Murray Fish

tiz a hard thing to 'walk away' from! I have kept in by a thread the last few years! Have held in! As much to be in 'team CWJ', that, and for shit like having 100'000s of racing photos etc! Hate to think how many racing books? 400+? I would be well gone. Its been interesting to notice that as I have slowly but slowly been alienated over the years by certain CEO of clubs, always for the sin of being critical! Especially around track safety! I've gone from being on course many times a year to almost! I would hate to think over the years how man newbies I've taken on course! I once use to always being getting badged 'for a tip', almost never now! all that said! I am actually excited (as a punter) about the big Day at Wingatui and then Champions day at Auckland! sadly I not be on course for either!

*spreadsheets or turnover figures I recall how back in 70/80/90 the betting numbers would be know quickly after every race by the secretary! All betting figures now mostly hidden away it seems nowadays! I wonder who the faces were? were they seen as they lifted their heads out of one of Entains big 'please stick your nose in this trough', lol, a couple of good mates get invited to them!

Building a future for New Zealand racing: In conversation with Fitt and Rodger Written by Dane McLeod Edition Article 10 min read Lachlan Fitt, the deputy chief executive and chief financial officer at Entain Australia, and Cameron Rodger, managing director of Entain NZ, will be finishing up with Entain after making a considerable impact on the rejuvenated New Zealand industry. We caught up with the pair to learn more about the decision and their future ambitions. Cover image supplied New Zealand racing has always been built on passion, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of progress. Few understand this better than Lachlan Fitt and Cameron Rodger. Over the past few years, they’ve been at the coalface, steering the industry through wagering modernisation and reform while wrestling with its deep-seated traditions. Their journey through Entain has been one of ambition and transformation, but as they step into the next phase of their careers, they reflect on what has been achieved, what still lies ahead, and why the future of New Zealand racing hangs in the balance. A defining era at Entain When asked if there was a specific moment or project at Entain that made you think, “Yes, this is why we do what we do?” Fitt and Rodger were contemplative in their replies. For Fitt, the rewards of his work at Entain weren’t measured in spreadsheets or turnover figures; they were found in the faces of the people the industry supports. “The whole experience of being able to partner with the New Zealand industry over the last couple of years has been an incredibly rewarding time," he reflects. “In particular, it is when you see and hear about the impact we’ve been able to have on the lives of individual participants across the racing and breeding industry that it makes you proud of the significant commitment and time sacrifices you’ve made to try and provide a positive future for all across the industry.” Cameron Rodger and Lachlan Fitt One of the crowning achievements of that partnership is the upcoming Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8. Fitt is confident it won't just be another race day, but a statement for the industry. “This day is meant to be a celebration of New Zealand racing, and I hope the industry continues to build on it in the years to come," says Fitt. “It provides such a great platform—an aspirational target where every owner should want to have a horse racing. It showcases all the headline horses in NZ in one spot on one day—what more could an industry marketer ask for?!” For Rodger, his defining moments were more cumulative; a series of conversations, connections, and moments that underscored the real purpose of his work. “Rather than a single moment, it’s been a collection of experiences—conversations with trainers, breeders, and owners who’ve shared how the changes we’ve been part of have positively impacted their businesses and futures. Racing is built on the passion and resilience of its people, and knowing we’ve helped create meaningful opportunities for them makes all the effort worthwhile.” The industry’s fork in the road Despite their achievements, both Fitt and Rodger know the New Zealand racing industry still faces a reckoning. We asked, if they had full control over its next move, what would they do? For Fitt, the answer was unequivocal. “It is without question fixing the infrastructure—racing venues and surfaces, and training infrastructure to support the industry's growth. I believe there are some clear and obvious opportunities that could be pursued to address this issue, but the whole thing needs leadership and it needs focus.” The urgency of infrastructure reform was reinforced again this past weekend when racing at Otaki Māori had to be abandoned due to track safety concerns, validating the decision for the Group 1 to be run at Ellerslie. It was another reminder of how fragile New Zealand's racing landscape remains without proper investment in tracks, despite the significant financial boost that has poured into the sport following the Entain and TAB NZ partnership. This isn’t an isolated incident, and the New Zealand industry appears collectively frustrated with the continual issues. Last year, the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate was relocated from Hastings to Matamata due to unsafe track conditions. It marked the second time in three years this meeting has had to be shifted. The grandstands at Hawke’s Bay were deemed earthquake-prone, casting further doubt on the long-term viability of other key racing venues. At the core of this challenge is the governance model itself. The ‘community’ approach to race club administration, once seen as a strength, now poses a risk. Those passionate but often lacking formal training in areas such as track maintenance are tasked with preparing surfaces for elite-level competition and preparing racecourses for major racing events. The Messara Report identified this as a key issue back in 2018, and yet, little has changed. Rodger backs this up further, and drives home the need for an open-minded approach to solutions. “The industry needs to stop relying on quick fixes and instead commit to a bold, long-term strategy. The biggest opportunity lies in modernisation and efficiency—developing world-class racing venues, improving scheduling, and creating a racing calendar that builds anticipation and engagement. “Too often, energy is spent protecting the status quo rather than embracing new ideas. With the strong platform it now has, this is the time to take smart risks and drive real change. Or else the opportunity will pass it by.” The non-negotiables New Zealand racing has always walked the tightrope between tradition and change, and nothing exemplifies this more than the long-standing issue of self-serving decision-making. The industry, for all its deep connections and sense of community, has often been held back by competing agendas. Fitt doesn’t mince words when addressing this challenge. “I think one of the biggest issues present in racing in lots of markets is self-interest. People often forget that the industry is funded from the same pie, and if everyone focused on how to run the industry in the best way possible to grow that pie, then actually everyone would have the chance to be better off.” Tracks deemed unfit for racing, grandstands falling apart, and patchwork fixes to long-term problems have long plagued the industry. But for how much longer can it hold up? “For New Zealand, without fixing the infrastructure and without the removal of the self-interest that has impacted progression, nothing will truly ever fix the long-term viability of the industry for all participants,” said Fitt. Rodger agrees, and zeroes in on a solution: unity. "The industry suffers when decision-making is fragmented, and self-interest takes precedence over progress. Whether it’s clubs, breeders, trainers, or owners, everyone must recognise that the industry can only thrive when it grows as a whole. “Long-term sustainability requires strong leadership that can unite different stakeholders, shift the focus from individual gains to collective success, and drive the industry forward with a clear, strategic plan.” The road ahead With a new focus on racing and breeding, Fitt and Rodger are entering a chapter where they can directly influence the industry’s future. For Rodger, the move to racing and breeding is driven by two things: the people and the country’s legacy. “The breeders I’ve met and come to know well—Mark Chittick, Roddy Schick, John Thompson, Brendan Lindsay—are not only leaders in their field but also some of the most hardworking, genuine, funny, and down-to-earth people I’ve ever met. Their passion is infectious. “Despite being a small, geographically isolated country, New Zealand consistently produces elite-level racehorses that perform on the world stage. That’s something I take immense pride in as a Kiwi.” For Fitt, the next five years marks a return to what he’s always loved—getting closer to the breeding industry. “My passion was always racing, and I was fortunate to have had a decade-long career in the wagering industry that allowed me to pursue a career that was directly adjacent to my core passion of racing. “During that time, my love of the breeding side of the industry continued to grow and has now reached the point where I believe we have found an opportunity to meaningfully contribute in a direct way within the breeding game.” Learning from outside the industry As New Zealand racing stands on the precipice of transformation, it's valuable to ask: have you ever looked at another sport or business model and thought, “Why aren’t we doing this?” Fitt has long observed how other sports have evolved to better engage audiences and create commercially viable products. “Great question, and the answer is yes on lots of occasions. It has been interesting to watch how other sports have evolved their product to make them as marketable to the consumers of the sport as possible,” he says. He points to recent progress in New Zealand racing, citing initiatives like the NZB Kiwi and Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day as steps in the right direction. “I believe racing still has a long way to go in evolving the presentation of its product, but we have seen some encouraging changes over this season in New Zealand. The TAB Karaka Millions night is also a great example of ways to present and market your product that I believe has some real learnings for the industry that could be implemented elsewhere.” Karaka Millions Raceday | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock Rodger, meanwhile, draws inspiration from a more unexpected source: the UFC. “UFC is a standout example. They’ve mastered the balance between entertainment and competition, creating an unmissable product without compromising the integrity of the sport.” It’s a model he believes racing should be looking to emulate. “Racing needs to strike the same balance between tradition and entertainment, ensuring our biggest events feel like must-attend spectacles. Around the world, the most successful sports prioritise storytelling, engagement, and star power, and racing has all the ingredients to do the same—it just needs to be packaged the right way.” The five-year vision With all the potential and challenges ahead, we asked Fitt and Rodger to look five years into the future. What do they hope to have accomplished? Fitt doesn’t hesitate. “The list is long, to be honest! There is so much that still needs to happen in New Zealand to get the industry to the point where it is maximising its potential. “I guess most specifically in terms of what we will be focussing on in the short term, I hope in five years we have been able to substantially increase the level of investment in broodmares in New Zealand and have done that by attracting new capital into the industry. And if we’ve done that, we should have also created more opportunities for our stud farms to invest in a greater number of high-quality stallions.” Mares at Waikato Stud | Image courtesy of Waikato Stud For Rodger, success is about tangible, lasting change. “The most rewarding part of my journey so far has been contributing to meaningful change in the industry, and I want to continue building on that.” His focus remains on ensuring New Zealand racing is viable for future generations. “In five years, I hope to look back and see that I’ve played a further role in shaping a stronger, more sustainable future for New Zealand racing—one where the industry is in a better place than it is today, with more confidence, opportunity, and momentum behind it. If I’ve been able to make a real impact in that regard, that would be a success for me.” The next five years will be defining—cementing whether the New Zealand industry can evolve to meet global standards or remain stagnant in the face of change. For Fitt and Rodger, the mission is clear: to push the boundaries, embrace new ideas, and shape a future where New Zealand racing and breeding thrives for generations to come. Fitt and Rodger are undoubtedly two leaders the industry is fortunate to have on its team.

Coming from the likes of you that be a compliment! 😎 I'll pass on your kind thoughts to SCRC

Typical shallow shit from you! any smart leadership will have their heads around platforms that allow organic feedback! What has been lacking has been the backbone and political nous and intellectual skill to use these social media forums! Of course! anyone that has a understanding of racing history and how as a Industry! especially Head Office! has lagged years behind in the move into the digital area! You reap what you sow! and no amount of snide wailing from the likes of 'shallow peti-bourgeois Pollyanna' like yourself can change that! One does have to wonder what you have chose to continue to sneer and talk smack around SCRC and D? From the outside, they seem to have a active local population trying to make things work!

the poison chalice Job of racing, the provincial track manager and their off sider or two! The modern bane of watering the track with a length of hose! that needs to be moved x distance, x amount of times, all different cambers and winds etc to deal with. I know of one track that is prone to a wet spot, that has lead to problems! sigh, a tough day at the office for Kane today!!!

only 16 there today!

not to sure if this will work? https://www.facebook.com/100002419548128/videos/609773558607473/?idorvanity=424229018789803

very true... hard to get better... hard to pay the bills... if visa allow, better off riding work over the ditch!

enough for a flash funeral!!

I would still like to know how safe are my punting $$$ held in TAB accounts?

Two locals with the breeding - Williams/Bates and Kennedys - to be jockeys offed it over the ditch to learn their trade.

oh, is there one?

I'll play your silly game BC! How many mentions did you get in Tapestry of the Turf? I got two photos published in it!

yip, as I said previously, it wouldn't surprise me it she/they chose a senor rider, 60/40 to do so! I no of cases where a stand down riders has received a winning riding fee I just hope she doesn't get the visitors draw! lol! that might get Colon going!

3 very different people involved here if you were to compare and contrast! re Lance, always highly motivated to get that $, and then getting another! He is also involved with running a mid size business! v TK, who doesn't come from a racing family, and he has a serious 'love' for the horse! Back in the Laxon days Laurie had a serious appreciation of TK 'horseman skills'. If he wanted he could walking into any of the big stables in AU as a track rider! A simple pleasant fellow! Wouldn't surprise me to see him find a nice horse one day! Doing it all on the cheap as well!

that you pop up spewing your bile? you come across as deeply misogynist! a Coward! a real keyboard cretin!

When I last spoke to TK, its all around having a bit of fun and keeping his fitness up! As long as the bills are being paid does it really matter?

Avondale communities concerned over being shut out of racecourse plans David Long February 20, 2025 •05:48pm 1Comment Share Play Video Future of Avondale Racecourse uncertain after racing ends in 2025 VIDEO CREDIT: David White fast facts Community organisations urged Auckland councillors for local input on the future of Avondale Racecourse land. Rezoning the land for housing could increase its value from $77.5 million to $200-$400 million. Auckland Council leases part of the racecourse for $28,000 monthly for community sporting activities. A group of community organisations from the Auckland suburb of Avondale came together on Thursday to urge councillors to give them a seat at the table over what happens with the town’s racecourse. The 35-hectare site is owned by the Avondale Jockey Club, but racing will end at the venue in July 2026 and the land then sold off. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) is going through a transfer process for the racecourse with the Avondale Jockey Club, and it will be NZTR that receives the proceeds of this sale. Read More from Stuff Fruit fly discovered on Auckland’s North ShoreTeen steals Kiwi mum’s car then crashes it, leading US police to a murder scene at homeThe advice is changing - here’s what to do with your mortgage now NZTR and Avondale Jockey Club are aiming for the transfer to be completed by June 30, but representatives from the Avondale community told Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning meeting they’re worried that the future of the huge section of land will be decided without any local input. The land is currently worth $77.5 million as it’s zoned for recreational use, with only limited residential properties allowed to be built on it. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff However, the Avondale Jockey Club is asking for it to be rezoned to allow terrace housing and apartment blocks under the council’s PC78 Intensification process and if this happens the land is projected to be worth between $200m to $400m. Avondale Jockey Club and race track may be rezoned for high density housing.DAVID WHITE / STUFF Around 80 people from the Avondale community packed out Auckland’s Town Hall and heard Jaclyn Bonnici from the I Love Avondale Charitable Trust raise concerns about whether locals will be shut out from discussions about the site, or if deals had already been made. “Has the biggest race at Avondale racecourse already been fixed?” Bonnici questioned. “Are we facing land grabs, backroom deals and a community being shut out? “As community leaders, we’ve spoken with hundreds of locals and we’ve commissioned expert insights. So we’re here to build a table, to pull up a chair and make sure our voices are heard.” Bonnici and the others who spoke at the meeting want the council to set up a working group to oversee what happens to the racecourse. Bonnici and others in the community aren’t against further intensification of Avondale, but want some green spaces to remain and also want the famous Avondale Market to continue. Currently, the centre of the racecourse is used for community sporting activities, which Auckland Council leases from Avondale Jockey Club for $28,000 a month. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff A new community centre and library are being built in Avondale by the Auckland Council-controlled organisation Eke Panuku, but the amount of land the racecourse takes up in the town would transform it depending on how it’s used. “We have no masterplan for our suburb that looks at the connectivity, the existing infrastructure, public transport, community amenities and climate resilience,” Bonnici said. “We are not prepared to talk about the volume of housing that we would see as realistic for that piece of land, because we want to shine a light on the fact that the conversations are already happening about us without us.” Avondale racecourse has seen better days.DAVID WHITE / STUFF Local councillor Kerrin Leoni says she supports the formation of a working group to look at what’s best for the Avondale community. “We need to be front footing any of these issues, because it’s our city,” Leoni said. “We need to make sure that locals are being heard, and we can’t just have people coming in and saying, ‘this is how things are done.’ “We know that there’s possibly going to be a hearing in the future, but in the meantime, there’s nothing stopping community groups coming together with those who are in charge to voice their concerns. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff ADVERTISEMENT “So they’ve come to council. But actually, central government’s got a huge role to play in this as well.” Racing is scheduled to continue at Avondale racecourse until the end of the 2025/26 season.DAVID WHITE / STUFF Leoni says she wrote to Racing Minister Winston Peters about the racecourse last year, but didn’t get a reply. “I asked him if we could have a meeting and that there were concerned constituents around the future of the racecourse,” she said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get a response. But I’m happy to pick that back up again and get some of the support from my fellow councillors to push that forward again.” Councillor Angela Dalton, who was filling in for Richard Hills as chair for this part of the meeting, said the group’s concern had been taken on board. “You have a commitment from Councilor Hills and I to progress what you are asking of the committee today,” she said. “We won’t know where that lands, and we can’t make a resolution to it today, but you have a commitment. We have heard you and we’ll keep listening.” ADVERTISEMENT After the meeting, Bonnici says she felt the councillors took onboard the group’s concerns. “They’re elected representatives, but they live in neighbourhoods and some of them live in West Auckland. “So they were receptive, and mostly positive and curious and that’s what we wanted most of all. “We want that to lead to some more open forums so that it’s not private profit who has the biggest say in what happens next.” Share your video Have a video worth sharing with the nation? Send it our way and it could be featured on Stuff and ThreeNews share now In a statement, NZTR said no decisions had yet been made about the future of the market and green space on the site of the racecourse. “The focus at this stage is on agreeing a transfer agreement. Nothing has been agreed or discounted at this stage,” the statement said. Avondale Jockey Club did not respond to Stuff’s request for an email or comment. - Stuff

Avondale community group to engage Winston Peters over racecourse housing plans 4:41 pm today Share this Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share via email Share on Reddit Share on Linked In RNZ Online There were four people who spoke on behalf of the community group I Love Avondale, raising concerns around the cultural, environment and social impacts the loss the area could have. Photo: Flickr / Public domain An Auckland community group say they're taking their push to protect Avondale Racecourse land to Parliament, as they look to maintain a community green space. The I Love Avondale team presented to Auckland Council's policy and planning committee on Thursday in front of a packed public gallery, raising concerns about potential development of the entire piece of land. In March last year the Avondale Jockey club, who own the 135-year-old racecourse, moved to change the entire 35 hectares to a terrace and apartment buildings zone under Council's PC78 Intensification process. At the time, locals said the Avondale Jockey club's plans caught them unaware. More than 20,000 attend the Avondale Markets every Sunday which has been held since the 1970s, while the land is also leased by Auckland Council every year for local sports clubs. There were four people who spoke on behalf of the community group, raising concerns around the cultural, environment and social impacts the loss the area could have. I Love Avondale's team leader Jaclyn Bonnici said she was encouraged by the response from councillors. "I think we got our main points across well and now I look forward to the next steps," Bonnici said. Those next steps include taking the issue to Parliament and the Racing Minister Winston Peters. "We have always intended to speak with the Minister and engage with central government, but as representatives of Tāmaki Makaurau we thought it best to come to our council first. "We actually find our local board and council look to people to inform them and so then we can mobilise together. "Certainly, we will be going next to Wellington," Bonnici said. I Love Avondale said they're not against the land being developed for housing, but it was important to define "for who and by who" this housing would be for. "More than the fear of the loss, we're trying to focus on the ambition and opportunity of what could be possible for a regional park of the scale in terms of urban ngahere (bush), markets and high-quality housing," Bonnici said. "Sports fields, we need to own them, it's ridiculous that Auckland Council have been paying year on year for those sports fields, they should be in community ownership, it should be a fully community owned asset. "This is just another beginning, hopefully a few more ears have opened and hopefully a few more doors for people to take us seriously as a united front," Bonnici said.

yip! Standard norm re the big owners around the world when the big races are on! is you put your perceived best available rider. It wouldn't actually surprise me to much if the trainer looks for a International rider for that race!

na, it can be the smart option (especially in sport). as in, I had a early season bet of fifty buck bet on 49ers to win NFL. Wham bam! injuries everywhere! I cashed out for $34. almost a winning bet!!!!

the OBC would never allow that! 😁

yip! I think there is plenty of strong cool aid being drunk I presume that they must be confident of getting a lot of students along??

Terry Kennedy said when interviewed at Invers that they are expecting 10000+ on course!