Wingman

There you go again with your made up nonsense to back up an argument. I have said before I have never belonged to a club and for the record I do not drink whiskey. This my final post period. You probably need to get out more but meantime feel free to go back to your cupboard and argue with yourself to your hearts content.

Yeah right..NOT. Hastings and Awapuni have each had had more than one false start. Other tracks have shouldered the burden due to continual abysmal NZTR management. Only nut jobs would get rid of Woodville given what has happened over the last 3 years. And who apart from you says we have to choose.

Well they would say that wouldn't they. Can't have state of the art equipment failing. As to you CS, if I put you in a clean, empty cupboard you would start an argument with yourself as to whether the cupboard had been cleaned by a broom or a brush. boom boom.

It was my post. Read it again you champion copier. I make my comments then put in the last third of NZTBA CEO comments. Regarding your comment re not being impressed with your interaction with CD branch 20 years ago, I thought you would know better than focusing on 'form' that dated😅

Correct. Refer to my post re breeders cup. There were are lot more dead heats prior to the digital age because they did not have the technical accuracy. Much clearer today however if as other posters have suggested the trackside camera is not in line but past the post then that surely is a case to declare a dead heat. Disclosure, watched, highly enjoyable, but did not bet on the race, so not talking from my pocket

The question Curious is, WHY do NZTR want to close down that track. The new road replacing the dodgy gorge makes it an easy destination to travel to and from. Top trainers from the past domiciled themselves there. Why is it now surplus to requirements. The most recent NZTR venue plan gives insight into their intention "We will continue to race at Woodville until the venue plan is next reviewed in 2029 UNLESS the status and role of Woodville Racecourse needs to be reviewed prior to then to reflect any changes in relation to it or the racing landscape more generally." That is a fate pre decided, with legal weasel words wrapped around it to give them a dollar each way. Hastings and Awapuni fuck ups has put a spike in their vindictive intentions however I do not know what the long standing country club that is Woodville has done to deserve this treatment.

Don't know. I do know there was some NZTR blurb about Waverley and I think, prepared to be corrected, Hawera getting irrigation systems but for whatever reason, Woodville appears to be on the outer which makes little sense to me. I am also of the opinion that irrigation is a January/ February requirement as opposed to NZTR nonsense that all tracks must always try to present as a good 4. Trentham was perfect on Saturday due to Mother nature.

Just had a look at the calendar for Dec/Jan and with Trentham picking up Manawatu first day they have from yesterday to the end of January a Saturday meeting every 2 weeks. Then I noticed they have also a 'middling' meeting next Sunday, 45-50K stakes. Why has this not been transferred to Woodville to help take some pressure off the Trentham track? Woodville had trials last Tuesday, then nothing scheduled for the next 2 months!

You strike me as the grumpy old man tearing strips off your teenager for being late home before establishing the WHY? Yes there was a camera malfunction but it is too early to establish the WHY? Sometimes these things happen. Had it not happened you and every other grizzler would not have had anything to complain about as camera malfunction aside, it was a top day. We can sort out the accountability, that you take a cheap dig at me (I noticed not a peep on my accountability post from you ) next week when the facts should be revealed. There has often been jokes about NZ being 25 years behind the rest of the developed world. In 2003 High Chaparral won the breeders cup turf at Santa Anita ( I had the pleasure of being at the same track in 2009 and watched the spectacle that was Zenyatta). The video definition was not then to the quality it is today, so after 15 minutes of deliberation, similar to Trentham today ,i.e. a camera malfunction, A deadheat was declared between High Chaparral and Johar.

On a brighter note Mr Grumpy, the racing was fantastic and the track due to perfect drying conditions after a lot of rain early in the week provided the best surface I have seen at Trentham for quite some time.

There has been a lot of push back from a few on this site, not the majority, when I get stuck into the performance and lack of transparency of NZTR executive. Contrary to what the few believe, I am not anti NZTR, rather anti their executives woeful track record, year after year. With that said, what I am going to quote is approximately the last third of a weekly update/newsletter sent to NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Association members from the current CEO Nick Johnson. I have not seen a stronger comment re executive performance in all of my 3 decades of being a member of NZTBA. That is all I have to say, the quote follows, but I do look forward to what you have to say. "Quote" Leadership in this industry is not about avoiding discomfort or keeping everyone happy. It is about showing you're working, making the call, and accepting accountability for it. When people can see the reasoning , even unpopular decisions earn respect. There has been a serious lack of accountability in the New Zealand racing industry over many years and it has often contributed to poor outcomes. There is no doubt about that. I know it is needed because every time I have pushed for it, the people I represent have backed me. Unfortunately, that expectation of accountability has not always been shared with some areas of the administration. So when, for example, in the Central Districts, sector groups ask for an explanation about the failure of the Awapuni track that cost $5million in industry funds to build, or why a parcel of land that includes the stabling boxes has been put on the market at Trentham, or what level of investment and liability is going into the proposed new racecourse in Hawkes Bay and what data has informed that decision, these are not witch hunts. They are legitimate questions asked for the greater good of the sport, aimed at improving decision making and strengthening the industry's future. Communication is key and it begins with respecting the nature of this industry. Yes some matters are commercially sensitive. But many are not and that phrase is too often used as a convenient shield. When communication is absent people will fill the void with their own conclusions and those conclusions are rarely positive. If we want this industry to grow, if we want confidence to build and if we want investment to rise, then accountability cannot be treated as optional. "Unquote"

Earlier this year, perhaps a year or so ago, Chief Stipe and I were, in a non combative way, 'chewing the fat' as to why on earth would Entain have bothered to get involved with such a small market, small by international standards. My recollection was that we both agreed we (NZ) were being used as a test site and that the ultimate goal was sports betting, not horse racing. NZ racing has three years to get its act together which based on all the lack of direction the industry is currently experiencing from its so called 'leaders' leaves me to say, optimistically, please make the most of the next 3 years...Enjoy.

I attended Otaki this afternoon, weather started off perfect and the racing was high class. Really enjoyable. The track tends to help those that are handy turning in, those finishing strong late often just coming up short. The sensation being the favourite in the 3yo G3 shying close to the finish line and losing his rider. Kudos to NZTR, they have not edited the fall and if you watch the replay to the end they show the head on where one can clearly see Masa had no chance of staying on the saddle. I had my binoculars on him after the fall. Looked in shock, then walked unassisted, tough, then had a bemused smile. No decent calibre jockey wants that happening to them. This meeting was what was once the Bayer Classic meeting which has been watered down and pushed from pillar to post by NZTR. Run at Otaki by the Levin RC it was good to see that they took a good dig at NZTR naming the 2yo race the 'Levin Jump Outs 2yo'. It really should be on a Saturday. A well run meeting but I would say less than 500 people from the public turning up, even with free entrance. You need numbers to create atmosphere and that was what was lacking.

Where there is will, there is potentially a way and the taxman is ALWAYS looking for the way.

Then you can guarantee there will be.