TAB For Ever

Of course.....marketing tactics....bait and switch etc, buy this and get that etc are common in all retail businesses. So why all the commotion about a little initiative from the TAB. When I find out , TAB offers are only online or for elite customers and retail stores offer discounts for bulk buying ,those with club membership etc etc I don't cry with envy and throw the toys out of the cot. The TAB rewards certain cusomers in different ways....occasional punters get way more bonus bets to spur them on etc etc Get with the program Chief. Everytime they do their thing [BGP] the common punter ,according to you gets very offended......pleeeeese Chief. I was in a room at trots on Friday and NOT one person mentioned BGP a few times it was commented on either on TV or elsewhere. It just more 'wallpaper' ......4000 others got involved around on Friday , 20,000 on Karaka Day. I like it....hurts no one .

Just admit you not always on the money Brodster...maybe Northern racing a bit tougher than you think ! And better drivers too !

Fair question Gamma.......the BGP movement in my opinion has been fantastic and really has encouraged folk from all round NZ to learn more about racing and wagering. But as those who run it have found out it has really 'fired' up the 'non-believers' who object to some of the special treatment they have received from the TAB....it great advertising ! I speak from some experience as I have supported them from early days ,attended many functions , followed their videos/interviews/ selections etc and spoken with those who also participate.And I usually take a 'ticket' in their betting syndicates . I was a member too which had an annual subscription to help them set up and get running. So I have the merchandise , the polo shirt , the red sox and other gidgets. I think their betting tickets used to be $100 but now it is as much as you choose and the financial side done thru TAB account. So last night ,even though going to races I threw a lazy $50 into the pool and got it back by about 10pm last night. I think there were over 4000 in it last night ....this was the first time it had had a National fund on Harness thru TAB.There was something smaller at last Harness Jewels. I think it got too big for a few guys to do in their spare time so they only really target a few 'big' days ,with the Karaka Day the biggest by far. I think they had 20,000 get involved as well as having a function on course for about 500 with lunch and beer etc.When attending those I get to speak to folk from all over NZ , mainly under 35's and a lot of females etc. But the haters don't like it.......not only do they not like it IMO the just pure jealous. BGP have had shares in horses[bought one at yearling sales] and created interest in all facets of Horse racing. Of course their big Cup week syndicate also bet on the Cup week doggies ,all 3 x Codes. The youngish organisers follow the codes closely there are harness syndicators , Harness administrators , Jockey managers and a few sensible types who understand governance and are professionals in their real jobs......they send out regular tips etc and generally are pretty good. When they lose ,the haters gloat and have a field day. My post here will be critiqued and the haters will hate ....but they ,the average punters are loving all these Bonus bets they receive , all the boosts ,power plays and options available. Entain and the TAB are trying to attract more 'younger' and new people to wagering and are using every marketing/promotional strategy they can think of. Last night , similar to Cup week and big racedays they have staff going around and offering a survey....with the chance of a lucky bonus bet .....I think it one question ,but the idea is to get folk to open up an account and on every occasion ,BINGO....within in the hour someone at my table gets a text and a Bonus bet ...genius ! They didn't give me money last night.....they topped up my bet to its original ,knowing that the warm fuzzies from that would motivate me to bet more happily and joyfully today....and I did...my $50 lasted all day and it now zero. Can't wait till next time !

Plenty of bonus bets and great offers flying around today . And my well overdue little 'sweetener' from TAB on my BGP ticket last night , got turned over a few times today but by about 6pm it was at ZERO balance !

Friday night at the GRINS night at Cambridge great to see the BGP getting involved. Their betting pool over $50,000 and already two multi bets made , so with a bit of churn they should help the turnover for night ! Anyone can invest on their TAB account up to just after 5.10pm on Friday. Get amongst it and hopefully they can turn a profit. Good luck BGP !

Wow Chief , you infiltrating the Gallops chat with Harness ! And you knew WE [ Ted] Lowe my very favourite harness trainer at what was considered a halcyon time in NZ harness where there was a very strong and competitive intermediate grade just below or on the verge of Cup class. Of course Ted was associated with NZ Cup winner Cairnbrae who was trained to win that by CSDonald. 4 x years later Ted won it with Humphrey [ 1968]. Wag came soon after and often raced with its brother Pun and sometimes a 3rd in Atanui ! Ted had a hardy breed and a number of his winning horses come to mind. Like Corwar ,Mitcham, Stavely, Dundas, Allenton, Wing Commander ,Sioux , Lyndhurst . Lyndhurst a pretty handy 3 yr old and won from 36yds and 48 yards over 2200m at Alexandra Park.Thats Cardigan Bay and Lordship territory ! WE Lowe fullstop.a legend in harness , my favourite fullstop.I can see why you and I get on so well !

I'm here Chief ,kinda shocked by the stupidity of the CEO and those in charge of the track management.. It hasn't rained much for weeks yet I watched race three ,and by my meagre wagering had a nice result and thought it a good competitive race to watch where the winner came from midfield and 2 of the first 4 came from backfullstopbut was dismayed at the cut in track . Who put all that water on it and why ? Great to get the teething issues out of the way ,hopefully they can settle in to good track management. If their only solution is to drench the track[ unevenly] in the 24 hours prior to racing then their jobs should be re-advertised . Meeting could have been held at Pukekohefullstop.Avondale is offline and the quicker it sold the better. For NZ's racing sake I'd like to see the $ money go the Waikato Greenfields plan. For future it would be great to have 2 x International courses in Northern region . But no use banging on about it ..some are calling for folk to 'speak up'. Messara told us there wasn't one decent track in NZ .A number of tracks have started work to renovate the tracks , it just doesn't happen in 5 minutes. Again ,send your 'suggestions' into the Club/ track committee on how they should progress. As I suggested to you on the Awapuni thread !

Not interested in the darkside Brodie.....I'm talking about sites that posters generally post under their actual names. And I repeat , its basically the first week so too early to condemn any changes . Give em a chance ! I joined this site because I enjoy the YARNS from a few like that Aussie guy Gamma. I also enjoy the FB poster Unhinged and Paul Campbell another Aussie....he of Campbells Comments but attends a lot of NZ Harness events. I also have a little dementia so it good you repeat your posts and views over and over.......it must be frustrating but give a feelgood boost to know that the TAB actually fears your punting prowess. And I see you now have a tag partner in Walt . He unique in that he must be the first poster ever on this type of site from Princess Drive in Nelson. They mainly ex-Brierley Execs , rich Americans and cashed up Auckland rejects!

I see Chad Ormsby trained another good winner yesterday at Trentham when Outovstock who he part-owns won the group3 Manawatu Classic. He is building some record in big Trentham races ,cos as well as the recent NZ Oaks win he twice was co-trainer with MMoroney in two Wellington Cups.....Graphic and Mister Impatience.

Lighten up old son ......I was just asking for a friend ! You seem to be analytic about things ........what would be the the % of posts on a 50% glass half full basis . But thanks for the lecture .

Be patient old son ! It just the first week and things not up to speed at mo ! A bit of trial and error at moment...do you bet on the TV screen OR on your computer/phone or with the local bookie ! Change is as good as a holiday they say ! I note on a Harness Racing quorum many of the posters seem pleased with many of the changes. This site pretty much has everyone against ! Does this mean that generally speaking MOANERS gravitate to this site ? I just asking for a friend !

Well change can be difficult for many of us to handle. They/we trying to introduce new young people to sport and wagering....not trying to speak to the converted but if it that bad it could discourage folk but i'd doubt that.Maybe it explains why Aussie pools so small compared to win pool. Maybe they think showing $1.20 return for $1 not that attractive .$5 on and $6 back.I think in Lotto you can win several $mil for 5 bucks. And hundreds with a 20cent spin at Casino. Oscar Bonavena was paying $1.02 for place. As 10% of punters spend over 80% of bets ,they unlikely to be put off. Plus Week 1 is fairly early to condemn it ....surely they will tweak and improve...anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first. They held market research groups plus have a marketing/PR agency specialising in retail trends and attracting new interest.In racing terms they have an excellent track record. It bound to get better...does anyone nail these things in ONE week ! The computer/phone shows the converted all the info you need and most bets done on these.

Fair enough...... I also intended to mention the excellent interviews done by Jo Stevens [ North] and Nigel Unhinged [ Canterbury]. I usually view those ! Often ,and I saw it last night , the interviews with trainers at races are conducted when they are very busy ,gearing horses etc so I'd imagine their answers would be fairly generic . Plus going by many comments made by them after the race they often don't really know how the horse will warm up ,how focused it will be behind the gate etc and the intentions of the other drivers. Apparently riding/driving not as easy as it looks !

So big trainers don't mean what they say......interesting .....so let's not listen to what they say. Us keyboard warriors know the truth .......yeah right ! What are these tracks that are closed but would be of great benefit in current day and age ? Are they real, do they exist ?

Re GRINS selections two horses clearly standouts in the betting and on paper..Don't Stop Dreaming and Merlin. They both young and improving and in form...... You refer Purdon as a team ,I think they are arch enemies out on the track. The Grins race is 2200 m but I suspect it will be a fierce speed....a lot of the contenders have been winless for 7 to 9 starts ,including Sooner the Better and Self Assured both models of consistency . The former only won 4 races. He been chasing these ones around a lot ! But never underestimate the Aussies...I think their horses really tough and can run fast times and gutz it out. I don't know a lot about STT and RnR Do who scratched last night, but Better Eclipse I wary of. He raced only 3 times in NZ and been in fight everytime ....2 x close 3rd's and a 4th ...in blanket finishes with Akuta ,SA ,CT etc coming from back of field etc . ,in fast time too ! South Coast Arden looks a real horse now and was OK chasing DSD up straight last night ,and he one that can go hard from gate and lead at all costs .Many won't want to trail him in case he stops ,but many won't want to race him hard over first 800m. OTR always unlucky...big potential For me....1. Don't Stop Dreaming 2.Better Eclipse 3.Self Assured...all tri's and F4 4.Merlin

Sorry Walt , I not too fussed about colour and layouts etc on the TV trackside and not too fussed either about what the previewers /tipsters say or the interviews with trainers and drivers. I bet modestly with my computer and own judgement while at home with my computer and TV at the ready .I don't mind watching the replays on HRNZ if out when races run.Just keep my eye off my balance. Unlike many on here I don't hang on every word the studio folk say while looking for mistakes , bad grammar or bad deodorant. I follow stable updates ,emails ,spies ,trials etc so I know more than them anyway...like many on here......except for Michael Guerin and Adam Hamilton. This is horse racing afterall....I know those guys know their stuff ,get real info from insiders etc and I like their logic and MG's know-all attitude. Confidence is important and he been around a while ! And I don't mind if a race comes up from Dapto dogs or Aussie/Japan outback cos TAB is for betting and TV the best info of who is racing...last 2 minutes ,get on quick. Racing is dependent on Betting. Racing is a Television Sport. Some of biggest Harness followers on-line don't bet or own horses.....they should be BANNED ! I attend on-course often so when there I tend to check the horses etc and see what is happening......Chief in a bad moment said I'd be in Bar...Nope ! I went to Cambridge last night as a lead in to next week GRINS but already I'm looking for excuses.......another YARN I'm having a little side-bet with a guy from down your way tasmanman as to who can attend the most meetings.When younger while working in fulltime jobs we clocked up 100 meetings one year .Some effort . Don't let that Nelson sun effect your thinking and stay away from that Takaka weed !

Well its your big opportunity for input to track renovation Chief. The sand layer is about to be completed....you have a lot of knowledge about sand layers on race tracks.....and the grass seed is about to be sown and the drainage etc completed. They have weekly meetings on progress , talk to like minded track folk including Aussies and bounce ideas off each other to increase their chances of success. You need to get involved...don't wait till the first raceday and the inevitable problem arises and you bang on about what should have happened etc etc Its your chance to contribute....I'm absolutely confident that if you had some input to the 'new' Awapuni track , that track would become OK , proving what I often read on here. If you Change the way you look at things, the things you look at change ! When the Awapuni Synthetic was gifted to the CD , I thought I read where a number of the 'bigger' trainers supported it , maybe couldn't look a gift horse etc but with racing folk a consensus well nigh impossible. And always get a % of negative folk....I even heard the good Foxton track was considered by some as 'too hard' earlier in week . But I not one to gossip and know very little re CD other that regular trips to Trentham since I was a foetus ,and never lived in CD.But I always thought it had a silly number of tracks and clubs . Get that input in re Awapuni track Chief.......NOW !

A good race alright Walt.....I sneaked across town to see the horses live. Don't forget Bettor Eclipse ,the Aussie, in there some where ! And up close South Coast Arden a magnificent looking specimen....he could be a roughie ! Draws were often discussed when Jewels held at Cambridge but winners came from everywhere. Being on the rails a big plus at Cambridge if you on the right horse or following the right one ,as it hard to go wide and win IMO.

Again your reading of History rather narrow minded. Most Historians DON'T blame Nero for the great fire of Rome ! Please remember...If you change the way you look at things ,the things you look at change ! Looks very much like Awapuni track renovation taking shape , a very informative video just out on Racing This Time TV. Look for the good stuff in it ! And remind me again of the decent tracks and clubs that have been closed down .....I think you have mentioned ONE, Foxton which still runs great trials ,so very much still operating ie NOT closed down ! There seems to be a strong bias on here toward it too ! As a poster with little conflict and bias I see a clearer picture ...IMO of course !

And so the better more ambitious ones should....Aussie racing among the best and richist in world. But Auusie racing has it's issues too....if it was easy everyone would do it. Makes cents...same as most industries/sports/jobs in NZ .

Could be post of the year Chief....blame ,blame ,blame...always the other guys fault. If it was easy everyone would do it..... Used to shovel a bit of horse poo in younger days and save the clean straw from the urine stuff. And worked 24/7 jobs. The trainers I most familiar with loved their jobs , many got their family involved ...the young ones involved today love it . I driven a few tractors around training tracks with a plough etc on the back......seen how a stable works. The successful ones just get on with it , others just blame others . Accept 100% accountability for your actions...Don't cry , CREATE !

I've always admired the skills and passion of Chad Ormsby so great to see him train another winner at Ruakaka today. Rising Tide has always looked useful. And terrific to learn that he has sold his Oaks winner by Wrote.....Pulchitudinous...for an extremely juicy return. He developed this horse , got friends and family to take a share and tho lost to NZ racing it was a price that could not be turned down. Chad , if he survives his hobby of rodeo , has a great future ahead of him . And he would of learned from the struggles in training that his now successful father-in-law faced early on. If I owned a horse myself Chad would top of my list as a trainer !

Haha...some say 'empty vessels make the most noise '. Firstly I'm too old ...too long in tooth and probably spent more time in volunteers roles than working for $$. And now days it ain't easy ,as in general but specially in sport clubs the committees are fill of folk with seriously conflicted and personal bias. They don't like change .Often there is an excess of red tape and a shortage of money and infrastructure. Especially lack of money a huge handbrake. Board folk with governance or 'special skills often have no passion or feel for their position. And people all have different opinions and often refuse to budge so decisions become difficult to make and agree on. I've had a crack at a few things and had some success.IMO Some racing roles would a 'nightmare'...eg ATC My enjoyment from racing comes from enjoying ownership in a few horses, attending race meetings ,chatting to participants and having a few bets. The odd glance at eye candy too...haha ! I'll match wits with anyone and tell a YARN , and negativity is a turn off...if an interest gets you down ,makes you angry or behave badly then try something else !

You banging on again Chief ...same old ,same old ! I don't know any sport or business that doesn't make the odd blunder ,decide on a path that doesn't turn out as hoped/expected. Just seeing GHart on TV news when he started out in business most said he was on a road to nowhere ! Just hope they learn from it....any thing worth doing is worth doing badly at first .Thats how you learn. Should have closed many tracks 50 years ago...in early days of NZ racing they closed many tracks ,should have closed many more. Too much personal bias on conflict of Interest in keeping lame ducks open too long ! Cambridge synthetic doing a nice job...the stables which are smashing the Aussies right now have ...Orchestral ,Mark Twain and Imperatriz all trialled on Synthetic when learning the ropes .And SMarsh horses flying too. A garden of flowers there ,but I bet you'll find a weed somewhere ! And Orchestral won 3 x times on new Ellerslie track.....you banged on about that unsafe track...Orchestral didn't believe you . She loved it...music to her hairs ! Number and skill of Jockeys...add the ones only a few hours away and clearly the best we have had avallable for a long time.....plenty too ,several good jockeys getting just one or two rides a meeting . And industry participants need to do better to maintain/improve the quality of tracks and jockeys. Stop blameing others for your failures .The clubs need to keep the tracks up to standard and the trainers need to care about and apprenticeship the young jockeys. Kiwis are mainly too heavy so import more talent and look after them.So basic. And aren't jockeys well paid these days ...must be over 10 NZ jockeys earning $250k in first half of season and another 15 over $100 k already. And allow a bit of time....NZ Racing was a sinking ship , barely any life left and its many terminal illnesses cant be fixed in 12-24 months ...be fair ,and realistic. If only Messara and Wpeters had arrived earlier !

What needs to fundamentally change is your attitude toward the recent and planned changes..... If you change the way you look at things , The things you look at change ! As well as the positive changes I've banged on about in recent times there are others you should support......Trackside becoming Free to Air , more live track presenters [ you should apply I could see you doing a Tony Greig wicket/track report ,down on haunches sifting the sand between your fingers talking about peat etc ] plus more preview of races. Plus 10% more harness races which should add to participants returns. Happy days.... Oh , and please correct your comment about Belclare not being Pearl series registered .She raced in a few Pearl races early on ,picking up the odd bonus . Get with the program !