Richard Dunwoody - Now all for 48 Hour Declarations

In his regular slot in the Daily Mirror Richard Dunwoody has revealed that he is now all for 48 hour declarations. This is a remarkable u-turn from someone who was so against it and you have to wonder why he has changed his tune.

There was a time when I couldn't really see the benefit of introducing 48-hour declarations for jump racing. Yet having worked on the other side of the media fence for a while, the benefits of change appear to outweigh the negatives, such as non-runners and increased administration costs for trainers

The first thing to note in that quote is this:

"having worked on the other side of the media fence ..."

This is so typical of those in the media. 48 hour declarations are not actively promoted by punters, trainers or jockeys but by media executives and other celebrity media types such as Charlie Brooks.

Dunwoody goes onto say that jump racing is missing out because overseas punters cannot study the form of today's Charlie Hall Chase quick enough.

This is another long standing argument for 48 hour declarations but Dunwoody and all the other celebrity hacks just don't get it. Promoting one meeting for 48hr decs is fine but making all races declarable at the 48 hour stage is ruining the sport.

Dunwoody goes on to say:

Many of yesterday's regional evening papers did not carry the card in their first editions, because the declarations were not out until 11am, some two hours after the papers went to press.

This is another argument put up by the pro 48 hour decs / media types. Well go back 20 years. Before the world wide web, before high capacity printing machines, did we have 48 hour declarations then? No and most evening newspapers carried the full racecard information. Why is it that in 2009 evening newspapers can not use 24 hour declarations?

The answer is that newspapers have drastically reduced their costs in the past few years and are now doing their print run earlier in the day - usually at a cheaper location. A good example of this is the Swansea Evening Post. This paper used to be delivered around 4-5pm each evening but now it arrives on your doorstep with the morning paper at 10am!

Non Runners Makes it a Non Starter

The price is just not worth paying; the loss of revenue due to the vast increase of non runners is just too great. Not only does 48 hour declarations reduce betting turnover but it also irritates punters as they have to bet in reduced field races, lose out on 16 runner handicap and 8 runner races and have to get to grips with rule 4 deductions.

Why damage racing just for the sake of allowing a Far East punter to bet on a selling hurdle at Plumpton? How long will the overseas punter continue to follow our racing?

If he picks a horse from a 48 hour decs newspaper there is a 1 in 10 chance that his horse is not going to run let alone win. How long until the overseas punter is as irritated as UK punters?

Richard Dunwoody in the Daily Mirror

Related Articles and Resources

• Charlie Brooks and 48 Hour Declarations
• New 48 Hour Declarations Deal for 2008-2010
• Mark Johnston on 48 hour declarations and increase in non runners

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Article created 22-Mar-09.