Chief Stipe

The issue I have is not with the races but the industry subsidising the stakes. Why should they when they are restricted to those who purchase yearlings at NZB's sales AND pay up the entry fee on purchase i.e. a sweepstake race. Why can't NZB, the breeders and the purchasers fund it themselves? What do the breeders actually put back into the industry from their sales earnings? Meanwhile the rest of us still keep the industry going by maintaining the revenue gathering races that fund the largesse of a few. Including it seems yourself. They even want these races to be Group races when in my opinion because of their restrictions they shouldn't even be Listed races.

Actually what is annoying about Cambridge's AWT is that they could have funded it themselves WITHOUT any Government assistance.

I wonder if they paid for their hotel quarantine? Not exactly related but there are lots of inequities around Covid. A friend of mine has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and has deteriorated quite quickly. His daughter, a New Zealander, who lives in the UK has come back to see him for a few weeks as the prognosis is not very good. She has to get a Covid-19 test before being allowed back into the UK. As there are no longer any community testing facilities available in this region she has to go to a lab and pay $250 for one.

https://www.racenews.bitofayarn.com/nztr-regional-roadshow/

Rule Number(s): 869(2)-Whip Regulation (b)Following the running of Race 7, the Trackside Dining At Addington Mobile Pace, an Information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N Ydgren against Licensed Junior Horseman, Mr K Newman, alleging a breach of Rule 869(2) in that he used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) of ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870 (5) (Instigating a Protest)Following the running of Race 2, the Hydroflow Trot, an information instigating a protest was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N Ydgren, against CODY BANNER, driven by Mr R Close, placed 4th by the Judge, in that CODY BANNER broke in the final stages and was lapped on by 5th placed ZSAHARA as the ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 6 (Foster 2100) Information No. A13379 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged that Mr Montes de Oca used his whip excessively prior to the 100m. Mr Richards on behalf of the Respondent said that the Rule was understood and confirmed that the breach was admitted. ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(4)&(6)(b)&(c)Following the running of Race 5, Allied Security (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr P Williams, against Licensed Junior Driver, Miss K K Tomlinson, alleging that Miss Tomlinson, as the driver of SWEET LORESS in the race, “prior to the 1000 metres she shifted ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) & Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running Race 1, Fahey Fence Hire Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr P Williams, against Licensed Open Driver, Mr R D Close, alleging that Mr Close, as the driver of FAST ACE in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than is permitted inside the final 400 ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Yes and the rest if the country subsidises the sales piss up.

Each to their own but if what you say is true then it is a sad indictment on the state of New Zealand racing. Note it doesn't pay its way from a punting revenue perspective.

No question about that. But the question is should the rest of the industry subsidise the two sweepstake races?

I don't believe the Karaka Millions is a folly. However the breeding industry through the sales/nomination fees should pay for it. Not the rest of the industry.

And some.

That doesn't mean funding from NZTR I hope!

Fatherhood changes most of us. Tim has always been a good sportsman. I know his father is a proud grandfather!

Question for Curious - have you requested under OIA the AWT proposal from RITA (or whoever did it) to the PGF? I suspect it is flawed. I've seen a couple for other industry's (one in particular) and they are just bullshit. For example how in the hell is a Business and Innovation Park going to be a success in Kaikohe? It will be run by Far North Holdings and an Iwi Trust. Come in JJ Flash - guess who is on the board of RITA and Far North Holdings..... Bill Birnie!

The whole "race meetings lost" justification was bullshit from the beginning.

That's my opinion as well. It doesn't display any vision at all. Riccarton would be better moved somewhere else and rebuilt from scratch. You wouldn't need great ground either. Flat and good draining and bring the soil in or build a Strahayr.

1 hour 47 min ago Vinay Ranchhod/RNZ Minister of Racing Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones. How a Christchurch city race track bagged Provincial Growth Fund money Guyon Espiner of RNZ The Provincial Growth Fund is bankrolling a horse-racing track in the middle of Christchurch to the tune of $10.5 million, despite officials saying the project doesn't meet the fund's criteria. Racing Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters announced in May that the all-weather track in Riccarton would be funded, along with another track in Manawatu's Awapuni. The Provincial Growth Fund is bankrolling a horse-racing track in Christchurch to the tune of $10.5 million despite officials saying the project is ineligible because it is in a city not a province. Documents obtained by RNZ show the Provincial Development Unit (PDU), which administers the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), opposed paying for the synthetic tracks, saying the fund was for projects in the regions, not urban centres. "The proposed Riccarton Park synthetic racing track is located in Christchurch City, which is ineligible for PGF funding," officials wrote. They also questioned whether the tracks would provide the other benefits required by the fund's criteria. SUPPLIED/RNZ Documents obtained by RNZ show the Provincial Development Unit was opposed to paying for the synthetic tracks. The PDU "assessed that the project did not meet the PGF's criteria" and it was "unclear as to the extent the proposal would increase productivity", despite likely benefits of job retention and security for industry workers. The PDU said the racecourses would each likely create 30 construction jobs, although it was "unknown" whether permanent jobs would be created. There is already a racing track in Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city, as well as one in Awapuni, though neither can be used in wet weather. In a checklist to assess whether the tracks would benefit the community, the PDU said consultation had been largely confined to the racing industry. "There is no evidence provided that indicates public consultation has occurred on the proposal or with regional economic development governance groups." SUPPLIED/RNZ Documents obtained by RNZ. Despite the concerns, the minister in charge of the PGF, NZ First's Shane Jones, and Labour Ministers Phil Twyford, Grant Robertson and David Parker, approved the funding. National's economic development spokesman, Michael Woodhouse, said serious questions must be asked about why a wet-weather track was being funded when Covid-19 was creating more pressing priorities. He believed the decision looked "ropey" and ministers had used a "side door" to get it through the PGF. "There really needs to be a lot more rigour about the analysis of the quality of this investment," he said. "I think serious questions need to be asked about how this got through." Woodhouse said GP practices were denied an extra $22m in government funding during the pandemic, yet a similar amount was spent on two race tracks. "I think that speaks to skewed priorities." Documents obtained by RNZ reveal that as far back as 2018 the Provincial Development Unit had said the all-weather race tracks did not meet PGF criteria and had rejected a bid made for funding by the New Zealand Racing Board. A briefing paper from 24 April 2020 shows Racing Minister Winston Peters then asked the Department of Internal Affairs to prepare a $20m bid for race tracks in Awapuni and Riccarton. But the department appeared cool on Peters' request, saying: "This type of construction project is unlikely to be a priority project" in the next year, partly because of constraints in the building sector. Internal Affairs said it was "unlikely construction of an all weather track will be a priority in the immediate future" and recommended it was put on hold until the following year's Budget. But ministers then got the race tracks funded using a section of the PGF fund called "Manifesto Commitments to the Regions", reserved for coalition agreement projects. The Provincial Development Unit had advised that if the tracks were paid for from this fund, "there will be a corresponding decrease in the funding available for the PGF's response to Covid-19". When Peters announced the tracks were being funded, he said they were part of a Covid-19 rescue package for the racing industry. Earlier this month, in a report on the PGF, Auditor General John Ryan criticised the Manifesto Commitments to the Regions Fund, saying more transparency and "better visibility" was needed. He said seven projects worth $45m had been bankrolled by the Manifesto fund and it was unclear why. Auditor General John Ryan says "better visibility" is needed. "It was difficult to find evidence of how projects had fully met the normal criteria for the fund," he said. "Given the different way these projects were considered, the manifesto commitments to the regions were in effect operating as a fund within a fund." The racing industry has been a key financial supporter of New Zealand First, donating tens of thousands of dollars between 2017 and 2019 to an entity that bankrolled the party, the New Zealand First Foundation. The names of the donors were not publicly disclosed – as their donations fell just below the $15,000.01 disclosure level – until earlier this year, when RNZ named them after obtaining New Zealand First Foundation records. While announcing the $72.5m rescue package for the industry in May, Peters said racing contributed $1.6 billion to the economy annually and provided 15,000 full-time jobs. Shane Jones refused to be interviewed by RNZ but in a statement he said the need for all-weather tracks was highlighted in an independent review of the racing industry. "Around 40 race meetings per annum are postponed due to weather so all-weather tracks improve the financial viability of the industry as well as address animal welfare issues." Riccarton Park racing club CEO Tim Mills welcomed the new track. He said while the track was in Christchurch, he believed it was appropriate it was funded by the PGF as the benefits spread to the provinces. "Whilst the actual competition might take place on a given track, the economic benefits are that the stud farms are in the provinces, many of the trainers are in the provinces and many of the farmers that breed horses are in the provinces."

Yeah great surface and great dimensions Foxton.

Yet you keep coming back? Bit of pot kettle black in the second part of this quote. The difference is our posts stand up to analysis and scrutiny. You fail to back yours up with any facts. Decided to keep my powder dry. Hasn't stopped Comic Dog from getting lawyers on the job. Am I worried? No. So don't take any credit for anything. What's allowing you to use the PM function on BOAY got to do with free speech? From what I've been told it is used as a tool by those not brave enough to say what they think in public and use it for ulterior motives. Hesi was in that class.

So throw away the tiers and provide more races more often at the same stake. I see the broadcasting constraint has disappeared suddenly. Maybe Foxton has a chance of a meeting?

At Gosford (NSW) on Tuesday you can race a maiden for $35k. Same day at Ballarat (VIC) maiden $23k. Rockhampton (QLD) $18.5k. Wednesday at Taupo (NZD) $9.5k ??? All figures are OZ dollars so that $35k translates to $38k NZD.