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  2. The new inside track at Awapuni was being seeded 10 years ago, and now gone. The cost of $280,000 not insignificant. They appear to be consistent in poor due diligence, talking up their current project like it's the next best thing, treating cost as irrelevant, using the surface before properly consolidated and discarding and moving onto the next bigger and better project with even more experts onboard.
  3. Still on a high after the birth of his first child and a purple patch in the saddle, Andrea Atzeni is dreaming of an upset win aboard Top Dragon in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) at Sha Tin. Victory in the city’s most prized race would cap a whirlwind couple of weeks for the Sardinian jockey, who became a father just hours after celebrating his best winning haul in Hong Kong – a four-timer at Sha Tin on March 8. Atzeni revealed he almost missed the Sha Tin meeting after his fiancée Emma’s...View the full article
  4. Jim Tomkinson was my hero from that era. He mixed every feed too, but there again he only ever had 8 or 10 in work. Bought them all [or most of them ] himself for his very select clientele. Jim wouldn't train a horse for me when I asked, but I loved going around on a Sunday morning and discussing what happened over in Sydney and Melbourne the previous day. He was the best.
  5. Ah, my sincere apologies! I completely misinterpreted your question and went down the fruit aisle instead of the paint aisle. That's a fascinating and subtle question. Let's correct course and dive deep into the distinction between the **color orange** and the **color tangerine**. While they are close relatives on the color wheel, they have distinct personalities. The difference boils down to a fundamental color property: **tone**. Here is a detailed breakdown of the color orange vs. the color tangerine. | Feature | The Color Orange | The Color Tangerine | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Color Family** | A primary color in pigment, a secondary color in light. | A tertiary color, a specific shade *within* the orange family. | | **Primary Hue** | A balanced, pure mix of red and yellow. | Leans significantly more towards **yellow** than red. | | **Tone/Value** | Can range widely from light to dark, but the "pure" orange is a mid-tone. | Inherently **bright, light, and vivid**. It's a high-energy, saturated color. | | **Associations** | Warmth, energy, caution, autumn, fire. | Zest, freshness, sweetness, tropical fruit, summer, vitality. | ### 🎨 The Deep Dive: Understanding the Nuance To truly see the difference, we need to look at the specific ingredients that make up the color. **The Foundation: What is Orange?** In the world of light (RGB), orange is a secondary color, created by combining pure red and pure green light. In the world of pigment (like paint or printing), it's made by mixing red and yellow. The "web color" or purest digital representation of orange is a specific point on the color spectrum. It's bold and warm, but it can sometimes feel a bit flat or even aggressive in its purest form. **The Variation: What is Tangerine?** Tangerine takes the basic formula for orange and modifies it. It's essentially a **yellow-orange**. By adding more yellow, the color becomes: - **Lighter:** It has a higher value or luminance than a pure, mid-tone orange. - **Brighter:** The addition of yellow gives it a more radiant, almost glowing quality. It's less "earthy" and more "electric." - **Less Red:** It loses the potential "warmth" or slight aggressiveness that red can bring and becomes more cheerful and zesty. ### 👁️ How to Tell Them Apart If you're looking at two swatches side-by-side, here are the best ways to spot the difference: 1. **The Color Wheel Test:** On a standard color wheel, find pure orange. Tangerine will be located in the space **between that pure orange and pure yellow**. It's closer to yellow than to red. 2. **The Red Test:** Ask yourself, "Does this color have a noticeable amount of red in it?" - **Orange:** A pure orange has a balanced red component. It's a true, unwavering orange. Think of a safety cone or a pumpkin. - **Tangerine:** The red is dialed back. It's a much "cleaner," less complex color. Think of the vibrant, glossy skin of the fruit it's named after. 3. **The Comparison Test:** Compare them to other familiar shades. - Tangerine is lighter and more yellow than a standard **orange**. - Tangerine is lighter and less red than **vermilion** or **red-orange**. - Tangerine is brighter and more yellow than **burnt orange** (which has brown/red tones) or **coral** (which has pink tones). ### 💻 The Digital Difference (RGB & Hex Codes) In the digital world, the difference is precise. These values represent one common interpretation of each color. - **Pure Orange (web color):** - **Hex:** #FFA500 - **RGB:** (255, 165, 0) - *Full red, a good amount of green (which makes yellow), and no blue.* - **Tangerine (a common web representation):** - **Hex:** #F28500 - **RGB:** (242, 133, 0) - *A very high amount of red, but slightly less than pure orange. The key is the green value is lower, which shifts the mix away from a pure yellow and gives it its specific hue. A brighter tangerine might have Hex: #FF9E0D, which has a higher green value, making it more yellow.* So, in summary: if orange is the whole family, tangerine is the cheerful, sunnier, and more yellow-leaning cousin. It's orange with the volume turned up on brightness and yellow. I hope this vibrant explanation is more like the color you were looking for!
  6. For decades the show was funded by a % takeout around half of what it is today and it was going a lot better than what it is today. Don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that 130% markets are going to snuff the game out completely
  7. You obviously don’t know how BSP is calculated. You need to do some research.
  8. Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) would most likely still have launched his campaign in the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (2000m) had it been at its home track, Moonee Valley, but the Ciaron Maher stable are not complaining about its home for this year. The A$1 million sprint will be run at Caulfield this Saturday with The Valley out of action while under renovation. Jimmysstar has had six starts at Caulfield for five wins, including the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). The six-year-old has won two trials in preparation for his return and Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is excited about unleashing him this weekend. “The William Reid is here at Caulfield, which is his favourite track,” Turnbull said. “He’s had a faultless prep and his trials are obviously there to be seen. “It would be nice to think he’s come back better – he doesn’t need to – but he tries, he’s very competitive and he’s clearly a very good horse.” The William Reid Stakes will be Jimmysstar’s first start since banking a third career Group One win in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and while he has claims on recognition as Australia’s premier 1400m horse, Turnbull said 1200m at weight-for-age was the perfect fresh set-up. “He won the Oakleigh Plate here, but that was as a younger horse and he had no weight,” he said. “Now as a mature horse, effectively he is a ‘seven furlong’ (1400m) horse, but he’s so brilliant and fresh over six (furlongs) he can really rip.” Jimmysstar is one of 15 entries for the William Reid Stakes and two for Maher, who will also be represented by Benedetta (Hellbent). The Maher pair are among 10 Group One winners entered for the William Reid Stakes. -RAS NewsWire View the full article
  9. Brad Widdup has two riders on standby to partner Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) in this Saturday’s Gr.1 The Galaxy (1100m) depending on what weight the sprinter is allotted. Handicaps for the 1100 metre feature at Rosehill will be released on Tuesday and once Widdup knows what impost Jedibeel will carry, he will lock in a jockey. “Depending on the weight, we’ve got Tommy (Berry) booked, or Alysha (Collett), so we’ve got two bites at the cherry there with jockeys,” Widdup said. “Hopefully he can draw a gate, and we’ll go from there.” Jedibeel is among 25 entries for the A$1 million The Galaxy with star grey Briasa (Smart Missile), Gr.2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) winner Generosity (Divine Prophet), Beadman (Snitzel) and Grafterburners (Graff) among his potential rivals. Jedibeel tackles The Galaxy second-up after finishing fourth from a wide draw in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 21. He was also among nominations for Saturday’s Gr.3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, but Widdup opted to keep his powder dry and steer towards the major. “I ‘ummed and ahhed’ about running (in the Maurice McCarten), but I thought, we’re going to get into the Galaxy with an OK weight,” he said. “I had a good think about it, and we don’t have to run him all the time. We just have to pick the right races.” Jedibeel finished ninth to Private Harry (Harry Angel) in The Galaxy 12 months ago when he drew an outside gate and got back in a leader dominated race. His best result since then has been a photo finish second behind Libertad (Russian Revolution) in the Gr.2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm in May, but he is an eight-time winner and is proven over the Rosehill 1100-metre circuit. Jedibeel was bred by Waikato Stud and is out of their unraced O’Reilly mare Starry, they offered Jedibeel during the National Weanling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus in 2020, where he was bought for $35,000 by Dengaroka Lodge in New South Wales. Jedibeel was later purchased by Widdup as a yearling for $190,000 at the Sydney Classic Sale after fielding a phone call from Sydney businessman Mike Gregg. Gregg races Jedibeel in the bumble bee colours of his Sydney University of NSW cricket club, along with his grandson Locky Sheridan. -RAS Newswire View the full article
  10. James McDonald once again takes Australian racing’s centre stage at Rosehill on Saturday with the world’s No. 1 rider seemingly destined to establishing a new record for career Group One winners. If McDonald can claim two Group One wins from the five on the Rosehill program this Saturday, he will not only overtake Damien Oliver as the most successful Group One rider in Australian racing history, he will also register his 100th Group One win in Australia. Currently, McDonald has 98 Australian Group One wins, 16 in Hong Kong, 11 in New Zealand and one each in Japan, the UK and the UAE. Group One wins are hard to come by (certainly for most jockeys) but McDonald looks set for at least one such victory this Saturday as he rides the unbeaten Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes’ (1500m) $1.24 favourite Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun). Also destined to start at a short quote is his Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) mount Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), who is currently rated a $1.80 chance of scoring her first G1 weight-for-age win. J-MAC’S GROUP ONE RIDES AT ROSEHILL THIS SATURDAY Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) – AUTUMN GLOW ($1.24 fav) Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) – AELIANA ($1.80 fav) Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) – AUTUMN BOY (The Autumn Sun) ($3) Gr.1 Galaxy (1100m) – GENEROSITY (Divine Prophet) ($7) Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) – No firm booking. Likely to be one of Chris Waller’s trio of Campione D’Italia (Snitzel), Fireball (Snitzel) or Hidrix (Extreme Choice). McDonald moved to 126 wins earlier this month with a Group One double of Autumn Glow in the Gr.1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) before 24 hours later claiming another Hong Kong feature aboard Romantic Warrior (Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m)). He then won the Gr.1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) aboard Joliestar (Zoustar) before claiming yet another Group One aboard Lazzura (Snitzel) in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Coolmore Classic (1500m). Over the past two Saturdays, he has ridden an extraordinary 10 winners in Sydney. Following his win on Lazurra, McDonald told Channel 7 that the prospect of the record was not weighing on his mind. “It hasn’t really come into my calculations,” he said. “If I get there, I get there. “It’s a funny feeling as Ollie (Oliver) is so great and I don’t feel like I should be in that echelon just yet.” Oliver, however, told Racing.com’s The Verdict program on Sunday that the speed at which McDonald has chased down his record underlines his greatness. “To get that record at 34 – I was 51 I think when I did it – so it just shows you how quickly he’s done it,” Oliver said. “I am sure it’s in the back of his mind but if you start thinking about that you are not actually thinking about what is in front of you and that is winning these big races. “When I was doing it, it was not something I was setting out after either. You just want to be competing in those big races and winning those big races and that’s more what you are concentrating on what’s right ahead of you rather than what’s going to be the end result.” “He is just a champion that people are going to talk about for generations.” J-Mac is closing in on the G1 record, and Chris Waller couldn’t be prouder. @SENGiddyUp live from 8am weekdays Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app pic.twitter.com/DjBBaz6zIv — Racing.com (@Racing) March 15, 2026 View the full article
  11. Racehorses competing into their double-digit years are common in jumping ranks, but those in the mould of weekend winner Butterfield (NZ) (Niagara) are by far the exception. At Tauranga on Saturday, 10-year-old Butterfield belied his age when he outsprinted his rivals in the Rating 75 1400m, working to the lead from a wide gate for regular rider Tayla Mitchell to establish a clear lead and clinging to victory by a short half-head from Oppenheimer (NZ) (Belardo). That took the Niagara gelding’s record from 52 starts to six wins, six seconds and five thirds for stakes a touch short of $230,000. “He’s been such a genuine horse for me, he always tries so hard and he showed that again on Saturday when he fought them off like that,” said trainer and part-owner Pat McCarten, who races Butterfield with Hong Kong resident Edmund Yue. “The thing is even though he’s 10, this season he’s felt the best and looked the best he ever has. When you look at his record, he’s never raced so well with the most stakes ($73,300) he’s ever earned in a season.” McCarten is perfectly positioned to assess his solitary racehorse’s well-being, as not only does he train him but despite his own advancing years, he also rides him in all his work. “It just got harder and harder to depend on work riders, so that gets back to me, otherwise I’d have to give up. I mix his training between my own property at Oropi, which is quite hilly, and at the (Tauranga) track, so I guess you could say it works. “I’m a bit of a one-man band, I do everything myself, even shoeing him.” Going only so far as describing his own age in terms of “old enough to know better”, Taranaki-born and raised McCarten has a deep racing background. Most famously, his great uncle is the late Maurice McCarten, a member of both the Australian and New Zealand Racing Halls of Fame recognising an outstanding career as both a jockey and trainer. Born in 1902 and initially a dual premiership-winning jockey in his homeland, McCarten took that success further after relocating to Sydney with another premiership and wins in many of Australia’s major races. When he transitioned to training he prepared the winners of the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, multiple Cox Plates, Epsom Handicaps and Golden Slippers, including the inaugural edition of Australia’s premier two-year-old race with the champion colt Todman (Star Kingdom). He won the 1939 Sydney trainers’ premiership and finished second no less than 10 times to the trainer who was to dominate Sydney ranks, T J Smith. “I’m not old enough to remember his career, but I do recall him from the times he would come home for visits,” says McCarten’s great nephew. Pat McCarten’s own time in racing has included ownership with his parents of the quality 1980s galloper Passakiss (NZ) (Blarney Kiss). She was prepared by the late Dick Bothwell to win the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1000m) and two editions of the Listed Clifford Plate (2000m), the premier weight-for-age race at the original Christmas-New Year Auckland Cup carnival. McCarten became a pioneer in the video filming of National Sale yearlings before they went to auction, as well as combining that content with his work as a bloodstock agent. “I did my first yearling videos back in 1990 and I’m still involved in that kind of work,” McCarten said. “We have our own website (www.equivision.co.nz) which covers the whole equine range.” As for Butterfield, McCarten has “thrown in a nom” for Pukekohe on Friday, keen to make the most of autumn tracks while they last. “I was quite surprised he coped with that (Heavy8) track on Saturday, I almost scratched him on the morning, but I think it helped that Tayla got him across to the fence and stayed down on the inside. “I’ll keep him going while he’s enjoying it, so I don’t know how long that will mean and whether he comes back next season. “All I know is he hasn’t put his hand up at this stage.” View the full article
  12. Girl Talk’s (NZ) (Zed) hot run of form has earned her an early crack at a black-type feature at the scene of her latest triumph. She was successful on Saturday in Rating 75 company at Wanganui and a return to the River City for the Gr.3 Windsor Park Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) on April 6 is now firmly in the sights of the four-year-old. Younger stablemate Iffigive (NZ) (Contributer) will also remain on target for a return to stakes racing if she performs up to expectations at Waverley on Wednesday. Part-owner and trainer Stephen Nickalls has played the waiting game with Girl Talk, and the daughter of Zed is now repaying his patience. “She is a good mare, a very cool little girl so we’re very lucky,” he said. “She will most likely go for the Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 2000m) back at Wanganui, she was still a maiden in October so she’s come a very long way in a reasonably short period of time.” Girl Talk opened her account at Waverley in the spring and subsequently won two on the bounce at Trentham and prior to her latest success had placed in the Douro Cup (1600m) and finished sixth in the Karapiro Classic (1600m). “She was third behind Anderson Bridge (NZ) (Savabeel) and Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) and was just over two lengths behind That’s Gold (Lucky Vega), who was second favourite for the Derby (Gr.1, 2400m), at Te Rapa,” Nickalls said. “She’s doing an exceptional job for us, all things being equal she’ll got to Wanganui on Easter Monday.” Girl Talk has been taken along quietly and has now won four of her 14 appearances. “She’s a temperamental little darling and we never rushed her as a young horse,” Nickalls said. “We got her up and going and gave her a jump-out before we turned her out and she came back to win a trial. We spaced her races as a three-year-old and didn’t overtax her. “She paraded well on Saturday and didn’t have to go out early like she normally does, she’s maturing nicely but she still can be a bit difficult at times. Meanwhile, Iffigive has done well since her luckless run for seventh in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m). She had previously finished sixth in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and fourth in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m). “She has been very unlucky and should have won a maiden race by now, she got skittled on the corner in the Oaks and was still hitting the line hard,” Nickalls said. “The Manawatu Classic (Gr.3, 2100m) at Trentham on March 28 is her target if she does everything right (in the Property Brokers, 1650m) at Waverley on Wednesday. “She’s come through the Oaks really well and she’ll be dropping back to a mile, but it was either run there or go back to the trials as it would have been six weeks between races. “It will tidy her up nicely, she’s bouncing around in the paddock and I can’t fault her.” View the full article
  13. Drank 10 pints in 10 different pubs the first night I was in Ireland. The Irish boys thought they'd drink this kiwi lad under the table. Bit wobbly walking home to be fair. Can't get through two these days though.
  14. Mark Newnham will look to bounce back in the trainers’ championship with a strong hand at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, headlined by Crimson Flash in the Class Two Daisy Handicap (1,200m). Newnham has hit a quiet patch with just one winner from the past 10 meetings, but still sits third in the championship standings with 36 wins. Crimson Flash last stepped out in the Classic Mile (1,600m) at Sha Tin when he struggled at the trip, but he will be back to his ideal track and distance where he...View the full article
  15. And what have you done for any dogs life?
  16. Ok. I'm ok with the Jameson but the last time I nailed Guinness was when they had Toss the Boss at Rumpoles Bar at the Park Royal in Victoria Square, Christchurch. 9 free pints was a bit much.
  17. As I said, I don't see any way unless you accept funding to be half current levels as it should have been unless they pull a rabbit out of the hat and manage to sell some more of our assets to do that. I'll definitely be having a Guinness tomorrow though, that's for sure. Maybe trow in a Jameson for a nightcap
  18. Ok then over your Guinness what did you decide was the best way to get sufficient return from wagering to fund NZ Racing at the level you desire?
  19. Turnover doesn't equal revenue unless these punters are betting on the Tote. So how do you explain that turnover hasn't moved downwards equivalent to the punters you talk to reduction in punting? Not that I would actually believe what a punter tells me they turnover!
  20. Btw, I don't drink rum and have only been to the Racecourse once I think since you were here 18 months ago.
  21. On the facts available and talking to punters that do millions of turnover, or did, on NZ racing prior to this move. If they still bet on it they are doing so through overseas offices.
  22. On what basis do you make that statement? Anectdotal feedback over rums at the Racecourse Hotel?
  23. What's false about it?
  24. I just asked AI about this. Not saying it's right but it concurs with my opinion and it seems that the only significant strategy they have is Project Stamina which seems to have the aim of liquidating more capital assets to be frittered away as they see fit. Bottom Line (supported by the evidence) Your position is entirely justified: The big money so far has been capital payments for operating rights. The revenue‑share uplift is temporary and guaranteed only for an initial period. Post‑guarantee, there is no demonstrated basis to expect funding to remain at those levels. Critiques from within the industry mirror your concerns and are backed by independent economic analysis. [sports-betting.nz]
  25. That's a false statement. How do you arrive at that?
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