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Thirty-three years after falling agonisingly short of Hong Kong Derby glory, Nick Etches returns to the city’s biggest race with high hopes of realising every owner’s dream with Invincible Ibis on Sunday. A long-time member of the Jockey Club and still a voting member, Etches almost tasted the ultimate success when his galloper Red Ruffian ran half a length second to Helene Star in the 1993 Derby. “We were standing here in the paddock – the old paddock in those days – thinking how lucky it was...View the full article

You would have to wonder how long the TAB is going to continue with OTG? Watched almost all of it tonight for the first time, anyone that hasnt watched it before would be horrified surely? Grown men acting like teenagers, stomping around the office shaking hands like kids when they get a collect! They were not betting responsibly at all despite the TAB and Betcha advertising the point! The wagering was all over the place and they started with near $20k and lost the lot!!! They had $4k and $2.5k win bets on greyhounds that the TAB accepted despite other punters not being allowed to wager a couple of hundred???? Nothing personal against any of the 4 presenters, however they must be getting told to act like idiots in front of the camera for some reason, as it is hard to believe that they would be acting like this away from the camera? Is there really anyone that thinks that this OTG is really painting racing in NZ in a good light???? If it is such a great thing for racing, then why doesnt Australia have such a show?? Go back to having one professional presenter on a Thursday night that knows what they are talking about, and let the punters offload to increase turnover and profit!

It just shows you how the TAB treats punters differently? So the Out The Gate presenters are allowed a bet on to net $50,000!! Yet other punters are restricted to netting a few hundred??? Appalling!

Not sure if that is a serious question or not. I can't really be bothered answering if you don't know but here's a quick AI summary to get you started. Do your own homework. Yes — there is a very strong and well‑documented relationship between stakes (purse money) and field size / starter numbers in racing. This relationship is recognised internationally and is a key factor in racing economics. Below is a clear summary using citable evidence. 📈 1. Higher stakes = larger fields (more starters) This relationship comes from basic economics: bigger financial incentives attract more owners and trainers to enter horses. Evidence: International racing economic analysis A major review of global racing metrics shows that jurisdictions that offer higher stakes produce larger field sizes and more starts per horse, because owners have a stronger economic incentive to race. [mdpi.com] This pattern is consistent worldwide: High‑stake jurisdictions (e.g., Hong Kong, Japan) have high average field sizes and high betting turnover. Jurisdictions with proportionally lower stakes (e.g., USA) have smaller fields and fewer horses per race. [mdpi.com] This confirms that purse levels directly influence how many horses line up. 📊 2. Stakes increases correlate with increased field size and starts A concrete example appears in U.S. racing data: When purses rose ~8%, field sizes increased 3.57%, and total starts increased 11.5% (an additional 1,675 starters). [pastthewire.com] This demonstrates a measurable response: raise stakes → more horses in the gate. 🏇 3. Why stakes affect starter numbers The connection is logical and supported by economic modelling: Owners enter more horses when: The expected return improves The financial risk of training decreases relative to potential payout The cost of transportation and preparation becomes justified Trainers also support higher stakes because: Their percentage earnings increase Competitive opportunities expand Connections are more willing to run horses more frequently Bioeconomic modelling (Massey University) confirms that financial incentives are one of the three major moderators determining racing industry behaviour and horse utilisation, directly affecting field size

Which they could gain at any number of racetracks. No bias, no emotion that's just a fact.

No but it would be good if they got some cement out and did some plastering so you don't end up with crumbled concrete in your hair if you want to sit out in front of the stand.

Trainers Frankie Lor Fu-chuen and Jimmy Ting Koon-ho will not be using the barrier draw as an excuse in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) despite Numbers and Little Paradise drawing stalls 13 and 10 respectively. On paper, likely front-runner Numbers has been given a very stiff task being drawn one from the outside, but Lor was relaxed at Thursday’s ceremony as he looks for a second win in the city’s most coveted race. His four-year-old was second in the Group One Queensland Derby (2,400m)...View the full article

Which makes it a considerably long period of time that any WRC Club member volunteer actually painted anything.

Based on "we rely on data and analysis to help lead informed decisions, data-led decisions" Levin is safe. Count up how many horses gain Barrier Certificates at Levin and are educated there. No emotion, just fact.

LOL where is the data to prove that that correlation between stakes and starters exists?

Mine is that if you halve stakes, you'll likely halve the number of starters which will probably significantly reduce betting, but a sustainable product might result and the foal crop will no longer be an issue.

Why would you paint the modern running rail that comes in white?

I'm fascinated to hear your theory on that outcome!

Its actually quite addictive, watching 4 men stomp around the room high fiveing and slapping each other like they have won a fortune lol 4 grown men paid by the TAB to wager on horses so that they can take money off their employer! It is not many serious punters cup of tea, but then again if there are enough people that are prepared go chuck their money into a pool, rather than bet themselves, then it is saying that winning isnt important to them. TAB/ Entain’s decision to run the show so if they think it helps the industry then all good! The worst thing about OTG is the hypocrisy that the TAB maintains, just shows how there business is allowed to operate! It really is off putting!

Will take a while but eventually like John Allen did, Ballesty will come to the realisation that there aren’t enough punters punting enough and none of these things will change that. Only hope is to do something radical. Slash the takeout. Punters won’t care about how pretty the tracks are then. They’ll come from everywhere

Reduce stakes and even less will be bet

In the spring, it was Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock). This campaign, it has been Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun). Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) has been in the shadow of two superstar stablemates for most of her past six starts but at Rosehill on Saturday, the mare gets her time to shine in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m). Not only will she be chasing her first success since thumping her ATC Australian Derby rivals 12 months ago, she is also shaping as the horse to help James McDonald equal Damien Oliver’s Australian record 129 Group 1 wins. After claiming last weekend’s Coolmore Classic aboard Lazzura (Snitzel), McDonald needs one more major to draw level with the now-retired Oliver, and Aeliana will be the first of his five Group 1 rides at Rosehill. Trainer Chris Waller is confident the mare can deliver for the champion hoop, and so are punters who have kept her a solid $1.65 favourite. “She has come back stronger, and her first two runs have been fantastic,” Waller said. “She’s got the best form heading into a Ranvet. “This time last year, she ran second by a nostril on the same day in the Rosehill Guineas to Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot) and came out with an emphatic Derby win. “She is where she needs to be.” Aeliana is among an outstanding book of five Group 1 rides for McDonald on Saturday, all of them for Sydney’s reigning premier trainer. If the mare can be the source of his record-equalling win, Rosehill Guineas favourite Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) will be McDonald’s first chance to break Oliver’s mark, followed by unbeaten mare Autumn Glow in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m). His other Group 1 rides, Fireball (Snitzel) in the Golden Slipper (1200m) and Generosity (Divine Prophet) in the Galaxy (1100m), will need to spring upsets with both at double-figure odds. One of Aeliana’s biggest stumbling blocks could be stablemate Lindermann (Lonhro) ($9), who has two wins and two placings from four starts over the Rosehill 2000-metre circuit. After an encouraging first-up third, the gelding performed below par in the Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) last start, but Waller said he had bounced back and was expected to run his usual competitive race. “He’s fine. He’s had an ECG and everything is normal so he will definitely be there,” Waller said. Trinity College (Dubawi) is the outsider of the stable’s trio, but he is a Group 3 winner at the distance overseas, and Waller reports his work has been strong since his Australian debut last month. View the full article

Ben Hayes believes Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) is a Group 1 winner in waiting, but with star mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) among his George Ryder Stakes opponents at Rosehill, he concedes connections might have to wait a little longer. The winner of six of his 21 starts, Evaporate almost captured an elusive major last start when he was edged out by Tom Kitten (Harry Angel) in the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington to record his fourth Group 1 placing. Hayes has pinpointed the Doncaster Mile (1600m) as the horse’s major goal in Sydney and says a clash with Autumn Glow in Saturday’s George Ryder Stakes (1500m) will provide a good measuring stick towards that aim. “It’s going to be a hot race, but it will let us know where we’re at and then he will probably head to the Doncaster with 54-1/2 (kilos),” Hayes said. “He’s won over $3 million and hasn’t won a Group One, so it’s a pretty good effort. Not many do that. “He’s a Group One horse that just hasn’t done it yet.” Evaporate ($23) has competed at stakes level since he was a spring three-year-old and is proven the Sydney way of going, having won the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick 12 months ago and placed behind Autumn Glow in the Golden Eagle (1500m). Hayes was delighted with his All-Star Mile effort when he had to cart the field up to noted frontrunner Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and kept fighting to the line. “It was super. He towed the field up to Jenni, chased her. Tom Kitten sat off him and just got him late,” he said. “But I loved the way he kept kicking. He has always been a genuine horse.” The George Ryder is a traditional lead-up to the Doncaster Mile, which is also the goal for under-rated gelding Encap. Resuming with a solid sixth in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) where he finished less than 1-1/2 lengths from winner Joliestar (Zoustar), Encap (Capitalist) has enjoyed a trouble-free campaign so far after a spring preparation disrupted by wet tracks. “His feet are so much better now too,” Portelli said. “We’ve had problems with his feet over the years, and he wasn’t coming out of the gates and getting going, I think because they were hurting him. “He almost won the Doncaster last year at 50-1. We don’t care about the price as long as we get a result, although his pattern makes it very hard to win and he is up against the best horses.” As a $126 outsider, Encap is one of two George Ryder runners at triple-figure odds along with Hawkes Racing’s Nepotism ($201). View the full article

Emerging three-year-old Flashback (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has progressed well during his fledgling career and higher honours beckon the son of Darci Brahma at Trentham on Saturday. Trainer Stephen Marsh believes the Gr.2 Taylor Property Plus Wellington Guineas (1600m) sets up as an ideal opportunity for The Oaks Stud-bred and raced representative to further his record. “It’s a good target for him and not as strong a race as I thought it would be, so I think he’s a really good chance,” he said. “Racing is improving him and the big mile at Wellington should suit him.” Flashback opened his winning account two runs back at Pukekohe and then finished fourth in a competitive age group line-up at Ellerslie, both times under Michael McNab who trips south for the ride. “He won his maiden really well and last start he travelled up to them comfortably but didn’t quite know to put them away,” Marsh said. Marsh isn’t thinking too far ahead with Flashback and will decide on his immediate future after the weekend. “He’s had a decent preparation, and his last two runs have been great so there’s probably not too much more left for him,” he said. “We’ll wait and see how he goes on Saturday and how he comes through the race before making any decisions.” Flashback won both of his trials as a two-year-old before Marsh eased up on the gelding. “He went through a growing stage and was a bit immature, but he’s always showed plenty of ability,” he said. “We decided to give him a long spell and he’s going to end up well above average.” The youngster will be accompanied south by Super Legocy (NZ) (Super Seth) and Mazino (NZ) (Hello Youmzain), who will give Marsh a strong hand in the HGT Bloodstock (1400m). “Both have drawn a bit sticky, but they have good early speed and can jump and roll into forward spots,” Marsh said. Super Legocy has placed at his last two outings following his maiden success at Te Rapa while Mazino followed up her maiden victory with a runner-up finish at Pukekohe. “They are both going really well and are hard to split, it probably comes down to which one gets the best run,” Marsh said. The stable will also have numerous runners at Friday’s Pukekohe meeting with Financier (NZ) (Tavistock) a leading hope in the Nikau Contractors Handicap (1400m). “I really like the way he’s come back and had one start for a second (at Taupo) and he’s done really well since,” Marsh said. Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer), Sinhaman (NZ) (Tivaci) and Roctave (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) all have solid claims in the MyRacehorse Handicap (2100m) with the former getting the nod as the top seed. “I think Kiwi Skyhawk is an up-and-coming stayer who is going super and there is the Hawke’s Bay Cup (Listed, 2200m) at Otaki coming up,” Marsh said. “We’ll get through Pukekohe first and all three have had good campaigns, but they’re going to need good breaks at some stage.” The well-bred La Diem’s (Wootton Bassett) last-start victory also has Marsh expecting more of the same from the daughter of Wootton Bassett and the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner La Diosa in the Nikau Contractors 3YO (1400m). “She won really well last time out, we’re well represented at the meeting, and I think we’ve got some good chances right through the day,” Marsh said. View the full article

Deep South trainer Robert Dennis is looking north optimistically with a trio of stakes runners across Saturday’s Riccarton Park and Trentham meetings. Dennis, a member of Southland’s famous racing and breeding family, has become a genuine force since re-establishing himself at his Ascot Park base, preparing 34 winners last season and another 19 in the current term. On Saturday he will be represented by three feature race starters, Ziggy Stardust (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) and Champagne Linda in the Gr.3 Donaldson Brown South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton, and The Princie One (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Carevets Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham. “It’s always exciting to have horses you believe are good enough to take on black-type company, so we’re certainly looking forward to the weekend,” Dennis said. “It’s just over two years since my family and I moved back to Invercargill and the results have been very good. “We’re starting to build a decent team around us, we have a solid group of committed staff and thanks to the (Southland Racing) club, we’ve got very good facilities here.” The Princie One will be the stable’s only starter at Trentham on Saturday, having won three times in Rating 75 grade before stepping up to open company with a third placing over 1200m at Wingatui late last month. With a record of five wins and seven placings from just 13 starts, her trainer believes the blue-blooded daughter of Savabeel and The Diamond One deserves her chance at black-type. “She’s not short of ability and even though this is the strongest field she’s been up against, I believe she’s a chance to get at least some of it. “She’s drawn to settle on the pace, so it’s going to be interesting to see how she measures up. All going well there’s another stakes race we could consider at Trentham next week, and I’ve also sent up The Ocean Heart (NZ) (Ocean Park), who has won her last two starts, for a MAAT race on the same day.” Closer to home at Riccarton, Dennis will have three runners, Ziggy Stardust and Champagne Linda (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in the Breeders’ Stakes, and Sailor Girl (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) in Rating 65 grade. “Ziggy Stardust has gone from strength to strength since coming down from the north and she’s won her last two very well. “I’m looking forward to seeing her on better ground she’s in a really good space at the moment, so the time is right to get some black-type.” Regular rider Triston Moodley will ride the Windsor Park/Wentwood Grange-owned daughter Turn Me Loose, while fellow former northern apprentice Donovan Cooper is also staying with Darci Brahma mare Champagne Linda. “She’s just a two-race winner and this is a bit of a throw at the stumps, but I was encouraged by her run last week at Wingatui,” Dennis said. “She copped a couple over the head from another jockey and still finished close up fifth behind Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines), who’s one of the favourites in Saturday’s race.” All three of Dennis’s weekend stakes runners began their careers in the North Island, which is a continuing trend as he strengthens relationships with northern breeders and owners. “To begin with my stable was propped up by horses I syndicated myself, but I’ve been building a broader base, which is good from a business perspective. “Having a wider clientele is pleasing, but we also bought four yearling fillies at Karaka in January and just one of them, a good type of filly by Embellish, still has shares available.” View the full article

Best think about dogs going….wont have to listen to that Andy McCook, he does my head in. Thinks he is funny, nah. Once again, got mute on, just glance once races start.

Guerin told him that before he went away on holiday

Plans are in place though to build the other 3, namely Waikato, Hawkes Bay and Awapuni. Taking their time but plans are well and truly being formulated I don't know enough about the situation at Trentham and Riccarton to comment

Perhaps those greedy minimum wage types wanting more!

Not at all. If there becomes a shortage of horses, I'm sure supply and demand will fix that but it's far from the case at the moment.