curious

Which reminds me of one of my favourite quotes from a well known former northern race-caller who happened to have his birthday yesterday. This was following yet another but earlier taxpayer handout to the industry. "It would be good to get something for your first win, at the moment you get a bag of spuds and if you run second you've got to peel the bloody things" Nothing has changed. It's just got worse.

Correct. Did that not happen? 6.12 Starter’s Position. Starters retain discretion as to where to position themselves; beside, in front or behind the barrier with an elevated view. The Starter shall be on their stand prior to the last horse loading.

What happened? Not sure why the starter would be at the rostrum while loading. Should be supervising the loading shouldn't they?

Can't agree with that. Owners, trainers, jockeys ... there's absolutely no consensus to do anything like that and it seems to me impossible to get one.

I was talking to a gentleman last night who I am about to race a horse with next year. Hadn't seen him in a decade. I said "Do you remember me?" "Yes" he said. "We had a number of conversations back then about where the industry was headed and what needed to happen". "Yes we did and what has happened?" "Exactly what we said would" he said. He's now in his late 80s. Only further comment he made is in line with Freda's comments above. "We needed elected representation. It's all been done by appointment. Never could work".

Might have been the Valley Meeting SA? Seems that must have prevailed given the direction of the industry ever since.

Yes. Most of it is not free cash that they could otherwise distribute and the rest is really operating capital.

November Operational Performance Reported Profit for the month was $14.0m, which was $1.7m below Budget. https://www.tabnz.org/tab-nz-trading-performance-update-november-2022

Not only their bank, their accountants and auditors don't seem to know either. Never mind, De Lore in his inimitable investigative fashion, publishes it anyway without reference to any source other than hearsay.

Tomorrow a holiday? Since when?

Oh. Was there a car involved? Didn't see anything about that.

I'll provide my own airfare. I'm not cheap like JB. When and where is the party?

Reporting a transaction that you've heard about. Not one with you. Not ok to do that without client consent imo.

DUNHILL (R Mudhoo) - Lay inwards near the 200 metres despite the efforts of the rider, crowding and buffeting LEAVE IT TO ME, KILOWATT and HEIDI HI which all lost some ground, with the trailing ZAMBEZI ZIPPER also being hampered. Also contributing to this incident was some outwards movement from ASATHOUGHT. The connections were advised that a warning would be placed on DUNHILL’s racing manners.

It's not the reporting that bothers me so much, rather doing so without consultation with the client. Professionals such as accountants have a duty to clients as well as the law. Maybe I've somehow waived that right in my contract with my accountant but in my profession I'd have no show in a front of an ethics committee if I reported criminal activity to police that clients had engaged in without their consent (imminent risk of serious harm excepted but even then at least an attempt to engage with the client first would be expected). I'd also very busy with that!

The head on is there in the replay.

Don't see much that Mose did wrong there. Looks to me like Rohan's horse came over and caused the incident.

That is surely in contravention of human rights law? It hasn't been tested? I'd think it would have no show.

I also thought the poly was supposed to be groomed daily. Further I have heard it has at least sometimes been groomed without the preceding manure removal occurring. It won't last long if that's true and they are incorporating organic matter into the surface - false economy given the cost of full surface replacement. When they are paying an arm and leg to Martin Collins for maintenance advice they surely should be using it. That's even worse than them failing to follow the free guidance and advice for the mowing and renovation of the CP which as you note cost not only the club but lots of participants heaps.

One is the hallowed grass which is seldom available it seems but what is the .5? I'm imagining a track that only goes half way round!

I can tell you that Foxton also hasn't had a race meeting in a long while, probably couldn't afford the loss from running an industry day one, but also loses heaps from their training operation.

Yeahh, I got that JB. Was just bein a bit facetious myself.

Oh, and it's literacy JB.

I think all training centres do except maybe Cambridge and perhaps where they volunteer staffed