Special Agent

No gallops races anywhere in NZ for 7 days due to abandonments. Has anyone considered the cost to owners? Who knows how many more week's training fees will need to be paid before each horse gets back into a field??!! Pukekohe should have been rescheduled to Friday, and Hastings to Monday. Notice it is all the "flash" tracks that have had to abandon. Look at how the unwanted tracks such as Avondale, Foxton and Levin are handling large amounts of horses in a trialling capacity. It's not rocket science. Although a training, trialling and minor race filler AWT's are obviously not the answer. One wonders when those in charge will look in the mirror and make an honest appraisal. There will be more crude descriptions of our head honchos than Gai's "Mindless Marshmallows" referring to the Aussie equivalents.

Will this meeting suffer the same fate as Hastings?

A few in CD must have thought the same, having run a 3 horse trial prior to their last AWT meeting.

Depends on the quality of coaching.

LOL. Exactly how bad is the surface water, and drainage? There are no races tomorrow, Friday. Are there any images out there?

Monday??

This is fair comment.

I can't draw myself away from the fact of the irresponsibility of anyone, let alone the Racing Minister, pissing such money up the wall with these AWT's. And then all the simpletons smiling and nodding away like one of those dogs that used to sit by the rear window of certain cars. It was plainly obvious the funding could have been spent in a far better manner. Are people easily influenced by "powerful" bodies, or do they just not have a mind of their own?

Text books when I was at school were treasured. No amount of toughening up would prepare one for the crap that comes from most currently in charge of racing or certain racing clubs. Not all club committees have racing's best interests at heart. There really are some dilly plonkers at the helm in some areas.

So at the end of all this discussion, taking into account field sizes, the spend and ongoing costs how many believe the AWT's have achieved the goals as set out by Winston Peters and others making them well worth the investment?

I hate that sunset industry term.

I have been contacted, as has my fellow winning owner. They called her "Mr", the lack of research she thought poor. I couldn't see the value of my donation. Apart from owning a horse I don't feel I'd have a lot in common with owners of today. This group seems quite like others trying to bolster membership. Send an email or post a brochure, then leave it to the gods.

I thought membership was a percentage of your training percentage so, the more successful you are the more you pay.

Contra's may have their place but nothing replaces hard cold cash for the good of the industry. A lazy marketing plan.

I don't see why he needs to hang his boots up. Most people his age are sitting in a rest home waiting to die. Who wouldn't want to die doing what you enjoy talking to those who don't back chat?

I find it ironic that in a land where apparently we have too many tracks the tracks that are in use appear overworked and tired.

And Noel Eales?

Why do these groups cost so much to run? And then have very little say?

But, it is not that long ago Wanganui was closed for racing due to renovation. I don't think our tracks are given enough time to consolidate after such renovations.

Don't you think in a country of 5 million we have a lot of awards for a lot of unusual categories.

You old flatterer you!! I thought it was intended for under 40's.

I'm not sure about these two groups being lumped together. At some meetings owners can be on a totally different page to the trainers.

Funded to the tune of how much, over and above the Secretary?

"Micro-industry issues". WTF??!! The attitudes leave a lot to be desired.

And again no trainer representation. What are the officials on?