curious

Don't think it has anything to do with it starting again. It will likely lose the race in question if it were the winner but it's quite entitled to start again thereafter.

Probably wasn't leaked per se. Owners would have known (and there's 13 of them) and probably told others. No conspiracy. Or, do you mean did the troughs leak?

Wild guess but I'm picking 6-700k

Yes. It will. Wonder what happens if a number don't sell. Also, the bidder strategies. Do you go early and pay what you have to, or wait for the last ones and hope the demand is quenched at the risk there may be more competition if there are still a number empty handed.

There is a reserve of 450k. Otherwise it's as normal for an auction. The market will determine the price for each slot.

It seems self-explanaoiry to me. Once you buy a slot, it's yours for the three years. You can't resell it, though you can lease it year on year. What do want clarified specifically?

Yes.

Yes. A NZ bred horse might have been sold at any sale say the Gold Coast or Sydney and still be eligible. Just that a non-NZ bred sold in NZ is also eligible. They have expanded the eligible sales to include all NZB auctions. I don't know what happens if a competing sales company starts up in NZ during the 3 year term. (c) is for three-year-olds only that were either: (i) bred in New Zealand, as determined by NZTR in accordance with the New Zealand Stud Book and Register of Non Stud Book Mares Regulations (as published from time to time by NZTR); or (ii) sold through the ring at a Thoroughbred sale (including on-line sales) conducted by New Zealand Bloodstock Limited or on-line by its subsidiary, Gavelhouse Ltd. or passed through the ring at any such sale and sold within 30 days of the sale at not less than the price at which the horse was passed-in.

Saw this vid there as well. Quite like it.

Are the Commerce Commission likely to be taking a look do you think?

I notice that it also says that international horses seeking transport should contact NZTR for referral to NZB freight.

Is it? I assumed it was coming from contestants with NZB underwriting any shortfall.

That may be but at the reserve presumably. So, a 25k risk over the 3 years. What do you think the auctioned slots will go for?

You mean of next year's 3yo's I'm picking.

The thing is the Derby is already struggling to maintain its G1 status as it is. Though its race rating of 111 last year just met the tolerance threshold and the Pattern committee generously removed the warning, it was still well below the expected G1 minimum of 113. If this race takes away even 2 or 3 of the top contenders, it seems a very odd decision to me to run them on the same day.

And fillies like Quintessa would seem to be attractive to slot holders.

That's the 9 auction slots. NZTR and the clubs don't pay anything, just the annual fees, total 375k over the 3 years. Guaranteed return if you run last every year 400k. And the 450k includes the 375k annual fees doesn't it? Will there be a BOAY syndicate lining up at the auction?

Same as the Karaka millions. It is Restricted Listed.

They get their slot for free don't they, just pay the annual fees for a guaranteed profit. Likewise ATR, Waikato, RACE and the CJC.

Also in harness, the Nullabor and Eureka and Ladbrokes Protostar.

I think you'll find that Anniversary day is celebrated in the Manawatu as well and is a public holiday.

TABAU are involved?

TABNZ have bought SENZ Digital and Audio and invited Entain to operate it alongside Trackside, so I think you'll find there will be improvements in radio coverage in due course.

I certainly don't recall Dean saying anything about increasing the number of races or meetings. How did he say they expected to do that and why?

Of course. That's what they are supposed to be doing isn't it? They are also trying to do the same with sports which at the moment benefits racing too. The TAB strategy in recent years of adding more and more betting events has not increased revenue beyond inflation. Punter losses remain steady regardless of the number of events and more events add costs just as more meetings do. Less meetings reduce costs. For self funding of stakes, the ratio of turnover to stakes needs to be doubled. The only realistic way of doing that is to halve the number of events and maintain the gross punter spend.