Brodie

Unfortunately it is going to take a lot more than that to make it worth the while, throwing money at it! There is just very little interest in harness racing in the North and we are going to continue to see this. There were several races in the age group races on Saturday night with 5 or 6 horses in them racing for good stake money. If it wasnt for South Island horses flying up then those races would not have been run. Harness in Auckland is in far bigger trouble than they are willing to admit. I will be very happy to be proven wrong!

In Auckland/ Waikato apart from Luk, has there been any other Asian harness trainers or drivers? i can not think of any others! In the whole of NZ has there ever been an Indian/Pakistani harness trainer or driver? Can not think if a single one, so there is one of harness racing problem, that this sizeable amount of people who have immigrated to NZ and increased our population, do not participate at any level in the sport!

The thing about Auckland is that the population has spiralled out of control due to immigration from countries that do not generally have racing! Countries such as India and China, and from what I see, these immigrants just are not interested in harness racing. They are known to be very active gamblers at Casino’s but they just do not bother with harness racing for some reason? Plenty around but not at racetracks or the TAB!

Thats the normal for Addington track. They are running with the front line as if it was being run at the Mot. Rest assured it is only 8 across the front for the stands.

The 8 across the front is only for this one meeting. Been done due to Mot only having 8 across the front for stands.

For those punting at Addington on Easter Monday - The standing starts have a frontline of only 8, rather than the normal 10!

The tote pools are always very poor at Auckland, however we are not advised as to how much is being taken on the fixed? Personally do not bother investing on the Auckland meetings as just no value or worth the effort, and I believe many other punters are the same! Entain continues to subsidise the stakes in Auckland at the moment, but when they stop this they are going to be in s far more dire situation unfortunately. Biggest population in NZ and yet they can not get enough interest in the sport to enable sustainability?

Exactly Ranga. Bruce didnt have a radio his ear, that was Radio Ron! He wanted $2 for a punt! Have seen him still in ChCh, not that I associated with him!

That was Radio Ron with the radio to his ear! passed away a year or so ago. Yeah Bruce wanted the money lol.

Was far better when they raced on the Saturday night. People would go out in big numbers but doubt there will be too many out there, apart from the owners and participants on a Saturday arvo? fields are very even and csn nit see anything worth having a crack at with what the current odds are.

The interesting thing is that certain punters are restricted to pathetically low amounts by the TAB! These punters would be increasing turnover dramatically if they were not so restricted and also having betting options withdrawn from them! And yet, the NZ TAB is prepared to lose significant amounts on many of their meetings that they run, knowingly? This can not continue, and they will one day realise that they are very poor decision makers, and will not end well!

But there are not that many punters that would be wanting to punt on harness on a Tuesday let alone Cambridge?

If the stored value instrument is a voucher issued byTAB NZ or Entain New Zealand Limited, $10,000?

So the lady was trying to deposit money into her TAB account from her Bank Account?. The thing is very few outlets that actually have much cash to pay out! Lol, money launderer when they have the AML limit at $1k when the LAW says it is $10k!! High time the NZ TAB actually abided by the law and made the AML limit $10k or are they a law unto thrmselves? It is costing them a lot of turnover without doubt!

Do the machines allow you to withdraw cash?

There were 7 drivers in the Amateur race yesterday. In Ozzie there would’ve been charges on C Wigg for going so slow in front, however there were other drivers that allowed it to happen. Of those 7 drivers at least 4 had previously had a professional safety and license prior to becoming an Amateur decade driver. Just hard to understand how it was possible that C Wigg was able to get away with such a slow mile rate?

Galah, I refrained from posting about that race as after all it is an Amateur race. Personally think it is great to have amateur races, but from many experiences I think there should be no betting on them at all. The drivers get no financial compensate for their driving and yet they very often get hammered by the Stipes!! HRNZ should pull the plug on the wagering which would be a shame cos it does give certain horses an opportunity to race other horses that are not champions. Yes to run a half in 72seconds was pretty pitiful, and most of the drivers should be query their efforts in that race.

Depends who you are Newmarket. They have more control of punters on their App!

Chief, i appreciate that, but where do you see stake money going if Entain is not putting in all this extra that they currently are? Is the TAB going to be making enough off Sports and Racing to ensure that stake money is not heavily reduced? If stake money does get reduced, then there will be even less owners and horses racing, as it will become just too hard for owners and trainers to survive. It seems like a false economy at the moment and the fact that the White Knight has come along for 5 years does not change the situation that we had prior! At the end of the day what has changed apart from bigger stakes temporarily

Surely though Entain will be involved with the TAB decisions? What TAB NZ need to advise us all as what their discussions with Entain have resolved in regards what is happening at the end of the Hollymoon Period of 5 years! At the end of the Cash Splash for the majority share of the NZ TAB for another 20 years, what is the further funding for racing, racing needs to know! That way many will need to look at opportunities away from racing, as stake money will be hammered. We are hearing next to nothing from all of them.

Doomed, I think that many of us are well aware of the plan, unfortunately.

The thing is that BOAY is a great public forum that allows anyone at all to express an opinion. I recognise that the ones that do post, do care about the future of harness racing in NZ. We make comments about what is right and what is not right as well as what should be done, all for the betterment of the harness industry so that it can continue to exist! What is very surprising and may be telling us something, is that there is no one that we know of from HRNZ, TAB/ Entain that comes on BOAY and defends their actions as to why they are doing this and that? Surely this would be a great outlet to get it out there about why they are doing things and why they have changed thing, how great they are going? I challenge them to come on and discuss things, however I doubt they will because they know that what we are saying is fact, and they agree with us, but are scared to rock the boat! Lets see if any will participate, would make for a good for discussion.

To be fair, the TAB along with the Clubs have both contributed to the fact that the numbers that now attend on course has dwindled so much without doubt! Firstly they have brought in massive betting restrictions on those that would significantly increase their turnover and bring other people with them. Punters that would be betting before going on course are now not bothering, which is going to continue to haunt the clubs and TAB. Secondly and very importantly, the totally pathetic $1k Anti Money Laundering limit is dramatically stopping wagering! The TAB are actually breaking the law by having the limit of $1k when the law actually states a limit of $10k or such! The reason they adopt such a low limit is so they can control the punters, but it is to their detriment financially and otherwise!

Entain are just riding it out till the promised money is all used up. You are correct that they are just blowing money that could well be used far better than they are. If we are wrong and Entain intends to continue to splash the cash when the 5 years us up, then I challenge anyone from the TAB/ Entain to come on BOAY and state that we are wrong in our assumptions!! No one will because we are RIGHT!! HRNZ and Brad Steele need to have it out with Entain surely that is what he is paid for? Can he not see that this wastage can not continue and money should be put aside for a rainy day or spent more wisely!

They need to be working together Chief, to get the best result. It really does show that there is not much leadership going on and HRNZ are acting as if this dosh that Entain is throwing in with gay abandon is never ending? The industry needs to wake up as it is going to get a rude awakening.