Brodie

At the end of the day if Entain and TAB are happy with the way things are going then that is all that really matters, I suppose. I personally am not convinced that what Entain has done has increased the number of punters or $ spent out of punters pockets. They have put up the $ as they said they would but have also made some decisions that I question have been beneficial to the industry. The fact that the 2 very senior employees of Entain are leaving clearly shows that all is not that flash at Entain.

Do they itemise the tote pools and fixed odds pools separately? It is great if the wagering and profit is actually increasing for harness racing, as they need it. However from the tote pools that I see before a race closes, I believe they are actually stretching the truth a tad. They did the harness industry a major disservice when they dropped showing the place dividends on the screen!!!

How is it a novelty? Why dont they start races on the home bend, just as a novelty? Rangiora had a race on the all-weather track that was over something like 1300metres a year or two ago, that was for a novelty as well? Why havent they continued them? What happened to the novelty mile races at Addington, they need more of them surely? Rangiora’s perogative to program what they want to, however it just doesnt seem that intelligent or beneficial for anyone.

Sharper than the front straight! why start close to the bend, a trotters race? They will say they are trying different things but wHY? in front of the crowd? Crowd of very few and if people wanted to watch the start then they can walk down to the normal start? At Addington when they have the 2400metre start near Xmas time, now many people actually watch it? Anyways, if people think it is a great idea then they should start the mobile from the same spot so that the CROWD can see the horses despatched from there as well.

Rangiora grass track racing Sunday has race 3 being a trot over 1810metres???????? They say that it has been approved as a one off race????? Now I am trying to work out what fool asked to run a race for trotters starting practically on the bend? The track is 1764m and so there is a 46metre run to the first bend? It just defies any sort of logic to be running it 140metres shorter than the 1950metre normal starting point being very close to the sharp bend! It has been approved as a “ONE OFF” race so clearly it is not a fit and proper starting point! Some people are trying to paint the industry as being full on positive going forward which is great news if it happens, however when these blatantly stupid decisions are being made within harness, THE JURY MUST OUT!!!

You are allowed to push out from the 1000metre mark, which Wilson House was. It appeared that he was well and truly in the two out running line for a wee bit before the horse that got pushed out 3 wide galloped . Hard to tell from the replay I think as to why that horse galloped. There are some very odd rules in harness racing currently and has been for too long.

Never ever been interested in Ozzie gallopers. Many years ago used to go to Riccarton but dont reckon you can successfully mske money on them long term due to too many variables. Dont enjoy the gallops at all, and harness so much better for wagering on.

Addington had 2 noms for Friday’s meeting and was canned! Going to take a helluva lot more than the Entain bonuses to attract people to be breeding and racing 2 year olds. Going to be a very interesting few seasons ahead for every sector of the industry without any doubt!

Yes great use of the whip if you had backed the horse. The driver wouldve been suspended if he was in NZ!

Dies anyone actually know anyone that is restricted in NZ by the TAB that wager only on gallops? I havent heard of anyone but there must be sone you would think?

Gamma, we all have preference for ways that we gamble or invest. Just back from Oz, and watched plenty of people pointlessly chucking money into pokies for very little return and very few showed any emotion. msny love to wager on the gallops, but I haven’t for for decades as they just do not appeal to me as a way to make a profit, as form is so hard for follow in my opinion. The different state of the tracks and the way horses are ridden etc. sports betting is ok and I am sure msny do very well at it. As for harness racing, I enjoy the racing apart from the miles, as it is constantly changing. Punting wise if you put a bit of time and effort into it, you can be financially rewarded quite nicely.

Gamma, you shouldnt be encouraging any punter to be gambling on gallopers. Harness is where the money is made. You deserve to lose gambling on thoroughbreds

I thought they had been for quite awhile? It is great to get fixed odds out for NZ harness far earlier than when the NZ was doing it , better for everyone.

Will be interesting to see what the truth is. for two of Entain’s high fliers to finish at the same time is puzzling, and would appear that all is not well with them? Despite the racing media painting a rosey picture of what they are doing by way of money being chucked into stakes and bonuses, It would appear that Entain are very worried for their shareholders.

Small numbers probably compared to what they used to have? Not sure everything is good with Entain, when 2 of the highest paid have walked the plank? The top ones on mega dollars don’t just leave at the same time for no reason.

Through being chosen by Boys Get Paid to represent them.

Are there any left in Wellington? They got rid of heaps early onl

Do you really believe that he gives a damn about racing? Entain doesnt care about racing either it is not what they wanted. He and his mates did so much damage to NZ and its economy he wouldnt be too worried. Thing is he thinks they deserve another go? FFS. Set the country back decades.

Just watched the replays of all races at Addington tonight. From what I can see, the new lights appear to be very inconsistent with bright bits combined with dark patches and shadows? Surely there is something wrong here and needs rectifying as it could be very dangerous especially in Winter when it is dark for the whole meeting? Are the new lights better or worse if you have been on course?

You missed out Punters! Without a new generation of punters coming through then there will be less turnover and less profit, therefore less money to be distributed into stakes. Therefore without enough stake money you then get less owners, less horses and trainers. I believe the TAB did major damage to the industry with the way it treated many punters.

You would imagine that if the normal big spending owners do continue to support the AllStars stable in Auckland, then they will obviously win plenty of races. Yes there will be more horses racing in auckland due to them being based up there, but will this actually transform into more horses medium term? There are buggerall horses and owners up there at the moment, but if there is domination from another stable, possibly may have consequences? Anyway hopefully HRNZ and TAB/Entain do know what they are doing for the best interests of harness racing. ATC really do need to get massive funds into their coffers, as nothing surer is that Entain will not indefinitely prop up North Island harness racing as much as they currently are!

Na i am not bothering wagering on anything at the moment as in Oz. Can not see any odds either until tomorrow as they closed down the opportunity for Kiwis to bet when they are overseas! Doesnt make much sense but they make the rules.

Hope you are already on?

Without the house horses going up there, there would only be 41 horses starting without any scratchings! How is it going to be turned around, as there is no way on earth that it can be other than a big loss for the industry financially? Too many meetings are run at Palmy for the number of horses available and it is only time before it gets closed down you would imagine, unless others join in?

I am sure that Purdons will have some progressive 2 year olds ready to race next season for the bonus money. The problem is that there are not enough owners in the North and doubt the bonuses are enough to change it! Yes it is great that we have this positivity from the harness media and trainers and hopefully things do improve sufficiently to make harness much stronger up there! If all we get is 2 year olds fields full of Purdon, Ray Green snd Stonewall horses, then it is going to be a somewhat failure. Punters will not offload on that type of racing in my humble opinion.