Chief Stipe

Sorry I can't see the collary of Budweiser hiring a loud mouth transvestite to promote their light beer in a woke fashion with 3 racing clubs in the Waikato building a new track. Kenny Browne isn't with us anymore so it wont worry him that the members of three clubs each voted inidividually to build the new track.

Australia loses control of Pattern as APC takes over – The Straight thestraight.com.au https://bitofayarn.com The Asian Pattern Committee will reshape Australia’s black-type calendar after taking the extraordinary and unprecedented step of stripping the power of the country’s national body to determine what races carry stakes status.https://bitofayarn.com After years of infighting amongst the principal racing authorities and their delegates on Racing Australia about the Pattern, the organisation has effectively forfeited its right to make changes to its black-type races. The Asian Racing Federation confirmed on Wednesday that due to the “exceptional circumstances” the APC would now “make decisions regarding the status of all black type races in Australia”. The international body said it was a short-term measure but has not specified how long the APC would manage Australia’s black-type calendar. The far-reaching decision, which doesn’t go as far as demoting Australia to a Part II country of the International Cataloguing Standards Blue Book as had been threatened, was made at an APC meeting in Hong Kong on Friday.https://bitofayarn.com “This means that the APC will now be responsible for making status change decisions (including upgrades and downgrades) for all Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races in Australia,” a carefully worded ARF statement said on Wednesday. “These decisions will be reported to the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC) of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, which will subsequently report any significant decisions to the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA), prior to publication in the International Cataloguing Standards Book.” IRPAC and SITA have been informed of the ARF’s decision and the APC said it would start making changes to Australia’s black-type calendar prior to the start of the 2026/27 Australian racing season. “This course of action has been adopted in circumstances where there has not been a properly functioning black type quality control system in Australia since as far back as 2017/18,” the statement said. “While the ARF has been extremely patient and provided significant assistance to try to resolve this matter, it determined that action now had to be taken.https://bitofayarn.com “The action to be undertaken by the APC, under the ARF’s authority, is intended only as a temporary measure. “The ARF’s strong preference is that, as a Part I country, Australia establishes a functioning black type quality control system operating in accordance with the APC Ground Rules in the near future, and for the above arrangements to end. https://bitofayarn.com “However, absent such resolution, the ARF will consider other actions that it may need to take.” Racing Australia chairman Rob Rorrison said RA understood the decision and viewed the situation very seriously. “I refer to the statement made today by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) that due to “exceptional circumstances” responsibility for decision-making in relation to the status of Australian Black Type races will fall to the Asian Pattern Committee (APC),” he said in a statement. “As such, for an undetermined period of time, the Asian Pattern Committee will determine the status of all (Black Type) Australian races including upgrades and downgrades against the Asian Pattern Committee Ground Rules (APCGR). “Racing Australia fully understands the position taken by the Asian Racing Federation, a position that was fully supported by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), regarding the lack of Australian Black Type quality control which has arisen through there being no approved Australian Black Type Guidelines which comply with the APCGR nor functioning management protocols.” https://bitofayarn.com “Racing Australia views this significant decision by the ARF very seriously and commits to collaborate with the APC during this time. It acknowledges that while decisions in relation to the status of its Black Type races by the APC under the APCGR is not for any fixed period, it is the ARF position that the adoption of APCGR compliant Australian Black Type Guidelines by Racing Australia must be progressed as a matter of priority and failure to do so could lead to other actions being taken.” Rorrison’s statement said that Racing Australia retains the desire to appoint an Australian Black Type Advisory Group, with members drawn from appropriate stakeholder groups. Racing Australia delegates thought they had come to an agreement in September last year using proposed ratings-based Black Type Guidelines, but amid an uproar from stakeholders PRAs led by Racing Victoria backed away from the framework.https://bitofayarn.com Racing NSW, which was in favour of the Black Type Guidelines, has upgraded a suite of races since October 2024 using the policy even though those new and upgraded stakes races weren’t recognised by international authorities. They were also not reflected in horses’ pedigrees, sale catalogues or stallion records with data providers such as Arion.

Exactly. However the new trend (e.g. Pakenham) is to put in a multipurpose event centre that can cater both as a stand for viewing and inbetween times act as a revenue earning centre.

I argued vociferously on BOAY for an AWT business case. @Pitman was a strong supporter of the AWT at Riccarton and one of the reasons he and I fell out badly was my hammering of the need for a business case. I forewarned (as did others on BOAY) that the operational costs and long term maintenance capital required could not be funded through track fees and racing alone. Unless there was a substantial increase in the number of horses trained on it. Anyhoo the rest is history... Now NZTR is subsidising them.

Really over something that hasn't bothered you to post about until you get the pricker with ENTAIN? Who's intelligence are you insulting? The issue that I posted about is a network constraint issue magnified by the use of Cloudflare as a CDN. The Sunday Surge was not available for the majority of punters on Sunday. Geez for once I was agreeing with you!

Again don't be patronising you aren't good at it. All well and good not looking at the other site but I draw the line when I'm being defamed and accused of things I DID NOT DO. Nothing has changed over in that cesspit. The behaviour of the owner and the people he atracts is the reason for the genesis of BOAY in the first place. The outright lies need to be called out for what they are.

It was 23 YEARS AGO!!! As I said Bruton was happy to live in the limelight when it suited. You don't know where he was betting. FFS come up with some recent examples environment! The fact is Bruton couldn't get the amounts he betted on now which ironically is something your were complaining about in previous posts. What side are you on?

That could be offset by the deal they do with any Developer that purchases the land.

Don't become patronising @Huey leaves you for dead in that regard.

Are you really that naive? I don't believe you for a start. You confined your betting to the pub bookie or the TAB agency every few weeks? Hell I was bought up on reading the form, calcuttas and setting horses for the big punt. Did you choose to ignore all the stories associated with racing and big punting? Hypocriscy again. Are you really worried about young problem gamblers? I don't think you are because I'm not even sure you understand the problem you are trying to address. You only awoke from your slumber on the issue when ENTAIN was granted a NZ monopoly well only when it came into effect.

Well that's beautiful. So you are a hypocrite?

FFS give us all a break. You bought Steel Balls into the debate not I. You painted him as the tragic problem gambler to justify you Anti-ENTAIN stance. Do you think he had overseas accounts and gambled overseas given he followed Lyell Creek everywhere? Do you think he'd find it harder to lose in todays environment than one 23 years ago? In that regard it appears to have stopped you.

Cracks me up that you suddenly have a moral conscience on a Topic that never worried you in the past.

I have no problem with it all. PS: I don't have the time nor the inclination to respond to ALL your negativity.

Really? You are quite clueless aren't you.

The question is has Leigh Mckenzie?

You miss my point. The ATR are doing it for nearly all races. A $40k R65 would make no difference to punting turnover if it was just the NZTR minimum. It also appears that ATR are funding that top up from the realised capital they obtained throught the land sales.

Some reasearch says it is but then I guess you are cherry picking again. Can you answer this question - given your all consuming negativity over racing why do you actually bother with it at all?

Was this message meant for @Newmarket ? I have real concerns about his overseas punting withdrawl symptoms. Yeah nah! As for the legal challenges and nefarious investigative work well sadly that seems to be the modus operandi of the likes of yourself, @nomates , @Joe Bloggs (and his five other aliases) and the @Comic Dog . All part and parcel of allowing the negative nelly Premier Anti-Racing mob freedom of speech. Don't worry @Huey I'll defend your right to post negative crap and my right to highlight the BS parts. In saying that I do find the lies being told and the personal attacks distressing particularly because it affects those close to me. As you know that is one rule on BOAY I'm very very staunch on. Elsewhere it appears the same standards maybe preached but not acted upon. Perhaps it is time to take specific action to address that.

Yet alcohol and cigarette smoking harm messages do make a difference.

That may well be the case but I hope they have done the sums in terms of producing enough revenue to fund ongoing maintenance. We now know that the AWT's don't produce enough. In many respects they need this Greenfields site to act as a counter to Ellerslie where at the moment all roads lead to. What I don't get is Ellerslie are running at an operating loss on racing yet are bolstering stakes on every race. That in my mind is pissing good money up against the wall for no good reason. Do premium stakes when there aren't many options to race really achieve anything? Mind you it is the mindset we have seen in racing for decades.

A few lines of what? The simplest way to fix those that you know that are "having a bad run for few months" would be to tell them to stop following your punting tips. What do you quantify as "a bad run" anyway? FFS @Newmarket that was over 20 years ago! Of course you conflate a lot of things to boost your story. Graham Bruton aka Steel Balls had a very very long winning streak fuelled in part by his large share in Lyell Creek - essentially he was gambling with his harness stake money. Yet you have argued on BOAY that the betting limit restrictions on winners is bad! Make your mind up! As for the credit betting episode that was an issue with one Agency Owner who was a friend of Brutons. The Agency owner allowed him to bet on credit and when Bruton couldn't square up and the Owner couldn't either the Agency Owner was given the boot as it was against TAB policy rules. Of course credit betting is not be confused with using your credit card to put a bet on. Bruton started to unravel when he started punting on Super Rugby and he kept doubling up on the Brumbies in 2002 who he backed in the final against the Crusaders to win $500,000. Unfortunately in the last mintues of the game in one of the best defensive displays in the history of rugby Merthens kicked the match winning goal. The story goes Bruton got up off his couch and said to his mates he was going for a walk - they picked him up at Raikaia! I'm surprised you haven't mentioned my Great Uncle from the 1970's who was a bigger punter than Bruton. He had a special access to the back of the tote to make his bets. Unfortunately one of his cheques bounced one day and he had to borrow several thousand dollars off his nephew. Oh those were the days when men were men, women were glad and sheep were scared. They didn't want turnover the TAB wanted to win back what they had lost. A concept @Brodie doesn't wish to understand. Actually @Brodie is a problem gambler - that is he is a problem for the TAB being, unlike yourself, a very disciplined punter who I'm told has taken the TAB for millions. The TAB didn't run for cover. The Agency Owner was sacked. Plus the TAB tightened the balancing rules closing a loop hole making credit bets less likely to go unnoticed until up to 24 hours after betting. That loop hole worked as long as the punter paid up between the two balance times. I'm surprised you didn't further conflate your "story" by referring to the Mick Guerin episode where he rang the agency below his flat and places a $1,000 bet which he didn't pay until 15 minutes later but then that would highlight the fact that systems have improved. As most systems do over time. So the TAB did "give a shit"! How was he treated badly? He punted with his Lyell Creek winnings, had a long winning streak and revelled in the publicity and took all the rebates and baubles that came with it. Until it all turned to custard and he started losing. He then went crying to the NZ Herald when he lost $180k in one weekend which there was some irony given he had been cleaning up much more for a very long time. Your memory may fail you but Lyell Creek won over a $1 million in the 2000 to 2002 seasons. He won 14 races in a row if my memory serves me correctly. (Come in @Gammalite ) Bruton had a lot of cash to play with and he enjoyed the limelight as we all do when we get a good horse. @Newmarket admit it you are crying crododile tears because you've been cut off from your overseas agency fix.

@Newmarket you are starting to sound like an addict that has suddenly been cut off. You've repeatedly told us that in protest you have cut your betting substantially so it appears the new restrictions are working for you. Great news. Really a win/loss statement is going to make a difference to a "problem gambler"? Obviously it kept you in check - NOT! Or were the statements sent to your partner? Of course we never ever had gambling advertising on TV until ENTAIN came along. What about the syrupy long LOTTO advertisements that have been bombarding us for decades promoting the chance to win big and change your lifestyle? @Newmarket it is blindingly that you have a new chip on your shoulder and you are pissed off about not being able to bet overseas. So just like @Huey rather than participate positively you just want to throw your toys and trash the house.

I have no idea.

Which is what Ellerslie is doing. The last two years they have had $10m operating losses each year.