Taku Umanga

Barks like a dog!

Because the clowns running the show are just that! Three weeks between the last couple Cambridge meetings and the next not until 30 June ...... AND nothing at all in July!

Garrick Knight‏ @GarrickRKnight 21h21 hours ago More Hearing Greyhound Racing NZ CEO Mauro Barsi has been appointed as the new CEO at @AlexandraPark and the Auckland TC. He’s also the Greyhound rep on the (soon-to-be-disbanded ?) NZ Racing Board. Top appointment but walking in to a volatile situation.

Good on ya Marsha

Good on ya Marsha

That's how I interpreted it as well .....

TWO FIFTYEIGHT - held up rounding the final turn and throughout the run home. Driver Z Butcher advised that he was unable to activate the removable deafeners as a result. Stewards questioned Mr Butcher as to why he had elected not to improve earlier than the 550 metres after which point he became covered up. He advised that his driving instructions were to save the gelding for one run as it had not coped with working in its previous starts and that he felt shifting at this point would not have been to the gelding's advantage. His explanation was noted.

Yep - there are a few owner/trainers out there with only a couple of young ones left that they hope to get going good enough to sell. Then they'll be leaving the game for good.

I'm hoping one we qualified recently will prove to be a good horse ....... and we can sell it to the All Stars.

The appeals panel were clearly not impressed: http://www.jca.org.nz/non-race-day-hearings/appeal-riu-v-s-lawson-reserved-decision-reasons-for-decision-of-appeal-tribunal-dated-13-may-2019-chair-hon-j-w-gendall-qc

https://twitter.com/GarrickRKnig…/status/1127835549782294529

Very poorly written article. JCA decision not on line yet but have been reliably informed that he has now been disqualified rather than suspended - taking effect as of Saturday 11 May.

http://www.harnesslink.com/New-Zealand/Simon-Lawson-banned-for-two-years

Maybe not "hard" but definitely not as user friendly as the old version where you could see nominations, fields and results at a glance .... and yes, I've seen the "expand all" button.

So if a horse is clearly sitting outside yours, you are now entitled to push it out before the 1000m mark as long as it's not moving forward - good to know. GLADAMARE - commenced to over-race near the 1200 metres and was shifted out from the trail forcing DOWNTOWN BABE to race wider on the track before improving to lead near the 1000 metres. The filly was then headed near the 500 metres and failed to run on to finish in fifth place beaten 25.1 lengths. Stewards investigated the incident near the 1200 metres and were satisfied that DOWNTOWN BABE had not been making a forward movement at this stage and no further action was deemed necessary. A post race veterinary examination revealed no abnormalities other than a slow recovery.

Looks pretty, but as previously mentioned is much harder to navigate ...... wonder how much it cost?

Do they still do that down South? In the North they just turn up at your stall and tell you you're being tested - haven't heard an announcement over the loudspeaker in years.

If the whole field was tested at Rangiora, then where are the readings from Hail Christian, Letspendanitetogetha, Forgotten Highway and Alta Orlando - Thefixer is not the only one missing from that week's list?

Doesn't look like they tested the whole field, so guess he must have been missed.

Yep - where is the consistency ...... there must be a couple of drivers asking that question?

If that's the case, Cambridge needs regular racing - not the once or twice a month meeting that happens now.

HRNZ has the same power ..... and the same lack of gonads when dealing with the race-fixing accused!

It's a kick in the teeth to those lower rated horses that have helped ATC out for so long by making up the numbers - to now say we don't want you because you're not in a "premier" rating band is pretty harsh. No doubt the carrot will be dangled again over the winter months when those "premier" horses are nowhere to be seen.

Hi owners/trainers, This is an update from the ATC regarding the recent stakes increases and the effects these will have on field selection going forward into the foreseeable future. The ATC has put in place numerous ventures in recent times to ensure the viability of the ATC and racing here at Alexandra Park and it is our commitment to our members, supporters and the wider industry that everything is done to enable us to remain as the premier harness racing venue here in the North Island. As with many new building developments in Auckland at this present time, periodic issues have stalled the flow of timely construction and unfortunately for the ATC, this has been no different. The new increased stakes that came into effect as of March 1 2019 was originally meant to have coincided with the opening of both Building A & B and a fully functioning village – however due to numerous issues experienced to date on the building site, completion has now been deferred to an expected September 2019 date TBC. The ATC Board understood how important these new stakes increases were for many in the industry to provide a level of confidence proceeding forward into the future and as a result, the decision was made not to defer these stakes increases until the village opened and to continue with the promised March 1 2019 date for these to kick into effect. What this has meant of the industry is that the ATC now has a $15K minimum stake (2YO’s & non-winners), race winners are racing for $20K and the highest rated pacers/trotters are regularly racing for $25K – stakes levels that are above and beyond any other racing club in the country and allow both owners & trainers to achieve and sustain a far greater potential return than has otherwise been seen for many years in this industry. What we have experienced in recent weeks is the flow-on effect from these increases – with a wealth of nominations for both the meetings of April 5 & 12 and unfortunately (due to limited funding from HRNZ) some horses have had to miss a start. Given the ATC races 41 times for the 2018/19 seasons and hopes to replicate that for the upcoming 2019/20 season, outside of the six Premier meetings there are 35 remaining standard race nights in which most horses are always catered for – again well over and above the number of racing opportunities that are being offered to the industry by the balance of clubs. What has come to light in recent times is that many are not made aware that the ATC is bulk funded at the beginning of the season by HRNZ and this is based on the number of approved meeting/race number licences given to us by HRNZ and the NZRB. For the ATC to achieve the new increased stakes levels of March 1 2019, all available funds (until the completion of the village) have gone into achieving these and hence the ATC is unable to additionally self-fund any extra races here at The Park. HRNZ are in a similar predicament at this current time – having exhausted their own cash reserves which again does not allow for them at this current point to confirm reimbursement to clubs for any additional races that are approved. Both above points are why on April 5 & 12, even given the wealth of nominations, that additional races were not able to be programmed over and above the pre-approved (and funded) race licences for each of these meetings (besides from the additional 10th race that was approved and self-funded by the ATC for $10K this Friday 12 April). Going forward, the ATC wanted to advise owners/trainers on the process of how fields will be selected going forward into the foreseeable future so that while disappointment for some may not be avoidable on a given week, a clearer and more open picture of what can be expected could be instated. The ATC is committed to being the premier harness racing venue in the North Island as aforementioned and this combined with a strong Cambridge & Manawatu will allow for the foreseeability of harness racing in the North for many years to come. What this will mean is that our fields will always be selected from the top downwards, with selection preference (where applicable) always going to those rated R55 & faster on any given week – with the spread of horses gaining preference in any given race to be chosen (at the club’s discretion) using a combination of both ratings & form. This doesn’t mean that horses rated below R55 won’t be given racing opportunities here at The Park on a regular enough basis - series such the ‘South Of The Bombay’s’ will continue to be programmed (again where applicable to the overall racing population) as will races for the R40-54 grade horse. What this will mean though is that Cambridge & Manawatu will derive direct benefit as horses will have to race at these tracks to incur rating points that will allow them to safely guarantee themselves a start here at The Park on a more regular basis than previously – something that while may not please everyone right now, will actually be to the overall benefit of all three North Island clubs and most importantly the industry in the North as a collective. We thank you for your time and understanding during this period and we look forward to having you racing your horses here at The Park not only now but for many years to come.

Please tell me I'm not the only bloke that feels like punching someone?