Special Agent

Yes he was. A generous man too. The hospitals would notice him gone.

No, who benefits is anyone's guess. If everything racing was as black and white as the Chief thinks dates and committees would be a piece of cake. The sector groups would meet, apply common sense and everyone in the industry would benefit. Some dates appear to be set in stone and are almost impossible to change. At the moment the trend is Sunday dates for an increased turnover, until another idea surfaces. Aren't the draft calendars out now, so the time to question, query and suggest changes is right now? Like Kenny suggested though, little notice is taken even with multiple back ups. If dates are not working, like the Ashburton example, stronger submissions will be required with backing from every group. Someone with time on their hands needs to co-ordinate a different approach with an improved turnover plan top of the agenda. I don't know what the answer is, other than a different approach. I think online meetings take away the importance and provide dismissive attitudes. You can't beat looking at the whites of your opponents eyes.

In simple terms I think racing needs to be made relevant, and cool again. I think our leaders are under estimating the power of the smaller clubs and surrounding communities. The people on here want to see the best horses and jockeys. The people we need to entice on track just want a memorable experience.

After reading your comments this morning I've been thinking about Chris today. Can anyone ever recall him being grumpy?

Shops and roads were mental today with all that last minute Christmas shopping. After trackwork this morning thought I'd grab a couple of things. What a stupid idea! Queues outside The Warehouse waiting for it to open. Then the supermarket was jam packed. The shops are closed for just one day for crying out loud. Some marketing genius needs to transfer that urgency to the Boxing Day races. I'm trying to think back to what created anticipation for weeks leading up to the carnival at Ellerslie. It's a different world of no newspapers where you might share and discuss at smoko. The age of the device can be a secluded experience. One thing is for sure, there does appear to be less disposable cash, the Boxing Day sales will no doubt be in full force again. This all impacts on life, and a day out at the races. Clubs need to be much more organised with pre-paid packages, and more inventive with everything on offer.

My answer to the question is YES.

These types of injuries take time and patience. It will be frustrating for Lily, as it has been for jockeys in a similar position but, she's young with strength and courage. If she has to miss a season or two, what does it matter?

Were you on the Levin committee Chief when Hastings was being considered as the venue for the Classic meeting? It sounds like you know all the business of LRC over a multitude of eras.

Apart from the free rent at Otaki that is obviously rubbing you up the wrong way, what is your beef with Levin? I don't know any group that is holier than thou so, I'm not sure what you are implying.

Who told you Awapuni was ever an option? If there is a rate for a facility or service which has been negotiated by the parties, and is more than the going rate, where is the problem? Maybe you should offer your consultancy services to Ben at Otaki.

I would imagine Otaki would send Levin an invoice for course rental which would be paid. I'd also imagine it would be the same rental amount paid by Kapiti Harness and whichever RACE club have utilised the course. Has Otaki suggested Levin specifically don't pay their share?

Central trainers also forewarned the lack of a sustainable funding model for the Awapuni synthetic. Most CD trainers did not want the track installed. However, it looks a mandate for Awapuni trainers to support the polytrack now as they rent facilities from RACE. As for a substantial increase of horses trained at Awapuni, despite the inflated numbers on the application to the Provincial Growth Fund, it was never going to happen. There are no longer studs of any significance in Manawatu, and leading jockeys and trainers are domiciled elsewhere. Growth must be close to zero making the use of government growth funding a failure. We are continually told by NZTR that those in the industry must band together for the good of all. I think there is an anomaly. Breeders have representatives on most racing boards and advisories, plus there is a definite inclusion of a selling facility at Greenfields. If it's good enough for all owners to contribute a percentage of stakes to horse welfare it may be time for breeders to do the same for an infrastructure fund. The breeders need horses to race for their core business to thrive. A tarif/tax/deduction of sales and service fees would help build up a fund, over and above any sweepstake races. A percentage applied to all income would allow for those who receive the most to contribute the most, rather than a select few clubs giving up their asset. The breeders could offer ongoing contributions, whereas the clubs can only sell their tracks once e.g. Feilding, Marton, Bulls, Paeroa etc.

On a smaller scale even Kurow has squash courts that double as jockeys' room.

Our parents would tell us it's living beyond your means. Very frustrating. We've heard all the speeches about pooling the money and experts managing this fund. I am not overly confident of this being the best idea ever. I think the horns should be pulled in a tad and racing needs to look at the basics. How on earth could nothing have been learned from the AWT's? THERE MUST BE AN INVESTMENT INTO ONGOING MAINTENANCE. Cambridge has no stand. Does it stop trackwork, trials or racing there? One thing I note from the article on the new facility is that there is going to be some sort of sales complex. Would this mean an investment from New Zealand Bloodstock? Maybe the sale of Karaka also goes into the fund. Would you consider that non-core business that has been talked up as a necessity?

I realise that Cranbourne is the "go to" thoroughbred facility in Victoria now but, unlike the new envisioned state of the art facility in the Waikato, Cranbourne already existed as a racecourse so didn't have to be designed from the ground up. This is a huge undertaking being funded by disposing long established training and racing facilities. Now we have a taste of what expert work looks like at various venues far and wide, it should take more than the words from a few suits for us all to aimlessly jump on board. Proceed with caution.