Chief Stipe

Perhaps for some. I wouldn't worry about the write down other than using it as a means of working out what they expected to achieve profit wise from increased customers and the promised legislation. From what we knew about the financial health of NZTAB before the sale we knew that the business was overvalued by ENTAIN based on those financials alone. There was a discussion on BOAY about that. The deal always did have a smoke and mirrors flavour to it. I look at the 5 year funding promise as a windfall rather than long term. The industry is not spending that windfall wisely. If you take a negative strategic view then you would be spending more on fixing the infrastructure (e.g. tracks) in the first two years rather than throwing it at top end stakes and novelty races. (I think they need to spend another $15 million on the Ellerslie track - $55 million and they have been doing "remedial work" since it was first raced on!). Trentham is a lost cause and Riccarton is lingering (malingering?). Cambridge is dead end. Te Rapa is in sunset and we won't mention Hastings. The biggest worry is ENTAIN are a FTSE 100 company and have corporate knowhow to operate on a global stage. What are the get out clauses in the contract with NZTAB during the first 5 years and after?

I suspect McAnulty and NZTAB over promised with the legislation and the projected financial numbers were inflated. ENTAIN over valued the business from the beginning. The write down is just a paper loss at this stage.

You weren't comparing apples with apples. The large differences in NZ tote pools was when they switched from NZTAB only tote pools to the World Pool. Obviously the latter would always be much larger than the NZ tote. Simply because Race 4 WASN'T a world pool race.

Entain recruits more Kiwi gamblers, but writes down TAB NZ by $322m Tom Pullar-Strecker March 11, 2025 Entain says it is encouraged by TAB’s “accelerating moment”, but has reduced forecasts for its underlying growth.MONIQUE FORD / THE POST British gambling giant Entain says it grew the number Kiwis gambling through the TAB by 10% last year and increased its net gaming revenues by 4%. Net gaming revenues measure the value of bets placed after expenses such as taxes. It said in its annual report that it was encouraged by the TAB’s “accelerating momentum through the year”. “More customers in New Zealand are enjoying an enhanced and engaging sports betting experience,” it said. However, Entain indicated it did not expect to make as much profit as it had expected a year ago from the gambling partnership, announcing it had written down the book value of the business by £142.5m (NZ$322m) to just £89m. Entain attributed part of the write-down to the Government being slow to implement planned technical measures to block Kiwis from easily accessing rival overseas gambling websites. But it said it had also reduced its forecasts for TAB NZ’s underlying growth. “Growth in New Zealand has been good, up 4% for the year and up 7% in the second half of the year, but we're still waiting for the ‘legislative net’, which is the catalyst for the licence market to grow materially,” chief financial officer Rob Wood told investors. “We believe that's on track to come this year, but the delay does mean we're a little behind our original forecasts.” In May 2023, the former government gave the TAB the green light to effectively outsource its entire business to Entain. Entain, whose brands include Ladbrokes, agreed to take over the running of the TAB’s betting and broadcast operations for 25 years in return for half of the TAB’s net betting revenues — guaranteeing the racing industry pay-outs of $900 million over five years from the half share it didn’t take. TAB New Zealand has so far refused to release full details of the strategic partnering agreement with Entain that was approved by the former government in 2023. A request from The Post for the release of the contract under the Official Information Act has been under consideration by the Ombudsman since July 2023.

Yeah Wodeton looked ordinary in his last two wins. The one I like is Tentyris who just keeps getting better and the "experts" haven't rated him but surely they do now. He just missed in the Blue Diamond having to come from a way back late running a couple of sub 11's as well.

That's how I saw it and he lifted again. Only good horses can do that.

So you didn't believe what Shinn said? He said Return to the Conquer got to the front and switched off and then when the other horse came up to him he lifted again. Takes a good horse to do that. As for what happens past the post who cares. The Jockey knows where the post is and arguably in this case so does the horse.

That damn track again.

I have a close friend who has a share in the 1000 Guineas winner. Soon after the filly won the race David contacted my friend and congratulated them. After thanking him for his kind words they asked why wasn't he there oncourse at Riccarton. He said he was spending time with Blake Shinn (he was suspended at the time) showing him the Te Akau operation and that day they were at the Te Akau stud farm. My friend mentioned it to Reese Trumper (Racing Manager) who said the reason was they were engaging Shinn for some of the major races towards the end of the summer. So they put that plan in place in November last year. They got Shinn over a few times to ride trackwork and the large trial day at Matamata in the middle of January. So the Champions Day wins and the milestones of 100 Grp wins for the stable along with the NZB Kiwi win were achieved with meticulous long term planning.

That's a lie. While I and many others are celebrating and congratulating their success you are steadfastly looking for a negative. In Damask Roses case it was David Ellis leading her into the birdcage.

NZ's best chance was Our Maizcay.

200,000 per week. That's as pointless a question as asking if those who live in Kumara like horse racing. 100% of those in Kumara probably like going to the races once a year joining the 9000 that turned up from all parts of NZ.

I'm a fan but I wouldn't call it an obsessive complex such as your baseless negativity towards them is.

Well that may well be the case but the haka doesn't seem to embrace other cultures.

When he said it was a means of political expression. What's that got to do with the NZB Kiwi?

Right so what was the politics expressed on Saturday? What Sharples has said makes it even more inappropriate.

Maybe they should stop doing the haka fullstop. It's original meaning has been lost and quite frankly after Peranara used it for his own political platform I couldn't give a stuff about it anymore. The National anthem is enough and far more inclusive of a multi-cultural (not bicultural) society.

You really do have a complex about Te Akau. Have you actually spent time talking to David Ellis? Why wouldn't he want to lead in the horse he purchased, syndicated which won the slot he purchased?

Why not a well sung national anthem in both languages and a trumpet call like they do at Ascot and Kentucky?

Sounds about right. It is an AML safeguard.

Just like Wellington but neither could continue with the additional liquor licensing rules/regulations that have just added expense to such days. Most people leave Auckland for New Year's Day. It is estimated that more than 200,000 a week over the Christmas period leave for other destinations.

What would you learn? That those attending are on holiday (many from Auckland)?

This turnout relative to population is a red herring. Let's face it when the races are on at Wingatui and the Highlanders aren't playing there is only one gig on in town. On Saturday aside from all the outstanding permanent attractions there are a million entertainment options for people to spend their discretionary dollar on. It's called competition and you can throw a zillion dollars at marketing an event and at some stage the marginal cost leads to negative return. If they got 10,000 people oncourse thats more than your average Blues game!! The other thing to consider is the hospitality ticket pricing at Ellerslie. What would you expect to pay for 6 hours of entertainment?

It would be close to that.

One of the earlier races as she was leaving the birdcage to head to the start. Horse got spooked. Brittany managed to contain the horse but the something really set it off and it went up and she went off. Was transferred to an ambulance and taken to hospital. Seems to have been a sanitis9ng operation undertaken - wouldn't want to detract from the big day. But no news leads to speculation unfortunately.