curious

Probably hard to get the necessary massaging with the social distancing requirements. I did ask Saundry to comment the other day but either the question never got to him or he chose not to answer it. From my email to Mary Burgess. What is your understanding of RITA’s current financial status? They have not released their half-year report. Any idea why and when that might emerge?

And the programme. Hard to spend a lot of time and money working horses till we know that.

What? Eliminating COVID-19? Getting to second base - level 2?

I don't see Dummy or Wally on the guest list. Dummy run a good idea though. You going? I wonder what's on the menu.

If they still have it.

That also seems to have been a ridiculous decision because it means they can't make any of the employees that they received the subsidy for redundant during the 12 week period. It also appears that the tackle has knocked them unconscious because they don't seem to be able to speak.

I agree as far as we can see. They knew what they were receiving including the Minister's insistence that they maintain distributions at a level they didn't have the cash for and weren't earning. They took the hospital pass and it doesn't look like they've managed to side-step the tackle.

Well, that's a bit hard to assess unti we see at least the half-year report, but from where I sit and what has been reported it certainly looks like a train wreck to me with a potentially very high number of casualties. I do agree that if that is the case, it is not entirely RITA's fault. Certainly , the previous NZRB board/s, the Messara report, the MAC and the Minister have all played a role. However, it is RITA who are in the hot seat and accountable for keeping the train on the tracks

As a trainer, for sure. I don't think Chris has time to understand the differences between what the respective industries in Oz and NZ pay to Government and what they get back though. Nor do you it seems.

Snap!

If the TAB had been paying corporate income tax here of say $40m a year (28% of $150m) then I could see that the government and taxpayer might be willing to help out a bit like they do in Oz and give a bit of that back, especially if the TAB were also paying them a licence fee to operate. They aren't though, so I can't see much of a case I'm afraid. The government already gave 3.5m for the RITA transition and are in the process of phasing out the remaining 13m odd of betting duty. They've also created a golden goose of pokie money and allowed NZRacing to keep all the wagering revenue on overseas racing and a good chunk from sports betting.

I would support something like that here. It gives opportunity for the slower staying type horses and jumpers to have and create competitive racing and could generate punter interest and it's own wagering revenue stream. Racing on the flat and having a "flat season" are not the same thing and if I said anything to suggest that it was, I didn't mean to. That said, it's an idea and we need to be floating those around at the moment I'd say though I don't feel strongly about it either way.

Huey, you are playing with words. The UK has a flat season and a national hunt season which yes, includes flat races for mainly national hunt horses and some winter racing now on AWTs which we don't have as yet. UK Racing Calendar - The Flat Season The Flat Racing seasons runs every year from the day of the Lincoln Handicap to the the day of the November Handicap (in late October or early November). This is the official flat season.

Oh you may be right. Sorry. Losing track of what day it is here!

Well not only did they not broadcast it there is a deathly silence as to any outcomes other than an innocuous release from RITA which doesn't really say anything, certainly nil about the funding situation.

You mean like they do in the UK and Ireland?

Hmmmm... no mention of the funding situation? NZ Racing prepares to resume 28 April 2020 The New Zealand Racing industry can confidently continue preparations this weekend for a return to trialing and training under Alert Level 3 following confirmation today from Government. Initial approval has been confirmed with Thoroughbred Racing NZ (NZTR) and Harness NZ (HRNZ) that businesses and stakeholders are able to return to work on Tuesday 28 April subject to meeting the protocols and guidance established by each Code. While good progress has been made, officials are still finalising Greyhound Racing NZ's (GRNZ) approval for participants to prepare for handslip trials from Tuesday, and confirmation of these protocols is expected to be confirmed early next week. The resumption of training and trialling is a critical milestone in preparation for a full return to racing from next month, subject to finalisation of the draft racing calendar from May to July 2020. RITA is thankful for the efforts of some key Code staff and Government officials who have worked long hours to turn this process around and give the industry some certainty to resume. For more information: NZTR - Industry to return under Alert Level 3 HRNZ - Resuming Training Under Alert Level Three

Definitely.

You mean the one that's obviously not working and hasn't been for the best part of the last 2 decades? Be interesting to see what emerges today.

When you look at what has been pretty much a model of transparency by the government on Covid-19 and compare it really is a shocker. That's whether or not you agree with the government decisions and reporting etc. Everyone knows what is going on and there are high approval ratings. You'd think they would learn something at RITA from that and maybe take a leaf out of that book.

How did you go?

I'm surprised that if they consulted with 56 trainers nation wide, that most of the CD ones wouldn't have thought that it would be a good option.

That would be nice but even as a temporary measure for the current situation it would make some sense with respect to providing reasonable winter footing for a few of those early meetings.

Foxton has a grandstand. Also new plastic rail, brand new jockeys rooms, showers, stipes and JCA room, kitchen etc. plus refurbished tea room etc.

critical of what?