At last, Caymanas Track Ltd showed some imagination in trying to lift the boredom and discomfort of our racing product.

They introduced six beautiful 'Caymanas Girls', who acted as hostesses placing bets, fixing drinks and generally being attentive.

This innovation was particularly interesting since it mirrored some developments that were discussed at a recent conference of Asian racing interest held in Tokyo, Japan.

They noted that the major challenges the racing industry faces around the world seem to be the sport's universal language: competition, fragmentation, governmental and regulatory hurdles, and (gasp!) an ageing fan base that is heavily weighted to people like me - males over 50 years of age.

Ray Paulick, a Kentucky-based journalist who reported on the conference, noted, with great interest, that all 22 members of the Asian Federation discussing these problems were ageing males over 50.

Interesting techniques

It's a challenge that's been around for some time - old guys trying to attract younger girls.

He reports that a number of racing associations have tried some interesting techniques: mixing high-end fashion with a little champagne and putting the target audience in a clean and safe environment at an upscale venue.

That has worked quite well for the Australian folks who put on racing carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne each year. It has taken a number of years to transform the atmosphere of their tracks, and the racing associations have used more than a little sex and glamour in advertising campaigns to support their efforts.

One such ad for the Royal Randwick carnival in Sydney has a strikingly tall and attractive woman clutching a bullwhip and looking suggestively in the direction of a timid jockey dressed in riding silks and holding his suddenly minuscule riding crop.

"That's not a whip!" she purrs.

Japanese marketers took a different approach, with an ad designed to touch the hearts of young women who love animals - and may even have a favourite horse they like to watch race.

It shows a young woman full of excitement getting ready to go to the racetrack, obsessively painting her nails in the same colour of the silks her favourite horse carries in the race. She brings her husband and a child in stroller with her to the track to share the experience.

"It's a special occasion to see my favourite horse," she says.

Targeting women

The two ads appeal to a slightly different target audience - the Australians going for an openly sexy and carefree message and the Japan Racing Association appealing to sentiment and loyalty.

But both are targeting women, a demographic that history has shown bets very little on the races. Why, in a business that depends on the sale of pari-mutuel tickets, are these two very successful organisations aiming their ad campaigns on consumers who are not likely to spend very much money on the core product?

Apparently, the thinking is that young (and not so young) men will go where the young women are, and those men will become players and consumers at the mutuel windows.

Of course, racing associations must have the appropriate atmosphere and facilities to back up their marketing and advertising campaigns.

You can't promote a false product. That's why so many tracks in the Asian Racing Federation - even those in an emerging racing country like the Saigon Racing Club in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - are cleaning up and modernising their facilities, making them brighter and more appealing to younger people, and especially younger women.

Show me a place with lots of young women, mixed in with an exciting sport you can bet on, and I'll show you a place where men are likely to follow.

The introduction of these 'Caymanas Girls' could be the start of something new. Can we now expect the modernisation programme that is so long overdue? When are we going to start cleaning up and modernising our facilities? After all, we can't put new wine into old bottles!

Directors' frustration

PS: The press release put out by the board of directors of Caymanas Track Ltd which, at the time of writing, has not as yet been published, is a most revealing and damning document.

It highlights the levels of frustration which are inevitable under the current ownership structure. At last, these board members have shown the 'testicular fortitude' that is so urgently required.

They will probably all be fired in keeping with the style of this Government. At least, now we have another source that has identified where the major problems lay. This column has been preaching these problems ad nauseam.

The lack of action and resultant frustration and the release by the board has, hopefully, brought things to a head. If not, there is still the 'Argentinian Solution' to fall back on.

Howard L. Hamilton, CD, JP, is a former chairman of Caymanas Track Limited. He is the current president of the Thoroughbred Owners' and Breeders' Association. He can be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.