With the days beginning to blend in to one long blur, I hope you are all doing well and staying safe.
Before I have a bit of rant about the current situation and update some race info you may have missed, here is a link for existing members giving clear instructions about how to manage your subscription during this downtime:
I've written to members confirming these instructions previously, and with a link to the 19th March blog post that explains what to do. This link is also on the homepage, all subscription pages, and in my email auto reply message to make sure everybody understands the options available.
If you have missed this instruction please check my emails are not going to your spam folder, as email clients can sometimes block anything bet related automatically, and I need to make sure I can get in touch right now to all members.
I'd like to thank all members who've decided to stick with us and weather this storm, and everybody who has sent goodwill messages. These are gratefully received.
The message back to everyone is that once racing resumes we will be ready to go, and any paid memberships affected during the race suspension period will be extended for everyone to ensure you receive what you have paid for. It's that simple.
This means everyone without exception, so if you've had to cancel this is completely understandable given the current climate of uncertainty, but you will still receive an extension for any paid subscription time affected by the racing being offline.
Regarding the racing itself, the industry is going to be deeply affected by this interruption that is a fact.
However, they are making the right noises about getting started sensibly, using specific locations to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the NHS, for example holding racing only at specific tracks within an acceptable radius in the South of England, then at a specific time switching to the North, and so on.
Also, starting with only flat racing to significantly reduce the potential for injury. Jockeys will also be a consideration I've read somewhere, to only include very experienced jockeys to begin with, and obviously behind closed doors.
They are gearing up in preparation for this on the 1st May if given the go ahead, so even if it's not on this date the fact they are planning like this with a keen eye on the details is encouraging.
We are all affected by this loss of racing, and the impact on the economy is yet to be established, but you can read more about the plans to resume on the BHA website: https://www.britishhorseracing.com/
The 30th March BHA post has a link to download the PDF listing the operational plan, I definitely recommend giving this a read.
It's a strange and unsettling time to be alive, and something you don't need the guy who runs the betting site rattling on about, but with so much daily information overload my bullshit-ometer is red lining.
It's starting to feel like neuro linguistic programming to see how quickly we can be put in to a mindset of fear and submission.
I'm not spouting on about conspiracy theories, my feelings lean more towards using language to cover up complete inadequacies on the handling of Covid 19.
A word I'm banishing from my vocabulary for a while after this post is, unprecedented.
I've been guilty of dropping this in to a couple of recent blog posts, as this is the word of the year already, and already starting to grind on my last nerve.
Primarily because taking a broader view anticipating an outbreak is actually not unprecedented, as we've known these viruses occur. Bird, Swine, Spanish Flu, all should be more than enough prep required to coordinate a world response, and nip these things from happening at source.
Yet we are still fed a load of bollox to distract us, don't panic, keep clam, everything is fine, go on holiday and enjoy yourself from the so called 'media experts' only a week before we're being told to social distance, don't travel, etc etc...
The confusion and lack of coordinated organisation for me is the biggest disappointment, as I feel even now with all this going on, the governments are more interested in money before health. Getting back to some normality asap, and working out how we are all going to pay for the vast sums of money spent to correct their covidiocy.
Their stupidity and lack or preparedness have cost them more financially now than if they had set a world wide linked plan in motion, something in place and set up ready to introduce should this happen, as it's been on the cards now for a long long time.
We've seen it coming, and scientists have predicted how our current model of society will be overwhelmed should something like this occur, so why is one government reacting one way, another completely different, misinformation, and distraction techniques to protect their own arses. Well that's how it seems with a lot of things they are either not fessing up to lying or covering up to avoid looking even worse.
What is actually unprecedented is a complete shut down of the global economy, if you're reading this their is a good chance this has affected you, and everyone on Earth.
The way the government in each country has reacted to me is baffling, Sweden are MEH, UK in lock down in complete contrast.
I understand that every country is a separate entity, but this is one virus and one planet, so it needs to be one solution dictated by the science. Not opinion based with ulterior motives.
The words being used on the news and by the politicians are carefully sculpted to create a majority mindset, so if you haven't already picked up on this you may find yourself viewing the news a little differently when you begin picking up on these things.
A simple way to identify when they are trying to play your emotions like a flute, is if you're listening to the news and instantly react without any immediate thought process. You're triggered to the edge of your seat for example, and quick to agree with the information presented.
You probably know already, but every thought we have passes through our emotional reactions first, which is why we often say or do things with hindsight we would rather have not.
Take time to reason with your emotional reaction is my advice, as this is just a choice being presented to you, it's not what you have to accept as fact.
This is how the media, and at the moment especially the news networks manipulate our responses, and can easily create a situation that drives a mass reaction very quickly. It's a powerful tool that in the right hands can do so much good, but in the wrong hands, well you get my point.
I'm not saying anything about the coronavirus here you don't possibly already know, and I've no idea exactly where it came from, although the news says a wild life cross contamination at a fish market in Wuhan, I'm not into conspiracy theories, instead I am saying that my moods are not being dictated by the news media. I know what tactics politicians and media use, and I reserve the right to form my own opinions, so I suggest you consider doing the same.
As we are stronger when we're a free thinking society, capable of driving positive change, not one brow beaten by the state into thinking they either know best, or have done their best, when in my opinion no government has done enough to prepare for this, although some better than others obviously.
One thing that is completely certain right now is this virus is real, and staying healthy and well, being responsible, and caring for each other is the most important actions we can take.
I may be ranting about the news and state of the world a bit in this post, but as stated previously I have loved ones who are vulnerable right now, and I'm sure we all have. This is the priority of course, but my point is to remain clear headed above what's being fed to us by the media. A lot of it is speculative bull shit.
Now getting back to a racing perspective, we still have a glimmer of hope things may resume in May, and I'm working to prepare ready on the starting blocks once we have a firm date.
This week has been about sorting the membership system out, and next is finishing site admin, trading set up, then data analysis from what was sent pre pandemic for RDB and JV MK2.
Plenty to keep me busy no matter how long this goes one, I hope you're also staying sane and busy if you're housebound. If not busy, at least enjoying some quiet time.
Remember the Australian racing is still running, and other parts of the world. This site caters perfectly to AUS racing, and has a 7 day free trial: Racestatsapp.co.uk
Also, Nigel has set up Bet Mover to cover international racing, which you can find out more here: https://www.betmover.com/ This is also free to use at the moment, and has AUS, NZ, AUS and RSA included.
Okay that's me over and out for probably another week.
I'll only write when I've some race news, website or member updates, and will not clog up your inbox.
Btw, if you got pranked due to April fools day let me know please, as my missus got me this morning using melted chocolate when I woke up, I'll let your imagination sort that out...
Stay well.
Ryan