Special Agent

As the Chief said "Stuff the horses". I get a bit sick of this attitude. Yes, let us put up with substandard facilities as we await funding. It's okay that some of the box doors are insecure or take two people to open. It's okay that there are not enough stalls for a trainer to get horses ready for 2 or 3 races in a row. It's okay that the racing surface is clearly patchy maybe because the watering system now has to factor in housing very close to the track. And it's all okay right across the country because we have these money sucking all weather tracks to save the day. OMG, the real money sucking has not even started yet. I have to wonder. If the synthetic tracks are the way to go according to some on here, and the strathayr surface won't be used in winter, why didn't Ellerslie put an all weather track inside the strathayr? Ellerslie could race all year round, week in and week out.

He absolutely did, and was questioned for clarification on it at Awapuni. He believed they had incentives for owners and trainers currently being used in South Australia (I think) that could also benefit the industry here in terms of more participation and revenue. He was very keen to get more patrons (particularly younger ones) oncourse to experience racing first hand, and had ideas to implement to entice them to place more bets, then larger bets. The presentations must have varied slightly between venues. I suppose it depended on questions asked. How they expect to do it seems to be to copy a tried and true method. I think New Zealanders are different and have less disposable cash so, await the results with interest. The why is past experience shows them that more races, racers and racing equals more revenue.

Dean from Entain clearly stated at the Roadshows that they want to drive turnover by having more meetings, more races, more participation. Getting those horses back from Singapore and Macau may be a project Entain could spearhead.

She was bought by the Scott/Young partnership on the say so of Adrian Clark who recognised her underlying ability. She is obviously loving the southern lifestyle. Like Freda said the beach will be doing wonders. The beach has that "kind and consistent surface" you talk of TAB man.

Should the finances be public record, discussed at the AGM and lodged with the Incorporated Society?

If you look good and feel good you must surely perform better. Throw in the fact that having a uniform means you don't have to think about what to wear, then the job must be so much easier. I agree the dress sense of some is very bad and such taste should not be let loose on the public. Branded clothing should help to feel part of a team, surely.

Grant Cullen trained Miss Bailey to win the Wellington Cup. I doubt Jimmy Walker ever rode her race day. Leanne Isherwood was the Cup winning hoop.

Yes. Why not? Money is great and very much necessary but, some of racing's participants are in it for the enjoyment. Surely many in syndicates are not trying to become millionaires with their small ownership investment. Many trainers in the top end of the premiership still relish winning on industry days and appreciate those wins adding to their overall tally. When horses reach their mark, what is wrong with prolonging their competitive life?

As the title of this thread suggests the Timaru Cup has had some top form come out of it, a prerequisite of the Pattern Committee to retain Stakes or Group status. Chief asks what needs to be done. It may be as simple as an attitude change. It doesn't matter what you submit to the Pattern Committee to protect your Club's races, as they don't even follow their own protocols. If the likes of the Timaru Cup continue to keep their stake at a reasonable level, and it's position on the racing calendar lends itself to assist a trainer to programme a decent campaign, field quality can only improve. Connections of horses from far and wide are forever looking for Black Type opportunities. If a club has worked hard to improve their race/s they should be rewarded with Black Type if merited.

Yes, I would like to know too. I was under the impression most of the 1200 were working on the AWT. I suppose Cambridge have alternatives unlike Awapuni.

If not, why not? TAB man might know because his horses are trained there and he is prepared to subsidise the track by paying higher training fees. I wonder if there are others like that.

And Levin years before that. It will be interesting. I hope they achieve their objective of less injuries.

What on their ensemble says "Trackside"? Nothing!! I agree, there needs to be some form of uniformity. It screams "we are all individuals, and so important".

Good luck with your lesser grade neddies on the synthetic TAB fan. Your trainer/s must be doing a good job. It's great too, at your age, that you still have a recall of southern racing albeit not your own experiences in the industry.

What a terrible photo. Are they still dressed by a Stylist? I'd say not as it looks like a school mufti day. I too am asking the question, what has Maryanne Twentywoman got to do with it? Is she Mrs Entain? If there is so much dissatisfaction with the channel, and turnover is not on the increase, surely the people who have been making decisions must go. There might be quite a few who are sitting in an unsafe seat. Bad luck to those who have already gone. I hope they find something better soon.

When is greyhound racing finishing here?

And the crux of that story was?

Trackwork riders, for example, are in hot demand here. There must be some worth importing. May I suggest you put your question/s to NZTR for their Road Shows. They were calling recently for questions to be submitted as it looks as though questions from the floor may be prohibited this year.

I don't believe submissions make a blind bit of difference to the committee decision.

Were you intending to joke with this comment? Surprised?

If you are hell bent on facts check how many years the synthetic track surfaces have before it is necessary to replace them.

That being the case why were trials scheduled?

Fact, not fiction. We can only dream about such professionalism.

You have no idea what I know. I'm not sure why you need to be aggressive about opinions that differ from your's. Chief has not banned me from his site yet, and as far as I am aware, anyone has the right to contribute on whatever subject they see fit. Maybe as a person of racing significance and long time employee or fan of the TAB you can fill in the gaps that others are struggling with. Have you factored in the replacement surface after the short life of the original? Where do you think that money will come from? Did you read the paper submitted to the Provincial Growth Fund by Alasdair Robertson which stated the financial benefit to the community when horse numbers trained at Awapuni increased to 400 once the AWT went in? How many more than 100 horses are currently in work at the CD's premiere training venue? Have you walked or ran on the Awapuni synthetic surface? Have you seen the thin layer of top over the tarseal? Have you studied the injuries out of training on the track? If Cambridge as the largest training centre in New Zealand has posted a loss, what hope have any other tracks got of being saved from the NZTR hatchet?

There is nothing hazy about the maintenance expense. They cost truckloads to maintain.