curious

This possibly didn't help. Rail: Out 3 metres GENERAL The rail position was incorrectly advertised as being True

Me neither!

No, not a piss take. Pretty sure I heard Callum Brown say in the Jayne Ivil interview, that while probably ok for an April return to racing, it would take another 12-18 months to fully consolidate given the sand based profile, and that if it is properly looked after, especially over the winter when recovery from usage is slow.

Sounds like it's only 12-18 months away. Interesting they have the markers out and didn't work on the inside. Sounds a bit like Ellerslie with the sand profile needing a lot of water and verti-draining. Presumably will leave it a slower surface than it was?

I think TAB was including the likes of Castlepoint.

https://www.facebook.com/racingthistimeNZ/videos/1190594179438329

But they haven't and won't do that which would require a substantial reduction in stakes now. They have 3 years of the Entain guarantee left, then stakes will have to reduce given the recent indications of Entain's NZ performance and there still won't be funding for the infrastructure investment that is required.

From my observation of the last few iterations, it is already on its death bed. If jumps racing is to continue at all, it would be nice to preserve a few of those iconic races like the Nationals somewhere.

But I still think this would have to be one of if not the biggest loser on that basis.

Not sure about Oz but certainly not in NZ. As a bloke called Greg Purcell once said, the most profitable meeting we have is the one we don't have. We've come along way from pretty much paying our way from net wagering turnover 20 years ago.

They are aren't they. They certainly get an owners' share of the stakes. Even if you take the kiwi stake out of it you have a remaining $3.7m stakes for about 600,000 net revenue. That's surely not sustainable nor does it make any business sense to me.

No. But it's all owner and TAB money + sponsors isn't it, for that wagering return? And that's gross, so about half that net.

So gross betting revenue say $1.2m without whatever from the world pool. Probably, NZ racing's biggest losing day ever stakes to revenue?

No. And I take that back. The figures do not include the World Pool turnover according to Guerin.

Really? That includes 5 world pool races and they compare it with the 2024 Auckland Cup meeting?

That was a copy and paste of NZTR's font size. Like the raceday programming, surely they can adjust trials programming to trainer demand, which as I noted above they have done by providing a couple of 2yo trials At Ashburton on Thursday.

Yes. I see they've at least added a 2yo trial before the 1st at Ashburton on Thursday.

Trentham? Otherwise, Waikato?

Leveraging the strength of our Australia platform, our partnership with TAB NZ in New Zealand is making progress. The business was successfully migrated onto Entain Australia's technology during Q2 and Entain launched our new complementary online-only sister brand "betcha" in August. On a proforma basis, Online NGR was up +4%cc2 and we are encouraged by accelerating momentum through the year, with actives growing 10% in 2024. More customers in New Zealand are enjoying an enhanced and engaging sports betting experience, and we look forward to this growing opportunity following the introduction of the legislative "net" for racing and sports betting expected in 2025, as well as the improving outlook for online casino regulation in the future... Despite the tougher macro-economic environment in New Zealand, NGR was +1%cc2 ahead of 2023 on a proforma3 basis. Online was up +4%cc2, with H26 +7%cc2 following the successful migration to the Australian platform and the launch of new sister brand, betcha. Retail down -9%cc2... Operating costs were 18% higher year on year as a result of inflation, higher colleague bonus costs and the annualisation of 2023 acquisitions. Resulting EBITDA5 of £594.0m was £47.0m ahead of 2023, and after deducting depreciation and share based payments, operating profit7 was £407.0m, £19.7m ahead. The increase in depreciation has largely been driven by the annualisation of 2023 acquisitions and the New Zealand partnership... As a result of the tougher macro-economic environment in New Zealand and the delay in the introduction of the legislative net, an impairment of £142.5m has been recognised against TAB New Zealand. Additionally, regulation changes have impacted the Netherlands and Belgium, resulting in impairments being recorded on BetCity (£113.1m) and Belgium (£76.3m) assets. In relation to these, there has also been a release of BetCity and TAB New Zealand contingent consideration totalling c£80m. After separately disclosed items of £524.0m (2023: £435.5m), the operating loss was £117.0m (2023: £48.2m)...

Injured, or just going for a spell?

Yes. 1.11.44, a second slower than the open the other day. He'll have to go a lot quicker than that to won a slipper I'd say.

It certainly appears to have created a political response here, including from the colonialist faction that is evidently alive and well in NZ racing.

Bicultural as I understand it, is multi-cultural isn't it?

What did Sharples say that makes it inappropriate?

Nothing to do with the coverage per se. World Pool races World Pool will be in operation on five of the 10 races on Barfoot & Thompson Champions Day. 2:47pm: Race 5: Group 1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes 3:22pm: Race 6: Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes 3:56pm: Race 7: Group 2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup 4:32pm: Race 8: Listed The NZB Kiwi 5:07pm: Race 9: Group 1 Trackside NZ Derby