Yankiwi

It's good to see that some trainers are struggling a bit less to make ends meet during the lock-down. https://services.workandincome.govt.nz/eps/search

Very poor guide IMO. To compare Cambridge turnover from a Thursday afternoon isn't in the same category as Auckland from a Sunday afternoon. Most punters are at work on a Thursday afternoon and they are not on a Sunday.

113 employees to hand down a decision of a driving suspension of a six month for race fixing? Something only their 113 mothers could be proud of. http://www.jca.org.nz/non-race-day-hearings/non-raceday-inquiry-riu-v-n-r-mcgrath-decision-dated-10-february-2020-chair-hon-j-w-gendall-qc I'm sure some other INDEPENDANT origination/s could do a far superior job for a fraction of the cost. Since the RIU is in lock-down mode, surely their hi-tech drug detection lab has reverted to testing COVID-19 swabs in the interim. It's the least they could do in return for robbing the country of nearly $500k in future tax dollars.

https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/WAI/clubs-and-venue-detail.aspx

Seems the Morepork has little regard for the country wide lock-down. It has come back to my window again today and informed me that trainers and owners can expect a rather serious cut in stakes money going forward. That said, the cut will have nothing to do with the Covid issues. It will have to do with your board settling for a 20% out take level from the NZRB. The previously unsettled arrangement with the NZRB goes back several years now and even got to the point of GRNZ taking the NZRB to court over the issue at one point. What a waste of time and money that proves to have been now. The Morepork didn't bring any exact numbers to the window, but expect to see stakes levels getting cranked back to the levels from quite a few years ago, back to when GRNZ was handing out petrol vouchers, but don't expect to see a return of the vouchers. Hobby trainers better start considering their efforts to be a hobby going forward. If it was tough getting ends to meet with the former purse money, that pressure will only become more sever once racing returns to the new normal.

This 'belief' defies logic. This is the theory to those with connection to the Greyhound industry, which is an extremely SMALL percentage of all New Zealanders. The extremely LARGE percentage that don't have connection can see that far to many dogs are being breed and imported. When a supermarket runs a special on mince they are not doing so to try to convert vegetarians into eating meat.

I wouldn't rule out all greyhound tracks being closed. COVID-19 could make the perfect excuse (to save face for many past and present) to simply close up shop. Cole's disrepute to the code will be headlining in the very near future. GRNZ continues to have dysfunctional board, riddled with conflicts of interest. The RIU has never proven to be remotely effective at policing the code. The JCA has proven time and time again they are not up to their role of the judge and jury. GRNZ stakeholders provide probably ten times the number of greyhounds, via breeding and importing, than can ever hope to be retired in a responsible way. Just go outside the square and think about it a bit. COVID-19 might just be the scape goat excuse they've been waiting for...

Thomaas had been put on moderation, so he stopped posting altogether. Sounds like the forum needs him more than he needs the forum. Exactly the same sort of scenario which I left the RC forum over. They couldn't get me back posting over there now even if they were wiling to pay me. My name isn't Thomaas.

Haven't heard anything about this, but welcome it if it is indeed the case. The RIU is more dodgy that those who they are meant to police...

Luckily I don't believe they do. When GRNZ last did have a welfare officer it was probably $100k out the door per year for next to zero return from her. https://www.grnz.co.nz/about-nzgra/meet-the-team.aspx On the GRNZ 'Meet the Team' page, it is notable that no-one is tasked with 'Welfare' under the 'Talk to me about' column. It's likely no one wants to hear or speak about it. History has already shown that they didn't even want to look at photographic evidence delivered to them first roughly 3 years ago. "Welfare is paramount"... Whatever.

I have no idea what the set up would be inside the Cole pearly gates, but I sure hope there will not be any "employees" doing the daily tasks inside here. That will be in breach of the level-4 alert status being imposed by the Crown. Maybe it'll finally be time for Lisa to put on some gum boots and actually become the "trainer" that she's been named as for all these years.

GRNZ is helping out, kind of... Brendon now has less opportunity to regain his losses from Vegas night that he wasn't supposed to be at in the first place. Has Mr. Hannan resigned yet or has he stuck his head in the sand hoping it went unnoticed? Piss poor leadership right from the top of the ranks with no accountability.

Maybe it time for the TAB to offer up some virtual greyhound racing? Any dog that has a rabbits (or poodles) foot hanging off its collar goes off at 1:1 Any dog that doesn't have hair on its rear thighs goes off at 2:1 Any dog that doesn't have a rabbits foot or does have hair on its thighs goes off at 40:1 Any dog that is lead out by it's actual owner or trainer goes off at 100:1 Punters without a keen eye probably wouldn't even notice the difference.

One last favour handed out by the RIU, just before the total lock-down takes effect. https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/13925/stewards-report.aspx 1) Trainer L Cole was issued with an official warning when allowing BIG TIME BRIE to be drawn into fields on consecutive days. 19.7 If a Greyhound is Nominated for or races in a Race for which such Greyhound is not eligible, the Nominator of such Greyhound shall be liable to a fine of up to $100 for each Offence and such Greyhound shall be Disqualified from its original placing and all Prize Money earned and any Nomination fees paid shall be forfeited. Where such Greyhound is Disqualified, the Club shall make the appropriate placings of the other Greyhounds affected accordingly. 19.11 A greyhound shall not be eligible to compete in more than one (1) totalisator event over any two (2) day period.

The after the races gathering seems to be well documented. All part of the same "race meeting" per the rule book... https://www.grnz.co.nz/News/2497/A-Hugely-Successful-Commentators-Day-Out "The entertainment continued into the evening with the popular Las Vegas Casino blackjack and roulette tables being fully occupied. It must be mentioned that a certain gentleman commentator seriously considered retirement when viewing the massive pile of chips (mega millions) he had accumulated. It was noted the “empty” feeling he experienced not long afterwards when he was holding zero chips."

So, I've had a Morepork come to my window with a little story about last Monday's PN race meeting. Seems there was a bit of a get together after the races, which one BC had gained permission from the GRNZ Board Chair to attend, even though he still is currently warned-off. Monday's (like every other) race day ends officially at 11:59 PM, regardless of what time the final race has been run. The onsite Stewards spotted him there, relayed that information to Top Dog who in turn passed it on to Mr. Godber, who wanted to charge BC for breaching the warning off. The Board's Chair quickly quashed those thoughts on charging him for the breach (to cover his own arse) as he had given him permission to breach GRNZ rules. Mr. Hannan, I believe you should step down from your position immediately. What you've done is totally unacceptable and it makes it appear that the position you now hold is well above your skill set. GRNZ should not be seen trying to do special favours for someone currently up on criminal charges for live baiting.

https://www.grnz.co.nz/News/2495/Media-Release-Covid-19-Impact-on-Race-Meetings

You may want to have another look. The best I can see is C3 win in 17.48 https://www.grnz.co.nz/greyhounds/profiles.aspx?AnimalID=32900 That's nowhere near a C5 dog in my books.

Don't get me wrong, I don't approve whatsoever of what's been happening to all the no longer or non-viable dogs. What the real issue is here is there are NO rules against putting a dog down. What there is a rule for now (only just recently) is putting a dog down while at the track. https://www.grnz.co.nz/Files/Documents/On-Track Euthanasia Guidelines for OTVs FINAL Dec 2019.pdf Once you get them back home, nothing has changed. https://www.grnz.co.nz/Files/GRNZ Veterinary Certificate of Death Policy.pdf 108. NOTIFICATION OF DEATH 108.1 No person may knowingly participate in causing the unnatural death of any Greyhound, other than by accepted euthanasia by a Veterinarian or in a medical emergency. 108.2 A Licensed Person may humanely euthanize a Greyhound in an extreme medical emergency provided that the Licensed Person immediately advises the Association in writing of the death and the relevant circumstances. 108.3 Within 14 days of the death of any Greyhound the Trainer or where the Greyhound does not have a Trainer, the Owner shall return the Certificate of Registration along with a Veterinarian’s certificate certifying the death of the Greyhound. 108.4 The Association, or appointed agent, shall have the right to order an autopsy, to confirm cause of death. 108.5 Any person found in breach of this Rule or who subject to Rule 108.2 knowingly participates in causing the unnatural death of any Greyhound, other than by accepted euthanasia by a Veterinarian, is subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or permanent disqualification from involvement in any way in Greyhound Racing in New Zealand. So as long as you're able to find a vet who has the morals that makes them think it's ok to kill a perfectly healthy dog either at their office or at the kennels, then it's within the rules as long as GRNZ receives their certificate of death form within 14 days of the jab. So it's business as usual folks, until LP'S and/or public pressure fin ally gets the GRNZ board to really sort it out.

https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/13903/stewards-report.aspx 2) Handler M Seque was issued cautioned after inadvertently placing MITCHAM USAIN in the wrong box prior to Race 8 causing a slight delay while this was rectified. But Top Dog, what about the GRNZ rule you've ignored by allowing the corrective action? 48.12 Once a Greyhound has been placed in a starting box, its position in the box shall not be allowed to be corrected by any Person. Just doing things whatever way you see fit. No one will ever notice, right?

At the end of the day, it's the RIU & the JCA that are letting all three codes down. Participants are always going to do what they're going to do. The burden of upholding integrity lies directly on the RIU & the JCA. But it seems that just about every time something happens that breaches any of the three codes rules, the RIU & the JCA close ranks and protect the participants. Yes some instances get heard & a token penalty ends up being imposed, but in doing so INTEGRITY is getting thrown out the window. This match (race) fixing was well apparent to even a novice to harness races like myself. It was referred to the RIU by the crown's legal system to deal with. So how did they deal with it? So now the guilty person can't drive for six months. From what I've read, the person doesn't drive that often anyways. The guilty person can still train. He can still punt. He can still fix another race simply by instructing his driver to do what he had done previously. As costs are costs & he's only been required to repay part of them. What is the penalty in real terms that's been handed down by the two entities charged with upholding integrity? Stuff-all. We have taken into account Mr McGrath’s good record apart from a prohibited substance breach (as a trainer, long years ago), his personal circumstances, as mitigating factors. We would have imposed, in addition a significant fine, but we have been mindful of the financial impact the costs orders – which had to follow will have on him as the proceedings have been, from inception of the charge, protracted and expensive to him and the RIU. What about the punter's "personal circumstances"? Thank you RIU & JCA. This has just been another example of how you're letting the codes down which will ultimately help lead to all of their demises.

About as far from integrity as there could possibly be. A $11500 penalty for "costs" is about than what was profited by those in the know from the actual race. To my eyes a complete farce. Not a deterrent from a future occurrence whatsoever. It'll happen again & again if the odds are viewed as... We'll fix the race & win $10K. If we get caught, we'll have to give the $10K back. Really? Boy am I glad I gave up the racing punt years ago!

Good spotting. The #3 looks like it might have pulled a Gracilis muscle for a few strides in the first corner & didn't even get a mention n the stewards report.

https://www.grnz.co.nz/greyhounds/profiles.aspx?AnimalID=32705 11/01/2019 - Just over a year ago. https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/13369/stewards-report.aspx DYNA DIODE (1) - faltered around the first bend and failed to complete the race. Assessed by vet and found to have a torn gracilis muscle. Dyna Diode Rule 56.1 from 11 Jan 2019 to 07 Feb 2019