curious

It's a loss when you consider that net revenue is about 50% of gross revenue and that going forward, Entain will get half of that. However, the FY23 ratio of prize-money to gross revenue for all races is about the same. Not much better or worse for the jumper contribution.

I make the figures an average turnover of $16,583 per starter for all races FY23. For all jumps races it is an average of $10,441. So, if our jumpers had 508 flat starts and 566 jumps starts, a more accurate estimate of their contribution to turnover would be $14.3m not $17.7m. That's gross revenue of say, $2.6m, for similar prize money of $2.5m.

Which is what point to points used to do, though not prior to flat races. That structure is long gone.

You'd have to import the horses from the NI. None left in the SI. No racing for them, let alone training facilities.

My apologies Mary if I've misunderstood you. Making a case for jumps racing though, surely requires comparison of jumps racing turnover to flat racing turnover as the consultation document did. I'm not clear how you arrived at the $17.7m figure anyway, unless you applied the average turnover for flat starts to the jumpers' jump starts, which is where the turnover data is ailing. That said, my point was not about your figures per se but that they were copied into the article without critique or explanation. Brent Gardiner

So, who is it that is publishing the lies and damned lies?

Another minor issue here is he has cut and pasted Mary Burgess' figures. She says "If you applied the average per horse turnover figure from the 2022-23 NZTR Annual Report (the 2023-24 one not yet being available online) then that's around $17.7m they contribute to the total NZ Turnover." However, the actual figure in the consultation document was $5.6m for FY23. He either can't read or was too lazy to check before parroting her erroneous calculation.

I don't get that. Wagering is dominated by the punters isn't it? I don't see what the stable or product provider has to do with it other than providing competitive wagering events. Not sure any stable dominance prevents that. To me as a punter it creates opportunity and has encouraged me to bet on NZ racing ahead of other jurisdictions in recent years.

Agree. I don't have data for amateur races. The claim that "this past winter’s exciting racing has come in hurdle and steeplechase events" that BdL makes has clearly not translated to turnover on those events. It was because of that, I asked for the updated data thinking there might be signs of an uptick at least. I love jumps racing, still bet on it and have just retired what will no doubt be the last jumper that I race. 50 years ago, I held an amateur licence myself. What we see here though is a year on year decline in turnover of 10% per event on jumps racing cf. an increase of 5% for flat races. The worst performance for jumps since 2019, however exciting it may have been. A lot of the issues could be fixed but there is clearly a rapidly declining punter interest and absolutely no business case for it to continue, sad as I find that.

Girl power reigned at the 2024 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards in Hamilton on Sunday. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ No images? Click here 2023-24 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards Results Girl power reigned at the 2024 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards in Hamilton on Sunday. Champion Matamata mare Imperatriz was named Horse of the Year and all five flat racing categories were won by female gallopers. Imperatriz also took the sprinter-miler category, top filly Orchestral was named as both the champion three-year-old and champion stayer, Velocious earned the two-year-old title and Legarto topped the voting in the middle-distance category. The only male horse to triumph was West Coast, who is the jumper of the year. It is the first time this century that fillies and mares have been so dominant. Imperatriz’s trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, were voted trainer of the year and Waikato couple Denise Bassett and John Elstob , who had a quarter share in Imperatriz, topped an eclectic group of finalists for owner of the year. Elstob and Bassett have been significant investors in Te Akau Racing syndicates and had 45 individual runners during the season. While Imperatriz was their main flagbearer, they were also part-owners of a second Group I winner, in Move To Strike, and the Group II winners Captured By Love and Ascend The Throne. The husband and wife training partnership of Peter and Dawn Williams, who retired from training in June, were rewarded for decades of excellence with the award for an outstanding contribution to racing. Peter began his training career in 1975 and Dawn, who went on to become the first woman to train 1000 winners in New Zealand, joined the partnership in the early 1980s. They were based in Canterbury for the bulk of their careers but moved north, to Byerley Park, in 2011. They never had a large team but were rarely without a galloper of note. The 1988 Auckland Cup winner Sea Swift was their first major winner and was followed by top sprinter Loader, who completed the Railway-Telegraph double in 1996. More recent winners at the top level included the classic-winning fillies Planet Rock and Media Sensation, dual Group I winner Shuka and their latest star, Desert Lightning, who made his trainers’ final season a memorable one. Imperatriz made an irrefutable case to be named Horse of the Year with an almost perfect Australian campaign, which produced six wins, including five at Group I level, and two placings, from eight attempts. The now-retired mare was the most prolific Group I winner in Australasia, with Mr Brightside the next best, with four, while no other New Zealand-trained horse managed more than two elite wins. New Zealand-trained horses have usually struggled the match the best Australian sprinters but all of Imperatriz’s six wins came at 1200m or less. She will be at short odds to be named sprinter of the year in Australia and will also be a contender for the Australian Horse of the Year, which will be announced in October. The I Am Invincible mare, who cost A$360,000 as a yearling, earned $6.7 million in stakes in the 2023-24 season, taking her career earnings to $7.5 million. She had a career record of 19 wins from 27 starts, including 10 Group I wins, and only once finished further back than fourth. She was ranked among the best race-mares in the world and added to the returns for her ownership syndicate when sold as a broodmare prospect, for A$6.6 million, in May. It was an Australasian record price for a broodmare. The now six-year-old was bought by Yulong, an international thoroughbred racing and breeding operation, and will be based in Australia. She will be mated with the Yulong stallion Pierata this spring. Imperatriz’s impact in her final season was further illustrated when she was announced as the recipient of the award for outstanding global achievement, which usually recognises the efforts of the human participants. Imperatriz dominated the Horse of the Year voting receiving 41 of the 51 votes cast, with New Zealand Derby winner Orchestral the runner-up. Orchestral was never going to threaten Imperatriz’s hold on the main prize but had a similar profile to Sharp ‘N’ Smart - the 2023 Derby winner and Horse of the Year - and gained all bar two of the votes in the three-year-old section Warren Kennedy was named Jockey of the Year, after just his second season in New Zealand. The former South African premiership winner made the brave decision to move to New Zealand in his 40s and has been quick to make an impact. Kennedy, 44, topped the national premiership in 23-24 and was also the leading rider in terms of domestic stake earnings and black type wins. His season included a memorable day at Pukekohe, on January 1, when he rode seven winners at one of the biggest meetings of the year. Voting for the leading jumps jockey produced the smallest margin, with Portia Matthews edging Shaun Fannin by three votes. SENZ NZ Thoroughbred Horse of the Year: Imperatriz (41 votes) Also: Orchestral (9), Legarto (1). NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing: Dawn and Peter Williams. NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement: Imperatriz Champion Two-Year-Old – sponsored by Race Images NZ: Velocious 52. Other finalists: Captured By Love (1), Move To Strike (1), Bellatrix Star. Champion Three-Year-Old – sponsored by TAB NZ: Orchestral (54). Other finalists: Crocetti (2), Antrim Coast, Molly Bloom, Pulchritudinous, Quinetssa. Champion Sprinter-Miler (up to 1600m) – Sponsored by RACEFORM: Imperatriz (50). Other finalists: Bonny Lass (3), Desert Lightning, La Crique. Champion Middle Distance Horse (1601m-2200m) sponsored by Happy Hire: Legarto (33). Other finalists: Campionessa (20), El Vencedor (2), Ladies Man. Champion Stayer (2201m & further) – sponsored by Entain Australia & New Zealand): Orchestral (31). Other finalists: Mahrajaan (24), Mary Louise (1), Asterix, Mark Twain. Champion Jumper – sponsored by Sandfield: West Coast (46). Other finalists: The Cossack (7), Berry The Cash (3), Nedwin. Jockey of the Year – sponsored by betcha: Warren Kennedy (34) Other finalists: Opie Bosson (15), Michael McNab (1), Sam Spratt (1), Joe Doyle, Craig Grylls. Jumps Jockey of the Year – sponsored by NZ Equine Academy: Portia Matthews (29). Other finalists: Shaun Fannin (26), Hamish McNeill. Trainer of the Year – sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds: Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson partnership (49). Other finalist: Robbie Patterson (5). Owner of the Year – sponsored by TAB NZ: Denise Bassett and John Elstob (17). Other finalists: Brendan & Jo Lindsay (12), Daniel Nakhle (7), Eddie Bourke (4), Waikato Stud (4), Gerry Harvey (2), Ben Kwok (2), Colin & Helen Litt (1), Kelvin & Vanessa Tyler (1), Barneswood Farm, The Oaks Stud. NZ Stablehand of the Year – sponsored by Saddlery Warehouse, Cambridge & Tauranga: Joanne Pearson (Central employed by Lisa Latta, Awapuni). Other finalists: Jonathon Richardson (Northern), Lexi Porteous (Southern). LOVERACING.NZ Award for Contribution to Media, Digital & Content: Trackside Premier. Other finalists: Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, Blow Up! Broadcasting, SENZ's The Mail Run. Jockeys’ Premiership – sponsored by OnTrack: Warren Kennedy. Trainers’ Premiership - sponsored by OnTrack: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson. Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership: Lily Sutherland. Owners’ Premiership – sponsored by OnTrack: Brendan & Jo Lindsay. Newcomer to Training – sponsored by gavelhouse.com: Sam Mynott. NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year: Molly Bloom. Corporate Communications New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Contact: Catlyn Calder +64 27 252 2803 nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

Exactly, but he dismisses the turnover data saying, "All Sharrock has done with his paper is inappropriately depict a series of graph statistics to give jumping racing a punch below the belt." Unfortunately, the facts are the facts. I asked them to update the data to include the just completed FY 24 season, something that any journalist worth their salt would have done and which they willingly provided. Here is that updated data. Draw your own conclusions.

Well I suppose I could be more specific but as an example, he ends with this: What are the chances of all the board at NZTR reading all the submissions and taking all the arguments into account, or is this process simply an exercise of going through the motions? Of course the board is not going to read all the submissions. He clearly doesn't understand the difference between governance and management. To use that as an argument to suggest the process is just "going through the motions" is simply evocative, uninformed, stupidity.

Yes. Agree about Mary's facebook comments which I'd already read with interest. It's his own contribution that I refer to. Seems to be a rather irrational tirade to me. Not the way to get a point across if he has one.

Gosh, Has BdeL forgotten to take his meds again?

So you think National won't pass the geo-blocking legislation?

It may do in the future, but the money they are counting on is the NZTR share of the additional $100m from Entain that was part of the deal. "Initial consideration of NZ$160 million, with a further NZ$100 million payable subject to legislative geo-blocking implementation".

But the money they've allowed for is coming from the Entain payment, not from any recaptured overseas wagering turnover. I agree with mardigras on that.

Why not?

I'd say so. They seemed pretty confident about it. Not sure of detail on the proposed legislation, but if it meets the Entain requirements for payment of the extra $100m, then the extra funding adds up. One of the criteria for that in the deal is that the legislation must be enforceable.

Bruce Sharrock said at the roadshow yesterday that we could expect an announcement on this in the next few weeks with it likely to come into effect in February. NZTR are budgeting for an extra $6m of revenue this season and $11m per year for the balance of the guarantee period.

May be. Though I wouldn't exactly call 5mms irrigating. Just enough to settle the dust. If that's the application level they've been using, there won't be much root development.

Midweek rain pretty much gone from forecast but rain now predicted for Saturday, so we may see what sort of job they've done on that track.

That's true but you also have another boring 20 minutes between races with nothing at all happening racing wise, so why not have a bit of other entertainment?

Of course it does. It wouldn't if we had a proper handicapping system.