Watching 'one of us' raceday staff at Plumpton in her white coat, complete with little plastic whistle and flag assuming her duties as a flagperson, I asked her what else the BHA had in mind for further savings. Flag jobs, as I think most of us now know, have been passed for staffing from the BHA to the racecourses. Other savings the BHA - don't forget they've just hiked the cost of their 'services' by 22.5% to owners - will include also passing the costs of the vets and doctors to the racecourses to fund.
Now, one flag job on standard racecourse rates of pay will be no more than what most get, I assume - around £50 per meeting (regardless of how many races), subject to tax. But a vet's bill is around £600-700 and a doctor's at least £700 per meeting. The courses have always picked up the cost of hiring the ambulances and paramedics.
Now, never mind the BHA's entirely feeble attempts to reduce fixtures lists - this might be the final thorn in the side which does see courses reducing them in order to meet all the now very significant additional funding costs they will have imposed on them.
How does the BHA justify hiking its 'services' when they are currently withdrawing as many as possible? Well, probably to fund Racing for Change, that's how...
Now, one flag job on standard racecourse rates of pay will be no more than what most get, I assume - around £50 per meeting (regardless of how many races), subject to tax. But a vet's bill is around £600-700 and a doctor's at least £700 per meeting. The courses have always picked up the cost of hiring the ambulances and paramedics.
Now, never mind the BHA's entirely feeble attempts to reduce fixtures lists - this might be the final thorn in the side which does see courses reducing them in order to meet all the now very significant additional funding costs they will have imposed on them.
How does the BHA justify hiking its 'services' when they are currently withdrawing as many as possible? Well, probably to fund Racing for Change, that's how...
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