Brodie

Unlimited amounts to wager and any bet I wanted? If that the case then they would not stand a chance, Chief. Wouldnt be betting the way they do though, on anything they know nothing about lol.😂

Have no problem with having a Trackside program on a Thursday night to try and get new punters and get some interest in racing, in fact a good idea! But just how many punters when they get a collect, high five their partners, stomp around the room yahooing?? I would not think it is not that common from grown up people and especially surprising when it is not even their money that they are playing with? They are allowed to bet any amount on any type of bet they like by the TAB, and yet other punters who have been loyal for decades, do not get any of these favours? Does anyone actually believe that this is ethically or morally correct? They should not be allowed to show this type of favouritism to employees of the TAB!! At the end of the day if people want to put money into the pot to see if they can get into PROFITLAND, then so be it, so it is a bit of interest for them on a Thursday night! However I would suggest you would make be far better off by investing yourself!

Lol been watching the show tonight and seriously it is not a great look. The presenters are really acting like clowns, high fiving, rubbing screens and stalking around the studio lol. They have just had a $18k return which is a good return but put it into perspective when you look at what the TAB allows them to wager, whereas other punters are restricted to miserly amounts? It is great that they think they are helping the industry attract punters but if any individual punter was allowed to wager like they do on BOAY, you would be called a compulsive gambler. They are only winning off backing greyhounds which is not hard being allowed to wager unlimited amounts. Even if the pool goes to $40k then you are only doubling your money, so wouldnt consider it that great? anyway it is what it is!!

I wouldnt put money in the pool so that their people can bet irresponsibly in contrast to the TAB’s slogan, Bet Responsibly! If it was their personal money they were spending then they would not be gambling like they do on the show! And yet, others get limited to net what I consider a miserley amount? The hypocrisy is appalling!

Gamma, you just can not chuck money into something when you just havent got it? HRNZ have massive problems going forward!

Galah, $1k drops in stakes for lower grade horses? What were the stakes for Cambridge etc. before Entain came with the dollars? Stakes in a couple of years are going to be a helluva lot less than a $1k drop!

Why doesnt Harness Racing Victoria put in a couple of hundred thousand like HRNZ are doing? Slot races are fine Gammalite, but hRNZ can not afford to heavily subsidise these races! The other thing of major concern is the fact that the money is going to go to Ozzie probably, so thats a big win for NZ lol Victoria and Queensland are only being held together by state government and Seymour and there is no one in NZ that is going to be doing that here!!

To be fair, you dont really need to be Einstein to see what is happening with HRNZ and their usage of the mega millions being received from Entain! The other thing is that the TAB is also operating in a way that is is also detrimental to the best business practices of increasing turnover! The truth of the matter is rather than just a hunch, it is more having the ability to judge whether they are actually making sound business decisions! The fact is that Galah and Brodie are prepared to speak up while others who think the same and say nothing is an indictment on the industry and its future prospects! More need to be speaking up now rather than let the once great harness industry self destruct by the decision makers not protecting what we have! More than happy to be totally wrong and time will tell!

Chief, we were looking at how HRNZ were operating with the money from Entain, when they shouldve been investing wisely and with restrain, rather than operating like a kid in a lollyshop! We all knew that things were not great prior to Entain’s promise of massive funds for 50% of the TAB profits for 25 years! Looking at the 2025 accounts the accounts are not looking as good as they should be bearing in mind the funds received from the Forbury Park sale and Entain contributions! We have the major issues with the AtC and Cambridge clubs as they appear they are in quicksand and not able to get out? Is there anyone apart from Gsmmalite that can try and convince us that HRNZ have acted financially responsibly to enrich harness racing into the future, as from the sidelines it doesnt look great!

Dont use their promo’s at all except if they text and offer to match deposits, and why wouldnt you? anyway don’t need their free money, just ask to be treated fairly and equally as other punters! They take all bets from some punters what they want, and yet other punters get treated very unfairly!

You are correct Chief that I hadnt checked out the accounts for HRNZ at all, and appreciated you showing the actual financial position! What it does appear to show us all is that they are not that financial to give us much confidence in the future considering recent receipts such as Forbury sale and Entain putting mega millions in and with future promises! How do we think Auckland and Cambridge are going to get out of the shite, when HRNZ dont appear to be in any position to help are they?

The stabilisation comment was that they werent losing as much as they were previously! some will see it as being ok, others can see it as not so good, definitely can not see how they could possibly be able to continue to race for the stake money currently and expect to be able to make it pay? Would be good to hear from Brad Steele again to see how he thinks things are going now and in the future? 30million is buggerall to show for the years they have been going and would be grest to know what the financial situation was in say the year 2000?

Looking at it and I only skimmed through it and looked at the bigger numbers rather than the general things! Much appreciate Chief giving us all the report to analyse. On the face of it, there has probably been some stabilisation but does not give too much confidence in the overall picture when there has been 13million from Forbury Park sale and the mega millions already received from TAB/Entain in the last couple of years! One question that should seriously be asked is of the sale price of Forbury Park for over 13 million, why was there a cost to sell of 10% of the sale price??????? WTF did someone get financially rewarded massively??? They need to explain as it seems s very very fishy does it not? 32million is not a large amount to have bearing in mind Auckland owes in excess of $80million and growing by 500k per month and Cambridge is BROKE and will not be able to trade out either of them! There is also promises that HRNZ have made in the future that has to be accounted for and the Entain funding to HRNZ is going to be significantly reduced in coming years? At the end of the day hopefully HRNZ are in good hands and they do best for the industry to survive and thrive, but are there many out there that believe they are

Thats good that it isnt all gone! Is there anywhere that shows us this increased cash position? The increase is clearly from Entain and is the extra $20m you say they have, the money from Entain for the next couple of years that will be used for stakes over the next couple of years? What is the true asset position of HRNZ do we know? In the Entain Terms and Conditions was it written that HRNZ has to spend the full amount on stakes and bonuses in the 5 years? Investing the funds from Entain wisely to give them a good return to be able to fund the stakes would have been a helluva better option!

Chief, why are the terms and conditions to what Entain has to contribute to NZ racing commercially sensitive now? They have no competition from other betting agencies, do why? Rest assured it will not be much and stakes are going to plummet and there sill be so many owners currently who will give it away! I reiterate, Entain are not interested in NZ racing, it is not their forte! Anyway, do not like having to point out the future the way it is going to be for harness racing, would much prefer to have it thriving! Probably no point debating it as it has little effect on myself, more frustrated for the genuine participants who rely on it for a living!

The Reefton maiden will not lose as much money for the industry than what the slot race will!! Not sure What part of HRNZ can not afford to keep running races at a loss do you not understand?

Gamma, why would I buy a yearling when the future return is going to be so low? Far from being a miser, invest mega dollars investing!

What HRNZ has been lacking for a very long time is making good financial business decisions! They were given a life line and squandered it!

Noodlum, of course grass roots owners would love a slot race horse in sbility! Galah is correct though, most punters and we need the punters, do not give a rats about slot races!! What they should be concerned about is whether there is going to be harness racing at a sustainable level in the years ahead! What plays out in-the years ahead is what is being defined now! I would be more confident in what Peter Cook says than Brad Steele and co. at HRNZ say!

Fair enough, to what level are the condition to support NZ racing, Chief? do we know what the level required is? Apart from the $ that they have chucked in, I am having difficulty seeing what support they have been offering?

Yes of course Entain is a very large corporate gambling business and yes the amount put into NZ racing that was guaranteed is not a large amount for them! However they are here to make a large profit on their investment and the shareholders will want and need that! The thing is that at the end of the 5 year term they are going to be putting as little as they can into racing and relying on the growth of Sports betting and online gambling without doubt. Does anyone actually believe that this international gambling agency gives a rats about NZ Racing, as this is not their forte? Unfortunately this is reality and harness racing is heading for somewhere that should not have happened if it had been managed correctly. More than happy to be proven totally wrong.

Lol Galah I was going for point out the same thing but would just be a continuation of the way we see things! The reality is that you would have to be a wee bit naive if you think that going go a cheap stallion was the way to go as it cheapens what your yearling is going to be worth at yearling sales! Anyway we seem to be wasting our time commenting on how things are going to be when Entain pulls the plug. If people believe that things are going to be positive for the industry going forward, then good on them for holding that belief. Very disappointing that Brad Steele, Matt Peden or some one from Entain or other HRNZ spokesperson are not prepared to come on here and give us some confidence !! Anyway more beneficial for Brodie to do the study for Reefton on Sunday.

You are correct Peter in regards to horse trainers etc. being on HRNZ, Robert Dunn I believe was on the ATC commitee. Harness racing has significantly declined from where it once was when it was affirdable to have a horse trained without breaking the Bank! Harness racing was in the crap before Entain came along with their cash for 50% of the profits for 25 years we are aware of that. I maintain that the money given to HRNZ so far has been mismanaged and when the guaranteed money is stopped by Entain it will be shown as such. No offence Gamma, but the money being used by HRNZ now to heavily subsidise racing is not going to be beneficial to racing in another 2 years. To say that the racing is great now and good for racing folk now due to Entain is very narrow sighted, as anyone with a semblance of business can see the writing on the wall! Anyway always good to debate things but unfortunately we are not hearing anything from the ones who are making the financial decisions? What I would guarantee is that they wont be in their current positions when the shite hits the fan and I am surprised that Winston has not appointed someone to try and sort it out? Anyway you are a great supporter of the current regime and what they are doing and that is your perogative. Brodie would rather express his opinion and I know it is supported by most, but just dont want to speak up and get offside with some!

Gamma, you are now agreeing that once Entain pulls the plug on the heavily reduced stakes then harness is knackered! Shame HRNZ hasnt got people in the leadership positions with business sense! Anyway enjoying the Westport racing today. HRNZ can not afford to chuck anything into the slot races and dont need to, but then again it is Entains money until it is gone, and nothing surer than the Ozzies will be back in Oz!

Gamma, we admire your support for HRNZ and the high class harness horses! However, for NZ there is absolutely no reason for confidence in harness racing in the future! You will realise in the future that those that are prepared to speak up about the blatant mismanagement of harness racing in NZ are speaking up for the best interests for longevity of the industry! The Entain money has been blatantly mishandled and you and everyone else will see that once it is stopped! The total silence from HRNZ and Entain is surely showing that they know we are right or they would be defending their position and guaranteeing that things are going in the right direction???? How on earth can things be going well when the North Island clubs are broke and getting poorer by the day?