Our Gambling Millions !

A whopping Twenty-six billion dollars changes hands each year in Australia as we indulge our passion for gambling on horses and sport.  That amounts to twelve hundred dollars for each man, woman and child in the Australian population, and the highlight of this spending occurs during the Spring racing carnival.

It is estimated that at least $300 million will be wagered on this years Melbourne Cup and the NRL grand final saw $ 15 million decided by the tussle between two teams, and 42% will pass through the hands of the TAB.

The "Wowser element "frowns on gambling but to most people it is a form of entertainment. A large section of the population only has an annual "flutter "on the Melbourne Cup and on the first Tuesday in November the streets are deserted when the race is showing on big screen television in clubs and pubs.

A lot of "serious money " passes through the hands of bookmakers by interested parties who closely follow the training and preparation of horses and consider wagering a form of business.  But the average punter bets on a horse because either the name appeals or something about the connections give rise to loyalty - and sometimes a horse just stands out head and shoulders from the field.

Remember Black Caviar ?  The wonder horse that retired unbeaten - and quickly became unbackable because it was considered a "certainty "- with odds to match ?  Old timers come to mind and the names "Phar Lap and "Bernborough " are legend in Australia.

This phenomenon brings a horse to public attention from time to time, and this years Cox Plate saw an entrant from Tasmania whet the appetite of many.   It is unusual for a runner from Australia's smallest state to be competitive in the races of the Spring carnival and yet "The Cleaner "had that special "something " that produces an army of loyal supporters.   Perhaps it was his trainer - Mick Burles - who was certainly a "character " and a "battler " that many would love to see beat all the odds and come out on top.

Everything about The Cleaner was "different ".   Most interstate horses travel as special cargo in airplanes, but Mick Burles just hitched the horse float to his car and the horse made the overnight crossing of Bass Strait in the hold of the passenger ferry.  His departure from the training stables at Longford was with a police escort - and local school children lined the route to wish him well.

There certainly would have been a sharp "blip " in Tasmanian support for this runner and when the race was run he came ninth - but it was a bold showing and his followers were well satisfied.

There is no doubt that horse racing appeals to the emotional aspect in  most people and the industry has just won a pivotal battle in New South Wales.   Our best horse breeding studs are located in a rural setting that is also a rich source of coal and it was proposed to exploit this mineral with a new open cut mine.  This mine would be cheek and jowl with the studs and the dust and pollution would be immense - and probably fatal to the future of horse breeding in that area.

A court decision found in favour of the horses - and the mine will not proceed.  The motor car has replaced the horse as a means of transport - but it still is a favourite animal when Australians get the urge to gamble !