Special Agent

There are some good points in here. Doomed's idea for the north island to join NSW and south island to join Victoria is a little radical but you can see how beneficial it would be for New Zealand. Would those states want NZ? I doubt it. The backdoor entry for Entain looks obvious but, not to our administrators. That says it all. 15% from every dollar wagered would make a positive difference to racing. Who in the industry do you think should be suggesting this, and be listened to?

Riccarton Fashion and Other Issues is the title which covers a lot. We can squabble amongst ourselves which Chief Stipe and Reefton are making a good fist of; fact is the Ricarton track is rooted no matter on whose say so. Bid has just discovered the stupidity of the fashion co-ordinator a day after the rest of us who are still scratching our heads over it. What's this person going to do? As Freda points out possibly nothing that will be of benefit to anyone like mending potholes which will be left for another day. As for admin at Southern HQ how much more stupid can it get? Riccarton is where NZ Racing began, all the majors were held there and all the top men and horses came from there. I don't have to wonder what the guys of that era would think of today's fiasco. For all the discussion and debate what can be done? If all we do is moan we are no better than the ones currently in charge. Is there anyone on here who can actively do anything for the betterment of all? I'd like to think it is never too late. After all we are still involved in some capacity. Starting with this fashion co-ordinator how many CJC members are on here? Are you happy with your CJC Executive making this decision to spend valuable funds on a frivolous "thing"? Is anyone going to stand up against this decision? You saw what a laughing stock the decision makers at the club were Cup week. They got off lightly. Why on earth would members and board members let Tim do this crazy stuff? What is the point being a member if you don't have your say? Please, please register your disapproval at the CJC. Please make a difference.

We are a country of knockers that is for sure. There are different ways to train and achieve a similar result as you cited Murray Baker vs Te Akau. Both are/were successful training models. I agree with Huey that the landscape is distorted. I also think the value of bloodstock is inflated. When you watch the struggle at the supermarket with limited funds and having to put items back on the shelf it is disheartening to see the ridiculous amount of money spent in and on racing. Companies only have to know you own a race horse to bump up the price of it's requirements. What would happen if there was no David Ellis? The void would be filled, auction prices may drop, the training and riding premiership would look different but racing would continue in some shape or form.

Sorry to Jason Laking for whom this post started. To be fair Jason will be looking for a job now. Not sure how he'd look in that garb though. My point is jobs can be found in the racing industry both here and in Australia for ex-jockeys. I would consider whatever an ex-jockey was employed to do would aid racing industry "core business". On the flip side I think the races would still go ahead without a car or overseas trip as an incentive to dress up or even attend a race meeting. When a racing club is rolling in profit, has every race sponsored (not contra-ed), the fields are full and the RACECOURSE TURF IS IN TOP NOTCH ORDER then it might be time to have a play with some novelty roles. Until then ... WTF!!!!!

For goodness sake!! The fashion shit should be left as a side show. Don't get me wrong, I am all for glamming up the event and don't mind getting dressed up now and again but, money cannot be used on all of this rubbish instead of keeping the course proper in pristine condition. This club has lost the plot!!

Trevor Robertson and Fiona Tonks were at the helm at Ashburton from what I recall. If the model you refer to was mooted in any other industry you would be deemed a failure and expected to come up with a proper solution. As for relying on the sales of courses you have mentioned, they are partially owned by harness clubs. Has the problem with this concept not been realised yet? I'm sure the Geraldine Trotting Club and Banks Peninsula Harness members will be thrilled to own a slice of a floundering outfit with a syntheic track where standardbreds will not be welcome.

What do you think the main reason for being cash strapped is? Do they only run industry days? Are not all races sponsored? Are they paying out a lot in wages? What have all these reports come up with to make their operation a viable one?

Aw come on Chief, that is sounding sexist. I know plenty of mothers partial to hot dog and chips.

Am I right in thinking that on the debut day of the Awapuni AWT on Sunday week that there is a Mothers' Day soiree at Trentham? With the Awapuni opening a big deal to the industry how is Creative Catering going to run two operations about 175km apart?

I don't buy that. There are people interested in racing right across the country. Bruce told us at the latest Road Show that they have people working in some of their departments like finance who have no idea about racing. There are worse places to live than Wellington as far as work is concerned. So, I would take much convincing on that statement.

There is this delusional idea that elitism is the way to go. Oh boy, are they wrong!! Anyone who has recently seen invoices for feed, plates, vet or transport will realise it is going to take more than the exclusive to keep the industry ticking over. The costs and risks need to be spread across a multitude of participants. Even the licence groups along with their affiliates being squeezed out will unlikely return. The field sizes are already reflecting a dire state. NZ seems to want to pick and choose bits from Aussie to weave into the Kiwi racing fabric. As you say Huey an industry catering for many rather than a few is one aspect we should be adopting/adapting. Any business looks for a wide customer base to set an unbreakable foundation. Even the mighty fall. Mr Wolf not that long ago a prime example.

Three things spring to mind after reading this thread. 1. NI and SI AWT meetings do differ. The trainers in the north have enough options to not have to race on synthetic. If the trialling at Awapuni so far is anything to go by I still don't think we are going to see racing on it. 2. Another anomoly is we are still breeding true blue wet trackers for which trainers will find hard to place if AWT's are the only option. 3. What double standards are at play making the south island one region when reasons given for the closure of Wairoa, Gisborne etc included the travel distance.

Is Centaur the only one concerned about the illegal side of this? What penalties are there, and for whom, for breaching the Acts? Centaur how can these misdemeanours be dealt with?

Trentham take heed.

The more you read the worse it gets. What makes the NZTR Board think this is a silver bullet?

It makes no sense whatsoever to hold Grand National steeplechases or hurdles at Riccarton when the south island has no jumpers and no lead up races. We could go on until blue in the face about how inept the people in charge are for letting this happen but, the fact of the matter is they have let it happen. Has anyone been privvy to the responses received to last year's survey on the matter? Did anyone get a return email following their submission? The decisions around jumping have been poor ones. For the south island at least there needs to be a whole new class of horse and programming structure created to stop wastage. With this "duty of care" rule now in place, rather than the group of horses that could normally go jumping now destined for a plate or can, NZTR had better devise regular races to cater for those requiring longer and slower events. They may have to be for amateur riders, probationers and apprentices with less than 20 race day rides under their belts. These races could serve as qualifying events for emerging jockeys where trials are scarce. Let them only use the whip with their hands on the reins and make the races penalty free for the horse and owner.

I am also surprised at Karen Blanchard too. For goodness sake let's find all their numbers and give them a ring. This cannot happen. Let's stop it.

I don't know this president but, judging his stints on the television news in the role he's a halfwit with no respect for harness history. His comments on the Hall of Fame were appalling. Excuse my ignorance but, is Robert Dunn on the ATC committee or administration?

Dean was a very respected talent and being and will be greatly missed. Enjoy the highs in racing, and life, and hold the memories close. Tragedies remind us how short and precious life is. Try to keep arguments and fights to a minimum; there are better things to do with your time.

When you think of the goings on at Riccarton it is quite ridiculous. Putting in a synthetic track, not maintaining the turf course to an acceptable racing standard during summer, and demolishing the whole jumping scene, are all the most stupid actions a racing club could make. Foresight would have told you to hold off on the shutting down of jumps racing, not only at their own track but killing jumps racing across the whole south island, in case the AWT fails.

Whoops, track was PUKEKOHE not Riccarton.

I note from the Stipes' Report that TCO2 testing applied to one race at Riccarton, and one horse at the meeting had hair samples taken. I know that cobalt testing is expensive and arbitrary so, was there a target with these testing examples at Riccarton or was it penny pinching? Why on earth is testing not carried out on everything or nothing? Consistency and transperancy is all we ask.

I haven't checked out statistics on that.

You would think not. Like Chief asked when is the CJC fixing the most important track at Riccarton? And spin was the right word for that rubbish about the inorganic track. What nonsense written to keep a job. The balance sheet on that track would be as shifty as the surface. As for Awapuni, what jockey in their right mind is going to go out in a field of TEN and properly compete riding a galloper around a greyhound circuit??!! Don't think much of your trainer either if he/she is sending your horse out on it.

Doesn't he still hold the all time record for the most wins by a jockey? I'd have thought that would be reason enough for inclusion.