Queen’s Plate Festival turnovers please TAB boss

Nicci Garner

Tote turnovers last weekend, when the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate 2018 Festival was held at Kenilworth on Friday and Saturday with three other local race meetings Friday through Sunday “did well”, according to TAB boss Vee Moodley.

“I’m very pleased to report that TAB turnovers were up on last year, in spite of a hiccup with our online tote system on Thursday and Friday, which our IT experts are investigating.

“National turnovers were up 17.4 percent on last year from R39,766,488 to R46,705,440. Phumelela Gaming and Leisure territories were up 23.4 percent on 2017, while Kenilworth Racing’s turnover increased by 9.8 percent - all despite the current economic conditions,” said Moodley. “Of course, last year on the same weekend we lost the Saturday Scottsville meeting and Turffontein on the Sunday.

“I was also satisfied with the Pick 6 pool on Saturday at Kenilworth which surpassed the estimate by reaching a net of R4.1 million and paid out a handsome dividend of R225,437.

“But the increase shows the festival is growing stature. Gaynor Rupert and her team are doing an amazing job promoting the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the festival. The atmosphere at Kenilworth over the weekend was electric and the turnovers show that it’s going to grow even more from here.

“The trainers and owners played an important role because the quality and sizes of the fields were exceptional. It just goes to show the importance of optimal field sizes with tote betting.

“And we were blessed with the weather in the seven days leading up to the festival. All the scheduled race meetings went ahead so racing didn’t lose momentum and the mostly favourable results over the weekend also helped to drive churn.”