue for as long as we can. Racing is popular in Zimbabwe. There is just no money for people to spend.”
As owners, breeders and gamblers all pull out, the number of racehorses stabled in Zimbabwe has dropped from nearly 500 five years ago to 120 today. Only four full-time trainers remain.
Zimbabweans’ love of a wager kept the sport alive, but the country’s economic output has halved since 2000 and unemployment stands at over 90% – sending betting revenue to new lows.
No official gambling figures are available, though attendance for the flagship Castle Tankard race on May 6 was at only a few thousand people compared with crowds regularly in excess of 20 000 several years ago.
Cuthbert Mangoma, who works as a driver, said: “Zimbabweans love racing and having a bet, so it is sad that many can’t enjoy their entertainment.”
Crowds at races are mostly made up of men, with some taking advantage of cheap beer supplied by the sponsors.
Gambling is still a cash transaction in Zimbabwe, but banknotes are scarce after hyperinflation 10 years ago forced the national currency to be abandoned in favour of the US dollar.
Efforts by the racecourse to evade the cash shortage by installing card swipe machines at betting booths have done little to revive turnover.
Borrowdale Race Course, opened in 1957, was famed for its flat, high-quality grass track, but today maintenance is patchy, and the large grandstand and betting halls have become increasingly run down. Borrowdale’s bullishly confident chief executive, Clever Mushangwe said the track’s best hope of survival was recognition by the gov- ernment that it was rare source of jobs. About 1 500 people are still employed by the sport, ranging from stable grooms to betting cashiers.
“We definitely will survive, I am certain that we can overcome the current difficulties, “he said. — AFP