Racing officials in regional Western Australia are gambling on a last-ditch bid to keep country clubs alive in what has been described as a "game changer".
With shortages of horses, jockeys and volunteers, many country race clubs appeared to be on their last legs even before the pandemic.
But since the start of the year, the WA government-owned TAB and Tabcorp's Sky Racing have been putting country tracks on the radar of punters nationwide.
In the past, punters needed to be track side to place a bet with a bookmaker.
Now country races are being beamed around the country — and small clubs are getting their cut via a percentage of off-course turnover.
"I just hope it's not too late to save these clubs because it's the best thing that's happened to the industry for many, many years," Country Racing Association WA secretary John Biggs said.
Thoroughbred betting in Australia is big business with a turnover of about $29 billion a year, including about $3.2 billion wagered on racing in Western Australia.
"It's been very tough time for country racing, especially our community clubs, for the past four or five years," Mr Biggs said.
"Years ago, you'd had trainers willing to travel anywhere to earn some money.
"But trainers nowadays, they're not very inclined to travel. They'd prefer to sit back in the metro area and try to win some money."
Leonora Cup first run in 1900
The Leonora Racing Club has seen the number of annual meetings at its red dirt track in the northern Goldfields cut from four to just one in recent years.
But the club remains determined to keep alive the Leonora Cup, which was first run in 1900.
Club president Ross Norrie said he hoped the arrangement with the TAB and Sky Racing would provide ongoing funding at a time when new sponsorships were hard to find.
"This is a game changer, but I'll tell you how good it is when the commissions from Sky eventuate," he said.
"At the end of the day, you watch Sky Racing, and often there's no-one there, but there's lots punting on it."
Sky Racing broadcasts more than 95,000 races each year.
On its parent company's website, a mission statement says Tabcorp is committed to promoting the "socially responsible use of its wagering services as a recreational and entertainment activity".
Yet, nearly 150 gambling ads are broadcast on free-to-air TV every weeknight during family-friendly viewing slots.
Mr Norrie acknowledged the club would be relying on gambling to survive but said the local club's committee was more focussed on putting on a community event.
"We're not punters … most of our committee wouldn't know the front end of the horse from the back," he said.
"But the races is a community event, and that's why we get the pleasure out of it."
Races part of history
Shire of Leonora president Peter Craig said it was vital the races continued for the regional community.
"It's a big day on the calendar. It's not just all about racing, but it's bringing the community and bringing people together," he said.
"It's got history. You go back in time, and horses played a huge part in the making of this country, so when these races first started they were stock horses off stations.
"Now we've moved into having TAB and being on Sky … it's something that the community needs because a lot of sporting things have died in recent years because of fly-in, fly-out."
Retired kangaroo shooter James "Jimmy" Graham, 78, said he would be saddened if the Leonora races folded.
Mr Graham said he enjoyed a punt but kept his wagers small.
"I only put 10 bucks on a horse every race," he said.
"I'm a not a good gambler … I'm a bad loser.
"The only winner on the day is the ATM."
It is those punters who lose that the WA Government is banking on as it progresses the sale of the TAB in a field that includes Tabcorp.
