hesi

Sports betting is flying, I presume most of the new customers are sports bettors Look forward to this In addition to transforming live race coverage, the new GPS-RTK system will deliver comprehensive post-race sectional and timing data, offering racing lovers unprecedented insight into race performance. This will soon be available through trackside.co.nz and other platforms as a powerful tool for form analysis and to enhance the overall racing experience. Stay tuned over the summer months for the debut of Upon The Land We Stand, hosted by Kylie Bax. Kylie is travelling the length of New Zealand to uncover the stories, spirit, and people that make our racing community so special Someone was complaining elsewhere about Michael Guerin interviewing Zac Purton and its relevance to NZ racing, and that they should be grassroot NZ racing people. Well, there is your answer

Interesting man seems like quite a few on this channel. A shame we lost TAB4Ever. This place is getting a good reputation CS

Good question. Here’s a breakdown of what Vicky Leonard has claimed — or alleged — in relation to Peter V'Landys and the broader racing-industry governance / media-freedom dispute. Because the public record is complicated, what follows reflects what’s documented to date — not claims I can verify independently. 🔎 Who is Vicky Leonard (in this context) Vicky Leonard is a part-owner / founding figure behind The Thoroughbred Report (TTR). ttrausnz.com.au+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 She is also associated with Kick Up (or “Kick Up for Racing” / “Kick Collective”) — a group that describes itself as “promoting positive welfare messaging” and defending the racing industry against what they regard as misinformation. ttrausnz.com.au+2racing.com+2 Leonard and her groups present themselves as pro-racing, pro-welfare (as defined by them), and keen to challenge what they see as media or activist attacks on the racing industry. racing.com+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 📣 What are Leonard’s main claims/accusations involving V’Landys or the industry — and why she’s critical From publicly available statements, Leonard (via Kick Up and The Thoroughbred Report) has made — or repeated — several claims / criticisms in relation to V’Landys / the governance of racing and how media and critics are being treated. The key ones: In response to V’Landys calling scrutiny a smear campaign (particularly around the proposed sale of Rosehill Racecourse and the management of the industry’s Equine Welfare Fund), Kick Up (including Leonard) said the “threat” was “false and insulting.” They argued that attempts over many years to get clarity on welfare-fund spending had been met with “evasive responses—or lack thereof.” ttrausnz.com.au+2thoroughbreddailynews.com+2 Leonard (via Kick Up) accused V’Landys of employing a “dual strategy”: rewarding media or industry insiders who stay quiet or “play along,” and penalising — via legal threats, accreditation bans, or other forms of pressure — those who raise uncomfortable questions. ttrausnz.com.au+2thoroughbreddailynews.com+2 She argues that this pattern undermines media freedom and transparency: that when powerful regulators exert influence over what gets reported or who gets access, it erodes independent oversight of the racing industry. ttrausnz.com.au+2X (formerly Twitter)+2 Leonard claims these problems are not just occasional but systemic — that there’s a culture of “soft-pedalling” issues, of media being influenced or pressured, and of the industry being shaped by those unwilling to allow critical reporting or dissent — framing it as a threat to fair public scrutiny. ttrausnz.com.au+1 In short: The claim is that V’Landys (and those around him) are using influence, resources and legal / accreditation power to suppress legitimate journalism and criticism — which Leonard sees as essential for welfare and governance accountability in racing. ttrausnz.com.au+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 🔄 Where Leonard’s claims come in — recent events During hearings around the proposed sale of Rosehill Racecourse (2024), V’Landys alleged that “wealthy breeders” were behind a campaign to discredit him — he said there was an email circulating encouraging people to “make up whatever you can … doesn’t matter if it is truth, doesn’t matter if it is lies, but just smear him.” ttrausnz.com.au+2Parliament of NSW+2 In response to that allegation, Kick Up (and by extension Leonard) pushed back: they said their repeated attempts over years to seek clarity on equine-welfare spending had been met with evasiveness, not transparency — and implied that V’Landys’ characterization (that critics were effectively “pro-abattoir” or reckless) was misleading and insulting. ttrausnz.com.au+1 Separately, in commentary tied to media coverage of racing, Leonard has written about what she sees as a broader culture of media influence — where mainstream outlets have historically been “soft-pitched” to underplay controversies or avoid challenging powerful players like V’Landys. ttrausnz.com.au+1 In effect: Leonard claims the public and industry deserve better transparency about welfare, post-racing horse fate, financial flows (welfare funds, race-club revenues), and that independent journalism must be protected, not threatened. ⚠️ What’s known — and what remains contested / unproven It’s known that V’Landys has previously initiated defamation legal action (or threatened to) in response to media investigations of welfare issues — for example against ABC after a 2019 report about alleged racehorse slaughter. He lost that case in 2021. ABC+2ABC+2 It’s established that Leonard and Kick Up have made public statements about lack of transparency, about legal threats or accreditation denials for TTR after critical reporting. ttrausnz.com.au+1 What remains uncertain: Whether all the allegations of media suppression, intimidation, or “smear-campaigns” are legally or factually proven. As of now, many claims remain in the realm of public accusations and counter-accusations. For instance, while V’Landys alleged “fabricated evidence” by “wealthy breeders,” Leonard’s group rejected this — and no publicly verified independent proof has (as far as I can see) emerged to definitively confirm either side’s full narrative. If you like — I can pull up 5–10 key recent media articles that summarise the Leonard vs V’Landys dispute (with dates, quotes, and links). That way you can see the arguments “live” and judge for yourself. You said: yes ChatGPT said: Good idea. Here are several recent media-articles and commentary pieces summarising the dispute involving Vicky Leonard (and her organisations) and Peter V’Landys — with dates, what’s claimed, and public responses. 📄 Key Recent Articles & Commentary Date / Outlet Headline / Summary What Leonard (or her group) Claims / Argues 15 Apr 2025 — “Mainstream media zeroes in on V’landys influence” Article by Leonard published on The Thoroughbred Report (TTR) Leonard argues that major media outlets are showing how V’Landys “courts loyalty, rewards silence, and shapes the public narrative.” She claims that after TTR probed governance issues (e.g. around the proposed sale of a racecourse and welfare matters), TTR — and her other business Kick Collective — had their media accreditation denied, and received a legal letter threatening defamation proceedings. ttrausnz.com.au 10 Aug 2024 — “Battle lines drawn: V’landys’ war of words targets breeders with explosive allegations” Coverage of the parliamentary inquiry into the proposed sale of Rosehill Racecourse The article reports that V’Landys accused “wealthy breeders” of running a smear campaign against him, even alleging emails encouraging people to “make up whatever you can … doesn’t matter if it is truth, doesn’t matter if it is lies, but just smear him.” In response, Kick Collective (associated with Leonard) issued a statement condemning V’Landys’ remarks, calling his insinuations “false and insulting,” and argued that their repeated efforts to get clarity on how the industry’s Equine Welfare Fund was spent had been met with evasiveness rather than transparency. ttrausnz.com.au+2thoroughbreddailynews.com+2 11 Nov 2025 — “The group smashing misinformation about racing” Interview/feature on racing.com with Leonard Leonard describes Kick Collective’s goal as countering what they view as misinformation about horse racing — especially during high-profile events such as the Spring Carnival. She paints the group as defenders of racing and horse welfare, and argues many welfare-based attacks are based on “false information.” racing.com+1 2024–2025 — commentary/op-eds by Leonard on industry transparency and media access Various articles in TTR / related outlets In these, Leonard highlights alleged systemic issues: she claims media access for TTR and Kick Collective has been blocked as a form of punishment for critical reporting, and that industry insiders have been “rewarded” for silence. She frames this as an attempt to control the narrative and suppress critique, arguing it undermines transparency and independent oversight. ttrausnz.com.au+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 🎯 What These Claims Center On — Key Themes From the articles above (and associated writing by Leonard), the main claims / arguments are: That the industry leadership under V’Landys uses power, influence, and financial/legal pressure to shape media narratives, rewarding friendly media and punishing critical or independent reporting. ttrausnz.com.au+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 That attempts to scrutinise spending (especially welfare-funds used for post-career care of racehorses) and governance (e.g. racecourse sale) have been met with evasiveness or hostility, rather than transparency — despite repeated, reasonable questions. thoroughbreddailynews.com+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 That independent media (like TTR / Kick Collective) have faced denied accreditation and legal threats simply for doing investigative or critical work — which Leonard argues is a form of intimidation and undermines journalistic freedom. ttrausnz.com.au+1 That the broader public (and racing-industry members) deserve open, transparent governance and access to information — and that suppressing such scrutiny risks undermining trust in the industry. ttrausnz.com.au+3ttrausnz.com.au+3ttrausnz.com.au+3 🧭 How Leonard Frames Her Role & Motivation According to her own words and public statements: Leonard says she started Kick Collective because she was troubled by what she saw as misinformation and emotionally charged criticism of horse racing — which she believes wrongly malign the sport and its participants. racing.com+1 She argues that responses to criticism should be based on data, science, transparency — not suppression or defensiveness. racing.com+1 She casts her and her organisations as advocates for “true” horse welfare (as defined by caretakers, trainers, and industry-insiders), opposing what she views as external pressure groups using emotion or sensationalism. racing.com+1 She says that withholding media accreditation or threatening legal action against critical reporting is a dangerous precedent that undermines the industry’s accountability and legitimacy. ttrausnz.com.au+2ttrausnz.com.au+2 📌 Why These Claims Matter — and What’s Still Disputed This is not just a “he said / she said” media spat: the dispute raises real questions about transparency, governance, and power dynamics in the racing industry — including oversight of funds supposedly used for equine welfare. If independent journalism is effectively blocked or intimidated, that reduces public oversight — potentially enabling mismanagement or welfare issues to go unreported. On the other hand, some of the broader criticisms against V’Landys (e.g. that his influence shapes media coverage across mainstream outlets) remain difficult to prove objectively. As one earlier case showed — when he lost a defamation suit against a broadcaster over welfare reporting — courts may accept that a veterinary-welfare problem exists and that regulation is ineffective, but still reject that this means the CEO knew or was complicit. The Guardian+2ABC+2 Thus, while Leonard’s calls for fairness and transparency resonate with many, the full truth about what goes on behind the scenes — and whether pressure is systematically applied to silence critics — remains partly in shadow.

Good question. Here’s a breakdown of what Peter V'Landys’s legal action against The Thoroughbred Report (TTR) is — and why it matters. I’ll also touch on how this ties into his history of legal actions for context. ✅ What is The Thoroughbred Report The Thoroughbred Report (TTR) is an independent racing-industry publication covering news, governance and issues in the thoroughbred racing world — including investigations into governance, welfare, and oversight of racing authorities. ttrausnz.com.au+1 On 2 December 2025, TTR published a statement saying that it — and two other “independent racing publications” — had recently received correspondence from V’Landys and/or legal counsel for Racing NSW in response to TTR’s reporting on governance issues. ttrausnz.com.au The statement characterized the correspondence as a “legal threat.” ttrausnz.com.au ⚠️ What V’Landys’ action (or threat) against TTR is about According to TTR’s public statement, the legal correspondence was triggered by its reporting “on governance matters within the New South Wales thoroughbred racing industry.” ttrausnz.com.au In other words: V’Landys (or Racing NSW’s legal counsel) appears to be challenging or threatening to challenge TTR because of critical or investigative reporting into the way the industry — under V’Landys’ leadership — is governed. The precise issues under scrutiny aren’t detailed in the TTR statement. But given the history of controversy linked to V’Landys, it likely relates to governance, transparency, or welfare in the industry. TTR says it views the threat as “legal intimidation,” arguing that independent journalism is essential for oversight and accountability, especially when powerful regulatory bodies are involved. ttrausnz.com.au 🕰️ How this fits into V’Landys’ past legal cases This isn’t the first time V’Landys has used legal action (or threatened to) in response to media scrutiny: In 2019, an investigative program by ABC titled The Final Race revealed serious alleged animal-welfare abuses and slaughter of former racehorses — sometimes sold to knackeries/abattoirs. ABC+2thoroughbreddailynews.com+2 V’Landys sued ABC (and the journalist behind the piece) for defamation, arguing the broadcast wrongly implied he was responsible or complicit in systemic cruelty. ABC+2Coleman Greig Lawyers+2 In 2021, the court dismissed his defamation claim. The judge ruled that although the report was damaging to his reputation, it did not meet the legal threshold for defamation — specifically, the court found the broadcast didn’t prove he “knew” about the cruelty or knowingly permitted it. The Guardian+2racing.com+2 The dismissal and appeal failure reaffirmed that journalists can — under law — draw attention to systemic problems even when senior figures are implicated. Wikipedia+1 So the new action/threat against TTR seems to follow a similar pattern: powerful industry authority reacting defensively to critical reporting under threat of legal escalation. 🧭 Why this matters for racing, journalism, and governance Media freedom and scrutiny: TTR argues that this kind of “legal threat” undermines independent journalism — essential for holding powerful regulators to account. ttrausnz.com.au Transparency in the racing industry: If journalists fear legal retaliation, it could discourage reporting on real issues (governance failures, welfare problems, mismanagement), which harms industry accountability. Precedent and public trust: Given the past controversies around horse welfare and regulation under V’Landys’ leadership, how this plays out could influence public confidence in how racing is governed. Regulatory culture: A pattern of legal challenges to scrutiny (rather than engagement or reform) may raise concerns about how open the industry is to external oversight.

Self interest and parochialism is across the whole industry not just in the administration of it

And yes, the need to go into people's accounts and change names, what a prick. And some people think he is wonderful🙄

Starts with F and rhymes with IT

If it stands head and shoulders above the rest, why the need for it to regularly copy from this site, news items of interest that CS researches out.

No

Hahaha, well certainly not in NZ, since when was media independent. Were they not all bribed when taking money from the Public Interest Journalism Fund Independent media exists to scrutinise powerful institutions and hold them to account, even if critical of leadership.

They can't really win though. If they don't postpone and the meeting is cancelled on the morning due to heavy rain, they will get severely criticised. If the forecast heavy rain does not eventuate, they will get criticised

I'm sure it also draws a lot of intelligent people to this site, the appeal of robust but intelligent debate......as opposed to, well I'll let you draw your own conclusions there

I'm glad you qualified your statement with 'based on traffic', because that is all it is

I own it and run it still, but unlike a few I quite enjoy the rhetoric on this site. While you may not like CS, he is a very intelligent hombre, and that quite appeals to me

Generally moderation will be performed retrospectively, that is posts will only be edited or removed AFTER a complaint or review that shows a clear violation of the following: A law has been breached e.g. defamation, slander, the Harmful Digital Communications Act; A person's family has been abused. We have no problem with robust debate between individuals but a line is crossed when attacks are aimed at or affect people who don't have the opportunity to reply;

On the topic of running G1's on small tracks, Matamata of course running the Windsor Park Plate when HB couldn't

He may have his faults, but I believe this would never happen, as happened on another site, ad nauseum, and what led to the establishment of this and other sites

Clubs never had any idea about marketing, nor did they have the resource. I have mentioned this before, it is a bit like each individual kiwifruit grower marketing their product, not a hope. Then along came Zespri and everyone had to join so the kiwifruit industry went ahead in leaps and bounds with oodles of resource and professional marketing and administration

Yes, it is all about this entrepreneurial streak that comes along from time to time. It is not really a beast that survives under 'committee rule'. Just look at every fucking council in NZ, or should I say Aotearoa lol. Then again this entrepreneurial thing is not guarantee of success. Classic case being Chris Weaver and how he totally stuffed what was the second best carnival in NZ racing, the 4 days at Ellerslie over BD/NYD. They used to get 10,000 on that infield on Boxing Day, all sorts, with their hydraulic platforms to watch each race. No one died lol Just shows, it is not about a country/city thing, it is all about an inspired vision and the passion to make it happen. An almost total rarity in racing clubs these days. They have done well to get the KM day going and also the NZB Kiwi, but they haven't got the formula right nor it would appear the will to get it right

Bayer were suppliers of chemicals to not only the rural farming sector but also horticulture and industry. As such it was a big day out for all those that bought their chemicals, probably helped with the crowd numbers. We drove down from Auckland every year, an early start, leaving at 4am Origins: Why & how the race began The race began in 1981 under the name Levin Turf Classic. It was created by the Levin Racing Club, which wanted a new “feature race for three-year-olds for a substantial stake.” To raise money for the first running — aiming for a large stake — the club ran a sweepstake: horses entered had to pay fees at multiple levels. That generated the bulk of the necessary funds, though the club also bridged the rest. The first running was over a mile (1600 m). The inaugural winner in 1981 was a horse named “Altitude.” Sponsorship & Rising Status — “Bayer Classic” emerges In 1984 the club secured sponsorship from Bayer NZ Ltd (a branch of the multinational company Bayer). The sponsorship brought significant prize money and prestige, prompting the race to be renamed the “Bayer Classic.” Thanks to this support, the race soon became one of the most prestigious targets for three-year-olds in New Zealand and Australasia.

Race results Year Winner Jockey Trainer(s) Time Second place Third 2025[2] Savaglee 57 Samantha Spratt Pam Gerard 1:23.22 (good, 1400m) Kitty Flash 55 Tardelli 57 2024[3] Quintessa 55 Opie Bosson Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson 1:35.76 (good) Zabmanzor 57 Impendabelle 55 2023[4] Romancing The Moon 55 Kozzi Asano Mark Walker 1:37.13 (soft) Skew Wiff 55 Luella Cristina 55 2022[5] Imperatriz 54.5 Michael McNab Jamie Richards 1:36.43 (dead) On The Bubbles 56.5 I Wish I Win 56.5 2021[6] Bonham 54.5 Lisa Allpress Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard, Otaki 1:37.67 (good) Brando 56.5 Wild Moose 56.5 2020[7] Travelling Light 54.5 Samantha Collett Ben Foote, Cambridge 1:36.71 (good) Harlech 56.5 Riodini 56.5 2019[8] Madison County 56.5 Matthew Cameron Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman, Cambridge 1:35.89 (good) Hypnos 56.5 Vernanme 56.5 2018[9][10] Age Of Fire 56.5 Opie Bosson Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, Matamata 1:36.63 (soft) Belle Du Nord 54.5 Savvy Coup 54.5 2017[11][12] Hall Of Fame 56.5 Opie Bosson Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, Matamata 1:35.54 (good) Saville Row 56.5 Jon Snow 56.5 2016[13] Dukedom 56.5 Lisa Allpress Steven Cole 1:36.96 (good) Son Of Maher 56.5 Rangipo 56.5 2015[14] Gaultier 56.5 Michael Coleman Danica Guy, Matamata 1:36.62 (good) Sardaaj 54.5 Huka Eagle 56.5 2014[15] Recite 54.5 Mark Du Plessis John Bary, Hastings 1:36.10 (firm) Franzac 56.5 Aspen 56.5 2013 No race held 2012[16] Southern Lord 56.5 Kelly Myers Alan Tait, Matamata 1:34.63 (good) Le Choix 56.5 Soriano 55 2011[17] Distill 56.5 Robert Hannam Roydon Bergerson, Awapuni 1:35.97 (good) Randall 56.5 Antonio Lombardo 56.5 2010[18] We Can Say It Now 54.5 Leith Innes Murray & Bjorn Baker, Cambridge 1:34.27 (good) Blinding 54.5 Lady Kipling 54.5 2009[19] Eileen Dubh 55 Jonathan Riddell Francis Finnegan, Woodville 1:35.43 (good) St Germaine 54.5 Green Supreme 56 2008[20] Altered Image 56 Michael Coleman Michael & Paul Moroney, Matamata 1:32.50 (good) Spontaneous 56 Izonit 56 2007[21][22] Keepa Cruisin 54.5 Leith Innes Stephen McKee, Ardmore 1:34.85 (good) Run Like Al 56 Satinka 54.5 2006[23] Porotene Gem 54.5 David Walker Kevin Gray, Copper Belt Lodge 1:40.10 (soft) Jokers Wild 56 Figueres 56 2005[24] Wahid 56 Hayden Tinsley Allan Sharrock, New Plymouth 1:36.18 (dead) Shikoba 53.5 Izzat 56 2004[25] Ambitious Owner 55.5 Leith Innes Murray Baker, Cambridge 1:34.77 (Good) Fiscal Madness 55.5 Magnetism 55.5 2003[26] Russian Pearl 56 Hayden Tinsley Bruce & Stephen Marsh, Woodville 1:34.96 (soft) Taatletail 53.5 King’s Chapel 56 2002 Bunker 56 Opie Bosson Trevor & Stephen McKee, Takanini 1:37.14 (soft) Dane choice 56 Cheerine Kid 56 2001 Final Destination 53.5 Gary Grylls Vannessa Hillis, Matamata 1:34.9 (good) Shinnecock 54 Armondo 56 2000 Tit For Taat 56 Hayden Tinsley Wayne Herbert 1:35.11 (good) Star Satire 56 Sir Clive 54 1999[27] Buzz Lightyear 56 Opie Bosson Robert Priscott, Te Awamutu 1:35.28 Domero 56 Greatthings Happen 56 1998 Tobruk 56 Leith Innes Graham Richardson, Matamata 1:37.67 (soft) With Drawn 56 Kaapeon 56 1997 Love De Tor 53 Greg Childs Michael Moroney, Matamata 1:33.69 (good) Foxwood 53 Quality Kingdom 53 1996[28] O'Reilly 55.5 Lance O'Sullivan Dave & Paul O'Sullivan, Matamata 1:35.74 High Return 55.5 Rebel 55.5 1995 Prussian Blue 55.5 Shane Udy Davina Waddell, Pukekohe 1:34.97 (good) Anemos 56 Super Crest 53 1994[29] Avedon 55.5 Darryl Bradley Felix Patrick Campbell, Awapuni 1:34.81 Starcent 53 Allegro 55.5 1993[30] Al Akbar 55.5 Gary Grylls Chris Wood, Cambridge 1:43.97 (heavy) Western Red 55.5 Facing The Music 53 1992 Nimue 53 Lance O'Sullivan Dave & Paul O'Sullivan, Matamata 1:33.66 Kaaptive Edition 55.5 Hula Strike 55.5 1991 Veandercross 55.5 Jim Walker Chris Turner, New Plymouth 1:34.35 Overwhelmed 55.5 Captain Cook 55.5 1990[31] Eagle Eye 55.5 Noel Harris Murray Baker, Woodville 1:39.64 Sir Alberton 55.5 Play On 55.5 1989 Phillipa Rush 53 Lance O'Sullivan Jim Campin, Cambridge 1:36.20 Pumpernickel 55.5 Status 55.5 1988 Krona 55.5 Peter Tims Roger McGlade, Taupo 1:35.53 (good) Straight Order 55.5 Kate’s Myth 53 1987 Young Indian 55.5 Peter Tims Norm Morgan, Ruakaka 1:35.75 (good) Sound Belt 55.5 Candide 53 1986[32] The Bishop 55.5 Maree Lyndon Don Couchman, Hawera 1:36.78 Margarella 53 Precocious Lad 55.5 1985 Bonecrusher 55.5 Jim Cassidy Frank Ritchie, Takanini 1:36.90 French Polish 53 Seadreamer 53 1984[33] Princess Dram 53 Maree Lyndon Neil Bradley, Hawera 1:35.90 Avana 53 Kingdom Bay 55.5 1983[34] Burletta 53 Jim Cassidy Felix Patrick Campbell, Hastings 1:36.0 Eastern Bay 53 Prince Ariba 55.5 1982 Our Flight 53 Maurice Campbell Errol Skelton, Levin 1:36.2 (good) Red Tempo 55.5 Clansman 55.5 1981[35] Altitude 55.5 Stephen Autridge Bill Ford, Matamata 1:36.00 (good) Noble Heights 53 Volare 55.5

Ironic that today's meeting at Otaki, was once the meeting that became iconic and known as Bayer Classic day, and started at Levin

It has always surprised me, as it is Entain's money on the line, that they have not had a lot more 'insistence' about where money should be spent. Or have they?

Lou Vincent? lol

Do you know that for sure? Why did HB sit on their hands for so long