Chief Stipe

You can't exactly say that your opinion is bland, equivocal and neutral.

It would be an idiot trainer if he didn't aim your Preferment colt for the KM 2yr race if it was good enough. Or are you suggesting we will have a KM Stayers Series soon?

So you spend shitloads on owning horses but say you have no control over how that money is spent? I say BS to that.

Don't know where you got that from. I did say I owned a horse that was reasonably successful and went to all her 52 starts.

Who are the auditors? They're negligent.

So that isn't much at all.

Wrong.

I must be alone in thinking that to compete fully in New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing you increasingly HAVE to buy/sell your horse through NZB and pay extra for the privilege. Look what a monopoly did to the NZTAB!

Or wander out of the President's bar on raceday and hand the documents to him in the birdcage?

I don't think you do actually think beyond regurgitating the party marketing line. Perhaps I can't control anything but I sure can express my opinion to those that supposedly do have control. As for my area of understanding you have no idea what my area or level of understanding is yet have the arrogance to assume you do. Reminds me of a few of the "experts" who have the control. Imaginary scenarios? Perhaps in your imaginary world of nirvana. It just shows how out of touch with reality you are. Symptomatic of many that are "in control"! Which breeders elevated the likes of Zed and Per Incanto? I assure you it wasn't the elite with their large herds of blue blood. It was the common everyday small breeder. The breeder who connects better with their local community and racing enthusiasts than any large stud. Perhaps they've never had an ineligible horse good enough to compete. Again you cast the aspersion that I'm bitter. I'm far from it. I just believe that a proliferation of novelty and sweepstake races will ruin racing and eventually the breed. It is clearly evident that they have screwed the pattern and the quality of our racing. I also object to the skewing of the playing field towards an elite group in a sport that should be promoting competition not restricting it. Yes I don't disagree and they have made lots of money from their work. Bolstered of course by enforcing a monopoly and engaging in anti-competitve behaviour. Shouldn't they be more transparent with what THEIR contribution is to the restricted races that they are the headline sponsor of? PS: Did Ellerslie really need a new helicopter pad?

But it doesn't actually address the goal of widening the audience of racing. What it does is serve to perpetuate the public perception that racing is for a select few elite who have lots of discretionary income to splurge on booze, glam and gambling. The very thing we should be trying to change. What's more the industry even reinforces that perception more by promoting a meeting that excludes a large number of horses.

Share price down 47% in 18 months. 78% of shares owned by institutional investors. Those investors are demanding a return and a reduction in debt. Committee formed including major investors to explore the divesting of recently acquired businesses that don't fit with long term strategy or integrate well with core Corporate systems.

As Winston Churchill said - "those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".

I don't understand why they couldn't have roll out this version from the get go. Surely NZ is not the first on the block.

I'll set up a new thread and advertise.

Non-binary. What does that mean? Or does it eliminate 70 genders?

The latest update from ENTAIN solves a lot of problems. I just can't work out why they didn't do it straight away.

Just answer the question. How much is NZB contributing to the restricted races that carry their brand?

Are you inferring I'm biased, bitter and envious? Anyone who has met me recently on course knows that is far from the truth.

When was the last time you were up at 5am and worked a horse?

Since when has it been profitable to limit entry when you have acres of real estate to accommodate everyone and not just the privileged few?

Many didn't know about the problem until the horses cooled down or when they got them home.

Would you like to edit the posts where you said or inferred you did?

Why doesn't TAB Trackside and ENTAIN provide it? They need a data uplink for their broadcasting and terminals. Reserve some bandwidth for punters using the app. Although I sense the new app might be bandwidth hungry.

I'm not sure who the "Tight Five" are that you refer to. What I do know is those that a similar view to mine have a passion for the industry, have worked hands-on very hard in the industry and still do. They don't predict doom and gloom - they are describing what is happening. They point out the issues that they are experiencing now and for the last 25+ years. They see the same mistakes still being made. I'm sure most of them would rather see the novelty stakes distributed down the tree, the top tier reduced 25% so they could race on decent safe and fair tracks with good jockeys with a fair Handicap system. They're not afraid with competing with all comers including the KM raffle ticket owners. Footnote: Arguably in the last 4 years the best 2yr old in NZ hasn't been eligible to race in the Karaka Millions. How does that help NZ racing long term?