Chief Stipe

View the full article

View the full article

View the full article

Having made a winning return to action in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp, Cracksman will now bid t… View the full article

Adrian Bott is looking forward to English making strides towards running in a second Everest when th… View the full article

Christchurch reinsman Blair Orange has become just the second driver in New Zealand harness racing h… View the full article

A fresh and fit Gold Medals will attempt a third feature jumps win for the season when he runs in th… View the full article

A track gallop in Brisbane has convinced trainer Ciaron Maher that New Zealand-bred filly Aloisia is… View the full article

Spieth has been all but ruled out of Saturday’s Gr. 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at Doomben. View the full article

The well-related New Zealand-bred Heir To The Throne remains an outside chance to make the Gr. 1 Que… View the full article

The Tin Man has made a pleasing return to action with victory in the Leisure Stakes at Windsor ahead… View the full article

Well-related three-year-old Te Akau Shark will shortly be reporting for duty at Matamata. View the full article

Black-type performer Wee Gilly has changed stables and will continue her career in Victoria. View the full article

View the full article

View the full article

View the full article

View the full article

I think we are all on the same page in this thread - primarily a passion for an industry that has been so mismanaged that if it wasn't fortunate to have a monopoly (less so now) then it would have died years ago. I agree with both Reefton's and Curious's approaches to funding - each to their own - they are both passionate about their racing clubs and have put hours into them purely because they love the sport. They haven't been paid exorbitant wages for doing so and no doubt have spent some of their own funds to help their clubs be it the cost of a scrubbing brush or a shovel. Reefton does raise a good issue though where in the past there have clearly been funding decisions made for reasons other than good economic sense.

Toowoomba trainer Mark Currie has been disqualified for two years after being found guilty of 16 cha… View the full article

Gary Hennessy reports that all is going to plan in the countdown to Ocean Emperor lining up in Sunda… View the full article

They say a change is as good as a holiday and Jock Austin is hoping that’s the case with his best ho… View the full article

That has been my thoughts for quite some time. A bit like rotational farming - rest and refurbish so many paddocks per year. I believe if we close tracks by agreement or foul means without some planning then we will make the situation worse.

Even if you proportioned the NZRB reserves as per the Racing Act 18 months ago you would have had enough funding to initiate the development of all weather tracks. Unfortunately that money has mostly gone down the stakes gurgler. At the current burn rate there will be nothing left in 18 months. Closing racecourses won't liberate vast amounts of capital. Shifting race dates away from small clubs to bigger clubs doesn't increase the total stake pool nor increase the number of races or meetings so return to the industry doesn't change. Moving race days to already under stress tracks will raise the risk of abandonments. I doubt Te Rapa can cope with much more for example. BTW a stupid decision to shift Ellerslie race days there while the track is being worked on. Another problem is with how the stakes are distributed - the stake structure is too top heavy and generally those big stakes end up in the same big stables. In my opinion flatten the structure, take a bit from the top and increase those at the bottom. It won't reduce the quality of the fields in those big races. In fact it is noticeable that while increasing the stakes at the top end we are seeing quality dropping. Feed the grass roots first.

Gary Hennessy reports that all is going to plan in the countdown to Ocean Emperor lining up in Sunda… View the full article

I don't disagree with your comments but closing down lots of race courses isn't the answer either when our major courses are stuffed.