Huey

So much damage done via internal local politics by organisations like NZTR etc I find it very difficult to believe there can be a consensus found easily amongst clubs with scenarios like this.

Some interesting punting topics on here recently. My favourite bet type and most tormenting bet is the elusive First4, does anyone else have any strategies or plan they follow when punting First4s? I like to box 5-6 runners in a 8-12 horse field and leave out the fav. in a loose market and I have had a bit of success doing this , but they are a very difficult bet to get on a regular basis I find you have to consistently be taking them to get good ones. Any thoughts?

Yep and that in itself should have alarm bells ringing. People are very critical of the NZRB but they have not reached the dizzying levels of incompetence and arrogance NZTR have been producing for years.

I see your point , but its like everything in racing in this country its done to benefit about 5 trainers and thats about it.

I'd say its the benchmark for that stable considering the factors I've already mentioned. There are only 2 or 3 stables in the country with the bloodstock to compete with them probably 30-50 in Aus.

Its a sign of how pathetic NZ racing has become when all some people can do is point a finger at a club who have a great track to race on and say they have a crappy stand which is probably true for 80% of the courses in NZ. Long live Avondale I say!

Surely for their to be considered an emergence of a trainer at TA they have to start to be regularly competitive in Aus? They just have such high quality bloodstock,control a number of riders and the competition in NZ is thinning out at an accelerating rate , they seem to have a 2yo for just about every race , summed up considering all those factors they are doing what they should be doing considering the firepower they have.

Are we beginning to see the OPs come of age, 11 winners in the last month.

But would you expect a jockey to understate a ride or as you say tip against it? I can't recall this situation , any examples?

Exactly my point. the difference being the perception. The perception is the jockey is giving the relevant info (whether that be the case or not ) directly related to his mount I would assume, whereas a trackside presenter could take a ride for their jockey and then tip or talk up other mounts that they may or may not have had the opportunity to take as ride but haven't due to info obtained with regards to the ride. I haven't heard many jockeys tipping other horses in the race that they have a ride in (with the possible exception of riding against Winx) .

Who was the team that presented on the AWT ?

The "perception" that punters are being swayed one way from a tipping perspective but the agent may (I am not casting aspersions at anyone) know something having secured the ride for their rider that should sway their opinion also as a tipping analyst. As an example , an agent that has a very popular jockey who can be a bit picky and choosy about rides is offered a number of rides , secures one based on info from trainer then goes on a tipping show and tips out something else , or an agent knows something about a ride but talks up others whilst on TV to move $ onto another horse that isn't the one they may or may not have a had a bet on, that may not happen but it certainly opens up a world of possibility.

Might be an interesting type of horse these Declarations of War, from memory the one Bosson was on at Rotorua went to stop near the line and now this one has done this.

Got to be a good thing for NZ racing surely? Perception is everything in racing , if you don't think it matters then you probably haven't booked a jockey through an agent before. I think its an appalling look having trackside presenters tipping out horses and chasing rides for their jockeys (so much as they do), not to mention all the garbage that goes on when they give their charges a wrap on TV or radio at every given opportunity.

Good call BarryB this happens a lot in the CD when usually when there is an F Auret runner with Parkes up. I like the 8 for some e/w value in that race. The other race you speak of the 11 also offers some great e/w value. Happy punting!

Why don't they race these meetings somewhere else instead of having race days with the rail out this far, surely the important thing to do is to present a decent product to the punter?

No argument from me on the racing being a yawn, it's got that way and I agree too time between races, but the ownership experience at the races particularly around the fundamental point of ownership that being watch your horse race is continuing to get worse.

IMO this is a huge issue for racing, the sport is now being totally over sold on Party and Booze (this may be because of the funding policy i.e. 8% for oncourse turnover why would a club focus on the punter and owner under that scenario). I've been to several tracks lately to watch my horse race and have not enjoyed the experience from an owners perspective, mainly because you're an after thought. There are tents/marquees in the way of viewing horses/races, incredibly loud and inebriated young persons who have no interest/respect in racing even when a race is on, a total lack of respect for the animal before and after races i.e. loud music by viewing areas, more drunk folk to scare the animal, more objects that a thoroughbred can shy at than you can shake a stick at. All in All are we beginning to cross the border of no return imo and forgetting the reason we are actually at the races and that is to watch these incredible animals perform athletic feats that make the mind boggle. This same scenario goes for on course punters who are there for a punt or to watch the animal it feels like we are all being squeeze out , there is no balance anymore its swaying to one side more than the other and that side is a very fickle portion of racing that are seen as easy meat and drink for the clubs. I'm not sure how we do it but I'd like to see racing return to being a more family oriented event than party for boozers.

My point wasn't the numbers but the increase in interest there should be for IAI and Zoustar in particular might lead to higher prices for those horses. Tavistock you'd be worried unless you had a really nice type.

Fastnet might not matter when there are a few IAI, Zoustars and Snitzels to help the average. Hard to see with the exception of Savabeel ,Iffraaj any kiwi stallions in demand.

All it needs is a few horses in work there and a good track for racing and surely it's one of the tacks for closure?

What is the criteria for that?

Looks like Ellerslie be in trouble looking at yesterday's crowd.

What is the criteria?

It depends on your punting style I guess, I'm a mess and like to have something in my hot little hand, online for me can be too much and very different from site to site.