curious

Dunno. I've tried everything I can think of but I'm obviously not up the task.

Open Entry Races and R74 Races Notwithstanding NZTR’s intention to introduce a R74 grade from 19 September it is important to clarify some of the misconceptions around the ‘Open Entry races’ that have been programmed since the resumption of racing post the COVID-19 Lockdown earlier this year. · Since the return to racing, significantly more horses have been given the opportunity to run than would have been the case if the orthodox rating bands had been applied. In the 16 meetings to the end of the 4th weekend in August 2019 there were 1388 total starters while in the 14 meetings to the end of the 4th weekend this year there have been 1837 starters (obviously a lot more races run this season so far). · Turnovers have been particularly strong due to the races being attractive to betting. This is a critical necessity as racing relaunched itself post Lockdown. Regardless of where they have been placed in the race-day order they have clearly out-performed other races with similar field sizes in terms of turnover. Turnover is imperative to maintaining stakes at the levels we currently have. For example the last four races from Matamata on 22 August were: R88 (Opn Entry) = $247k, R90 (Opn Entry) = $281k, R65 = $197k, R86 (Opn Entry) = $277k. Turnover per starter is $6,114 higher for these races, which is 51% superior than Maiden and Rating 65 races at Feature meetings. Horses have won from all places in handicap including from “out of the handicap.” The most recent examples were last weekend where a R68 horse (Times Ticking) won a R95 race at Awapuni while at Matamata a R71 (New York Jazz) horse won a R90 race and a R73 horse (Pursued) won a R86 race. These winners were re-rated 8pts, 6pts and 5pts

That's a big ask.

https://loveracing.nz/RaceInfoSearch.aspx?q=china white&s=Retired&g=All&r=undefined&t=Name#horse

$19 actually. A cup of coffee a week.

Remember riding at a point to point at Waimate back in the day. Crowd would have been bigger than most CJC ones these days and no betting.

Yep. If you run them at 10.30 in the morning when everyone is at sports with the kids and the Ozzies are staggering to the kitchen to light up the coffee machine, that's what you'll get.

If you have room on the plane I might put mine on too. Are you going to train them?

Yes. I also vaguely remember a horse winning both legs of the double at Amberley one year. Maybe Jay something. Think Max Skelton rode it.

https://loveracing.nz/News/30864/Havealisten-BernardSaundry.aspx

Interesting to note that there doesn't seem to be any evidence of gloves or face masks at Taupo today. Are NZTR not enforcing their own protocols? And Taupo is one place along with Rotorua that Bloomfield requested particular vigilance.

Yes. That's what was announced by Ashley at this morning's briefing. They are also doing genome testing to try and track the source and environment testing at at least one of those work places.

12 August 2020 Statement from NZTR In light of the government announcement on Tuesday night regarding the country returning to a combination of alert levels 3 and 2 from midday today, NZTR has decided to postpone the Regional Roadshows scheduled for the South Island this week. We will be monitoring the situation and will make an announcement regarding the meetings to be held during the week commencing 24 August in the North Island closer to the time.

Following a meeting between NZTR, stewards and club representatives it has been decided that today’s meeting at Taupo and Friday’s at Waverley will be closed-door events. This is based on the government’s announcement of a return to alert level 3 in the Auckland Super-City region and alert level 2 for the remainder of the country from midday today until midnight on Friday. While gatherings of up to 100 people are permitted under alert level 2, the short lead in time to allow for preparations led to the decision to return to closed- door meetings to protect industry participants. Contact tracing, temperature checks, social distancing and encouraging the liberal use of hand sanitizer will also be reintroduced at these meetings. A decision on Riccarton, racing on Saturday, and Ruakaka, now racing on Sunday, will be made once there is greater clarity from the government.

I'd be pleasantly surprised if it is confined to South Auckland or even to the Auckland region at this stage.

Sounds like NZF and the racing industry continuing to write their own epitaphs to me.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/423192/border-exemptions-for-horse-racing-track-workers In Depth politics 10 Aug 2020 Border exemptions for horse-racing track workers 5:30 pm on 10 August 2020 Guyon Espiner, Investigative reporter, In Depth @GuyonEspiner guyon.espiner@rnz.co.nz Four people have been granted border exemptions to enter New Zealand for work on an all-weather horse-racing track in Cambridge, sparking questions from the Opposition about what the government is prioritising during the Covid-19 pandemic. Racing Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters checks in on the construction of the Cambridge all-weather track in June Photo: Getty Images The workers were granted entry from Australia to help construct the synthetic track, which was championed by New Zealand First and funded with $7 million of taxpayers' money from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). The National Party wants to know why they were given priority to work on the track in Waikato when thousands of other people remain locked out of New Zealand. Read more: How a Christchurch city race track bagged Provincial Growth Fund money Cambridge Jockey Club chief executive Mark Fraser-Campin said workers from Australian company Martin Collins, who lay synthetic tracks, were working on the project when Covid-19 struck. "Unfortunately, the guys were here to mix up pre-lockdown and then had to go back to Australia. They went back and just had a bit of a struggle to get back in. But we've now got an exemption for them to come over." A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said the Martin Collins staff were assessed as being critical workers, as they had unique skills not found in New Zealand. National's Regional Development spokesperson Michael Woodhouse questioned why a synthetic horse-racing track was a priority when it came to approving border exemptions. "There are very many thousands of well-meaning applications from loved ones, partners and other essential skills workers that are simply not even being considered. So why these workers came through when others were being blocked is a very important question that needs to be answered by the government." Last week, New Zealand Initiative chairman Roger Partridge said businesses had found border exemptions almost impossible to get. The think tank had surveyed its members, including some of the largest companies in New Zealand, and found border exemptions were rare and were processed inconsistently, he said. "The border exemptions are as scarce as a winning lottery ticket and whether or not they get one seems to be a matter of chance." Cabinet guidelines say short-term workers, coming into the country for fewer than six months, must have unique experience not found in New Zealand. Partridge told RNZ's Checkpoint that many businesses were struggling to get skilled workers into the country under the current rules. "We heard stories of major plant commissioning having to be deferred and of senior executives and their families being marooned overseas after resigning from their jobs to take up leadership positions in New Zealand." Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi Photo: 2020 Getty Images Faafoi's spokesperson said the decision to grant border exemptions for the Cambridge race track workers was made by officials, without input or advocacy from any politicians. It's the third all-weather race track funded by the government, paid for using nearly $30 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. The tracks have been championed by New Zealand First. Officials from the Provincial Development Unit (PDU) recommended declining funding for the three tracks when a bid was first made in 2018 by the New Zealand Racing Board and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. The Provincial Development Unit said one of the tracks was not eligible for Provincial Growth Fund money as it was in Christchurch City and the fund is for the provinces. Photo: Vinay Ranchhod In documents obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act, the PDU said the projects didn't meet PGF criteria and that it was "unknown" as to whether they would create permanent jobs. The documents also show PDU officials assessed that one of the tracks, at Riccarton Park, was not eligible for Provincial Growth Fund money because it was in Christchurch City and the fund is for the provinces. But all three tracks were all eventually paid for from a part of the PGF called 'Manifesto Commitments to the Regions' - a fund set aside for projects in the Labour-New Zealand First coalition agreement. Last week the Auditor General criticised the Manifesto fund, which has paid out $45 million for seven projects, for a lack of transparency and for operating as a "fund within a fund". The politics are of little interest to the Cambridge Jockey Club however. Its chief executive Mark Fraser-Campin said he was looking forward to having the project completed, now that the Australian workers had the exemptions enabling them to come over and finish the track. "I know it's going to make a huge difference to Cambridge." The minister responsible for the PGF, New Zealand First's Shane Jones, declined an interview with RNZ. In a statement, he said he and the three Labour Party Ministers who signed off on funding for the race tracks stood by their decisions. Jones said wet weather meant about 40 race meetings were postponed each year and the synthetic tracks would support the $1.6 billion racing industry which provided about 15,000 full-time jobs.

I want to race for stakes that are generated by revenue from the events, even though they may be small. That's the only way we can have a sustainable industry. Siphoning off revenue to fund restricted races, breeders and sales companies isn't sustainable.

Probably one of the worst examples of that (cost:revenue) even though it might be good fun to attend.

• Funding for Synthetic tracks at Riccarton and Awapuni NZTR has assisted both clubs in the preparation and finalization of funding agreements for both synthetic tracks with the Provincial Growth Fund. Concept design stages are near completion to determine the next steps.

No I haven't. I suspecrt it came from the Minister's office. Good luck with it!

Extra to what?

Page 29of 167RULES OF RACINGPART IAPPLICATION, INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONSAPPLICATION101(1)These Rules shall apply to all Races, Race Meetings and all matters connected with racing, and shall apply to and be binding on:(a)NZTR; (b) all Clubs and Club Committees; and agents, employees and officers of every such Club;(c) all Licensed Persons and others working in or about any racing stable, or in connection with the management, care, control or superintendence of racehorses and their training and riding;(d)all Owners, lessees and any persons comprising or having a legal or beneficial interest (either directly or indirectly) in an Owner, lessee or Legal Ownership Entity that is an Owner or lessee, or in a Legal Ownership Entity that has a legal or beneficial interest (either directly or indirectly) in an Owner or lessee under these Rules, and the Racing Manager, as applicable, thereof;(e)all persons seeking admission to or attending any Racecourse on which any Race Meeting is held;(f)all Horse Breeders;(g)every person who in any manner directly or indirectly, by himself or any other person on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person, does or attempts to do any act or thing for the purpose of securing any right, benefit or privilege which he or any such other person is not entitled to receive under these Rules, or to evade any disability of any kind imposed on him or any such other person by or under these Rules;(h) every person who aids, abets, counsels or procures a breach of these Rules (and such person shall be liable to the same penalty as is provided for the actual breach);(i)every person who so acts as to bring himself within the purview of these Rules; and(j)all Judicial Committees and Appeals Tribunals.

Perhaps RITA funded them anyway despite no pokie income.

Maybe. I can see how clubs that had meeting payments in say June last year but not this year may have been eligible.