Special Agent

Gear can also break when new or faulty.

I wonder what that job would entail. Maybe it's something that can be filled internally.

We are not privvy to riding instructions but the race at New Plymouth referenced by Wingman was a shocker.

Wow. How bad is that? Thomass wasn't happy and now he won't be the only one. How can licence holders be told they must be professional and then we see these double standards where, to the public it looks all rosy with big stakes etc, yet we have non-existent cameras, patchy track watering as shown to the world via drone, boxes that can't be shut, broken clips and chains on tie up stalls, not enough tie up stalls and nowhere to walk your horse or give it a pee before running? Wingman uses the word fundamental which is apt, and lacking. Chief, call me negative and a moaner if you like but, I don't understand why these matters occur and are accepted and expected.

Well done and good luck to anyone who is trying to do something. Why should any of the greyhound participants go down without a fight? We certainly are a country that crumbles under any pressure from minorities. Has anyone found out when, why and who stopped exports to Oz?

"You are the weakest link, goodbye" has been vindicated by your summation of the message from the people in charge.

Just imagine all the small tracks were sold as suggested. The meagre funds would be well gone and, without those tracks, the ones left would be more stuffed than they are already. We would have nowhere to race at all. Please remember this when the next round of "must sell" ideas come around. One thing I did find interesting was the comment on here about the sale of 14 hectares of Ellerslie carpark. Two questions arise ... 1. What has the learned group who were going to invest funds from the sale of the Ellerslie hill so that Ellerslie would be safe forever, done with the monies already received? 2. How come the funds from the Ellerslie carpark have gone back into Ellerslie, and not the consolidated fund for the whole industry?

Drone footage at Trentham is hardly going to emulate what comes out of Flemington. I wonder if footage was shown to officials first to ensure the best interests of the Wellington RC were being met. I agree "rehabilitation" is a word more akin to coming back from a broken leg or brain injury.

It must be exhausting for David and Karyn to come up with new marketing strategies to fill their syndicates. They base their whole operation around this busy week.

BGP gives patrons another option. If the price is considered too steep people won't buy the tickets. The poor attendance at Trentham with high prices played out how you would expect.

I thought it was leased so, safe from any potential sale to fund racing.

Like hell I wake up moaning and bitching. I do not begrudge the successful, I've said many times that it is hard work for everyone. And I'm not the only one to bag a jockey's ride. Has anyone mentioned Buick's ride in Hong Kong then? Just because I don't stand on a soap box telling the world what I have done, it does not mean I haven't helped a lot of people in the racing industry. Some of us work tirelessly behind the scenes to make the world a better place and don't need accolades for it. Chief, you are not always right but you are entitled to your opinion, as am I. Good luck with your horses. I'll just go out and cut mine some extra grass.

I don't think the news of Mark being full time in Australia is a surprise but, what does it mean for the training partnership? Do the stables become two entities now?

This reeks of the instant world. I know everyone wants results quickly but these mistakes are bad all round. A simple double check and triple check should be a prerequisite. It's hard to call the results and the position official on the back of these events.

Why not?

Not sure where you get 4 or 5 Wexford reps from that article, unless you are privvy to more up-to-date information. I can count 3 so far. It's a big effort anyway.

Turnover is turnover wherever it comes from. The better the turnover, the more comes back to the industry. Whether it's Chief's cracks or TAB Man's faultlines, as long as it is allowed to evolve we should all be happy. I don't have the slightest interest in joining the BGP group but, I can definitely see they are betting which can't be said of all the talked up Ellerslie groups. We should be embracing the younger ones who want to bet and join ownership teams.

Yes Huey, I have also spoken to some who own horses racing in Australia, and it's not cheap to race out of an Aussie stable.

I don't even know who these people are but there seems to be not only grumpy old men but ANGRY old men on here as well. Chief, you seem to think a lot of problems are an easy fix and the people mentioned above should have corrected it all by now. I don't know why you don't understand how trying to change ideas in racing at the level you are talking is as good as banging your head against a wall. Only clubs with very strong people have survived the bullshit. As for sitting in armchairs and not going to the track, isn't that the aim and beauty of Trackside? As far as moaning goes, well I guess we should all thank you Chief for giving us this vehicle to vent. You talk about others taking meds but, methinks it's time for you to take a chill pill. The older I get the more appreciative of waking up each morning I am.

As long as we remember we are not Australia, and we learn from the good bits as well as the bad bits. I still think programming is one of the problems that needs an overhaul for everyone's benefit. When all said and done common sense is the lacking ingredient.

Timing can be a beautiful thing.

Karaka Millions isn't for everyone. Neither is a picnic on the grass at Tauherenikau or Kurow. It takes all types of people and all sorts of days to make up the racing industry. I think a win is a win to owners though, wherever that may be. I don't think it would take a great deal to improve the whole thing overall. Just think if everyone who attended a race meeting last year made an effort to go to those meetings again this year but, go to a further couple at a different venue. Some clubs need to pull their socks up however with better oncourse experiences for all.

As far as the 4 horse field goes, could that be the day when the fillies and mares race at Riccarton had a false start and the horses that didn't scratch ran in take #2 after the last scheduled race?

Used to be Brendan Hutton. He's Irish.

A little unusual but erring on the side of caution maybe. I'm surprised that Matamata is deemed unsafe. Please don't sell off any tracks. We really need them as important back stops. Jumpouts and trials are happening all over the place on tracks not used raceday. In the past few months for example Foxton, Levin, Stratford, Waipukurau, Rangiora, Waipa. There wouldn't be many barrier certificates without those venues.