Doomed

The big thing that is continually apparent is that the problems with NZ Racing do not centre around the small clubs. The problems continue to involve the major metropolitan clubs, as they have for many years. How much better off is the industry since the demise of Hokitika, Waimate, Banks Pen and Waikouaiti? Surely that must be measurable? Of course they can point to higher stakes at the relocated Banks Pen and Waikouaiti meetings but that is purely because of NZTR handouts. I imagine that both of those meetings used to run at a profit but now show massive losses. It is all beyond my understanding. I don't recall a single well set out, intelligently reasoned paper from NZTR explaining how all of the policies will do wonders for the industry. If they would just engage a little more and rely on intellect, forums like this could all revert to discussing the merits of various horses not courses.

Do you know what the word average means?

I think that's a bit harsh. That wasn't the biggest faux pas in commentating. They all make mistakes, and he only got the name slightly wrong so everyone knew who he was talking about.

You have to fell sorry for George. Kumara today, back to earth at Ellerslie next week.

I thought Robbie Patterson and Kylie Williams both spoke very well on TV after the Nuggets. It must be very beneficial for trainers and jockeys to impress on TV.

Incredible when you think about it, $20 to get into Kumara because there is so much demand, free entry at Auckland on new years day because no one is all that interested.

Just out of interest with that TAB chap claiming on course attendance doesn't matter at all and NZTR claiming there is no place for country racing, I compared the total win and place pool in race 2, the $18,500 maiden, at Kumara, with the next race at HB, the $40,000 rating 75. $47,000 at Kumara, $37,000 at HB. That doesn't really seem to align with any of the prevailing theories. Surely the bigger stake, higher grade of horse and better jockeys should mean HB would be a much more appealing race? There was even the heavy track at Kumara compared with soft at HB. I hope a lot of the decisions being made are based on some actual facts rather than purely theory. And the next at Kumara, $64,000 despite their smallest field of the day.

Those jockeys you refer to have won heaps of races between them over the last week or so. Kylie won 3 at Tauherenikau, Tina wins all over the place, Denby-Rose won 2 at Greymouth, Lee won 2 at Greymouth including the Cup, before that he won the Timaru Cup, Kavish won 2 at Greymouth, Craig Grylls is a fair enough jockey. No idea where you got that inexperienced idea from.

Wait till she goes to Karaka night and gets to mix with all the influencers. She will never go country racing again.

I would be interested in some examples of the dissatisfaction over dates and funding allocation etc. From my memory the dissatisfaction was usually over the poor performance of the major clubs such as Auckland, Te Rapa. Trentham and Riccarton. The innovators in those days were usually the smaller clubs with enlightened administrators such as Counties, Levin, Geraldine etc, even Tauranga was innovative in those days. Most of the dissatisfaction over dates revolved around Auckland trying to run roughshod over the rights of other clubs, notably trying to push Wgtn off their cup dates to run big races on Auck anniversary weekend. I find it a bit bizarre to blame today's poor infrastructure on the failings of the 80s. In those days there was an amenities fund which build grandstands at Ellerslie, New Plymouth, Riccarton, Banks Pen, Ashburton, Omoto etc, lights at Avondale, and even a brand new race course at Ruakaka. Since the model has changed I don't recall many major infrastructure projects at all. The AWTs were funded through a dubious bit of pork barrel politics. And numerous racecourses were either closed during that period, or the clubs racing at them went out of business: Masterton, Levin, Fielding, Bulls, Marton, Nelson, Westport, Hororata, Beaumont, Tapanui, Orari etc.. They mostly closed through natural attrition rather than being forced out due to a fleeting ideological movement. And there were some very good administrators during those days at the likes of Counties, Tauranga, Awapuni, Ashburton etc, many of whom would be shocked to see the way things have turned out. Even the TAB was well run and respected in those days. I think many would put the decline of the racing industry down to the mid 90s and the years thereafter rather than the period TAB refers to.

TAB thinks owners and punters are important but doesn't seem concerned that they spend many hundreds of dollars getting to a meeting to watch their horse or have a punt only to discover the crowd can be counted in the hundreds. Must make them wonder why they bothered. Total lack of atmosphere. I'm sure there are some socialites who only go to Karaka day. You wonder how much they contribute to the industry as a whole. It is fairly obvious they don't get excited enough to go to Te Rapa the next week.

That does seem obvious to all but one of us.

Did you happen to catch the quality of horses and the numbers that went around in the Royal Stakes and Queen Elizabeth? $225,000 and $220,000 respectively. Both group races. Won by a rating 64 and rating 74 respectively. I don't think Greymouth did too badly, and probably managed a bigger crowd than that meeting with all the group races.

Great to see a time honoured race hanging in there when so many have faded away. Good to see the SI combo holding off the northern challenge. Denby-Rose must be one of the most improved jockeys out there. She has shown great fortitude to get to where she is today.

SI is doing pretty well really. 62 horses at Tauherenikau yesterday, 61 at HB a couple of days earlier. 4 horse fields not a good look. Even Puke on New Years day, only 93 horses for massive stakes. 9.3 horses per race, virtually the same as Greymouth. And Greymouth doesn't have multiple group races and massive stakes. Wouldn't surprise me if Kumara this weekend gets a bigger crowd that Puke on the 1st, although apparently we aren't supposed to talk about crowd sizes any more.

That must have been a long time ago.

Goodness, I'm a bit worried I might have a stalker. I should be pleased at least someone is reading my humble contributions.

Was there much of a crowd there? There didn't seem to be big numbers along the rails like at Kurow for instance, although they may have been inside in the bars.

Also Omakau and Waikouaiti no longer with us. When I look at all the 5,6 and 7 horse fields in the first 5 races at Taupo and some of the tiny fields at HB and Tauherenikau it does make me think that surely Omakau would have managed to attract more horses than all of those meetings. The SI doesn't even run 2yo racing while Tauherenikau is happy to run a 4 horse field. Every year I wonder what sort of effort the clubs make to attract horses to Taupo, HB and Tauherenikau. It seems such a pity to get massive crowds and very small fields each year. I'm sure the clubs do try but is there anything else that can be done? Certainly looks like a brilliant crowd at Kurow.

The interesting thing is that they are prepared to discuss such things. Can you imagine such proposals being openly discussed in NZ.

I think that means that you are agreeing with me. For you, and obviously many others, to be happy that a horse becomes 2yo of the year without winning a group 1 or 2 race surely means the group system no longer has any relevance?

Went from listed to nothing, but did retain its listed stake. Several NI races with much poorer recent history retained their status. NZTR wants to centre most southern racing around Riccarton and Wingatui. Even that Hazlett stakes on boxing day is hard to justify. The whole group system is almost past its use by date in this part of the world. Aussie is even worse with all the gimmick races with high stakes and restricted entry destroying the system over there. NZ is just as bad. It is probable that the top 2yos and 3yos may not even be eligible for NZ's richest races this season. And that after last year's bizarre situation when a horse was named top 2yo after winning no significant group races, and has hardly fired a shot as a 3yo.

No. There was no logical reason to downgrade the Timaru Cup. It was totally random and arbitrary. There are several NI races at Tauranga and other venues that had less justification than Timaru to retain graded status. Even some Riccarton races have been harshly treated.

Certainly a lot of the decision making would not bear close scrutiny if there was any sort of neutral body that looked at such things.

Another interesting aspect of today's meeting is that if Timaru had run one extra race and finished at 6.35 they would have qualified as a twilight meeting and been able to run all their races for $25,000. Currently the last race is at 6pm. I presume they were prevented from doing that. As it is there are 10 ballots who won't get a start today. One race had 25 noms so lots of horses eliminated as well. Even Kurow is interesting. The top four in the Cup are all rated 85 and higher, which is the same as the Rich Hill mile and one more than the Queen Liz. I'm not sure if this means SI racing is really strong at the moment, or that NI racing is really weak. Or perhaps the rating system is faulty.