Chief Stipe

I trust all the Harness followers realise that the Messara Report was entirely Thoroughbred centric. For example of the 30+ pages devoted to the future of race venues only one PARAGRAPH concerned Harness and Dogs. That is a bit simplistic. A working group of the three codes and NZRB was created to look at the venues. The Terms of Reference was quite narrow and subjective. In that it was set up to lead to the conclusions that were arrived at. For example heavy emphasis was put on the state of facilities like grandstands. Disproportionately less emphasis was placed on the actual racing track surface. Metrics such as the cost/stake ratio or the cost to the industry to provide racedays were deliberately excluded. Why on earth the comment about "shabby look" of NZ facilities was given as a reason in the Messara Report for closing some courses escapes me. When was the last time we got to look at the Grandstands or other facilities of a NZ racecourse pre or post race? For that matter when do we see those from Echuca or Pakenham or any other OZ course other than from Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day? So be it Thoroughbred, Harness or Dogs some clubs/racecourses have been shat on because they chose to keep investing their spare money and time into where the rubber hits the road ie. the tracks. Note that money most often came locally NOT from NZRB. What Messara, the various versions of NZRB + RITA + MAC have focussed on are nirvana operations where thousands of people flock to state of the art entertainment facilities. We have seen heaps of examples of where that approach hasn't worked. We are now creating another one in Cambridge! High cost models of operation that don't pay their way and most importantly don't attract any more offcourse revenue because they look good! One of the rules of good business planning is to elevate and maximise the return from your core competency and if it is a strategic advantage then protect it. What have we done? Our core competency has been a low cost model of operation and we are screwing it.

Rule Number(s): 869A (2)Following the running of Race 1, the First For Ford at Avon City Ford Mobile Pace, an Information instigating a protest was filed by Trainer Mr B Ward and Driver Mr M Williamson, alleging interference over the final stages by 1st placed DELIGHTFUL GNP, driven by Mr B Orange to 2nd placed, ALREADY GONE, ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870 (3) (Instigating a Protest) and Breaking Horses RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 6, the Avon City Ford For New & Used Fords Mobile Trot, Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N Ydgren, filed an information instigating a protest against SUMMER LOVIN, driven by Mr J Dunn, placed 4th by the Judge, on the grounds of “breaking and then galloping in excess of 50m ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638 (3) (b) (ii)Following the running of Race 11, the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 62 Handicap, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr J Oatham, against Jockey (Class A), Ms S Wynne, alleging that, as the rider of TAI HO in the race, she struck her mount excessively prior to the 100m. Ms ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

If I'm reading the proposed changes correctly the racing industry ends up with yet another Board. RITA will be split into two organisations - Racing NZ and TAB NZ. Each will have a Board. Plus NZTR, HRNZ, GRNZ, RIU. Things just go from bad to worse.....

The Mesara Report.

Racing as we have known it, lived and loved it for decades has gone. In all the proposed restructuring there is one thing that is alarmingly missing and that is a new source of extra revenue to fund the higher cost model that is being thrust upon us

From what I've see of the final act those submissions changed stuffed all. Plus there were some dodgy amendments snuck through at the last moment.

Shoot no. We are talking 20+ not just Avondale. However don't be surprised if Avondale lead the fight in the Courts. The law that they passed looks full of holes to me. Many of those tracks closing down will not be recognised as training tracks indeed some are already designated as "not suitable". How do you think Riccarton or Awapuni will fund their component of the All Weather Tracks without acquiring assets from elsewhere? Stakeholders are going to get some rude shocks in the ensuing months. Otago Gallops and Harness already have.

Wouldn't count on it. We haven't seen ANY push back from clubs so far. Nor do they have any power other than to take what they are given if they are lucky to be given anything at all.

Yes and No. There will be a new Organisation called Racing NZ which has a Board comprising the three codes and sport. It is that organisation that will decide how to cut the pie. I think that's how it is going..... It all looks like a disastrous rearranging of the deck chairs if you ask me. Plus the success of the whole shemozzle is reliant on getting the assets put of the 20+ tracks they are closing down. Good luck with that one. Won't worry Winston as he won't be around!

I suspect that too. Thoroughbreds are going to go into bat with the theory that because they have higher costs to produce then they should get a bigger cut of the pie. The Dogs well they'll be getting stuff all kibble with Hughes batting for them.

Quite possibly as under the new structure the codes have to agree. Saundry vs Holden vs Hughes. However there will be another organisation created called Racing NZ. Yet another Board and more cost. I've yet to work out where the extra revenue is coming from but supposedly they are smarter than all of us.

All because they don't want to pay Satellite fees?

Was it Jackson?

Peter Moody speaks highly of him - NOT!

Further I'm not sure stakeholders realise but under the new upcoming industry structure Saundry will have a lot more power than previously. Him, Holden and Huges make an unlikely trio.

I have to agree with your comparison to Purcell. The communication from him was light years ahead of Saundry in terms of detail.

Actually All the Aces that email you posted from Bernard has really got me angry. What's more it confirms what I hoped wouldn't be the case with RITA and co. It's just going to more of the same BS and screw the provinces!

FFS I just read the Ministry of Health sent staff to the USA to find out how they are doing Covid-19 quarantine. Only now are they providing approved PPE masks when people step off their plane and travel to quarantine! The point.....well I have to concede there worse administrators than those in Harness racing.

That's a bit of smoke and mirrors. The fibre network is the same - fibre is fibre it is what's put on the end at the premises that is different. THAT technology is being driven by the Broadcaster (NEP and RITA) NOT the network provider. So the physical connectivity from the CORE to the destination is the same as the fibre that runs right past the Foxton racetracks front gate. Of course the "business cases" will get better when you hold more race meetings at a venue. BUT it shouldn't be Broadcasting costs that determine when and where race meetings are held. At my last gig as IT Manager I chose Vocus (Callplus) as our network provider converting all our countrywide branches to fibre. So I have a very detailed understanding of their network. In layman's terms the fibre pipe is no different to any other pipe it's just the bits of tin you put at each end and the speed width of the crap you blow down the pipe. I suggest Bernard instead of retrospectively justifying the decisions to have the races where they are you get your arse into gear and challenge why the hell RITA are continuing with a high cost model of broadcasting. Further if you talk to the right people at Vocus and get a decent techo on the job then you could put fibre into ALL locations and transport the "tin at the end" to each course each race day. BTW I bet the back up on course is the Broadcast van linking to Satellite!!

"Looking to get into racing" or punting? I'm not sure that many are wanting to get into OWNING a horse. You are making an assumption that young people EVER listen to older people. You are forgetting that Racing.com is the industry funded website for racing in the state of Victoria. As a website its functionality is appalling especially considering the extraordinary amount of money that has been spent on it. However I'm enthusiastic about Australian racing - quality fields racing on many interesting tracks and if you are an owner good stakes. As for Rosso - we've got too used to the shiny looking clones that sound good but say nothing. If you stop and listen Rosso actually knows what he is talking about.

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I was referring to the high cost broadcasting setup that is dictating where racing occurs. Which has nothing to do with what customers or stakeholders want. I was reminded of the dumb decision making by NZRB in this regard when I saw Samsung advertising their latestest 8k Oled TV. It generates "colours the human eye can't determine". Uh?

It's all because of their self imposed broadcasting constraint. Again not related to customer wants or industry stakeholders needs.