Chief Stipe

Perhaps but does anyone know if this is a new role for GRNZ like it is for NZTR? If it is what is the job description? What will Liz do that hasn't been done before?

Perhaps. But what I predicted is happening with the shifting of certain functions off the TAB ledger to the codes we are ending up with increased costs overall.

Is the COO position just filled by Liz Whelan a new role?

Is Chief Operating Officer a new role?

So what are you actually asserting?

I've heard 3 horses a week are being injured. Will be hard to corroborate that but I suspect there are track grooming issues. Early rumours were you didn't have to dig far to find the asphalt road.

As if Racing Administration wasn't already dystopian let one operate under a Government that is creating one.

GRNZ welcomes Liz Whelan as Chief Operating Officer The team at Greyhound Racing New Zealand are very pleased to announce that Liz Whelan will be joining us as Chief Operating Officer on 10 January 2022. Liz will join our leadership team and will be working closely with Mark, Michael, Sue and Candice Liz, who has BA/LLB Hons and an in-depth knowledge of racing both in New Zealand and Australia is a media and communications specialist, with strong experience in television, print and radio. She comes to the table with a very broad experience of Greyhound Racing and will be able to add value to the entire team.

To: All staff Date: 24 November 2021 Subject: Consultation on proposed vaccination requirements Good afternoon everyone,As you will be aware the TAB, like many New Zealand employers, has been working through how we might best protect our people from the risk of Covid-19. Introducing a vaccine requirement is one such option we have been considering. The assessment process we have undertakenThe TAB completed four Health and Safety Risk Assessments earlier this month, one for each TAB workplace type (studio, track, office and retail). These Risk Assessments followed the guidelines published by WorkSafe NZ and gauged whether each TAB workplace type had an inherent low, medium or high risk of Covid-19 transmission. We then looked at all the mitigations/controls that could be put in place in order to reduce those risk levels. These include: wearing of masks, physical distancing, additional cleaning protocols, sneeze screens, testing and the like. Even with these mitigations in place, all TAB workplace types were assessed as still having a high risk of Covid-19 transmission.The TAB NZ Board considered these Risk Assessments in line with our obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015. It was the Board’s decision in principle (and noting that any final decision is subject first to employee consultation), that mandatory vaccinations would be an appropriate mitigation to put in place at all TAB workplaces.What we are proposingFor the reasons above we are proposing that all TAB employees (including casuals) and contractors working at TAB sites and workplaces (including retail branches, on-track, offices and in studios) must have had their first vaccination by 3 December 2021 and their second vaccination by 17 January 2022. This timeline aligns with the ‘My Vaccine Pass’ mandate under the Government’s Covid-19 Protection Framework/ Traffic Light System).If you have any feedback about this proposal which you would like us to consider, please email it to covid@tab.co.nz by 5pm this Sunday, 28 November. Once all feedback has been reviewed, we will be in a position to advise a final decision on Tuesday, 30 November. What this might mean for you will depend on your vaccination status If you are already fully vaccinated you will need to provide a copy of your Vaccine Pass via email to covid@tab.co.nz. This can be downloaded from mycovidrecord.health.nz. You can send through your Vaccine Pass at any time from today, but we may formally request that you provide it by 6pm, Thursday 2 December. If you are already partially vaccinated (i.e. have had one vaccination) you will need to provide evidence of this via email to covid@tab.co.nz. This can be a photo of your vaccine card or screenshot from your My Covid Record. You can send through your evidence at any time from today, but we may formally request that you provide it by 6pm, Thursday 2 December. If you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons and have an exemption from the Ministry of Health, we will work with you directly as to how we best support you. If you are not partially or fully vaccinated by the assigned deadlines of 3 December 2021 and 17 January 2022 (or fail to provide suitable evidence of partial or full vaccination by the assigned deadlines) then we will meet with you one-on-one to discuss any alternative options (including redeployment options, if any are available). Your vaccination information will be treated in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020, with a copy of any evidence you provide saved securely on your personnel file. Support availableI appreciate this may be an unsettling time and you are welcome to seek independent advice or talk with your friends or whanau about this. If you have any questions, please review the attached FAQs, talk with your manager, the People Team or send questions through to covid@tab.co.nz. Remember, the TAB also makes confidential, free counselling available through Benestar. TAB employees can contact Benestar directly at any time on 0800 360 364.Regards,Dean

Then your powers of recall are deteriorating.

I disagree. If those at the coalface spent their time hammering the administrators then perhaps the freefall will cease. Ironically the state of our "premier" tracks is appalling from an animal welfare perspective. I also hear that the attrition rate on the Cambridge AWT is a comparative quantum above any other track in thw country. What is the point of them? Every week we see announcements from Australia of investments in new tracks, track renovations and increased training facilities. All alongside substantial increases in Stakes. Even Queensland is doing it.

Did she have her name written on her rump? No wonder the industry in NZ is in free fall. Not only do most of you bag those succeeding now but you are bagging those from the past. Hell it wasn't too long ago on BOAY that many of the same posters were bagging Te Akau for the amount of money they spend on customised feed, medication and vets!!!

HarnessNSW Butt snaps up Kiwi star for Inter Dominion Majestic Man is the early favourite for the Inter Dominion trotting final. Picture: Getty Images By Adam Hamilton 06:16pm • 23 November 2021 A “gift” from New Zealand has given champion driver Anthony Butt a chance to add to his already stunning Inter Dominion record. Kiwi trainer Phil Williamson, essentially stranded in New Zealand by travel restrictions, has entrusted Butt with his stable star for the biggest assignment of his career – an Inter Dominion on foreign territory. It’s a wise move given both Butt’s stunning association with so many champion trotters like Lyell Creek and Take A Moment, along with the fact he is the equal fourth-most successful driver in Inter Dominion history. Butt has won Inter Dominion grand finals on Lyell Creek (2000), Take A Moment (2001 and 2003) and Mr Feelgood (2009). Victory with Majestic Man, who is favourite to win the December 11 final, would take Butt to rarefied air with the Inter Dominion “King” Brian Hancock and “Queen” Natalie Rasmussen on five wins and equal second on the all-time list. Hancock has been long retired, while Rasmussen and partner Mark Purdon, who holds the record with seven grand final wins, are not competing in this series. Butt is confident going into the series, which starts with 2400m heats at Menangle on Saturday night, despite Majestic Man being on a eight-race losing streak. “The reality is, the Kiwi trotters are an incredible bunch, much better than ours, and none of their other big guns have come across for this series,” Butt said. “So, it’s a big drop in class for him, he loves the Aussie style of racing and his form when he was here last time was fantastic.” Majestic Man winning the Group 1 V L Dullard Trotters Cup at Melton earlier this year. Picture: Stuart McCormick Majestic Man starred during a six-race Aussie raid earlier this year where he won three times (all at Group 1 level), ran second, a third and a fourth. “If he goes as well as he did here last campaign, he’s the horse to beat,” Butt said. “And, although he hasn’t been winning at home, his runs two and four starts back in top company were terrific. Certainly good enough to be winning lots of races over here. “He only arrived here a week or so back, but he seems well.” The pacing series looks set to be a romp for the powerhouse Team McCarthy stable, led by dual Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing and Chariots Of Fire champion Expensive Ego. Belinda and Luke McCarthy also have strong support players in emerging former Kiwi pacer Spirit Of St Louis and evergreen veteran Alta Orlando. “I’d lean to King Of Swing as our best hope, but only because he’s a lot more seasoned and experienced than Expensive Ego,” Luke McCarthy said. “Expensive Ego is right back to his very best form, will love the four runs in a fortnight and there’s not much at all between he and ‘King’ right now.” The Inter Dominion moves from Menangle on Saturday night to Bathurst for 1730m sprint heats on Wednesday night. Then it’s 2030m qualifiers at Newcastle on Sunday week before both Grand Finals over 3009m back at Menangle on December 11.

R J "Bob" Skelton said Show Gate was a "machine" and would have competed with Sunline.

It was a comparison of "treatments". Isn't it just a difference in perception what is good versus bad?

Your view is? Given the absence of any detail on the level of Bute detected, its accidental administration and assuming the levels detected were negligible then based on the rules I would say it was fair, reasonable and appropriate. Did it affect the horses performance? Most likely not as one .use assume the detected levels were very low. However is it equitable compared to what penalties other similar cases have been dealt? In my opinion no. For example the Te Akau feed contamination where negligible levels of morphine was detected resulted in a $6k fine and the horse being disqualified. In my opinion that penalty wasn't fair, reasonable or appropriate. Especially when considering in that case the administration involved no direct accidental administration by the trainer and it was at a level that had zero performance enhancing or therapeutic effect. In these cases the RIB should publish the detected levels of the prohibited drug.

Perhaps her durability and toughness was a product of how she was trained. Some would argue that the Gai Waterhouse or Murray Baker "work em as hard as you can" was cruel. Gordon Thomson must have done something right given Show Gates race record. Could she have done better if trained differently? We'll never know.

But Joe your stories are largely anecdotal and apocryphal. In my opinion only one thing is certain in this industry in NZ and that is that anyone who is successful will be the source of "stories". The way some are putting the boot into Show Gates trainer you could be excused for thinking the horse didn't need a trainer. As for the food bin - how do you know how much Show Gate was being fed? Why she was fed what she was fed? Or for that matter what worked for her and which may not have worked for other horses?

Given how circumstances played out was into the straight the only thing different she could have done differently was pull-out at some stage on the bend. Mot has one of the longest grass home straights in the country. I dare say if she had moved early and failed she would have got stick for that as well.

Race 5 DAKINS PACE Show Video WAVETHEBILL - broke at the start. GET OUTTA TOWN - broke at the start. IT'S A SHAWTHING - broke at the start. RUBY'S A DELIGHT - broke at the start. Held up early stages of the run home. CHARLIE'S ACE - had difficulty obtaining clear racing room in the run home. MARK DUNNETT - broke briefly at the start. ART COLLECTOR - lay out in the run home. KENNEDY - held up early stages of the run home. Stewards lodged a protest against 2nd placing being awarded to the gelding alleging the horse gained an advantage by improving its position in the passing lane in the early stages. After viewing the replays and hearing evidence from Stewards, Mr DeFilippi and co-owner P Cook, the Adjudicative Committee upheld the Protest and disqualified KENNEDY from 2nd placing. Driver C DeFilippi defended an associated charge alleging he had driven improperly in the early stages by improving his position in the passing lane. After viewing the replays and hearing the evidence from Stewards and Mr DeFilippi, the Adjudicative Committee upheld the charge and suspended Mr DeFilippi's drivers licence from the conclusion of racing today up to and including 8th December 2021 (6 days). EL SIRRAR - hampered shortly after the start. Held up early stages of the run home. OMAR SHARIF - broke at the start. Hung inwards near the 1600 metres dislodging a track marker. KOWHAI SHADOW - broke at the start losing considerable ground. ESSENCE OF EASTON - driver J Murdoch was issued a $100 minor infringement notice for failing to activate the removable deafeners on the gelding.

It appears that the penalty was limited to the horse being disqualified.

Non Raceday Request for a Ruling – Decision dated 11 November 2021 – Mark John Smolenski ID: RIB5589 Respondent(s): Mark John Smolenski - Trainer Applicant: Simon Irving, Investigator for Racing Integrity Board Adjudicators: Russell McKenzie Information Number: A15809 Decision Type: Request for Ruling Rule(s): 1004E - Disqualification From Race Request for Ruling: Disqualification of Sophia Bromac Stewards Report Results Animal Name: Sophia Bromac Code: Harness Race Date: 10/10/2021 Race Club: Methven Trotting Club Race Location: Orari Raecourse - Orari Station Road, Orari, 7992 Race Number: R7 Hearing Date: 11/11/2021 Hearing Location: On the papers Outcome: Determination Penalty: Sophia Bromac disqualified SUMMARY OF FACTS: The following is the agreed Summary of Facts: The Respondent, Mark John Smolenski, is a Licensed Public Trainer under the Rules of New Zealand Harness Racing. He is 62 years old and has been a Harness Trainer and Driver since 1984. SOPHIA BROMAC is a 3-y-o filly (He’s Watching – Life of Luxury) trained and owned by Mr Smolenski. The horse was correctly entered for and presented to race at the Methven TC meeting at Orari Racecourse on 10 October 2021. SOPHIA BROMAC was driven by John Dunn and won Race 7, Methven Panel & Paint Mobile Pace, earning a stake of $5,500. SOPHIA BROMAC was post-race swabbed (#132901) in the presence of Mr Smolenski who does not contest the swabbing process. On 26 October, the New Zealand Racing Laboratory Service issued a Certificate of Analysis reporting Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone was detected in the sample. The control sample was clear. Phenylbutazone, commonly known as “Bute”, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to treat short term pain and fever in horses. Oxyphenbutazone is a metabolite of Phenylbutazone. “Bute” can be prescribed in powder form, paste and is also injectable. It is listed in the NZEVA Veterinarian’s guide as having a “detection time” of five days and a “possible withholding time” of seven-plus days. Mr Smolenski was interviewed at his property in Weedons on 27 October. He stated that he had been mixing sachets of “Bute” powder to a yearling’s feed post-gelding and, with his paddock rotation, it was possible that SOPHIA BROMAC had the opportunity to eat some of the gelding’s leftover feed. Mr Smolenski has consented to SOPHIA BROMAC being disqualified pursuant to Rule 1004E. REQUEST FOR RULING: Information No. A15809 has been filed by Mr Simon Irving, Investigator for the Racing Integrity Board, seeking a ruling that SOPHIA BROMAC be disqualified from the the race by this Committee. With the consent of the parties, the Information was heard “on the papers” pursuant to clause 21 of Fifth Schedule, Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Adjudicative Committee and Appeals Tribunal. THE RULE: Rule 1004E provides: (1) Any horse taken to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race which is found to have administered to it or ingested by it a prohibited substance or an out of competition prohibited substance must be disqualified from that race. (2) The mandatory disqualification under sub-rule (1) applies regardless of the circumstances in which the substance came to be present in or on the horse. REASONS FOR DECISION: The Committee is satisfied, firstly, that the Respondent has been advised of the analysis which indicates that a prohibited substance may have been administered to, or ingested by, the horse and, secondly, that the Respondent has not requested that the reserve sample be analysed at an approved laboratory. The Committee, being satisfied as to those matters, is required to disqualify SOPHIA BROMAC pursuant to Rule 1004E (3). CONCLUSIONS: The Committee rules that SOPHIA BROMAC is disqualified from Race 7, Methven Panel & Paint Mobile Pace, at the meeting of Methven Trotting Club at Orari on 10 October 2021. Such disqualification is to take effect from the date of this decision pursuant to Rule 1004E (6) & (7). Consequent upon the disqualification, the amended placings for the race are: 1st 2 Sporty Celine 2nd 10 Arden’s Sweetheart 3rd 7 Senorita Margarita 4th 1 Four Starzzz Shiraz It is ordered that stakes for the race are to be paid in accordance with that amended result. Decision Date: 11/11/2021 Publish Date: 12/11/2021

Of course "a lot use it"!! It is the most commonly used anti-inflammatory therapeutic drug used in the treatment of pain relief in horses. However there is a withholding period and can't be present on raceday.

The horse wasn't going good enough and she pulled out at the first opportunity on straightening. She might have pulled out perhaps on the turn but Mot is a very long straight and you would expect to get a chance.