curious

Is Messara still continuing with the job, or have the NZRB cronies run him off?

Given I've met Moncur briefly on one occasion, I'm not sure why you would think he is my friend. I barely know him. You seem to have had a much stronger relationship with the man. Anyway, keep coming up with crazy ideas. Maybe move the Kentucky Derby from Louisville to New York. Seven times the population there you know.

Nah. Wasn't putting a person down, just a stupid idea or behaviour. Reefton needs to swallow those sour grapes. The Molloy boys can take a bit of light-hearted ribbing anyway and usually give it back with at least equal force.

Track was fast. http://www.drf.com/news/justify-comes-out-running-104-beyer-debut

And you'd recommend moving the Irish Derby from the Curragh (where the horses are) to Leopardstown, right?

Because they are proximal to where the Group One horses are trained?

Yeahh, well that's just a stupid knee jerk reaction imo. So, you didn't bother to reapply and make a stronger case, or explore other funding options. Lotteries, COGS, pokie funds etc.? You just decided unilaterally to expend industry funds without any effort to find other funding sources? And you claim to be concerned about wastage of industry funds?

Firstly, it's likely that the track will be ready for racing this year. Replacing the rail was a requirement for that. Renovating the stand, upgrading jockey rooms, providing stipes and JCA rooms, increasing public facilities, toilets etc. also required. Consent applications for that project are in process. Funding is there. The old tea room building has already been renovated and painted. The AGM was held there last year. The old tote building is being converted to an arts centre. Certainly nothing much had happened between the fires and a couple of years ago. The current committee is on the job. Have a look at the facebook page if you want to catch up or spend 20 bucks to join the club and receive the newsletter. On your first comment, the RSDF is NOT industry money. It's taxpayer money devoted to health and safety and animal welfare. If you want to target industry money being wasted, have a look at the depletion of RB reserves at a rate of $15-20m a year being wasted on stakes totally irresponsibly with the blessing of all the codes, not a 100k grant to a community club courtesy of the taxpayer.

You'd probably remove them from the tracks that are currently stuffed and can't cope with the increased load of race days they now have. This would allow resting of tracks for major refurbishments and in regions like the coast, say rest one track each season on a cyclical basis. Would that work?

Yep.

Chosen ones? By whom?

I might add that the FRC has not changed its constitution. In fact I pointed out to NZTR that the request to do so was pointless and the Bell Gully opinion supporting that was in direct contradiction to an earlier one from the same outfit addressed to Mr. Moncur which just happened to have fallen into my mail box. What would be the point in doing so anyway? In the event of the club winding up, a 2/3 majority of members can amend the constitution however they wish with respect to distribution of assets. Remember that the Racing Act can not override the provisions of any other Act. If your club decided to tell Moncur to get stuffed, then you probably deserve what you got. Did you reapply for a grant after the first decline? Foxton had to.

Because I think his best performances are at 7-9f and deteriorate the further he goes. 1 1/2 miles depending on the competition that actually lines up is probably beyond him at this level. JMO.

I'd put a different spin on that. Too many tracks around the country have been stuffed, in part by trying to conduct too many meetings on them. The FRC also has an obligation to trainers domiciled there to provide a safe and suitable surface for those trainers to gallop horses there. It currently also attracts horses from other venues for that purpose. To remain self-sustaining, that revenue also needs to be preserved. So, I'd call it sensible management. This will probably just rub salt in your wound, but did you know that the FRC also got a $50k grant from the RSDF toward renovation of the stand to make it race ready? You bloody Molloys certainly know how to stir. I agree with you there. IMO, you can rest assured that Foxton will see a return to racing in due course. Probably for more than one code.

I don't agree. There are as many horses going round Foxton at racing speeds in trials as a club holding 6-8 race meetings a year. The club meets the eligibility requirement and the projects meet the purpose of that fund. Why would you say that is a waste? The fund is not limited to clubs which hold race days. It could be also used to access funds to improve the safety of equestrian facilities on a racecourse, for example. We prefer building projects that will improve: • safety at Racecourses • the quality of facilities at Racecourses Only the following organisations can receive grants from this fund: - a thoroughbred, harness or greyhound racing club registered with: • New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Racing Safety Development Fund grants support the improved safety of riders, spectators, officials and others involved in racing at racecourses; and the improved health and safety of the animals at racecourses.

He might but that would be out of line with what he did for country racing in NSW wouldn't it? Tuesday, November 24, 2015 Country and provincial racing in New South Wales, Australia will enjoy a prize money boost of A$21 million from July 2016 as part of the state’s wagering tax parity announced last week. The increases, which account for more than 60% of the proceeds from the second and third years of parity, will see prize money for country races climb to approximately A$69 million per year, an increase of 120% since 2011. Racing NSW will also introduce Showcase Country Race Meetings and from next July, will commit A$1 million per year to a new traineeship and apprenticeship scheme for youth in regional New South Wales. Racing NSW has also committed about A$50 million–from accumulated race field fees–to capital works at country and provincial tracks. Racing NSW Chairman John Messara added, “While our first year’s receipts from parity are earmarked to fund The Championships and Highway races, we are pleased to announce this significant rise in Country TAB and Provincial prize money from July 2016. Country prize money of A$20,000 per TAB race along with the new Showcase meetings make for the biggest-ever injection of prize money into Country racing.”

I'd say it may be one of the best summer surfaces too. But I don't know what surfaces you are suggesting may be better in winter in the CD? It does have its flaws. Completely hopeless when the water table gets extremely high. Nowhere to drain to.

Hard for me to comment on that Huey. Only been around here the last 15 years or so and haven't ridden on it for a few years now. Probably depends on in what time-frame and in what way you are suggesting it has deteriorated?

Can't win the Belmont IMO.

The main objective of Foxton is to create the best training and trial facility that it can while concurrently bringing the venue up to standards required for racing. Once that is done, they will be in a position to apply for a community race day and the track would be available as an alternative venue for other race days. Trial days earn money to keep the club afloat. Sponsorship aside, a community industry race day does not. The gates will pay back the clubs investment in a year of trial meetings at the current allocation compared with the cost of relocating gates from elsewhere, which also causes additional wear and tear on gates. Trials and racing require the same health and safety standards to be met. The existing rail was falling apart and wrapped up with duct tape in places. To provide the trial facility designated by NZTR for the facility new rail was essential. The old rail will likely be recycled to provide safer railing on the outside of the course proper. Consulting and negotiating with NZTR and providing a solid rationale to NZTR and the Racing Safety Development Fund to achieve that, to me is not "sucking up" or pissing in anyone's pocket. I think it is simply good business practice in the best interests of the club, the community and the wider racing industry.

Huh? What potential savings?

This was not the distribution provided for under the Act. It was additional to that. They can do what they want with the original distribution, yes. That's why I was suggesting they take money for tracks from that and still apply the additional amount to stakes.