Boxie

I think you and Curious have taken my comment as a negative against BGP. My understanding is they have a subscription model and the funds are centralised. I may be wrong. Given the sizable amount they have to bet with they approached agencies for a deal or an agency approached them. NZRB (NZTAB) did not come to the party. Ladbrokes (or another overseas bookie) did. I heard they were challenged by the NZTAB regarding their betting overseas. BGP got round this by having an admin in Australia doing the betting. Obviously the return to NZ racing is less under this arrangement - assuming of course they are average punters! So NZTAB ignores them and NZTR awards them. Now that is an interesting dynamic and perhaps a pointer to the announcement this week. Pot and Frying Pan come to mind.

I wonder if he texted Trevor Mallard?!

I guess that award now makes the BGP the "Premier Online Racing Community"?

Interesting how they award a group who bet with offshore entities. Are they providing any funding to BGP?

Especially when the BGP spend their money with overseas bookies!!! What message does that send? But let's not "be toxic and disaffected" - let's be positive.

The silence is deafening. Typical spin tactics though - "let's wait - we've got the industry awards (=smoke) and then Winstons announcement (=mirrors")....hopefully the sand (noise) will drain (go) away." Geez who'd pay their membership fees for this season if no racing is going to happen?

2 not to or too but two.

The Te Rapa Board and Executive Management standard issue in lieu of race meeting tickets: Working bees will be held every Saturday for the next three years.

Looks like the TAB haven't had the time to change the form so it's relative to Te Aroha NOT Te Rapa. Comments like "goes well at Te Rapa" seem to confirm so. Must be too busy sorting out the rugby odds like first to collapse a scrum etc.

I heard through the grapevine that the sudden deterioration in the surface at Te Rapa was a management cock up. Anyone else heard that?

Geez Reefton do you deposit more than $10,000 into you TAB account at a time?

Oh that explains the improvement in grammar and spelling. Even the creativity can't be attributed to you! Suggest you stick to cut and paste as it improves your literacy!

Yeah but NZ Racing is broke at all levels. At least in OZ when a horse pitches up on Met raceday it's ready and "didn't need a couple of runs." The jump out filming isn't going to help your betting strategies anyhow as the mostly rely on non performance related data. Of course I guess you'll be wanting them to record and notify gear changes at jumpouts?

Tank are you not taking your pills? I see your creative writing skills are improving as are your grammar and spelling. Obviously the remedial classes are working. Just a suggestion can you use less of that word that the Greens Co-Leader is reclaiming for Maori Women?

Well Winston has been fed some BS from NZRB AND NZTR regarding the number of abandonments and the lost revenue to the industry. I recall someone else pointing out that if NZTR had not met their abandoned race meeting target they would have had a substantial deficit i.e. the paid out stakes would have been substantially more than NZRB revenue grant. The report focus should be on slashing NZRB costs and put them on notice that within a short time there will direct competition in the NZ market. Unfortunately the NZRB has no reserves left having squandered them on promised stake increases, failed IT projects and business partnerships that won't return any windfalls.

Unless they put one of our major tracks out of commission for close to two years it is going to cost tens of millions to create one new track. The extra costs being supporting infrastructure like stables, stands, etc. So a poly sand track is the most likely option inside an existing turf track. Not many candidates for that option and I don't think our NZ trainers will embrace that type of track. Strathayr would be best but I doubt we have the management skills and they don't last forever. Does any club actually return enough revenue to maintain them?

Well done to Ellerslie for doing something but isn't it the same path Te Rapa went down?

What a load of bollocks the article is the next line is even worse. "...the track has been sorely missed over the winter months...." Doesn't Ellerslie close down in the Winter?

So where was the "course manager" when the work was being done?

Isn't Berri working on this for NZTR? He must have it ready by now!

Isn't that what happens on an All Weather Track when it's wet? Synthectically treated sand gets kicked into the faces of all those behind the leader? I hope the Winston Memorial Tracks are turf based for Rogie's sake.

Serious bleeders? So they have not so serious bleeders? None of their Grp 1 races are below 2000m!!!

The entire breed in Germany is focussed on middle to long distance. About 1,000 foals per year. They still have bleeders and they have no Northern Dance blood. Go figure!

You really are anti-racing aren't you?

I don't believe a kg equals a length.