Explained on the Swanny and Friends podcast today why Victorian horseracing is still going for any non idiot NSW Greens MPs outside the sport fairly wondering why it is compared to other jobs & industries unfortunately closed so thread explaining:

1/ There is no need to stop racing in Victoria. Since mid March it has operated in “COVID lockdown world” with zero cases. Horses can’t get it. Tracks don’t need crowds. Natural social distancing. Outdoors. Participants are super fit. Jockeys kept seperated.

2/ Thousands of horses still need to be fed, watered, groomed & exercised. How does that happen with staff unemployed?

3/ Speaking of staff, they’d go from employed and active paying taxes to unemployed and despondent and hoping for gov handouts. Free tip: Most strappers didn’t go through private school & step down as BHP board members to muck out boxes.

4/ Close it in Melbourne now and the Spring Racing Carnival would be ruined with the industry taking years to recover. Monster prizemoney in Sydney would mean all good horses would be removed and targeted there. ($1:01 racing NSW would suddenly allow it)

5/ And yep it’s a wagering sport and good luck getting between the gov & a revenue stream. And how many of them are there at present? Under race fields legislation, punters anywhere in Australia feed money to Victoria betting on say Flemington this Saturday.

6/ So to Mehreen Faruqi and any other opportunistic cancel culture dribbler hoping to see hard working actual animal lovers unemployed just so you can pathetically point score, pull your hypocritical heads in. Giddy up