Chief Stipe

It's still a Pre-season game against Thames Valley for the Ranfurly Shield. Their first NPC game for 2025 is not until 2 August. Last year for the NPC they averaged 4,000 a game. I doubt it will make much difference to the numbers going to the races.

Uh?! 11 horses and all with form. A very very even field. Good luck finding the winner!

A very interesting case this one. A number of parallels to issues in NZ.

You can still bet on those options however you are now constrained to one operator. Unfortunately for better or worse NZ is still highly regulated in some industry's. Gambling and Wagering being just one of them. Personally I think ENTAIN's taking over of the insolvent NZTAB has been a big plus. The online access has improved immeasurably with both the website and the app. Even the new betting pods at outlets are a huge step up from the old ones. ENTAIN will have the knife out on costs and may even use the NZ market as test bed for new innovation. I only see positives. Yes I would like to see more competition but there is enough of that for the discretionary gambling dollar as it is with Casinos, Pokies and Lotto. I doubt the plethora of online bookie options in Australia will last forever and there will be a shakeout eventually. TABCORP have been lucky to avoid where TABNZ was heading - insolvency. The latest year being the first since splitting off the Lottery business that it has achieved a result aligned to its budget. Even then over the last three years it has lost $1 billion in writeoffs and bottom line losses. Hundreds of jobs have been cut. ENTAIN (Ladbrokes) have hammered them in the OZ market. TABCORP shares 66 cents - ENTAIN $12.64. Yes the landscape has changed due to regulation which has taken away your options BUT I don't see anyone offering ways of protecting the NZ revenue for use by NZ stakeholders be it Racing or Sports organisations. Perhaps we may see another entrant in the market once ENTAIN have finished rescuing the NZTAB!!!!

Just because you are not getting your freebies?

Do they really compete though? The only example I've seen online of so called competition is where someone compared a betting exchange with TABNZ. Hardly a true comparison. As I've said before the only difference I see is in opening markets for a short period (not all agencies provide them at the same time), differences in promotions (free bets) and individual bet variations that may only last for very short periods of time. With the latter unless you are doing that programmatically then I can't see the value of sitting there waiting for a momentary positive difference in odds. Let alone managing a dozen betting accounts. Although I guess you bet mainly on Sports. At the end of the day, putting to one side the sporadic free bet offers, isn't it the market that decides the price? I guess you wouldn't be happy reverting back to the Tote only option for race bets?

I doubt you've ever had a horse running around for shyte stakes. You are moaning now about your lack of choice but offer no alternatives for how NZ Racing can get fair value for the product it sells.

Https://bitofayarn.com New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has confirmed that two key Spring Group 1 races will be transferred from RACE Awapuni. No images? Click here NZTR Confirms Relocation of Two Group 1 Races this Spring New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed that two key Spring Group 1 races will be transferred from RACE Awapuni, as the track continues through its Return to Racing protocols. The decision reflects a commitment to delivering early certainty for Trainers and Owners preparing campaigns for Group 1 runners. NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty said the move gives participants the clarity they need at a critical planning stage. “This hasn’t been an easy decision, nor does it reflect the significant effort that has gone into preparing the Awapuni track by the Club's leadership and their wider team,” he said. “It simply comes down to timing, and this call has been made to give Trainers and Owners confidence as they plan their Group 1 Spring campaigns. “This is not a reflection of any safety concerns, but a proactive step to provide certainty while the track completes the necessary Return to Racing testing. It’s the right decision for the industry at this time, and we remain fully committed to supporting Awapuni’s return as a key metropolitan venue,” Ballesty said. RACE Inc. Chairman Richard Simpson says the Club remains committed to the long-term success of RACE Awapuni. “While we are naturally disappointed with the decision, our focus remains firmly on the return to racing on the course proper at Awapuni. We are confident that the extensive maintenance carried out since April has been successful, supported by the data from the going stick, which is an important track assessment tool moving forward," Simpson said. “Although it’s unfortunate that Central Districts participants will miss out on premier stakes early in the Spring, we are grateful to NZTR for maintaining those stakes at the October 11 meeting. "We will continue to work closely with NZTR and the external experts involved to ensure we deliver the best possible racing surface when Awapuni returns to action,” he said. The $400,000 Group 1 WFA 1600m (previously the Arrowfield Stud Plate), initially set for RACE Awapuni, will now headline a newly created Group 1 raceday at Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s Te Rapa Racecourse on Saturday 27 September. The revamped programme will also feature the $175,000 Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and a strong undercard of open and rating-band races. The $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) will be pushed back one week and relocated to Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 18 October, where it will feature on Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s existing feature raceday. The programme will also include the $175,000 Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). The remainder of the original $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m support card, including the $120,000 Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m), will remain at RACE Awapuni on Saturday 11 October, subject to the necessary Return to Racing protocols being met. All races on this RACE Awapuni card will be maintained at a minimum stake of $65,000. NZTR Chief Operating Officer Darin Balcombe said the decision was made with the long-term success of the RACE Awapuni track in mind, while also ensuring industry confidence heading towards headline Spring racing events. “This decision follows weather-related delays in the turf’s recovery after decompaction work carried out in response to the abandoned Awapuni meeting on 25 April,” Balcombe said. “The surface has shown encouraging signs, but remains untested, with horses only due to return to work on it in the coming weeks. “We are continuing to implement a staged return-to-racing plan for Awapuni, with track performance having been closely monitored throughout July,” Balcombe added. Horses are scheduled to begin working on the RACE Awapuni surface from Monday 21 July, followed by restricted trials on Tuesday 29 July as part of NZTR’s standard Return to Racing protocols. RACE Awapuni’s return raceday is currently scheduled for Saturday 23 August and remains the intended resumption date, subject to a successful final track assessment. The decision is supported by track advisor Liam O’Keeffe, who acknowledged the positive progress at RACE Awapuni but noted that several key steps still need to be completed before the track can be cleared for a full return to racing. As part of the programme changes, the $100,000 Group 3 Merial Metric Mile (1600m), originally scheduled for Whanganui Racecourse on Saturday 20 September, will now be run at a new meeting at RACE Awapuni on the same date. The Wanganui Jockey Club meeting will now be deleted, with a new meeting added at Ōtaki-Māori Racecourse on Friday 26 September, taking the date vacated by Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s meeting at Te Rapa Racecourse. Key Programme Adjustments (may still be subject to change): Saturday 23 August | RACE Awapuni: Planned return raceday as scheduled Saturday 6 September | RACE Awapuni: Planned raceday as scheduled Saturday 20 September | RACE Awapuni: $100,000 Group 3 Merial Metric Mile (1600m) raceday with a supporting card Friday 26 September | Ōtaki-Māori Racecourse: Programme to be advised Saturday 27 September | Te Rapa Racecourse (New Group 1 Day): $400,000 Group 1 WFA 1600m (previous Arrowfield Stud Plate) $175,000 Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) Supporting races including Open 1200m, R75, R65 and MAAT across key distances Saturday 11 October | RACE Awapuni: Meeting retained as scheduled, minus the $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) $120,000 Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m), with the undercard to be maintained at $65,000 minimums Saturday 18 October | Ellerslie Racecourse: $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) added to the existing Ellerslie raceday A full list of Spring racing calendar programme changes is available to view on the LOVERACING.NZ website here. Corporate Communications New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing 18 Dick Street, Cambridge 3434 Email: office@nztr.co.nz Tel: 0800 946 637 NZTR.CO.NZ Unsubscribe

SA racing's economic impact www.racing.com Https://bitofayarn.com Thoroughbred racing in South Australia contributed more than $500 million to the state's economy, an independent expert report has revealed. Using data from 2024, the report found that racing's impact had grown by 14.2 per cent from the previous year, with the industry sustaining nearly 3500 full-time jobs and more than 163,000 people attending a race meeting in SA. Off the track, Racing SA's flood drought packages helped more than 500 horses, while 1161 care packages were distributed to ex-racehorses by Racing SA's Thorough Care program. "Thoroughbred racing in South Australia is going from strength to strength, not just in terms of its economic growth but also in its unique ability to bring communities together through a shared passion and purpose," said Racing SA chair Rob Rorrison. "This report demonstrates thoroughbred racing's strong economic trajectory, even without including the significant achievements of the past 18 months, including Racing SA and the SAJC's (South Australian Jockey Club) landmark sponsorship agreement with Sportsbet and multimillion-dollar prizemoney investment. "We are determined to continue to grow our industry for the benefit of our participants and the hundreds of thousands of South Australians who rely on and love racing."

The way I see it the only reason some punters want multiple agency options is so they can shop around for the best free lunch. You cant sell butter as a loss leader forever unless they are gouging you somewhere else.

Do you think adding to it acheives anything? Why reduce your own credibility in their eyes?

The only thing historical is that the programming has never aligned to horse numbers and trainer requirements. The South Island programming committee has been dysfunctional for decades.

Fair enough.

All of it. Why give free bread to those that can afford it.

Friends of mine have been getting them still. Not sure why you need frequent "buy a loaf of bread and get one free" offers to bet.

I have no idea what consumes your day and energies. I can only form an opinion from what you post and in that regard I was primarily commenting on how you conflated the Open Letter issue with an article on Sam Wynn's injuries.

But why diminish her by conflating a different issue into your response? For that matter why diminish Head Office by using Sam? Isn't it that type of sniping the industry doesn't need? For better or worse all stakeholders are in this together. By pulling down the tall poppies doesn't elevate anyone out of the mud.

Wynne recovering after serious track incident www.racingnews.co.nz Https://bitofayarn.com Southern horsewoman Samantha Wynne is recuperating in Christchurch Hospital after sustaining serious head injuries in a horse-related incident on Saturday morning. Wynne, who relocated to New Zealand from her native Ireland over a decade ago, has made Canterbury home, where she has been both a successful jockey and more recently a trainer. She had enjoyed a memorable season, highlighted by three stakes victories with Pivotal Ten, who she rode in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie in March. As she does on a regular basis, the 36-year-old had taken a team of horses into the track on Saturday but can’t recall anything further after she was kicked in the head and taken to hospital where she underwent surgery for a fractured skull and badly damaged ear. Her family, friends and colleagues were relieved to hear from Wynne on Monday after a couple of days resting in hospital. “I’ve been in hospital for the last couple of days and I’m feeling a little bit better this morning,” she said. “I can’t really remember what happened but the girls filled me in. One of the two-year-old fillies wouldn’t walk into the tie-ups and she ran backwards and kicked me in the head. It pretty much took my ear off and I’ve got a fractured skull. “I was knocked out for about five or six minutes and apparently when the ambulance came I was fighting them because I didn’t want to go to the hospital. Once they got me in, they gave me some good painkillers and I went into surgery that night. “I got my ear sewed back on, they removed fragments out of the fractures and pulled a bone out of my head. They had to make sure I had no brain injuries, and I’m very lucky that I don’t think I have. There is just a lot of swelling, but hopefully that will go down and the fracture will heal. “My partner has spoken to a lot of people and I’ve responded to a couple. I’ve been able to use my phone a little bit more today after being a bit too dizzy over the last couple of days.” While hoping to be discharged on Monday, Wynne said it is more likely that she’ll be heading home on Tuesday and is grateful to have the support of her staff. “I was hoping to go home today, but the doctors think it’ll be tomorrow,” she said. “I have to go for a hearing test later on and a couple of other tests as well. “I just feel upset and frustrated because I don’t know what happened, but I’m grateful for the support I’ve had. “I’d be lost without the girls, I’m so grateful for them. They’re just the best team that you could have. We’re doing okay.” The news comes during an extremely tough period for the racing community, with the tragic passing of apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey last Wednesday, and fellow rider Triston Moodley also recovering from a kick to the head at the Waipa trials last Tuesday.

Trainer Brian ‘BJ' Smith retires after legendary career www.racenet.com.au Https://bitofayarn.com Charismatic trainer Brian ‘BJ' Smith has been all over the world but he still reckons Brisbane's stables are the best. The Brisbane racing community will farewell Smith when he officially retires at the end of this month, just a few days shy of his 84th birthday. He will still take care of two or three horses for his wife Emma but when his trainer's licence expires on July 31, you'll more than likely find Smith swinging a club at Nudgee golf course in Brisbane's northern suburbs rather than working at the stables. "I'm nearly 84 and I've been everywhere around the world a couple of times but I just don't want to do it anymore," Smith told Racenet at a Brisbane Racing Club luncheon held in his honour at Doomben on Saturday. "I want to enjoy a bit of life where I don't have to wake up and worry about what work I need to do." The BRC function also paid tribute to Jim Roberts, a Brisbane track manager who will soon retire after 38 years of service. Top trainers such as Kelly Schweida, Chris and Corey Munce, Barry Lockwood and Tony Gollan all took time out from their busy Saturday schedule to drop in at the lunch for Smith, a quick-witted character who started his training career in his native New Zealand more than 50 years ago before eventually moving to the Sunshine State. He has been all over the globe but still rates Brisbane's stables as being like a five-star hotel for horses, with Sydney co-trainers Richard and Will Freedman trusting Smith to look after their prized gallopers during countless Queensland winter carnivals. "I haven't seen better," Smith said about Brisbane's equine facilities. "I've stabled a lot of horses for the Freedmans over the years and they all come up and win. "They just settle in overnight, they think it's a farmyard." Champion New Zealand racehorse Balmerino, ridden by Graeme Boyd on the beach at Coffs Harbour in 1977 as he was being prepared for an overseas campaign. Picture: Supplied Smith had some classy gallopers at the peak of his powers, including Balmerino, Circles Of Gold and Bikkie Tin Blues. Balmerino came to Australia in 1976 as New Zealand's champion three-year-old and the following year he ran second to Alleged in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris. "It wasn't a fair dinkum race, my horse should've won," Smith said about Balmerino, who competed in New Zealand, Australia, England, the US, France and Italy. "He won 12 months of the year, nowadays trainers set their horses for a race. "But he won every month of the calendar year as a three-year-old in New Zealand, Sydney and up here (in Brisbane). Fourteen wins in 12 months In total, Balmerino delivered 22 victories and 13 placings from 47 starts before he had a successful breeding career in New Zealand. The champion galloper died in 1996. "I was lucky enough to get his son Kessem," Smith said. "He didn't get his chance to show how good he was because he got hit in the eye by a plate after he won the Hong Kong Cup (in 1990)." Smith, who once had an audience with the Pope at the Vatican in the early 1960s, vividly remembers visiting the famous Champs-Elysees in Paris with a mate years before he became a trainer. "It felt like I got a bolt of lightning down my spine, I couldn't move," he recalled. "I said to my mate ‘I must have had a vision, I must be coming back to win that race' (the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe). "That was in my head when I got Balmerino to the race as a trainer years later. I'm not religious but I believe in fate."

Entain Australia boss Andrew Vouris: Win, ‘but not at all costs' www.racenet.com.au Newly-appointed Entain Australia boss Andrew Vouris is waiting for no one in his plans to make his mark on the Australasian arm of the global betting behemoth. Vouris – who succeeds Dean Shannon at the helm of wagering brands Ladbrokes and Neds after the highly respected executive stepped down recently declaring "the time right for change" – assumes the top job with a wealth of wagering experience behind him. Renowned for his no-nonsense approach and a love for innovation which has earned him the respect of racing's most senior figures, Vouris' 17-year wagering tenure has been as diverse as it has been rewarding. And it's that firm grasp of a complex and always evolving wagering ecosystem that pinpointed Vouris as the man to lead the organisation into a new frontier, having undergone a total management overhaul in the past year. "I've been really forthright in my communication to the team – I want us to win, yes, but not at all costs," Vouris said. "We've got a hardworking and passionate workforce both here in Australia and New Zealand but there's always room for improvement and we're steadfast in our commitment to do that. "With challenges comes opportunity." The pointed comments in part speak to Entain Australia's ongoing Federal Court battle with AUSTRAC over historic allegations of noncompliance with anti-money laundering laws. In 2017, when working for Tabcorp, Vouris had responsibilities in helping navigate that company's own AUSTRAC proceedings, before coming out the other side. Vouris acknowledged that the matter continued to place a heavy burden on the organisation but he was now very much in the mindset of looking forward rather than back. "I obviously can't speak on the matter specifically other than to say as an organisation we have changed significantly and continue to do so," Vouris said. "My prime focus is putting all our energy into connecting with our customers and stakeholders as best we can. "At the core, punters want great products and competitive prices and that's our focus. Ladbrokes continues to invest heavily in greyhound racing sponsorship across the country "Our integration of the New Zealand TAB in the past year or two has absorbed a lot of our resources but with that now complete, we can get back to innovation and growth which is a passion of mine." The seismic change hasn't just been confined to a management revamp, with Entain Australia undergoing something of a realignment across other facets of the business. That included the cessation of a number of initiatives including the winding up of Ladbrokes Racing Club in Australia. "At the end of the day we are a bookmaker – that's our business, bookmaking," Vouris said. "When you over-complicate things and overextend yourself you can lose your way." With a successful background in start-ups (Unikrn and Luxbet) and a decade at Tabcorp, Vouris is as qualified as anyone to speak to the exponential threat facing racing. "The tax regime is a huge concern for the long-term sustainability of racing – that's been well documented," Vouris said. But Vouris said the challenges did not end there. "Offshore and emerging cryptocurrency casino operators are a major threat too," he said. "They are growing at exponential rates, and the foreign licensing isn't returning anything on the domestic front. "Some of the financial projections of what's being spent in these offshore casino markets is frightening and should be alarming to Australian racing. "Action really needs to come now." Among Ladbrokes' vast portfolio of major sponsorships is the Cox Plate. Quizzed on whether these challenges could ultimately impair Entain Australia's ability to remain aggressive in the racing sponsorship space, Vouris refused to rule it out. "While others have been retreating in his space we've tried to remain as aggressive as possible," he said. In recent months, rumours have intensified about the prospect of major corporate bookmakers like Ladbrokes and Sportsbet playing a role in bringing a national tote to life. It's been mooted that Tabcorp's hopes of merging the three tote pools includes plans for middle and best tote money from the top corporates also being channelled into the pool in a bid to generate even higher liquidity. But Vouris isn't sold. "Show me a punter that would rather take a national tote price against the best price of the current three totes," he said. "I'm not convinced a national tote will be the huge win for racing it's being sold as. "I think there's a lot that hasn't been considered on that front."

Well you just stick to Sports betting.

Nope. What's the takeout on Pokies? If 42% has to be returned to the community from pokies - what happens to the other 58%?

The fact you have been on about it is probably why AI picked it up.

Looking forward to the details of this plan. Free Pony Club membership @Huey ?

asked AI to do it for them. It took 2.3 secs. NZTR Industry Sustainability Plan (2025–2030) Vision: To ensure the long-term sustainability of New Zealand’s thoroughbred racing industry through ethical, environmental, and economically responsible practices — delivering value to horses, people, communities, and the country. Strategic Objectives Domain Objective Equine Welfare Ensure the health, safety, dignity, and lifecycle support of all racehorses Environmental Reduce environmental impact of training, racing, and breeding Economic Resilience Build financial sustainability and efficiency in club and industry operations Social License Maintain community trust, public support, and workforce wellbeing 1. Equine Welfare and Lifecycle Responsibility Goals: Promote best-practice care, injury prevention, and post-racing outcomes. Monitor and report horse health and traceability. Enhance NZTR’s licensing, auditing, and aftercare programs. Key Actions: Mandate the 5 Domains of Animal Welfare across all clubs and trainers. Expand the TiES series and fund second-career transition grants. Establish a National Thoroughbred Aftercare Fund (industry and levy supported). Complete roll-out of regional equine crematoriums (North & South Island). Launch a national racehorse tracking and data reporting system (via microchips). 2. Environmental Sustainability and Climate Readiness Goals: Reduce carbon and waste footprints of racecourses and training centres. Adapt facilities to climate risk (e.g., heat stress, storm resilience). Promote sustainable land and water practices on stud and training farms. Key Actions: Require all race clubs to complete a Toitū or equivalent baseline audit by 2026. Fund a “Green Track Upgrade Programme”: LED lighting, water recycling, solar. Publish NZTR’s Carbon and Waste Report (annually from 2026). Encourage eco-certification of transporters, stables, and feed suppliers. Partner with Mana Whenua to align land and water practices with Te Ao Māori values. 3. Economic Sustainability and Industry Modernisation Goals: Deliver consistent income and prize money to retain trainers and owners. Improve cost-efficiency across race clubs and operations. Leverage Entain–TAB partnership and digital innovation to grow wagering. Key Actions: Move to a two-tier race meeting system (Premier and Standard) with flat stakes. Complete a full venue utilisation and ROI audit across all clubs by 2026. Incentivise club mergers or collaborations based on financial and social returns. Deliver track infrastructure master plan with HRNZ (Project Stamina). Develop a national “Sustainability Innovation Fund” for club-led pilots (solar, composting, etc.) 4. Social License, Workforce & Community Impact Goals: Foster respect, safety, and diversity within the racing workforce. Communicate industry value to the public and racing communities. Build trust through transparency and ethical leadership. Key Actions: Introduce minimum employment and safety standards across training stables. Launch industry mental health and wellbeing support fund (riders, staff, owners). Partner with schools, iwi, and rural community orgs to promote racing pathways. Run annual “Thoroughbred Week” in major cities (parades, open stables, TiES shows). Publish public-facing reports on welfare, injuries, and aftercare outcomes. Implementation & Monitoring Action Frequency Responsible Party Annual Sustainability Report Yearly (starting 2026) NZTR + external auditor Progress Review Bi-annually NZTR Board + Welfare/Infra Committees Stakeholder Engagement Forum Annually Clubs, trainers, HRNZ, mana whenua Club Certification Tracker Live dashboard NZTR Industry Sustainability Unit