GOVERNMENT CANNOT ALLOW THE SALE OF THE TOTE TO GO THROUGH

Dear Sir George

You cannot allow the pending sale of the Tote to go through.

The Tote belongs by right to all the true horsemen over the

centuries who have made horseracing what it is today,

for free, for peanuts.

The Tote belongs to British horseracing and needs now as

a matter of urgency to take up its true role to fully finance

this sport, to ensure that all those who work each day at

the dangerous sharp end to include the horses and their

owners, are properly recognised for the huge part they play

daily, to allow the public to enjoy a day out at the races.

British horseracing has a huge untapped potential still not

recognised. If the Tote is sold to the highest bidder now it

will be a huge smack in the face to all those who have truly

achieved bloodhorse literacy, and a fatal mistake for government.

Kind regards Margaret

J. Margaret Clarke
for and on behalf of Turfcall
Kingsclere

THE TOTE SIR ERIC PARKER RESPONDS TO THE GOVERNMENTS DIRTY DEALING OVER THE SALE OF THE TOTE

JON LEES FOR THE RACING POST TALKS TO SIR ERIC PARKER

“NEITHER BID IS GOOD FOR RACING” INSISTS PARKER.

 “ FORMER TOTE BOARD MEMBER SIR ERIC PARKER yesterday warned that not having the Totes’s exclusive pool betting license would hurt racing for a long time and said  neither Sir Martin Broughon’s bid nor that of Betfred were attractive propositions.

“Parker a Racehorse Owners’ Association, council member, spent many years trying to secure the Tote for racing and believes the sport’s leaders should have publically opposed its sale because without it racing will miss out on potential windfalls from the development of its pools international.

“We should have come out with a clear statement opposing the sale of the ‘Tote at this stage, 

he said: “We are the one racing nation that won’t have pool betting, which is just crazy. The Tote was set up in 1928 to provide an alternative to fixed – odds betting but the whole thing is going to finish up in the hands of a bookmaker or a private equity business. Its very disappointing.

“The government got the legislation through parliament enabling them to take ownership of the Tote on the back of giving the Tote to racing, but due to a variety of excuses, including the EC State aid rules that never got actually tested, they are going to flog it off for next to nothing .

“I always felt the tote should either stay where it is for the time being or be owned by racing.

“It’s the pool betting that’s the key. The international business will inevitably grow and if we can have really high – stakes pools with seriously big winnings it could assist racing, which is in considerable

difficulties.“If you have got private equity and investors looking for returns that isn’t the way it’s going to be. It needs to be owned by racing.”

‘Parker, who described himself as a ‘Backwoodsman’ , said racing which originally backed the unsuccessful Tote Foundation bid, should fight harder for the Tote.

“Neither of the deals are at all attractive from racing’s viewpoint and racing should come out and say the government is out of order.

“I would come out with all guns blazing and say we should have a judicial review, but there seems to be an acceptance that the government have made their mind’s up to exit irrespective of the

consequences. "I feel it will be a lost opportunity for the whole industry. We’ll be moaning about it for a long time to come if we loos it.

“I know that it is a seven-year license but seven years is a long time .

“While I am a supporter of the government I am certainly dismayed at the approach they are taking to this.” 

END

THE TOTE. J. Margaret Clarke responds for Turfcall  

GOVERNMENT BLOOD MONEY.

Means money snatched by governments off the backs of others skill and expertise. In this case snatched of all those who have achieved BLOODHORSE LITERACY over the last 83 years. This sharp practice has to be stopped, and stopped now for once and for all time.

‘THE TOTE’ belongs by absolute right to all those who have achieved ‘BLOODHORSE LITERACY’, because these are the people the government have been ripping off big time over the last 83 years. It could be said that the Tote has existed and has been bought over the last 83 years since 1928 time after time after time, by horseman who have achieved BLOODHORSE LITERACY.

Test

www.totesport.com/portal

KEY DATES IN THE LONG-RUNNING TOTE SALE SAGA RACING POST (16.09.2010)

February 2000 Government announces intention to sell the Tote to racing.


The true question is: “How can the government, any government believe they can assume the right to sell something or anything that it does not own?” What with the MP’S expenses scandal, plus the present Inland Revenue scandal effecting 6 million people. When are the people of Britain to be treated fairly each and every day, to include the horses?

March 2001 Labour party includes sale to racing in election manifesto.

July 2001 Government casts doubt over private members’ bill speeding up the sale.

November 2002 Labour peer David Lipsey appointed chair of shadow racing trust to smooth path for sale.

December 2002 Government prioritises Tote sale.

January 2003 Parliamentary committee urges government to act quickly and sell Tote to racing for affordable price.

Late 2004 Enabling bill passed to allow sale of Tote to racing.

April 2005 Labour manifesto declares ‘Tote’ sale to racing will stay on course.

July 2006 Government warns levy extension depends on ‘Tote sale’ and modernisation of the sport’s administration structure.

September 2006 Racing Consortium’s initial offer of £400m is rejected.

November 2006 Hong Kong Jockey Club expresses interest in taking ‘Tote’ shareholding.

September 2007 Racing Consortium reduces its bid to £320m.

March 2008 Consortium’s latest bid rejected. Betfred and Coral publicly express interest, reputedly up to 40 others do so privately. Government commit to make available to racing half the net proceeds of any open market sale of the Tote. Half no good
The value of the Tote ...
Other half of issue tote can only positively exist for the Horsremen

July 2008 ROA threatens legal challenge to government’s actions over the sale.

July 2008 Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe announces that a decision on sale will be made “in autumn”.

September 2008 Treasury officials and DCMS cannot agree over sale timing.

October 2008 Sale put on ice “for medium term” .

October 2009 Surprise announcement by prime minister Gordon Brown that Tote would figure in sale of government assets, forecast to raise £16 billion over next two years. Government sets March 2011 as completion date of sale.

June 2010 In first Budget by new coalition government, chancellor George Osborne announces that “government will resolve the future of the Tote in a way that secures value for the taxpayer, while recognising the support the Tote currently provides the racing industry.”

September 2010 Minister for gambling John Penrose say’s government now preparing to launch “an open market process” to resolve future of tote in late autumn and will update House of Commons “early in the new year.”