Huey

It's widely regarded as the best winter surface in the CD as you'd be aware, but I've had it mentioned to me that may no longer be the case? I've no reason to doubt those claims regarding it being the best surface however just thought you may have an opinion on that.

Curious I'd be interested in your thoughts regarding the surface at Foxton , not being smart but I'm told its not what it used to be?

What would you close down the already self sustainable venues that get little if any financial input from the governing bodies? Or is the idea to close down the smaller venues and sell them up so the funds can be put into the main centre venues which has been going on in an indirect fashion for the past 30 years , so I'm not sure why anyone would trust that line of thinking to work in the future? Besides that a lot of the community venues are owned by those clubs that operate from them and any sale proceeds from those venues aren't 100% certain to go back to racing I'd have thought, despite what those on trackside and beyond would have you believe.

But how they are going to close your track down? All the can do is reduce or take away race dates and that's worked wonderfully well for them in the past. Correct me if I'm wrong but is your track a self sustainable venue ? Part of them blame for the mess we are in is related to the calendar and the distribution of race dates and it looks like that will get worse in the future. Greed and self interest has hindered the progress of racing in the this country in particular over the past 25 years , they have an idea that they can create an Asian style with regards to tracks they couldn't be more wrong.

Surely there can be a redistribution of stakes that at the very least allows racing to put something together to at least get one all weather facility off the ground? As an example what are we doing racing for $25k & $35k on a Friday at Riccarton or on a Sunday at Te Rapa for that matter and I do mean the flat events not the prestigious jumps events. This goes on all year and if those races were for $20k the fields wouldn't be any different or $15k in most cases. Saturday and Public holidays are showcase days for the time being and the rest are run at industry levels to get some sort of funding for infrastructure off the ground?

On blood he'd be more inclined to work with Aus/NZ mares than in the states. You've got to love his pedigree and good looker too.

I also love winter racing, it offers great divvies even if you take an easybet, listen to whatever the chat is on the radio in the morning and then take something else . Back the bloodlines , back the claimers, punt the trainers it's great fun!

I can't believe anyone would depend on the daily rag for punting info anymore, you can't hardly depend on it for news or weather least of all racing.

You are most definitely correct , the ownership model is absolutely screwed and totally unsustainable. Tomorrow we have 3 races on a Saturday for $10k in stakes whats that about? Isn't that supposed to be what the Industry day events are for and our rural tracks are used for? Not our showcase race day on Saturday. I do see however the need for infrastructure change at some level , however my concern is that the infrastructure $ goes in the same direction it's always gone the main venues that have imo let racing down badly and probably will get the opportunity to do so again. I sound like a broken record saying this , but there is constant out cries from those that purport to be in the know that we have too many tracks, I believe we don't utilise the existing number of tracks we have enough. The optimising the calendar project is a great example this has been used as a means of reducing costs from the NZRB standpoint that I think in the future will end up costing the industry from a revenue viewpoint because its not focused on the product in a long term manner and will thus have a detrimental impact on the delivery and production of the product in the future i.e. it ignores the base of the product and where it comes from.

When you say infrastructure , what do you specifically mean? A new all weather track , upgrading existing venues ?

Outstanding stallion , particularly of fillies.

I liked the stock of Complacent at the recent sales, I think he has thrown athletic types with a bit of leg under them, they look a durable breed to me. Contributor really appears to have stamped his stock they are very much in the mold of him, however looking at some of their reserves they seemed like they were only there for the experience. Although not a 1st Season Sire some of the stock of Sacred Falls were really impressive types, I really liked Lot 221 a Hallowed Crown filly and I'll watch her progress with interest.