Special Agent

I've just been to the TAB. As I thought the self serve machines are causing mayhem. Queues out the door for the remaining terminal. I can't think of a juvenile or sprint race that attracts so much attention.

More geared for the internationals I suppose. It's disappointing there are no Kiwi trained runners. I see the Frampton colours are on the Ghibillines veteran and there is a Tarzino.

It was a race over 2500m. One year it was the Saab. 2023 Ladies Man raced in the Lexus Archer Stakes it may have been called. Not sure if it ran last year.

What has happened to today's staying test as a last ditch effort to gain entry to the Melbourne Cup? Maybe it's been gone for years and I haven't been paying attention.

I do wonder what the motivation is for some getting on a racing club committee.

I wonder how far the straight can be angled outwards when all of the carparking outside the Otaki track has been sold. Likewise with adding stabling, would they be going in between the 400-600 affordable homes that are going to take up just a tick under 150 acres space currently being used for stabling?

What an amazing story if the bet comes to fruition. Advertising any gambling agency would be proud of.

"Following recent trials and gallops at Awapuni, it’s evident that further, more aggressive renovation work is required to bring the surface up to the standard the industry needs. At the same time, we’re progressing a wider investigation into the track’s long-term suitability,” O’Keeffe said. Jess, I think the second sentence from Liam O'Keefe raises even more serious questions.

Just as I thought. Hindsight confirms what some in the industry already knew, and due diligence definitely lacking. "Fair location" - pretty close to the major CD horse population now. "No licences from 2021/22" - no contingency plan should the Awapuni synthetic fail, let's not even mention any problems with the Awapuni course proper because we have experts on the job. Oh that's right, don't bother listening to the experts we've paid for. "Freehold" - there's the magic word because we can cash it up no matter it's worth.

I wouldn't class the Woodville horse facilities inferior to Trentham or Awapuni but, welcome comments from anyone who regularly races or trials or jumps out there.

I agree with the dinosaur. Take a look at what NZ has done with traditional races. Tinkering and tampering by those who have come and gone has done us no favours.

NZTR didn't say it per se. I don't have the Messara report handy but, I think you'll find Woodville was on the not required list. Whatever is happening at Awapuni is not working. Horses and riders cannot be continually put at risk. Throwing money at something is not always the answer. Looking at the location of the RACE racecourses they would fetch more than the little CD tracks combined. If a business person from outside the industry looked at the situation, the land, the debt, the wages, the balance sheet etc they would surely laugh.

Just like Winton which is mentioned on one of these threads, Woodville was gone burger too yet NZTR tell us today there will be trials at Woodville on Monday after their Sunday racemeeting. I wonder when NZTR and the industry will refrain from throwing money at Awapuni, when the tracks without this luxury are almost carrying the workload.

I hadn't seen that term used before for this circumstance, just assumed the track was back on the roster. I think the issue of a temporary licence has two points of interest. Firstly, what a kick in the guts for any club with the initiative and energy to want to take on three meetings at a time the industry is in obvious need of an extra venue. If they do it well, why would it need to be temporary? Secondly, does temporary infer the use of the track is only due to desperate measures?

"but the licence is being reinstated as a temporary measure for the upcoming $35,000 Waipukurau Cup meeting, the Wairoa Cup meeting on February 15, and the Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting on April 26." Must have missed the temporary bit elsewhere.