Mark D

More good stuff from the Optimist on the failed NZTR management http://www.theoptimist.site/

In Australia with the Warriors - FAIL In Australia "chair" of NZ Thoroughbred racing - FAIL https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/warriors/300400547/warriors-boss-apologises-after-unacceptable-behaviour-kane-evans-facing-sevenweek-ban

Agree. We've had a couple of council CEOs here in Wellington from England and they've been useless. Now they've got one in Lower Hutt who's the same and the staff are pissed off. I think there's one on Chch as well.

From the Optimist - Brian De Lore NZTR Chairman Cameron George ended up with both feet in his mouth last Friday week by carelessly putting his mouth into gear while his brain was in neutral. The incident followed the board meeting of NZTR (New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing) at Riccarton Racecourse on the day before the running of the Grand National Steeplechase. Shaun Clotworthy was present in the room unbeknown to George when CEO Bernard Saundry made it known to George that Clotworthy had been appointed the new President of the New Zealand Trainers’ Association. Participating in the meeting via Zoom from Australia, Cameron George made a series of disparaging remarks about Shaun and his appointment – overheard by all in earshot, including Shaun Clotworthy. Saundry attempted to hush him up, but George didn’t twig and continued the tirade until Clotworthy came into camera view. Predictably, it then stopped but without any sign of embarrassment or apology from George. Details of the incident became known to The Optimist neither from Shaun Clotworthy nor anyone on the board. But when something that crass occurs, it’s human nature for a spillage of the beans, and it came to these pages second-hand, but afterwards confirmed in a phone call to Shaun Clotworthy. Why is Cameron George on the board of NZTR ? It raises a couple of questions that people in racing were asking before this incident. Why is Cameron George on the board of NZTR, and why is he the Chair? He’s Australian and has spent the whole of 2021 living and working in Australia; how can he possibly do justice to a position that requires constant attention for an industry declining at an alarming rate. How do industry participants draw any confidence from someone who behaves in this manner? Not only is it a low act, but why would the Chair of NZTR turn vitriolic about anyone’s appointment at the Trainers’ Association unless it’s someone unlikely to comply with the cartel or someone who might stand firm for the battlers in racing, or someone who might mobilise his members for a better deal than they’ve been getting. Shaun could be all of those. Shaun and Emma Clotworthy have been great supporters of the racing industry for many years, as was Shaun’s father, Kim Clotworthy, before that, going back to the days of the champion colt, Uncle Remus. They are a highly respected racing family that will still be involved long after Cameron George is a forgotten name back in Australia. The New Zealand racing industry faces numerous challenges without cowboy behaviour borne out of buffoonery, ego, or self-interest. This sort of stuff has been going on for too long. Nepotism has become the norm, evident by a recent appointment, and denialism about the state of the racing industry is endemic in the ranks of racing administrators and even more so in Government circles which, led by Minister of Racing Grant Robertson, has assumed ownership of the TAB.

7 races today - yes you can call that sinking momentum - or fizzling out if you like

Former business partner of Deano - jobs for the boys https://loveracing.nz/News/33844/NZTRappointsnewChiefOperatingOfficer.aspx

Never seen an ex-policeman be any good in these type of management positions. Big difference between ordering people around and creating a collaborative working environment

Didn't they spend a bit of money upgrading that track? Gee whiz they're racing 4 or 5 wide the whole way round!

Typical of this administration all piss and wind for the 1st meeting but everything peters (pun intended) out. Given the lack of any publicity re turnovers etc I think it is safe to assume that these are nothing to write home about.

Actually I thought the hypocrisy you were referring to CS was the financing of an AW track by the "provincial growth fund" in the same week as we were hearing about the high rents being charged in Cambridge! Didn't watch a single second on TV nor did I have a bet out of principle but it was unavoidable to escape the "gushing" on Facebook and other social media from the NZTR. But one swallow doesn't make a drink. The construction of these tracks is the easy part - being it being from taxpayers' funds achieved by political skullduggery - the hard part is making it pay. The top brass think they can by closing down provincial tracks but that won't help, in fact in my opinion it will be to racing's detriment This of course has been pointed out by all the smart people, including me, for quite some time and been ignored. But don't worry - it will only last forever.

Freudian slip Huey

Shit yeah what a fiasco.

Haven't been taking much notice but did I see a replay of a race from Ellerslie where horses got spooked by a couple of guys lying down near the rail on the turn - AGAIN?

Chair resigns gets the new Chair to appoint him to a (well paid I'm sure) management role? Corruption, malpractice anyone?

Further: Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

"Stability"? You mean continue with the same old failed policies that she has been integral to? No thanks - I'll take a bit of uncertainty any day

The only thing concrete that guy has got is between his ears

I'm not sure if Guerin was writing this piece as a journalist or an opinion writer but it was essentially a puff piece sourced from George and the extract above highlights this. What the f$$# is a change agent and whether any change is good surely depends on outcomes. There is nothing "new" in this trite hackneyed plan is anything new and indeed in that it is highly hypocritical given what has happened to clubs over the past decade eg centralised funding, the removal of any direct revenue flow from betting income etc Further it strings a long bow to suggest that the "change" undertaken by George at the Warriors has produced any benefits. It may be too soon to judge but there is every indication that it is all perception and there is no substance - something that is very evident in all George's "roles" in this country. Talk tough - do nothing.

It's just BS peddled by a couple of Australian snake oil salesman

Even less in yours😀

Lisa's goat track has moved?

Wairoa and Gisborne could have been good options if they hadn't beeen shut down😄

Have to cut the field size as well wouldn't they? (he says when he has no idea of the noms). Why is Te Rapa not an option?

They should just postpone the 2021 Derby to 26 December 2021 - its proper place. It's a massive loss making race anyway so it will make the accounts look better for this financial year.

And of course these courses were shut down as their maintenance was costing too much and therefore the "industry" would save money. Running total of money saved so far 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.00000