Chief Stipe

Well an inquiry should be undertaken into the INCA investigation. As for the inconsistency in rulings that is a more complex problem partly caused by differences in each codes approach.

And that sums up your motivation. For some reason probably based on a past grievance you want to see Greyhound Racing shut down. You are not interested in providing solutions.

Invariably they make contact to provide the correct information that contradicts your assertions. So you have no interest in seeing the sport continue. But they're not "scoops"! More often than not they are unsubstantiated rumours or a twisted version of the truth. But very rarely if ever with substantial evidence to prove your assertions.

Just did some research. A wipe test, border enforcement officers can detect traces of drugs roughly comparable to a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in an Olympic-size swimming pool with a water volume of 2.5 million litres. So that's 5ml divided by 200,000,000 ml. Or 1ml in 40,000,000ml.

Answered that. Basically environmental contamination has a multitude of sources. Do you expect trainers to swab everyone and every vehicle? The Waretini vehicle returned a positive swab that the detected level was so low that in a court of law the evidence would not be admissible. That's how a higher court than the racing judiciary treats it. Unfortunately we have an ex-cop detective mentality in the RIB who appear to have free rein to do stuff that they wouldn't have done in their past job.

But presumably you have been in both. Haven't you watched the TV programme Border Security? The second question they ask someone whose bag swab returns a positive is - have you been near someone or in a place where drugs have been used or available?

Why should they be ignored?

What's your point? You could swab any bar in NZ and return a positive to any number of drugs.

Team 8.

Geez and they think horse racing is a rort!

But there have been cases where there has been no one identified. For example the Lisa Waretine case both license holders returned negative tests to meth. They were both disqualified. Inconsistency in rulings across the codes. That has been a long time criticism. Not necessarily as some tests take longer to process. Plus there is the risk of false positives. Imagine the furore if a dog was scratched for a false positive.

Trouble with that Yankiwi is you can't ignore the administrator. The reality is you are not interested in practical solutions for industry problems. You have a personal beef with the industry and some individuals. Fair enough - you are allowed to express those vires on BOAY when other forums wouldn't be so lenient. I can say without reservation that your posts have led to industry administrators contacting me more than any other poster. However I've allowed you to continue to express your opinions. My point about these Meth positives is that something constructive needs to be done to solve a problem that could bring the industry to its knees. You haven't offered any solutions other than removing people from the game.

TAB seeks Commerce Commission approval for variation of authorisation with Entain www.rnz.co.nz State-owned betting agency TAB has applied to vary the authorisation of its arrangements with Tabcorp as it is set to come under the control of a British betting giant. The agency is about to come under the operational control of British firm Entain, which operates the well known Ladbrokes chain, for 25 years after a 2018 review recommended the need for a strategic partnership to guarantee the agency's future. The Commerce Commission said under its authorisation, TAB and Tabcorp were able to restrict take-out rates from commingled pools, or betting rules provisions, and the rebates or commissions that TAB and Tabcorp paid high volume customers. That authorisation would expire in August 2025. TAB has now applied to the Commerce Commission to have this authorisation varied to apply to Entain, though TAB was not seeking any other amendments to the authorisation. TAB has submitted that its strategic partnership with Entain is a material change of circumstances that warrants the commission amending the 2016 authorisation. The commission said it was now seeking submissions on the request, with submissions to close on 24 May.

Tell us what should happen. Afterall that's the reason you handed in your license.

The facts don't match that statement.

Bergerson joins Walker in partnership Sam Bergerson will join Mark Walker in partnership next season for Te Akau Racing. Photo: Trish Dunell NZ Racing Desk 16 May 2023 Te Akau Racing has announced that Sam Bergerson will join Mark Walker in a training partnership in New Zealand, commencing August 1. The Matamata-based stable is the dominant force in New Zealand racing at present, with Mark Walker leading the premiership with 180 wins, nearly 100 clear of nearest rival Stephen Marsh (82). “Sam is currently our Assistant Trainer - he's an outstanding individual, from a family with a strong racing history, and he is a fine example of the very best talent in our industry,” Te Akau Principal David Ellis CNZM said. “I’ve always considered Sam a really smart young man with a huge future in racing, and it’s a privilege to be giving him this opportunity to step up to the role of training partner with Mark Walker.” Bergerson brings outstanding credentials to his new role. He graduated with an accounting degree from Massey University, and was also awarded the Sunline Trust International Scholarship - a 30-week working experience at Northern Hemisphere studs: Shadwell Stud (England), Coolmore Stud (Ireland) and Winstar Farm (America). Growing up with horses, he worked weekends and holidays at the family stables, with Bergerson’s father Roydon a Group One winning trainer, while his grandfather Herb was also an accomplished trainer. Bergerson undertook a cadetship with an accounting practice for four years while studying at university. He then had a break to consider his future during a season of playing rugby in Ireland, before working for Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle Stables near Tipperary. “I feel very fortunate to join such a distinguished list of trainers who have worked at Te Akau,” Bergerson said. “The bar has been set high by Te Akau trainers such as Mark Walker, Jamie Richards, Stephen Autridge and Roger James but I am excited for the challenge ahead, and hope I can do my part to add to the Te Akau legacy. "I want to acknowledge the amazing support from Dave, Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) and Mark (Walker) and thank them for the belief they have shown in me by giving me this opportunity. “I am also surrounded by a great team of loyal staff whose support and hard work play such an important role in the success of Te Akau.” Ellis said horses were the cornerstone of the operation, along with quality people, as Te Akau strives to achieve the best results possible for the owners. “It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, success is generally determined by the professionalism and talent of your team,” Ellis said. “Te Akau has a magnificent group of seriously dedicated people, the best in the industry, and our whole team works incredibly well together - reflected with 180 wins to date this season (new national record), 34 Group/Listed wins and a Group One in Australia with Imperatriz. “I got to know Sam, and also our Racing Manager Reece Trumper, really well during New Zealand’s major COVID lockdown in 2020. Due to the restrictions, the stable had to close and all our horses were relocated to Te Akau Stud, and Sam and Reece came to live at the farm to look after the additional horses on the property. “We worked closely together during the lockdown and as we shared a bubble, Karyn and I were able to spend a great deal of time with them in our home. Both are wonderful young men with a deep understanding and passion for horses and our industry. “It’s an exciting time for Te Akau to be welcoming this new training partnership. We have an exceptional team of horses in the stable that are performing at the highest level. “Together with the calibre of our young horses coming through, we can’t wait for the new season when we hope to scale new heights through further Te Akau innovation.”

Then concentrate on the here and now. Otherwise the Greens win. No dog racing. You can sit at home and pat your greyhound pets.

Yep. Certain path to self destruction. I know at least one key administrator that has been trying to get this approach reviewed. There were promises that it would be done however things move glacially between the codes and the RIB.

Do you actually want this to happen? As I've commented many many times before the biggest danger to racing in any code in this country is environmental contamination from prohibited drugs. I can't speculate on this current case but if it is similar to the others then there will be no evidence that meth was deliberately administered to a dog to achieve improved performance. No trainer in their right mind would attempt to do so. Was the level detected high enough to be performance enhancing? That's the question that should be addressed not the zero threshold. The only alternative is to have closed systems for training in all three codes. Like Hong Kong - industry barns and training centres.

What favouritism? Did they serve you an injustice?

Concerns raised over TAB's proposed outsourcing deal Tom Pullar-Strecker05:00, May 14 2023 1 STUFF Entain’s business case for its outsourcing deal with the TAB is understood to be predicated on it growing the amount of gambling taking place in NZ. The Problem Gambling Foundation has written to Minister of Racing Kieran McAnulty to voice concerns over the proposed outsourcing of the TAB’s operations to British gambling giant Entain. Problem Gambling Foundation (PCF) spokesperson Andree Froude said it was worried by what she described as “a raft of regulatory failures” by Entain in recent years, and expected to meet with McAnulty early next month. Froude noted Entain was fined a massive £17 million (NZ$34m) by the UK Gambling Commission last year. Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the UK Gambling Commission, said its investigation of Entain had found “completely unacceptable anti-money laundering and safer-gambling failures” and threatened it with the cancellation of its gambling licence if there were further breaches. Its investigation centred on Entain’s interactions with customers who had staked tens of thousands of pounds, and in some cases hundreds of thousands, with Ladbrokes and Entain’s other betting brands. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff Rhodes said it had been the second time Entain had “fallen foul of rules in place to make gambling safer and crime free”. Froude said she had also raised the matter of an A$78,540 (NZ$83,642) fine that Entain received from the Northern Territory Racing Commission in Australia in February. It found Entain had breached its licence in 2018 by proactively approaching a heavy gambler, Gavin Fineff, and urging him to open an account with its Ladbrokes business, and had then failed to identify his “red flag behaviours”. ADVERTISEInternal Affair Minister Jan Tinetti announces new gambling regulations - but even the industry says they don't go far enough (video first published in November). Fineff, a now-disgraced financial planner, staked A$17.5m through his Ladbrokes account over 21 months, losing A$758,510, before he was caught and jailed for nine years for gambling away more than A$3.3m of his clients’ money through that account and with other betting operators. The Northern Territory Racing Commission said Fineff had been offered significant incentives to open and then continue using the Ladbrokes account, which he was allowed to operate under a pseudonym. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald in 2020 about his gambling addiction, Fineff said incentives he was offered by Ladbrokes were “like a drug dealer handing out free heroin to people”. Australian regulator Austrac separately opened an “enforcement investigation” into Entain in September in regard to compliance with anti-money-laundering laws. The TAB announced in March that it intended to outsource its gambling and broadcasting functions to Entain for 25 years, under a deal that would guarantee its staff jobs for two years and that would see the TAB brand retained. The deal would need to be approved by McAnulty. The TAB said the arrangement would guarantee it $1 billion of income during its first five years, and that Entain would make an “additional and significant upfront payment” if legislation was enacted that prevented rival, unlicensed offshore operators from providing wagering services in New Zealand. The TAB cited Entain’s ability to help it better address problem-gambling as one reason it had selected the company as its preferred partner. It said its decision was based on a wide range of criteria, including “operational expertise, cultural alignment with TAB NZ and the commitment of the partner to uplifting TAB NZ’s harm minimisation and responsible gambling efforts”. ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Racing Minister Kieran McAnulty will have the say on whether the TAB outsourcing deal is approved and said on Monday that he had yet to make that decision. Froude said it was a “difficult question” whether the regulatory beaches by Entain overseas should disqualify it from participating in the New Zealand market, or whether safeguards could be put in place that might allow that. “If there was a really strong, tough raft of enforcement measures and levers to pull then, yes, it could work,” she said. “But when you see what's happened with Entain; its track record and what's gone on with the UK Gambling Commission expressing real concern about their operations, then that makes us nervous.” Froude said she understood that there were concerns about the future viability of the TAB if it didn’t find an overseas partner, but minimising the harm from gambling should be the priority. Entain was a huge organisation with multiple brands, she said. “This is going to expose the New Zealand market to aggressive marketing and advertising, both online and through sponsorship.” DAVID WHITE/STUFF PGF spokesperson Andree Froude said it expected to meet with McAnulty, but not until early next month; there are indications the Government may have made a call by around then. Entain spokesperson Karl deKroo noted the Austrac investigation had not been concluded. He declined fresh comment on the regulatory breaches, but said it stood by previous statements. Those stated it had improved its practices since the events that led to the UK fine, including by deploying “revolutionary artificial intelligence technology” that it said was individually tailored for each customer and designed to detect and respond to problem gambling. Entain said at the time of the Northern Territory Racing Commission’s Fineff ruling that since that event and another investigation by the commission that also led to a fine, it had “invested significantly to strengthen its approach to customer protection”. That other investigation, which was also completed in February, concluded that Entain had breached its licence by opening a betting account for a gambler, which involved setting up a username and password on their behalf, without the gambler’s prior knowledge or consent. The gambler, who was then informed by Entain that the account and “bonus bets” were available, said he went on to lose A$1.5m over a two-year period, and identified as an addict. DeKroo said Entain very much respected groups such as the Problem Gambling Foundation. “As TAB NZ has done, our plan will be to foster a meaningful relationship with them should ministerial approval be forthcoming,” he said in relation to the outsourcing deal. “We are proud of our record and commitment to player protection and safer gambling and that will be a cornerstone of our approach in New Zealand as well.” McAnulty declined an interview but made positive comments about the outsourcing proposal in a statement, saying it proposed a “significant boost for both sports and racing in New Zealand in a financial sense”. His goal in considering the proposal had been to achieve that uplift while minimising the risk of gambling harm, he said. “Entain has committed to investing significantly in uplifting TAB NZ’s harm minimisation efforts. “This is likely to include technology, for example facial recognition tools for TAB NZ venues, and New Zealand specific research. This is additional to the existing contributions TAB NZ make to the problem gambling levy.” But he said that while he had responsibility “at a high level” for considering whether any deal minimised harm, including problem gambling harm, “some matters are for the board of TAB NZ to consider before putting a proposal to me” Those included ensuring that adequate remediation was put in place to address any compliance issues in international jurisdictions, and staffing impacts and obligations, he said. ”TAB NZ’s board has informed me that they have undertaken due diligence on Entain’s international compliance record and is satisfied that Entain are addressing the issues raised,” he said. McAnulty indicated Entain’s two-year job guarantee and its commitment to keep the TAB brand had addressed his concerns about job losses and the “retention of a uniquely New Zealand brand”. “With about 460 staff members around New Zealand, it was crucial to me that we do not lose staff with engrained knowledge of the New Zealand racing industry,” he said. TAB and Entain declined to confirm that the two-year job guarantee applied to the TAB’s executive leadership team, after an industry source advised that it did not. That source forecast the TAB’s Petone headquarters would be “gone in 30 months”, leaving a small number of staff and its broadcast operations in Auckland, if the outsourcing deal was approved. “Two-year staff protection, five years and $1b, but we all know what will happen at those deadlines. “Gambling owners won’t want to burn cash where they don't need to; charity is not their go. There will be large scale rationalisation and funding minimisation. “Racing times will be moved to fit in with Australia and funding will decrease; it is the only way Ladbrokes will see it as viable,” he said.

Technically correct but still not abandoned but I'm just being pedantic. The track must dry quickly to be ready for Sunday. However the meeting wasn't postponed because it was dangerous but because it was too heavy. Since when has that been a reason?

Size is miles ahead of all of them.

Was that an easier or harder option than Metro Oz?

TAB still taking bets on Matamata. Obviously no one at work until 9am. Good opportunity to risk free launder some cash. You know the odds get on.