curious

I didn't think I uploaded any file. Which McGreevy paper do you mean? There are quite a few in relation to whips and racing.

So, are you suggesting that this doesn't cause any pain? yr8rb8pn-1414466088-1.avif

If I were Colin you'd expect me to google it myself wouldn't you?

I wouldn't but don't they drive round on the inside of the track and have video from there for that purpose? We already discussed a case of CWJ on a horse of mine where he admitted a charge for consecutive strikes. I couldn't see that from the available vision either but the stipes did and he was convinced by the evidence. How on earth do you think that the other signatories to the IFHA guidelines (Australia; Britain; France; Germany) enforce it?

Why? And how would changing hands help? Two strikes inside the 200 and clearly on the rump. Try specsavers! The horse is still learning. She's trying to teach it to get to the line, what the whip means, and to make sure she got something out of the gallop when there was nothing to push her which there may be next time.

Speaking of welfare matters, Justine, and yesterday's racing, I take it the stipes are going to ignore enforcing the new flank use whip rule? Multiple blatant strikes on the flank and no rule to disqualify the horse which gets a listed race win as a result. Not a whisper in the judicial report when blind Freddy could see it. Or, is it rules for some or, is the rule just tokenism? I wonder what the IFHA will think when advised?

I think the synthetic track issue became more of one when NZTR announced that they had data suggesting the anecdotal reports were in fact true. We are waiting on NZTR to issue the independent report now aren't we? That's due mid-year. And yes, follow-up checks have been done and no doubt more will be done before racing resumes on it.

But in that example, he accepted and digested the facts when he got them. That's my point. Well, it worked on getting significant work on and a review of the synthetic tracks didn't it, when direct approaches to high level management had repeatedly got the brush off or retaliation?

I agree with that and certainly don't find it amusing. That said, he listens and accepts the facts when he gets them. He's a pleasure to do business with and puts his money where his mouth is. He's bought a nice horse and handled it patiently. Deserves all the success that she brings him for my part. As above, credit where it is due.

That's far from true and I've seen him do so recently on several occasions.

He might well do. On the other hand, he gives credit where it is due: Southland Racing Club, you blew me away yesterday with your hospitality, a great day had by all. I’m going to be honest here in saying that I was shocked at how much the facilities have improved since I was there 30 years ago when winning a 2 year old race with Oakfields (Mandy Brown) and when Stokesy (Michael Stokes) and Chris Rowe won the stakes race with Simon Snorkel. Arriving late morning yesterday we found that the old members stand had grown another 2 floors, glass fronted, looking out over 120 acres containing 6 tracks for harness, greyhounds and thoroughbred turf. With only 2 track staff managing it, sheep grazing in the background for added income, another great example of how the southern clubs are so successful. 6 Thoroughbred meetings a year (Wairio one of them), 20 trot meetings and something like 40 greyhound meetings. As a graduate in economics, this club, this track consortium, would have to be the best example of what we should be doing at other city clubs in NZ. Again .. thanks so much to Sean Bellew (President) and all of the other amazing committee team.

Haven't read it like that myself. Just asking some fair questions about the asset sales and building status there.

Looks like a good option to me, with our best 3yos in Oz and most of the next best pointed to the Kiwi and Champions day, might be a soft spot to get her some Group black type.

I understand there was serious competition amongst slot holders for Perfumist.

Do they?

Yes, for Entain, if they can pull it off but only maybe for NZ racing if they do that under the NZTAB banner and revenue accrues to the 50/50 split. NZ racing is now completely reliant on their share of what Entain generates for NZTAB.

That's Entain though, not NZTAB, so won't affect revenue for racing, I don't think, though they've angled it at virtual racing. The monopoly legislation still has a few hurdles anyway. Not sure there's much support from other government departments like the Commerce Commission.

BTW, anyone see this? Entain makes play at one of SkyCity’s revenue streams Entain, the offshore company that operates the TAB, wants the Government to extend its statutory monopoly to part of SkyCity's business.Minister for Racing Winston Peters unveiled legislation to amend the Racing Industry Act in December. If enacted, TAB NZ's monopoly will be extended to online betting, making it illegal for offshore operators to sell wagers to New Zealanders. https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/markets/entain-makes-play-at-one-of-skycitys-revenue-streams

I'd say we are well past that being a possibility for TR any longer?

Yeahh, I bought some! Annual profit about 1 billion pounds. Why do people think they are going to fall over? They could buy and sell NZ racing with their staff Christmas fund. Yes, they have some regulatory issues, but I think NZ racing has a lot more to worry about and get on with than whether the Entain share price is going up or down.

Actually the same price they were 11 months ago and up 10% the last 6. But yeahh, when they are wrong, facts are aside and they resort to the name calling and derogatory remarks about posters

Isn't the issue about that, that there is no phone linkage with internet betting and more-so, no easily traceable linkage with overseas operators, hence Peters' and Entain's argument pro the online monopoly legislation? Obviously, the Commerce Commission among others disagree that is a sufficient argument.

I'm not really clear how this article is doing that. It seems to me to be considering the arguments for and against the monopoly bill as put forward in the submissions. I don't see it smearing racing in any way. Did you listen to the full interview? https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1049-the-front-page-30038501/?pname=nzh_web&sc=podcast_show

Meeting News Avondale Trials Cancelled Due to the track not being in a suitable state (not enough grass cover) these trials scheduled for Tuesday 18 February have been cancelled. NZTR are reviewing trial opportunities in the Northern region

Two months ago, the Australian regulator Austrac said it was bringing civil penalty proceedings against Entain. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/11/entain-ceo-gavin-isaacs-ladbrokes-coral CEO of Ladbrokes owner Entain steps down after five months in role Company will be run on an interim basis by the chair, Stella David, after exit of Gavin Isaac Julia Kollewe Tue 11 Feb 2025 09.28 GMT The chief executive of Entain has left the business in a surprise move just five months after joining the owner of bookmakers Ladbrokes and Coral. Britain’s biggest bookmaker said Gavin Isaacs was leaving by mutual agreement, and with immediate effect. Entain’s share price fell by nearly 11% on the news. Isaacs, 60, an Australian lawyer with 25 years of experience across the global sports betting, gaming and lottery industries, had come out of semi-retirement and relocated from Las Vegas to run the FTSE 100-listed company in September. Ladbrokes gambling ads shown to parents on app used as a baby monitor It is unclear what Isaacs will do next. It is understood that his departure was not related to the group’s strategy or performance. The sports betting and gambling company will be run again on an interim basis by Stella David, the chair, until a permanent chief executive is found. She also assumed the role of interim chief executive for nine months during the previous CEO search. Pierre Bouchut, a senior independent director, will act as interim chair of the company, which is valued at more than £4bn. In a short statement, David said: “Entain is making strong progress in delivering our strategic priorities. We would like to thank Gavin for his contribution.” This means that David, on an interim basis, is one of a small group of female chief executives at FTSE 100 companies, of which only 10 are run by a woman. Entain, which also owns the Gala, Foxy Bingo and PartyPoker brands, said it expects underlying profits to hit the top end of the £1.04bn to £1.09bn forecast range for 2024. The company said it was “comfortable” with market expectations of £1.1bn profits for the coming year. Isaacs previously worked for the US gambling companies Scientific Games Corporation, DraftKings, Bally Technologies and Aristocrat Technologies, and was inducted into the American Gaming Association’s hall of fame in 2022. He was hired for his US experience, but running a UK-listed company proved very different from his previous career, sources said. Analysts at Goodbody described Isaacs’s departure as “disappointing,” which they said created “another period of uncertainty around management”. “The group spent nine months to hire Gavin Isaacs, and by all accounts he was regarded as a strong candidate by stakeholders,” they wrote. They also said David was very well regarded when she previously held the role and “as such is a safe pair of hands”. Entain’s results for 2022 are under investigation by the Financial Reporting Council, which is scrutinising the audit conducted by KPMG. In 2023, Entain fell into the red with an after-tax loss of £879m after spending £585m to settle an investigation into alleged bribery at a former Turkish business, and taking an impairment charge of £190m on its Australian business. UK authorities had investigated possible bribery offences by one of its former Turkish subsidiaries, which was sold in 2017. Two months ago, the Australian regulator Austrac said it was bringing civil penalty proceedings against Entain. The company was accused of “serious and systemic” non-compliance with Australia’s anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, and not having the right procedures in place to spot and block criminals from using its sites. It is unclear what fines could arise but Entain has said the costs could be “material” and the uncertainty unsettled investors. Entain said in December it had cooperated fully with Austrac throughout the investigation and embarked on a programme to overhaul its Australian systems and processes, due to be completed in June.