Special Agent

Gammalite, it looks like you were playing Solitaire watching the races alone and commenting on here solo.

Some of our Group races are hardly quality as the Pattern Committee outcomes will show. If Australian country premium R64's have dropped to $35K we are holding our own for now. NZ racing clubs might have to step up and stump up with some local fundraising to bolster races across the board, and of course cut admin and other costs where applicable. It is not that bloody hard is it, no matter what scale you are working to. After all most racing clubs in New Zealand are not for profit and there should be very few within each club drawing a wage.

I agree with Brodie on this. I think it is poor form for a commercial stud to quit the young stock at bargain prices at an international auction when the stallion has a stud fee many times that value. That must surely prove the advertised stud fee is inflated for whatever financial reason. We are not talking about a hobby breeder but, the integrity of one of the industry leaders. Good luck to the successful purchasers as they may have found some amazing bargains. As a show of good faith you would like to think the stud reassesses the upcoming stud fee as the market has spoken, and offer a free service to any breeder who has paid the advertised fee.

116 points seems excessive. One thing that jumps off the page is the disparity of penalty compared with others, no comparable Group or Listed cases for Meloxicam cited. Mark Walker's $7,000 fine plus costs vs O'Sullivan/Scott's $17,250 per case, Cummings $10,000AUD, Lucock/Gillespie's $2,800 at the trials, and Pertab $3,000 at the trials.

Chief, there is already a serious struggle. If NZTR set up a Great Mates equivalent for horses I will put my hand up to run it because there would be a job for life. From what I can see the rehomers already approved by NZTR are quite fussy in what they take. Horses that need extensive training to make the grade as show horses, showjumpers or eventers need not apply. Horses are required to be shod, of good body weight and transported to the rehoming venue. I don't think NZTR's equation is quite right yet. There are paddocks and yards full of unwanted horses.

Lost it's identity.

I feel sad too. The top of that stand was a beaut vantage point. The band used to play from the designated spot, and Queen Elizabeth II sat in the "Royal Box" which I think was designed for her specifically. Then remember when the new stand was being built that stand housed everything including weighing room and jockeys' quarters underneath, birdcage directly out in front. We live in a disposal society despite the cry to recycle. Such a waste brought on by people who weren't even involved in the history of the place.

That's called progress. Is the whole stand not being demolished now? I thought they said it was unsafe. Is that a cost saving measure?

It is hard to believe this was not a joke. I love the line that you are unable to use "an audible device that mimics an animal". What animal does a squeaker toy mimic??!!

Was this when there were greyhound trainers on the board?

And looking at the number of views and replies greyhound participants are either extremely happy with affairs in their code, or are asleep. Chief Stipe, and others, often talk of how people in racing only have themselves to blame because they say and do nothing to enable change, then moan after the event.

I'm not so sure the wand is big enough either. The Christchurch Cup and Show Week was where people (including the young) wanted to be seen. Then they moved the showgrounds. Then the CJC had the track disaster on their biggest day of the year. We've seen attempts like the Whips 'n' Spurs and the Grand Tour. They all look like piss ups to me. On the harness cafe contributers talk about what got them hooked on racing. Most of it is parental influence leading to the love of the horse and the marvel of the competition. I haven't seen fashion or alcohol as the incentive yet, that is what the heads of racing think we need to push.

I am quite surprised no one from the greyhound side of the industry is talking up a storm on here about what expectations the greyhound sect have of Entain.

Trackside is going to be interesting to see what emphasis Dean and his boys put on it.

Such a long time to be racing there and to just stop abruptly. New Zealand should take note. These racecourses in the main centres are being kept with the catch cry to sell off all the small fry. In the end the big centres are going to have no help when it comes to saving them from redevelopment. Most of them already have building encroaching. Start thinking about who is pushing for the small club sales and what their personal agenda is.

By the time you foaled it, weaned it, taught it to lead and tie up, rugged it, branded it, did it's feet, wormed it, floated it etc you might as well have taken a few thousand and donated to a charity.

Yes, such a small market!!! How is this market going to exponentially grow?

The alarm bells were ringing for me when told this by the new New Zealand betting boss. What am I missing about all these announcements? I am not feeling the love for Entain others are.

Most people who make announcements make me sick!! These terms like "I'll engage with the industry", "securing the industry for the future" and "world leading focus on animal welfare" are bullshit. He is going to talk to a racing administrator - big deal. He won't be too worried about the future of the industry as he will hold off making decisions long enough to try to secure his political position next term. So, he's going to be the best in the world at looking after animals is he; animals in this country are already looked after better than it's people. If these are all priorities to be fixed what has he been doing for the last three years? So bloody well effective in the role that it is going to take an outside company from another country to revolutionalise New Zealand Racing. If the relevant boards were/are deemed useless, which his actions are inferring, he has to take a lot of the blame for not monitoring what they've been doing.

I agree with you Centaur. That is how I heard it and I thought that the monopoly was most of the attraction.

Yes, but they plan to introduce another brand in conjunction with the current. Now my memory might be a little hazy but I think Dean said something along the lines that the new brand would be because some would have an aversion to using TAB.

Funny you all had the racing mad Dads. My mother was the one with the gigantic transistor radio.

One thing is they have sold at market value with no inflated running ups.

As Aussie has neds maybe will will have zeds.

Currently TAB