Chief Stipe

I'm not knocking the jumpers at all. But as a punting proposition they are not as attractive to the punter as flat races. Subsequently less revenue.

Actually thinking about it this weekend is going to be a big loss day for the NZ TAB and NZ Racing. Are all these jump races and maidens going to attract big betting pools? 5 jumps and at Awapuni today including TWO maiden hurdles. 4 at Te Aroha tomorrow including TWO maiden hurdles!

Don't go there nomates. The Chief Stipe is a proud West Coaster and an honorary Cantabrian. 😉

It would appear to be an additional race as the other is a $22,500 + Pearl Bonus race. However that isn't the point. If the betting revenue is such that it can support a $22,500 R65 why can't it support a second one? Secondly there is NO difference in average ratings between the Awapuni and Matamata races. Yet one races for more than twice the amount. It makes a mockery of the rating system AND the stakes allocation.

Good post Freda. Can anyone explain to me why the R65 Benchmark race at Matamata today is worth $22,500 yet the same conditions race at Awapuni is $10,000? Incidentally the race at Awapuni has a similar average rating of entrants. Are the horses better in Matamata even though they have the same ratings?

What about the possibility that HRNZ are covering their arses? That is they know their employment processes concerning Holden were crap and open to scrutiny so they then put in this new process. Will the end result be Holden keeps the job in the new year? Who would apply anyway when you see how the Board operates?

But she was tough. She backed up after running second to Good Lord's 1977 Cup and won over 2400m breaking then NZ record for the distance on 3 legs! This was AFTER breaking a sesamoid bone at age 5 and not racing for two years!

Add to that the Gambling Commission's decision on Wilsons Bar and TAB which would have resulted in a loss of stake money - would it not? DecisionGC1120.pdf

Where did you find last season's funding figure? I can't find it on the HRNZ and RITA gives us diddly squat under the new regime. The #41 .....

41 hours a week? I'm not sure what the 41 refers to. But having worked in a harness stable - 5am starts in -7 degree frosts - and doing the final feed at 5pm I know that 41 hours a week is on the light side for any dedicated harness trainer. Being a stable outside of the main centres the local race meetings were always looked forward to. We'd put the young horses and those early in training out for a few days to accommodate a few trainers from down South. Great friends, great times and in my opinion the heart of harness racing. LOL the RIU would have loved to have heard our smoko conversations with the visiting crew!! No skulduggery or illegal activity just realistic assessments of the upcoming races. Who had a chance who didn't. Oh boy do I miss those days.

I'm willing to work 6 days a week as long as it is in my employment agreement that my attendance one day a week at a harness race meeting is considered a work day. There you go I would triple output instantly.

I agree. It is the same tiered stakes bullshit that the Thoroughbreds have been operating under.

Rule Number(s): 870(3) and the Breaking Horses RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 7 an information instigating a protest was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mr P Williams, against ANDOVERLOV (B Butt), placed 3rd by the Judge, on the grounds that it “galloped in excess of 150 metres over the early stages”. Rule 870(3) provides: that any horse which breaks ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869 (3) (b)Following the running of Race 2 Stewards charged Mr May (MRS WASHINGTON) with a breach of careless driving (r869 (3) (b)) in that he caused interference to LE POLE DANCER with 1200 metres to run. Mr May admitted the charge and appeared at the hearing. Mr Ydgren, with the use of the video replays, pointed ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

I think what you are asserting is WAY off the mark. If you look at Lisa's record it would be one of the cleanest in New Zealand gallops. I'll think you will find that a combination of events which Lisa has had very little control over have conspired to affect her current strike rate. Covid-19 must have had a huge impact. Her normal number of starts is over 500 a year but for last year it was down to 380. In saying that her stable has never had a high strike rate and around 12 and last year it was at 18. So in my opinion statistically her stable is running just a little below par but has been severely affected by the Covid-19 outage.

Rule Number(s): 642(1)Following Race 6 (FOREST360 1650 Maiden) a protest was lodged pursuant to Rule 642(1) by Mr Rauhihi alleging that horse number 3 or its rider placed 1st by the Judge interfered with the chances of horse number 6 placed 2nd by the Judge. The information alleged interference in the home straight. Judge's ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(3)(b)Following the running of Race 2 (Join the Breeders Mobile Pace 2200m) Information A11106 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged by the Informant that Mr Whittaker drove carelessly near the 600m by shifting ground outwards contacting SIPOWICZ (J Abernethy) with Mr Whittaker becoming momentarily ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 5, David Emerson Accountant & Business Consultant Handicap, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr J P Oatham, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr A Balloo, alleging that Mr Balloo as the rider of PRODUCER in the race, “struck his mount excessively prior ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Good luck with that idea. Many of us have been promoting revenue to clubs be correlated to their performance as well as aligning race stakes closer to what they generate in revenue. But......deaf ears!

Can be none other than small clubs subsidising the higher cost corporate style clubs.

Thanks Dougie - I multied your selections!

They don't need to grow much more in OZ - Loving Gaby, Prague and Farnan! https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/242861/phoenix-thoroughbreds-banned-from-racing-in-france Anyhoo - if they get banned there will be some good horses up for grabs at possibly a discount. The only worry in that regard would be if assets were seized and that stalled these horses racing. However with Farnan there are other owners such as Aquis and Kia Ora.

I thought the apprentice rode the horse very well. Couldn't have really done much about where the horse settled. I've seen so many jockey's both apprentices and senior ones become intent of either pulling the head off the horse to go back and get closer to the rail or kick it up to try and find a possie forward. Very rarely does either strategy work. Best to let the horse get into a rhythm and relax which the young fella did very well. Pressed the go forward button at exactly the right time. I was impressed with his effort and the horse's. Sits low on the horse too which I like.

Rule Number(s): 330(3)(c)Information No. A12925 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged that Mr Bosson failed to make the weight for Race 1 (BABY SHARK), Race 2 (MARKUS AURELIUS), Race 3 (LETHAL), Race 6 (KHAFEEF), Race 8 (SUPER SID). Mr Bosson said that he understood the Rule and acknowledged that he admitted ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article