Special Agent

Not dropping but how much more affordable it is racing a horse in Australia. Stakes are higher, so are the costs.

Absolutely!!

Chief, quite often you say that the trainers don't make their voices heard and appear weak. I agree they are too weak for my liking in some situations but, you have just highlighted a prime example of how they are not listened to. Imagine if the money spent on the Awapuni AWT was used for turf tracks in CD how much different the last few seasons would have been.

It's not a good look. You'd think this could have been sorted by the industry equivalent of our Racecourse Inspectors. I don't know any trainer who would not kick up a fuss for not receiving their dues, let alone the Melbourne Cup percentage.

"Rising cost of racing" contradicts other comments seen about what it costs to race a horse in Australia. I suppose NZ should take what they can while they can.

Of the tracks where the meetings have been abandoned I'm surprised Matamata was one. I guess the jockeys have been given a directive around how they deal with riding or not riding. Possibly a unique situation where jockeys are self employed but also in the jockeys room are apprentices who work for an employer.

Bad luck if you ride a back runner on an "off" day.

I don't think the plural of dice is dices.

It would be nice if everyone here could enjoy her. Rob said she's the best horse he's trained. Money talks, and what do you do?

The plus is at least something is being tried. Unless the ideas evolve very little will be sustainable. Everything looks great at the pointy end. Book 2 at Karaka tells a different story. I hope someone bought a champion at a bargain price there.

I haven't watched the race either. There are two totally different opinions above on the ride. Sounds like Wiremu made a decision that neither won him the race nor put him under judicial review. It seems Newmarket's comments are influenced by the money invested.

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.