Special Agent

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?

Now you are being just down right stupid. Don't be coming up with easy solutions.

Please don't get another position created at NZTR. May I suggest the Trainers' Association be proactive in this regard and submit this information from it's members on a regular basis? It would only take a trainer to collate the numbers and send on.

You'd need time to digest 90 pages of this report. NZTR love reports!! At an initial scan two points strike me:- - Economic Contributions show Waikato $466.2million, Auckland $333.6mill, West Coast & Canterbury $137.3mill, Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui $121.2mill. Therefore does the amount of money spent on the Ellerslie track look like a poor investment for the region, taking population into consideration? - Participants in each region are recorded Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui 5,132, Waikato 4,897, West Coast & Canterbury 4,329, Auckland 3,002. This looks like a shift in focus by NZTR is required. Waikato may very well be considered racing's Holy Grail but, the true interest in racing from those in Taranaki/Manawatu-Wanganui and West Coast & Canterbury should be embraced and encouraged (and invested in) by head office. The contributions at grass root level cannot be ignored. The figures from our most populated region is a stark reality that racing is moving away from the main centres. I'd be interested in the thoughts of others. If I was looking at investing in the future of thoroughbred racing I think it is clear where the growth areas are. You can't run an industry on dwindling numbers of people.

The Fine Cotton of the Pony Scurry is a bit extreme. As it's aligned with the Dubai final there must be rules to abide by.

The organiser was seeking a small TB for her daughter a year or two back.

Investing in the future is like buying a 2yo Chief. They quickly grow and age. Like you say, retaining the interest, and they can already ride.

You don't know that when you take them on. That's the gamble.

For instance, Riccarton and Awapuni are both close to universities and offer pre-study time income. I heard Lisa Latta say once how lucky they are in Palmerston North with a constant supply of staff.

Currently outside of the racing industry.

My question is are we attracting any newbies to the sport? Surely no one would line up an ex-racehorse in a pony race. Zamazaan used to leave some small ones but, his progeny would be long gone. You just can't rub a freeze brand off.

Not to be content with topping the premiership, now Te Akau are training ponies too. LOL. I read somewhere that many of these kids have subsequently become trackwork riders. That has to be a help to the small pool of NZ riders. But can anyone confirm how many are not already involved in the racing industry through association or relationship?

Why does everything have to be measured against something else? Then they get someone in to specifically do that job of measuring the results against last year or some other country or some other irrelevant sport or company. It doesn't matter that nothing is done to rectify any problems. I wish we could get back to racing without the frills. I'd like to see common sense and hard work by clubs to improve track surfaces and horse race day facilities, and get sponsorship, participation and crowds up. Just back to mentoring apprentices, has Jason Laking taken over from David Walsh, and does the latter do some other job at NZTR?

A few aspects that strike me reading these comments is that greyhound racing isn't finished despite the doom and gloom from a few, the expense to GRNZ to genuinely find homes for retired hounds is significant so is it funded like the gallops with 1% of all stakes being allocated to rehoming, and racing clubs are still able to contribute to stakes over and above what is supplied so why are the committees not getting out there driving sponsorship hard?

This is the crux of it for me. The only way to approach the initiatives once in place had to be with an open mind but, now the results are in they definitely should not all be just rolled over. Congratulations to those who collected huge returns. However I feel to dish up such lucrative offerings again without a serious debrief is dumb.

Their focus and emphasis intrigues me. So much time and energy goes into absolute crap whilst the important stuff is glossed over. Cases in point ... the stable audits are a blanket "look at what we are doing" farce, and why is a governing body dishing out dosh for contributions in print, on site, social media and broadcasting when track surfaces and horse facilities oncourse are a joke, and there are almost more staff assigned to apprentice jockeys than there are apprentices? I could write all day and not cover off all failings.

I blame the use of devices and text talk. NZTR don't have that excuse and make quite a few errors.