hesi

Without doubt NZ's greatest ever sportsman. Here is his 1500m run at Tokyo in 1964. To many in NZ he exemplified what it meant to be a NZ'er in this race. Getting back to racing, that turn of foot that so few horses have at the top level. Zonda was one, in the NZ Derby, footage of which seems to have been lost forever, shame. Also pertinent in today's world of coaching with Noeline Taurua getting the boot for apparently not being nice to the 'girls' she coached. Can you imagine Peter Snell saying that to Arthur Lydiard, and what would have happened

Racing heavyweights to have greater role in its direction Michael Guerin Racing Editor·NZ Herald· 31 May, 2025 05:00 AM5 mins to read Listen(05:15) Save Share Sir Peter Vela will chair a new high-powered advisory committee on the future of the racing industry. Photo / Trish Dunell Some of New Zealand racing’s biggest players and a very special expat have joined together to help steer the future of the industry. New Zealand Bloodstock owner and internationally-renowned breeder and owner Sir Peter Vela will chair a new advisory committee to TAB NZ – the regulatory arm of the national betting agency – which works alongside Entain, the company charged with running the day-to-day operations of the TAB and its associate brand Betcha. With the enormous firepower assembled on the advisory committee, their influence looks set to be felt throughout the industry at a crucial stage in its history. The committee was the idea of Racing Minister Winston Peters and TAB NZ chairman Bill Birnie, so it seems certain to have the minister’s ear, as it includes many of the most powerful people in the industry. Vela is joined by Cambridge Stud owner Brendan Lindsay, Waikato Stud boss Mark Chittick, big-time investor and breeder Greg Tomlinson, Ken Breckon, who owns giant harness racing operation Breckon Farms, and in a huge coup, champion expat trainer Chris Waller Waller lives in Sydney but took time out from a hectic week of sales and racing in Queensland to fly to New Zealand for the advisory committee’s first meeting in Auckland on Wednesday night. The committee is set to have at least one member added with both business expertise and detailed knowledge of the harness racing industry, to ensure the code is further represented. The group would be one of the most high-powered assembled in New Zealand racing history, with all having hugely successful business careers, many outside horse racing before all became enormous investors in the racing industry.The coming-together of the big six, soon to become big seven, comes at a time when New Zealand racing has made enormous advancements in the two years since Entain took over the running of the TAB, injecting expertise and much-needed investment into the struggling industry. Stakes have risen significantly and Entain has been able to grow turnover – but big questions remain around infrastructure and key drivers to ensure the growth continues. Among the most important issues will be tracks, particularly in thoroughbred racing, which continues to be plagued by abandonments, cancellations or unsatisfactory results after track renovations. They are proving enormously costly and are undercutting TAB/Entain’s forecasts as they can’t make money on race meetings that are cancelled. Another crucial factor in maximising turnover is the racing calendar, ensuring the most attractive product ends up in front of punters on the days they want to bet most. While both TAB NZ and Entain have input into that calendar, it is the codes that control and maintain the tracks and other infrastructure. Other key issues the committee will advise on include the breeding industry and how to stimulate the number of foals being bred in both codes, as more horses means bigger fields, which has a direct correlation to future turnover. Vela says although the industry has made enormous improvements since the TAB/Entain deal started, the advisory committee wants to ensure the best pathway forward, setting up the industry for long-term sustainability. Crucially, that includes when the five years of guaranteed returns under the TAB/Entain deal end and the codes have to be judged on their results and ability to implement key turnover drivers. “We have all been tremendously heartened by what has been achieved in the last two years and want to provide advice on the best way forward for the industry,” says Vela. “There are so many factors that go into making the racing industry sustainable, maximising its turnover and ensuring the momentum keeps going. “It was very encouraging having so much knowledge and expertise in that meeting on Wednesday and we hope we can help the minister, TAB NZ, Entain and the codes.” There will be no fees paid to the seven members of the advisory committee, all working pro bono for the future good of the industry. Birnie and TAB NZ chief executive Nick Roberts say the advisory committee will report back to their organisation in the first instance and recommendations can be passed on to the Racing Minister, Entain or the codes, or in some cases all three. “It is amazing to see so many of the industry’s genuine leaders wanting to give back their knowledge,” says Birnie. “To see Chris Waller fly in for 18 hours on Wednesday night to lend his knowledge is quite humbling when you think how busy he would be this week.”
 The formation of the advisory committee will also calm some of those who, while thrilled by racing’s renaissance, worry about its future sustainability as racing faces many of the same changes worldwide.

Arthur Lydiard once said “once you can run my 22-mile training route and do it again the next day, you’ll be ready to take on anyone in the world.” He was of course talking to Peter Snell

May not be as easy a fix as some have suggested, which may put a question mark over Taupo. If it is underground subsidence, then a geotech survey of the entire track may be required.

Matt Ballesty's fault because he does not have any turf knowledge and is only interested in shutting down racing outside of Auckland/Waikato

Meatlug stumbling far left. Possibly a small sinkhole?

I picked this off another site, not sure where it came from, but noted the statement, that the move is strictly for 1 year

Update on Avondale, Waikato Greenfields, Hastings, Awapuni and Trentham

With the shooting of Charlie Kirk, the spotlight has been turned on freedom of speech. One question, if people's rights and freedom of speech is the cornerstone of democracy, why is America such a cot case

The article was about Mark Walker's unraced Caulfied and 1000 Guineas hopefuls and Damask Rose is a 4 year old. But I agree, the way she finished off from last at the 200m into 5th against some pretty good horses, augurs well. Not sure why they have Hostility as unraced, as 3 starts now in NZ, hardly earth shattering in the Colin Meads

2025 Industry Excellence Awards powered by Entain, celebrating New Zealand racing participants under the age of 40, recognizing the emerging leaders and high performers coming through in all three racing codes.

Even the anti-racing, anti-whales, anti-OBC protagonist CW sold out to Cambridge Stud with Pivotal Ten when enough money was put on the table