Chief Stipe

After over 60 years of service to our industry, Ross Coles officially retires as Clerk Of The Course ❤️ Signing out today at Pukekohe Park, Mr Coles alongside his trusty stead Mr Grey lead in their final winner with the support of the Pakuranga Hunt Club 😍 We wish Mr Coles and Mr Grey all the very best in their retirement! 📸 - Race Images NZ

Will the ENTAIN Oz account holders from NZ be notified to transfer their balances?

This is the advice from the BGP: Just an FYI: The Racing Industry Amendment Bill is currently progressing through parliament. At this stage it is very likely to pass either this week or next. When the bill passes It will come into force immediately. What does this mean: The bill will give the TAB a full monopoly of online wagering in New Zealand. The bill is designed to prohibit overseas companies from offering wagering services in NZ. What is relevant to some of us: If you are operating a non-TAB account, that provider will be forced to no longer offer that service. The bill will come into force the day after Royal Assent, meaning it comes into force immediately. In short you wont be able to access overseas online wagering services. What should you do: If you have any funds currently in an overseas account it will be sensible to withdraw these before the bill passes. After the bill becomes law you may inadvertently be locked out from accessing your own account and the funds inside it.

That's racing. Take @billy connolly 's approach invest in gold bullion but then take a small proportion of the profits and buy a share in a horse.

I understand this is your total gold bullion stash.

Seems @JJ Flash , @Transparency and other doomsayers have it wrong...again! ENTAIN share price increases over 22% year to date even in the light of AUSTRAC case. Major investment advisors recommend buy and have upped their previous share price target. Deutsche Bank has upped their already bullish target by another 17%.

Guys do you realise how warped AI is? BTW the unvaccinated haven't all died and have a lower death rate than the vaccinated. Climate change happens all the time and putting carbon in the air doesn't make it worse. Whatever worse is given that Greenland might become green land again ChatGPT only averages opinion and research regardless of its accuracy.

That's the known risk. 2.5% ($25,000) of a $1,000,000 colt yearling could make you a millionaire! So if you spread your risk and choose wisely... To think I was offered a share in one of the best stallions for a few thousand and turned it down. Stands now at over $90,000 a shot!

My apologies however I think you reinforce my point that the evidence is weak to actually create any policy on.

It amuses me these middle aged men some of whom are ex-trainers and jockeys suddenly having this epiphany of enlightenment and a wish to atone for their sins of the past. I call it The Hindsight Hypocrisy Syndrome. They also buy into the "social license" BS construct. Do you realise that the anti-racing mob don't want ANY racing!!!!

Where's the evidence?

What if they are? Isn't that at the trainers discretion? All this anecdotal stuff doesn't amount to anything. Essentially what you are suggesting is that Thoroughbred Racing falls down the same rabbit hole as the Greyhounds.

Give us a break @curious words like: "tend" to have "may" reduce "often"... may be the standard in the social sciences but hardly strong enough evidence to base policy on.

You need @Thomass with his telephoto lenses oncourse.

Right that's great - let's do it like everyone else instead of better. At least you admit the rules are poorly written. BTW in NZ and most jurisidictions Jockey's cop the fine or suspension and don't legally challenge anything. Part of the reason we end up with inconsistency and INCA's. Then promote that rather than what you admit is a poorly written rule which as a consequence is hard to enforce. But much more fun to incite the masses is it not?!

How do the words surrounding the word flank in the rules explain it? That's for those that haven't googled the term noscitur a sociios yet. As for Level C Pony Club - well research the area defined as the "flank" - it varies widely and indeed on at least one photo presented by @Thomass and yourself the whip appears (it isn't clear) to have struck the rib cage which by the standard defintion ISN'T the flank. BTW you shouldn't play in the cess pit too often as it makes you sarcastic. Since you have taken on this crusade and want to "educate" everyone perhaps you could draw a circle on a horse and show the "flank". The reality is you would rather there was a circle around the entire horse.

Great you have something else to whine about.

You assume that "acclimatisimg" makes a difference. There is no definitive evidence to say it does. To quote from the report: Anecdotal data indicates that 2 -3 runs on the synthetic surface are sufficient for the horse to acclimatise (adapt their gait) to the surface. Because horses naturally run faster on the synthetic surface with longer strides (~20cm longer), This statement in the report refers to "anecdotal" information i.e. feedback from trainers presumably. Horses stride longer on a Good 3 track should we demand that they "acclimatise" to those as well? I doubt any decent trainer would race a horse on Synthetic without having galloped them on it in training. Demanding a horse trials on Synthetic BEFORE racing would be overkill and as @curious points out increased costs to owners for arguably no gain. Regardless where are you going to trial when they keep cancelling them?

BTW an amendment to a rule is just a mechanism by which rules are either added or subtracted from a larger set of rules or changed. Still rules and rules that are easily enforced have no ambiguity including clear definitions. Where is the definition of "flank"? Surely it should be a clearly defined part of a horse anatomy. The NZTR rules attached - note including amendments!! RULES OF RACING Gender Revision - 17 June 2025.pdf

The main one that you keep referring to. BTW at least I can still find my arse and elbow.

Notice the definition(s) missing in these rules? AMENDMENTS TO THE WHIP RULES (RULE 638(3)(c)) After very careful consideration, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has decided to make some changes to the Rules regarding the use of the whip. These changes were initiated by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities to try to achieve consistency with the use of the whip by Jockeys over the world. As you will be aware, the use of the whip during a race is seen by many people as cruel and unless we take steps to change that perception we could face increasing opposition. The changes to the Rules are for the welfare of the horse, to demonstrate that we are serious about caring for our horses. The new Rules are intended to make sure that whips are not used in such a way that they cause unnecessary pain during a race. The changes to the Rules will come into effect next Wednesday (12th February). These changes are: The whip must not be used if you are not in contention of running in the first five placings. – The whip should only be used to get the best out of your horse when in contention. It is not a good look for horses out of contention to be getting hit with the whip. The whip must not be used on a horse’s flank. – The horse’s flank is a very sensitive area and getting hit there is painful. This area must be avoided. The whip must not be used forward of the saddle whilst it is held in the forehand position. – A horse’s shoulder, neck and head are also sensitive areas and should not be hit with any force. Tapping the shoulder using the whip in the downward position is ok. The whip must not be used in a manner which causes a welt and or injury. – Whips should be used for encouragement and not to cause injury. Injuries and welts may be seen by spectators or on television and makes racing look bad. In essence, most Jockeys will not have to make any changes to the way they use the whip currently, as it is not common for it to be used in a way which would breach the new Rules. The new Rules are to show that there is no intention to use the whip irresponsibly. The new Rules are not intended to collect more money in fines, the best outcome would be if no jockey was ever found guilty of breaking them. The rule amendments will be published shortly and will be available on the LoveRacing website. These are added to the existing rules, please check the rule book for all whip rules.

I just read another case which was thrown out because the investigators evidence didn't pass judicial evidential thresholds. That would have ended quite a few cases in NZ Racing.

Right you picked it up in real time and then went back and stopped the video at the exact spot you wanted. You've got your platform elsewhere for your Crusade - fill ya boots.

FFS I see someone can see welts on picture taken as a part frame from a TV video. Geez you are really doing well in your Crusade @curious.

FFS stop playing thick @curious (although I'm not sure why you are working with the brains trust on other side). Posting anonymously on ANY form of Social Media is NOT communicating with them DIRECTLY. I see zillions are lining up to support you.