Assange

Stuck $20 in BGP pool. Lost but was an interest for the arvo. Wonder tho why they dont bet each way.

From what I could see there were no facilities for the public. They tore down the public stand - couldnt they have put up some marquees or gazebos. It looked like an empty wasteland.

When do you ever see stewards walking the track?

So if Ellerslie put in $5000 how does that equate to a $15,000 difference in the top stake?

Just looking at fields for Saturday for Ellerslie and Otaki. Both similar mix of races but can anyone tell me why Ellerslie Stakes $30,000, $55,000 & $65,000 while Otaki $25,000, $40,000 & $50,000. I don't understand the funding differences.

So if there was a comitment to addressing the underlying track issues - why didn't Darin Balcombe do this when he was running Hawkes Bay racing club? Yes its being done and thats good - but don't insult our intellegence with these empty statements.

I believe the corporate term is called optimisation.

Foxton?

The jumpouts went without incident with several senior jockeys in attendance. If there was an issue it would have been raised.

A few questions. How bad is the track that it cant be OK for 2 weeks time? If senior riders say its OK after holding jumpouts - why are NZTR still moving the meeting? What is the pathway forward that they will be identifying? Wasn't Darren Balcombe running Hastings Racetrack before getting his current role?

So the Central Districts losing yet another race to the north.

Especially when Wilcox just shrugs off the cost factor. Not even a sorry we stuffed up. The money spent there would pay a lot of stakesmoney. Lets hope they got it right this time.

Exactly what I thought too. Plus apart from Tim Mills - how many are from South of Waikato?

Better hope that NZTR don't move the 1000 Guineas to Ellerslie to protect its Group 1 status.

So the CD loses one of their star races to a substandard track. What an apalling decision. So whats the point of racing a horse in the CD then? Or racing one at all?

So does anyone actually know where this money went? How do we find out?

Perhaps the decline in participation and jumps races could be in part due to some of the programming and non availability of tracks. For two years Riccarton GN Carnival has been the only venue for jumps racing in the South Island. With the Ellerslie hill gone and the debacle that is Te Aroha - maybe NZTR could look a little closer at themselves before putting it back on trainers and jumps jockeys. People still need to make a living there Bruce.

What concerned me about this is the fact that the RIB overrode Lisa Allpress after she did a gallop on the track to check that it is safe. I would say Lisa would be the most qualified jockey to make this decision. Certainly not the stipes.

Balcombe said "we can't beat the weather". True, however its winter. It rains. How much does he get paid to write this? And a reminder that NZTR staff (and stipes) still get paid. How many staff don't get paid when the races get cancelled? One or two meetings over winter is one thing - one or two a week is another. If a meeting is abandoned - reschedule it.

Exactly. Have they not learnt to have a back-up plan after the plethora of abandonments we have had recently. Its winter - it rains. This is hurting owners and all the others who don't earn if there is no meeting. Any response from anyone at the aptly named Dick Street?

Shall I suggest too many (overpaid) chiefs and not enough indians?

The word nepotism is coming to mind.

Agree here. Feel the whole thing reeks of elitism. How do the horses bought on Gavelhouse fare. Are they eligible? Not exactly supporting a few mates wanting to race a horse unless you go through some of the bigger syndicators who buy expensive yearlings and take their cut.

The Old Boys Network - still going strong.

I would have thought that investing in tracks would be more important than investing in more management. Probably cheaper too. All we seem to get is a more flowery report on why our tracks are stuffed.