Chief Stipe

"both a thing".....? I assume you mean that horses will be paraded through the ring with buyers both present at the sales and online. However there wouldn't be many buyers present due to the 100 person restriction surely?

Uh?

Uh?

If events are restricted to 100 people how could you run it any other way than online?

Obviously not a farmer comment. Ever tried to keep sheep behind fences 100% of the time?

I assume from your comment that "they are making good money" you mean they are making a "good profit"? That isn't the case. They may pull a reasonable salary (not as great as some administrators) but they don't make huge profits. Most of the top players are breaking even at best.

But no one has said it was slippery or that a horse had slipped. The only comment so far is the surface was inconsistent. Lots of inconsistent tracks around Kumara included.

Have either of then ridden at Kumara?

You would only have a trial if you thought there was a problem with the track or are you suggesting that there be an early morning trial every track every raceday?

How would they know there was something wrong with the track? The word I hear was it wasn't a unanimous decision to abandon. Jockey's complained the track was inconsistent but how is that dangerous?

Oh well Te Akau and Opie won the whole card!

I see "knuckled" is a new racing term.

RACE COMMENTS Race 1 MATAMATA FUNCTION CENTRE MAIDEN 1600 ADELABELLE (M McNab) - Slow to begin. Knuckled passing the 700 metres. OH TO BE (A Goindasamy) - Began awkwardly. TOMSK (J Riddell) – Raced three wide without cover throughout. ANITASHOCK (T Thornton) - Knuckled passing the 1100 metres with the rider becoming unbalanced. BUCCHERI (V Colgan) - Knuckled near the 550 metres. Following the running of this race a number of riders expressed concerns regarding the inconsistent nature of the track. An inspection group comprising of Jockeys, Trainers, Club officials and Stewards inspected the track with the decision being made to abandon the meeting.

Or this.... MEETING NEWS Matamata Races Abandoned The races at Matamata have been abandoned after Race 1 due to concerns with the state of the track, and as a consequence the safety of riders. More information to follow.

Must be Queensland speak for something.

If you feel that way - why race them? Why bother even breeding them?

We both know how it works. The Wellington Cup will struggle to hold onto its Grp 3 status.

So you will be happy to see her posted 3 wide the entire trip this week?

Perhaps you need to explain what your idea of "swapping ratings" actually means. The Wellington Cup shouldn't be a $300k race - it would attract the same field with half that. I think there must be some contribution from the WRC because it is above the minimum G3 stake isn't it? Interesting this race is sponsored by the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport. A big investment just down the road from the racecourse. Perhaps like some recent developments in OZ there is an opportunity for some synergy between WRC and the new facility. LOL....apply some science to the track! https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/119126481/30m-sports-science-and-training-facility-for-upper-hutts-nzcis-development

Not surprising considering its previous two Jockeys are suspended!

Aside from the fact that the Wellington Cup is run over 3200m and the Marlborough Cup is 2000m....just a minor point. Isn't it more a reflection on the intelligence of trainers? Wellington Cup 6th to 10th - $4,500. Marlborough Cup (at Riccarton!) $900. To be honest I'm not sure which field is the more pathetic in terms of quality.

The anti-racing groups have all the ammunition they need regardless of what happens to horses that are too slow or are retired. However they are a minority which you will never ever appease. But they are a minority that are having very little impact. Revenues in OZ are going through the roof and that has nothing to do with whip rules or the virtue signalling of testing horses before ONE race. Do you struggle every time you eat a steak or have you gone vegan? Do you say a prayer every time you feed your dog or cat? Going down the path you propose has only one outcome and ironically it will achieve what the anti-racing mob want - the end of racing. Why? It increases costs and creates unmanageable attention and accountability making racing unsustainable. I guess in the twilight of your racing involvement your conscious will be clear when that happens.

Not surprising. Where were they going to keep them? Outer Mongolia?

25 January 2022 TAB New Zealand (TAB NZ) provides the fifth monthly trading update for the 2021/2022 financial year, with the results and highlights for December 2021. The TAB continued to be able to operate successfully through its online and available retail channels through December, as New Zealand adjusted to the red and orange settings of the Covid-19 Protection Framework/Traffic Light System. Solid results on Boxing Day, combined with crowds returning to traditional holiday race meetings, ensured the TAB’s performance through the final days of 2021 was positive, with turnover up on both budget and last year’s turnover. Turnover on Boxing Day, with four strong domestic meetings, went close to the $20 million mark, with $19.4m wagered on the day. About 51,000 unique accounts were active with bets placed on the day, up from 48,000 in 2020. Turnover on the Boxing Day meeting at Ellerslie was $5.8m - materially in line with 2020, and $0.7m above the 2019 turnover. Because of the good performance, and notwithstanding ongoing Covid-19-related challenges since the beginning of the financial year, the TAB NZ Board has been able to make total distributions ahead of budget to the year to date. With New Zealand moving to Red in the Traffic Light System at 11.59pm on Sunday, 23 January, the Board will continue to keep a close watch on potential developments and any flow-on effect to trading conditions and distributions. Wagering Performance Summary In December, the key performance results for TAB continued to trend positively. Turnover of $241.6m was 10.3% ($22.6m) up on Budget and Gross Betting Revenue of $38.1m was 7.7% up on Budget, at a Gross Betting Margin of 15.8% Racing Average NZ thoroughbred starters per race was 11.0, slightly above the Year To Date (YTD) average of 10.5, while the peak turnover for a domestic meeting was $5.68m on 26 December for the Boxing Day Races at Ellerslie. Harness average starters per race was 10.2, matching the YTD average, while the peak meeting turnover of $1.73m was on 29 December for the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club meeting at Motukarara Raceway. For greyhound racing, the average starters per race was 7.6, matching the YTD average, while the peak turnover for a domestic meeting was $476k on 27 December at Manukau. The total margin for all New Zealand racing was 18.6 percent, slightly above the YTD domestic racing margin of 18.3 percent. Overseas racing margin was 18.5 percent, slightly above the YTD average of 18.3 percent. Sport The Ashes led the sporting events in December with the first three Ashes tests turning over a combined $1.69m. The margin on options selected by customers across sports continued to vary with the in-play sports delivering a gross betting margin of 7.3 percent. Basketball dominated in-play performance, accounting for 42 percent of in-play turnover at 7.0 percent margin. The pre-match singles margin was 7.2 percent, driven down by basketball (32 percent of pre-match sports turnover) at a margin of 5.5 percent and cricket (21 percent of pre-match sports turnover) at 6.4 percent. Sports Multi margin was 17.7 percent. December Operational Performance Reported Profit for the month was $16.1m, which was $1.7m above Budget. Operating Expenses were $9.9m for the month, which was $0.2m below Budget. Year To Date (1 Aug 2021 to 31 Dec 2021) Reported Profit was $67.8m, which was in line with Budget and $12.4m below last year. Year To Date (1 Aug 2021 to 31 Dec 2021) Operating Expenses were $47.6m, which was $2.2m below Budget and $1.8m above last year. December Distributions Racing Codes were paid $17.7m in distributions and other payments for December, versus $15.1m budgeted. This consisted of TAB NZ Betting Profit (listed as Fixed Distribution in the table below), Offshore Bookmaker Commission Fees, which are based on actual turnover (termed Betting Information Use Charges (BIUC) in the table below), and Betting Duty/Levy repeal (including a one-off payment relating to the 2020/21 Financial Year for an under-accrual). Top 10 Racing events by turnover Date Venue Race No. Race description Turnover 26-Dec Ellerslie R9 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (G1) $919K 26-Dec Ellerslie R10 Auckland Co-Op Taxis 1400 $804K 26-Dec Ellerslie R7 Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final $745K 11-Dec Te Rapa R10 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (G1) $583K 26-Dec Ellerslie R8 Hallmark Stud Handicap $535K 26-Dec Ellerslie R6 Shaw's Wire Ropes Uncle Remus Stakes $504K 11-Dec Te Rapa R8 Skycity Hamilton Waikato Cup (G3) $503K 23-Dec Matamata R9 Carrfields Livestock Matamata Maiden 2000 $497K 26-Dec Ellerslie R5 Jamieson Park Eight Carat Classic (G2) $488K 26-Dec Ellerslie R4 Dunstan Feeds Stayers Champs Qualifier 2200 $471K Top 10 Sporting events by turnover Date Code Event Turnover 20-Dec Cricket Australia v England (Ashes series 2nd Test) $786K 12-Dec Cricket Australia v England (Ashes series 1st Test) $476K 28-Dec Cricket Australia v England (Ashes series 3rd test) $427K 6-Dec Cricket India v New Zealand $427K 5-Dec Motorsport Bathurst 1000 $313K 22-Dec Basketball Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns $291K 1-Dec Basketball Phoenix Suns v Golden State Warriors $273K 12-Dec MMA Charles Oliveira v Dustin Poirier $253K 26-Dec Basketball Los Angeles Lakers v Brooklyn Nets $247K 15-Dec Basketball Portland Trail Blazers v Phoenix Suns $242K

It's only January, but the race for the most ridiculous statement of 2022 is over Richard Callander writes for Racenet weekly. By Richard Callander 02:58pm • 25 January 2022 0 Comments I'm back in the seat after a brief spell in the paddock and there's plenty to talk about – so here it goes! MOST OUTRAGEOUSLY INCORRECT TWEET WINNER OF THE YEAR ALREADY! If you are starting 2022 with the goal of writing the silliest and most ridiculous tweet of the year, I’m sorry but the race is over. Bloodstock agent Andrew Williams has claimed victory a long way out from the winning post – with over 11 months still to run. Williams claimed Racing NSW and Peter V’landys have shown complete arrogance by not rolling out the red carpet and enticing Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards to train in Australia. You just have to laugh when people get out of their lane. On top of that, the man who has made a lot of his income from decisions made by V’landys and Racing NSW claimed they have been too busy playing mind games with Victoria and missed what could have been “one of their biggest strategic moves”. Excuse me while I laugh a bit more. V’landys has made Sydney the envy of nearly every other racing jurisdiction but Williams isn’t happy. We get to see the best of the Te Akau horses here in Australia that Richards prepares but realistically the majority of them would struggle at the provincials. Where would Mr. Williams like Richards to train in Sydney? Are there vacant stables I’m not aware of? The likes of Waller, Baker and Neasham came to Australia and Richards is welcome to do the same. How do you think the current trainers would cop it if Racing NSW rolled out the red carpet for Richards with stables and a bunch of horses? Mind you that isn’t the role of Racing NSW. The regulators role isn’t to offer a training business and set up to a foreign trainer. Mr. Williams is earning big money buying horses, many of them expensive. Why is bloodstock so expensive? Well, Mr. Williams, it’s because of the work done by Racing NSW and Mr. V’landys who continually add millions of dollars to the prizemoney pool year after year and give your clients the confidence to keep reinvesting. At the recent hugely successful Magic Millions sales, Newgate supremo Henry Field spoke on the topic. “It’s a sign of the strength of the industry. It’s a sign that the broad participation across all levels of the market. It’s just that we are in a golden era,” Field said. “Racing is in a golden era.” If the industry is in such a ‘GOLDEN ERA’ could the ill-informed attack by Williams on Racing NSW and Peter V’landys be because NSW powerbrokers are more focused on continuing its successful approach of building participation, the promotion of the industry, the financial returns to owners and participants and building a healthy bottom line rather than the pattern of black type races? Did I strike a chord? Andrew, again in the words of high profile breeder Henry Field, “Racing is in a golden era”, and to quote the great Jack Nicholson: “I (PVL) have neither the time, nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps, under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide (your income), and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I’d rather you just said ‘thank you’, and went on your way”.