Special Agent

I think the rehoming places are already quite full, not sure if some dogs are still going to America as pets, and wondered if anyone had any idea about how many are finding new homes at the moment. The Christmas Parades would have been a likely place to offload some, I would have thought. Showcase what sort of pets they make, hand out pamphlets and spend time chatting to potential buyers. Not quite the puppy in a basket as a Christmas present but, still a novel gift. Santa's Little Helper made it into a few storylines with Bart Simpson. Surely the ideal would be to have the greyhound adoption facilities empty when the racing stops. These places can't be expecting to stay open much after industry ceases. There must be a date when any remaining greyhounds are put to sleep.

It wouldn't matter if you had 33 track experts as there is always someone questioning their credibility. You go to meetings to sort through some solutions yet come away with more problems beginning with arguments about which experts should be used, and are they actually experts after all.

Maybe more thought needs to go into how the Christmas race day functions are sold. What are the customers expectations? And what are the racing club hosts providing? Unless the clients are really into racing there's a bit of effort required to keep everyone punting and entertained. I've often given cheap combination bet options for racing newbies. If they get a $12 return for a $6 bet early in the day they are hooked.

The world is certainly full of bods with an extremely short attention span. I think one of the worst jobs would be a teacher dealing with that crap.

That was the headline that grabbed my attention this morning, to find it was the Hastings track in Vancouver. What was interesting was the fact that it is no longer feasible to race at Hastings in Canada because racing will no longer receive a portion of slot machine money, traditionally $8-$10 million p.a. It looks as though the property has been earmarked for a football (soccer) stadium.

I suppose so. I think sometimes thinking is back to front and over analysed. The keep it simple strategy is overlooked for some reason. A workplace social event at a summer race meeting can achieve long term results that coercing into a syndicate may not.

With the money GRNZ still has I haven't heard or seen any advertising to rehome greyhounds as pets. Has anyone seen the rehoming outfits moving unwanted greyhounds on, out and about at local Christmas Parades for instance? If no pressure is being applied, GRNZ owned or subsidised facilities will continue to suck up funds.

What can you say about this behaviour? It's not a first offence. Licence holders in galloping also have been required to attend anger management sessions. Not much point with where this code is going.

I don't think everyone has to become an owner. The industry is reliant upon turnover. I would have thought getting the interest of new people, and their money through the tote would have been the logical starting point.

Absolutely Murray. I think you will find many Racecourses were gifted to Racing Clubs by someone, a family or group in their community. That's where the property should go back to.

Horowhenua and Capital for starters.

This is a real concern. It definitely depends who is in charge of investing. We've all heard the talks and hype, on the back of an overseas entity taking over the NZ Racing Industry. There are trust issues for me.

I don't think any idea is a bad one. You have to start somewhere. Young people are the future and here's one way of tapping into that market. There will be many more waiting to be found if you look. I'd give these guys a bouquet.

Several consortiums have not been successful in CD. On that basis consolidation of assets and funds is a scary thought for any club which has been a part of the failed consortiums. The thought of similar types running these concepts one can only believe it a matter of time until further downsizes will be necessary when the well runs dry.

Merely an opinion which is getting more restrictive to voice.

Independent media is not alive and well in this country. As for independent media in NZ racing, who's kidding who?

Proaction over reaction shouldn't be knocked.

How many people on here think Levin is bludging off Otaki?

Murray, you seem qualified to comment on how the raceday was at Levin, how those days compare to attending Ellerslie meets, and do you think the Levin local community would ensure racing at Levin again would prosper?

Let's just think about this for a moment. If Chief's theory was correct why would RACE be able to continue operating? Awapuni should have transferred to the code many seasons ago.

Be prepared to be surprised then. Another example of you having no knowledge of club history yet giving opinion anyway. The problems with the Awapuni track have nothing to do with Levin continuing to race at Otaki.

So if jumpouts are the biggest contribution Levin makes to the racing industry you think they are not sustainable??? If you think Otaki is subsidising Levin you obviously don't know Horowhenua and Kapiti racing club history. Didn't you ask about a Levin loan to Otaki from the financial statements? The difference between racing at the likes of Ellerslie, and Levin is their local community. How many Bayer Classics did you go to at Levin? Levin didn't cease racing because it couldn't make money. Go back over your history books Chief, and you will find one reason Levin is reluctant to join forces with anyone or anything again for the betterment of the industry because what might be deemed the betterment of the industry has been utterly detrimental to the Levin Racing Club.

Wrong. You have no idea what you are talking about.

What do you call full revenue for a raceday rental?

Otaki would set the fee so, if you think venue hireage is too low maybe have a chat to them. I don't know which clubs you are comparing with for fairness. I note Masterton pay $8K venue hire. Funding is made up of many aspects. I'm picking the $17K is for being a part of the Christmas at the Races model for one of the meetings. The other amounts allocated to funding have been negotiated over the years, you'd have to thrash it out with whoever is looking after that now at club and/or NZTR level, if you are concerned Levin is receiving more than their share. Until recently the LRC ran a Group 1 and two listed races, probably deserving the level of funding received.