Chief Stipe

The NZ TAB form has Karman Line racing twice on a Heavy track and winning once. It has never raced on a Heavy track. The TAB form doesn't include track upgrades for one thing. Karmin Line finished 4th on a S7 at Pukekohe in March. The meeting started as a Heavy 8 but was upgraded after Race 1.

Big variation between the shute and the straight. Good to see the green grass ALL over and no drone shot!

Meeting News Rotorua Track – Saturday Update A further inspection of the Rotorua track early Saturday morning has shown it fit for racing. Heavy rain eased around 9pm Friday and despite being a Heavy10 the track is good order for racing after not being used on raceday for over four months.

Well for a start Cloudflare has nothing to do with BOAY. The other channel is using Cloudflare as is the TAB. What's the privacy report for the TAB website? I gave up on Apple 20 years ago.

I don't know where you are getting that information from because it is inaccurate.

Nothing to do with the ads more related to your own activity.

Nothing to do with the site. As you said YOU emptied it. Why?

No the other side says it cost $6k a year to run their site.

At least I don't moan about how much it costs me to keep BOAY going. I could run 5 sites for $6k.

I get adverts for horse bit snaffle bit jewellery.

Racing's biggest names respond to plans for a global jockey circuit to be brought to life www.racenet.com.au Legendary trainer Chris Waller says a new franchise-based global jockey circuit would be "like Formula 1 racing coming to town" and influential racing boss Peter V'landys insists it is a giant step towards better promoting racing's greatest athletes. Racing powerbrokers have reacted to the worldwide jockey racing league with excitement and the Melbourne Racing Club is one of the potential host venues "definitely keen to be involved." Racenet on Monday broke exclusive news of how 12 of the best jockeys in the world – including huge names like James McDonald, Zac Purton, Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori – had been signed up for a new franchise-based global circuit. Heath Pope - Last 28 Days • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Racing NSW supremo Peter V'landys feels the new league has huge potential. V'landys says racing has missed a trick by not promoting its jockeys better. "Our jockeys pound to pound are possibly the greatest athletes in sport," V'landys told Racenet. "We have never promoted them to the level of other sports and that is a mistake that needs to be rectified. "This initiative is a giant step in correcting this and will provide the justified profile in the community to our unique personalities." READ: Ben Dorries' opinion: Racing needs to embrace new ideas, not oppose them Peter V'landys says racing has never promoted its athletes to the level that other sports have. Picture: Richard Dobson. Founders John Ferguson and Lachlan Fitt believe the funky new competition could bring a fresh audience to the sport. It has been pitched to racing clubs across Australia and there is a view it could appeal to existing and new audiences, if executed well. Waller is a fan. "It's a great concept and, if marketed well, could generate serious interest in horse racing and returns on wagering and participation would benefit greatly. It would be like Formula 1 racing coming to town," Waller said. "Working with some of these big-name jockeys over the years has been a real privilege. "It's shown me first-hand just how talented they are and why they're the best. "This series would be a fantastic way to showcase Australian racing to new audiences, and it would inspire young riders and kids with big dreams to see these stars live in our own backyard. "Owners and trainers would jump at the chance to be involved — it has the potential to be the next big thing in racing if done right." READ: “The ultimate challenge”: James McDonald can't wait for test against elite of the elite Chris Waller has lauded the new jockey series as a "great concept". Picture: Getty Images. Forward-thinking MRC boss John Kanga told Racenet: "The Melbourne Racing Club is a progressive and innovative club, committed to ensuring racing remains a pre-eminent sport not only in Victoria, but globally. "We are definitely keen to be involved and support ideas that elevate the profile of our sport. "Any contribution we can make, we'll genuinely consider. "Naturally, this would need to align with the framework of Racing Victoria and have the backing of industry participants, but we welcome further dialogue and the opportunity to help shape racing's future on the world stage." MRC chairman John Kanga says his club is "definitely keen to be involved" in the new racing league. Picture: Jason Edwards. Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison could see the potential of the series, as long as it didn't compromise the racing pattern. "It's an innovative idea that could appeal to both existing and new audiences if well executed, but it will be fundamental to ensure that it is complementary to our existing major events as well as the pattern of feature races in Australia," Morrison said. "We understand that the organisers are focused on that, rather than being disrupters. "It's an interesting concept that we're keeping an eye on and are certainly keen to learn more about as it continues to take shape. At a high level, its ambition is to promote and grow the profile of the sport and of our participants, which is something we're all striving to do." Racing Victoria CEO Aaron Morrison says the jockeys' league is an "innovative idea that could appeal to both existing and new audiences if well executed." Picture: Racing Photos. As the concept grows legs and bidding for host events starts, Perth Racing has expressed a keen interest. "The concept is something that really captured attention when presented to Perth Racing and Racing WA – as similar ventures have been mooted in the past, but none has ever secured full buy in of the jockeys, who are absolutely the key to making this work," Perth Racing CEO James Oldring said. "The appeal of seeing the very best jockeys in the world compete against each other has been proven by concepts such as Ascot's Shergar Cup and HKJC's International Jockeys' Championship – and it's a sensational list of riders compiled as founding team principals. "We are in no doubt as to how competitive it will be to secure one of these events, but it's absolutely something we'd be keen to explore further."

Yes the number one objective for all Clubs should be to provide a safe track and safe stabling for horses.

100th National Yearling Sale to Debut New Format | New Zealand Bloodstock www.nzb.co.nz Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th anniversary of the National Yearling Sales in New Zealand, a significant milestone to celebrate. In an exciting move, NZB is pleased to announce a fitting new sales format, ensuring that the quality of the 100th National Yearling Sales catalogue is in line with the momentous occasion. Book 1 will be conducted across two full days, composed of approximately 580 horses. Book 2 will immediately follow with a further 290 yearlings the following day. While a third session will also be re-introduced with up to 200 yearlings catalogued to sell on the Thursday. To be known as the Karaka Summer Sale, the day prior will be utilised as an inspection day. “Our goal is to assemble the very best lineup of yearlings, validating our annual yearling harvest as the flag bearing sale for New Zealand breeders with the cream of the crop on offer,” commented NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook. “While the condensed Book 1 and Book 2 will be full days of selling, the format will be highly advantageous from an international buyer’s perspective. They want to be away from home for as little time as possible during what is an extremely busy sales calendar. “The introduction of the third session is to ensure we have a complete offering for both vendors and buyers, boosted by some attractive sales terms and a $200,000 Karaka Millions bonus.” “The 100 year anniversary is truly an exciting occasion. We are thrilled to be celebrating such a milestone on behalf of the wider industry, and are looking forward to producing one of the best catalogues seen in New Zealand.” Entries for the National Yearling Sales Series open in June, while details for the National Online Yearling Sale are in discussions with timing of that session to be confirmed shortly. For more information about Karaka 2026, call Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz. KARAKA 2026 SALE SCHEDULE BOOK 1: Lots 1 – 580 Day One: Sunday 25 January Day Two: Monday 26 January BOOK 2: Lots 581 – 871 Tuesday 27 January KARAKA SUMMER SALE: Lots 878 – 1000+ Thursday 29 January

EXCLUSIVE: World's best jockeys to compete in global racing series www.racenet.com.au A star-studded bloc of the world's top jockeys including James McDonald have banded together to form a Grand Prix style franchise-based global circuit which could revolutionise horse racing. The group of 12 jockeys are headlined by McDonald, Zac Purton, Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and Japanese riding freak Yutaka Take who commands rock star status in his homeland. The other jockeys locked away for the ambitious world series racing revolution are US superstar Irad Ortiz Jr as well as huge names Joao Moreira, William Buick, Christophe Lemaire, Mickael Barzalona, Flavien Prat and Vincent Ho. Dozens of high-ranking world racing officials and race clubs around the globe have been secretly briefed on the concept which is set to see the world's superstar jockeys coming to a racetrack near you in 2026. JAMES MCDONALD: "Why this will be the ultimate challenge for jockeys" James McDonald says he cannot wait to test himself against the world's best in an innovative new global jockey franchise series. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images News Corp can reveal it is proposed the global circuit will have a prize pool of $US15m in the first year with up to $US5m to go to the winning jockey who comes out on top in a point scoring system. The 12 foundation jockeys will have equity in the business as they operate their own franchises as team principals and can attract lucrative sponsorships. The series is founded by Godolphin kingpin Sheikh Mohammed's respected former right-hand man John Ferguson, who once purchased horses for the likes of Kerry Packer and Lloyd Williams, and ex-Australian wagering identity Lachlan Fitt. The duo stress they are not a rebel organisation and do not want to be disruptive or race in competition against the world's major racing carnivals. READ: Revealed: $800m Warwick Farm racecourse revamp Instead, they are focusing on dovetailing off existing racing carnivals, making the superstar jockeys the heroes of the sport and engaging new fans in a similar way to cricket's Twenty20 revolution or the Drive To Survive phenomenon in motor racing. It is proposed a series of races will take place at various venues around the world where the elite jockey group will ride horses of a similar standard, potentially horses just below Stakes grade level. Influential racing figure John Ferguson is a key player in bringing the bold concept to life It is the jockeys rather than the horses who will be the stars of the show. "Racing has struggled to attract younger audiences and lacks a globally co-ordinated platform to engage fans," Ferguson told News Corp. "While other sports have successfully built global icons, horse racing has been left behind and for too long has ignored the human element when showcasing our sport. "Now is the time to highlight racing's global icons, the jockeys, and show the world what incredible athletes they are. "Through this league, we will put those icons in the spotlight, attracting new fans while offering exclusive, behind-the-scenes content to deepen engagement with the millions and millions of existing racing enthusiasts." McDonald is the only Australian jockey initially involved and there are no female jockeys, but the founders insist: "As we establish and then grow the league, we look forward to having the best female jockeys in the world being involved." READ: Godolphin win the 151st Kentucky Derby It is understood up to six events are planned to be staged in 2026 and the time around Melbourne or Sydney's autumn carnival – or potentially in January after the glitzy Gold Coast Magic Millions – could be the sweet spot for an event in Australia. There would also be host cities in the US, parts of the Middle East, Asia and the United Kingdom. Champion Hong Kong based hoop Zac Purton will contest the lucrative series Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images It is unlikely the events would be raced in the traditional Saturday timeslots, but would be scheduled to complement the existing racing pattern and be a bonanza for wagering turnover. Race clubs and racing authorities who have been briefed have signed nondisclosure agreements, but it is believed the project has generally been received with optimism. The founders have been tight-lipped about the financial backers of the project but say there is a commercial model which involves hosting rights, sponsorship and other revenue sources including potential government or tourism industry support. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Fitt, who was a senior Australian executive at gambling giant Entain before resigning earlier this year, said the new league was intended to change the face of racing by driving a human connection with the jockey superstars. Jockeys would not just simply fly in and fly out, but would be focused on attracting new fans to the sport wherever they rode in the series. "We firmly believe the concept we have developed with our foundation jockeys can be one of a number of things that will revolutionise global horse racing in the coming years," Fitt said. Global superstar Frankie Dettori has signed on to be a part of the groundbreaking series Picture: Glyn KIRK / AFP "By creating an international franchise-based league, delivering high stakes competition featuring the world's best jockeys, we are seeking to replicate the success other sports have had in growing their global fan footprint. "Through our initial conversations with potential host venues and commercial partners, we have been overwhelmed by the interest shown in the concept and we look forward to evaluating the options as we finalise plans for the initial launch events through 2026."

Yes but even then Foxton would need rejuvenation otherwise you end up depleting what makes it a good track. @curious mentioned the fact that putting more sand on the track was anathema instead they focussed on putting organic matter back on it. Foxton may actually be doing all it can at the moment in terms of offering trials and jumpouts. Adding racing to the surface with the extra horse and machine traffic might tip it over unless the maintenance is upped to another level. Every race takes something out of the track - you have to put something back or you get into the deficit that Hastings, Ellerslie, Te Rapa, Awapuni, Riccarton and Trentham have found themselves in. Instead of this throwing sand at the track I would have dug up the soil (which they have done anyway) and rejuvenated it so it was an ideal growing medium for turf e.g. like the natural sandy loam or silt loams with a good structure both organic and inorganic.

Well try mowing the lawn in all weathers and watch what happens to the soil underneath. Never irrigate it and watch the broadleaf weeds increase in number and watch the rain when it does come not disperse evenly. Don't bother oversowing with new grass seed every 4 or 5 years just leave the existing grasses to grow old. Never put anything back in to the soil other than nitrogen fertiliser maybe once every two years. Oh and don't bother to clean out the drains. Most of our tracks are built on clay loam type soils which are prone to mechanical breakdown of the soil structure over time which is sped up by the loss of organic material in the soil. The soil then starts to compact and its ability to drain gets worse. The clay becomes gluggy like plasticine when wet and dries hard like concrete when the sun shines. Riccarton, Hastings and Awapuni becoming classic cases. Ellerslie and Te Rapa had reached that stage before sand slitting but that is only effective for a short while. Trentham is another. A track like Foxton is a Sandy Loam - i.e. a mix of sand and silt with originally a reasonable level of organic matter. That offers good drainage but also an ability to retain moisture at a higher level than pure sand so reducing the need for irrigation. The new Ellerslie is the extreme example of great drainage but very low water rentention and as there is no organic material poor nutrient availability hence the need to continually irrigate and fertilise i.e. a type of hydroponic system. 80-85% of the irrigation or rain on the track drains right through it within a short number of hours. They now compensate by mechanically breaking the sand compaction to allow a safe track.

That's why what have are unreliable. We can't look after or fund most of the ones we have.

LOL Only one of you had a hatchet.

I remembe asking Hayden Tinsley to rank the best and the worst tracks in the CD - he surprised me when he said Hawera the best and New Plymouth the worst. Hawera have recently invested in a new irrigation system. The soil is loamy with a high organic content.

Irrigation has never been the issue. Unfortunately it has to be used more often now to ameliorate underlying issues.

How many racecourses do you want to race a few hundred horses?

By the late 80's it was stuffed. SFA was done to maintain it. The grass sward was aged, the soil was compacted and its structure was gone. As the 2000's progressed the turf system started to collapse completely hence the emergence of all the issues. It was never rested and never adequately rejuvenated. Old school pasture farmers.

If you look at videos and pictures of the 1976 Awapuni Gold Cup you can see that the track already had issues. Note only 5 starters.

So Freeman and Bennet were managing the maintenance of the Awapuni track and ensuring there was adequate funding for it?

But on what basis did he make that statement? The majority of horses are trained at Cambridge and Matamata. Hardly Auckland.