Wingman

If you believe that then you are also in fairyland. The problems with the Hastings track have been well documented over the last decade with NZTR continually releasing press releases that 'processes are in place to ensure this does not happen again'' OH look, a flying pig. Your comment that I was part of the problem re funding for track redevelopment is also made up fairy dust. That sounds like you are baiting to see what else you can argue about. I have nothing to do with racing other than as a punter and that is on thin ice. Why study form for tracks that are dodgy and then have to pre guess suspect track ratings. This is my final post. I have no interest in having any post that you disagree with, being continually dissected not once but over and over again. It becomes tedious. Bye all, WIngman signing off.

My plan has always been an effective plan. 'Fire the NZTR executive' NZTR press announcement 'There is still a target to return to RACE Awapuni in late August 2025, with a standardised racing programme expected to follow across the upcoming 2025/26 season. However both organisations (That is NZTR and RACE, if this is becoming too complicated for you CS) remain committed to proactive decision-making should the tracks progress warrant any adjustments to this plan'. Which I take to mean they are expecting to totally fuck this up as well. OR/ WHAT FUCKING PLAN? They are incompetent and if you cannot see that CS then you are part of the problem. Then we move onto the announcement on behalf of Hawkes Bay Racing and NZTR where pending approval by NZTR Board (Muppets, my description) partial recambering (Why only partial?, my question) of the bends will take place. And now for final piece of incompetent bullshit. "Not withstanding any unforseen circumstances this significant EXPERT LED investment will allow for a safe and confident return to racing in Hawkes Bay for Spring 2026. YES you have read correctly, not this Spring. (NZTR have been putting this crap out re Hastings track for a decade. Why would any sensible person buy into this fairy tale.) If anyone outside of those who compiled, wrote, or are associated with these announcements, be you breeders, owners or race track officials, believe a word of this nonsense, then you deserve what is coming your way.

Now you are spouting nonsense. Look no further than the opening sentence of their press release "NZTR and RACE are continuing the maintenance and remediation work". NZTR were not responsible for tracks last century but have been all over what tracks get what, for over twenty years. As some of their not so cunning plans have evaporated they have now looked desperately to what needs to be done at tracks they previously wanted closed.

I have said this time and time again, if NZTR operated as a genuine corporate model with shareholders, the people that continue to fuck this once great industry, the people that continue to employ the types that put out todays latest waffle, trying to justify yet another failure, would not be there. The reality however is that they are there, have been there far too long, meaning only a total cleanout of the executive directed by the Minister and ALSO with a significant directional change, will arrest the slide towards the sunset.

The so called experts have managed to create yet another problematic 'NEW' track. The obsession with sand is starting to wear thin and so are my betting strategies as yet another track, if and when it gets back into play, goes into the 'watch' column.

Top left hand arrow on screen/laptop, takes you from the post you are reading back to the sites home page showing all the other posts. Except now it takes you completely out of the site.

This has not happened until this weekend when on this site. I look at a post but when I backspace to look at another post the message 'GATEWAY TIMEOUT' comes up with the following sentence The gateway did not receive a timely response from the upstream server or application. This happens regardless if backspacing within tens of seconds or a few minutes. i

Never easy not to bite when you are being snapped at.. move on. Storm in a teacup. Same applies to the missing threads, C.S. admit someone has got under the sites guard, strengthen the sites defenses, that will annoy whoever they may be and move on. P.S. At present if I try to go back to where I was previously on the site I get a "Time Out" message so someone, somehow, is distorting the bitofayarn site.

Where are the posts/threads that pertain to Awapuni, poly tracks, release of reports etc? They at present appear to have been deleted. If so, WHY?

All of the above. The ongoing serious problems with tracks and a flat property market will mean plan A, B and C have gone out the window with plan D which was always a dud. They are now consulting Earnestly with Ernie from Muppet inc

Correct and he fact they cannot/will not fix this, speaks volumes

This should be compulsory reading for NZTR. When you factor in the above, then add the year on year falling foal crop, why oh why, have we not had real discussion and change with the racing calendar. On that note the trainers Assn had a meeting 48 hours ago re their extreme displeasure as to the state of our tracks but the silence is deafening.

Agree. Certainly the winning jockey is a big part of the drama immediately after the race but long after the race it is the horses name and class/courage we tend to remember

I do not know who Dark Beau is. I have made my thoughts known re the state of Trentham and will not comment further as this post is starting to get more like a you said, I said, squabble, the type that as Jess pointed out on another post does not do anyone favours once the calling out starts..."Get ready to rumble"🤕

So recycling is getting a bad name?😁

It was a full on chief stipe 'lets go down memory lane' rant. That is just him. Nothing wrong with putting your thoughts down Dark Beau however C.S. is correct re Trentham. Your comments about how great a track it is unfortunately no longer the case. Trentham was once the best Summer racing surface in the Southern Hemisphere but this century it has been neglected in an abysmal way. The view is now also a pathetic sliver of what it once was. Using a drone to enable a view down the first 600m down the shute; disgraceful!

Most of the people involved as they lurch from one 'oopsie' to the next have been in a senior position for many years. As long as that remains the same then the hope of a more strategic response is futile.

You in particular C.S. 😅. The other site from my observation is run by a control freak which isn't the case on BOAY. Hence I do not get involved with the other site, but I do keep an eye open for some occasional very good thoroughbred breeding posts

No chance. Track staff would have, then there would have been a zoom meeting. Did he then quote the people who inspected the track word for word, or embellish. The big thing from my perspective is why not race a day later. There is a bit of contrariness' coming through here from Entain who put emphasis on Saturdays being the money days yet wanting to get much more racing on Sundays in the wetter months.

Read Wandering eyes article on the side bar of this site to get an understanding why it matters. Not talking older horses, referring to 2yo. When you read through the article the other thing that comes through loud and clear just how woeful the NZTR executive really are.

You 'ad bedroom..such luxury

We had better horses in the 90's because there was was more breeding stock and diversity. That was the one positive of the hangover from the 80's sharemarket crash, from a thoroughbred breeding point of view. Rough Habit and Sunline came from marginal breeding lines however such was the depth of numbers a mare with 'a chance' could be bred and potentially justified from an accounting perspective. The thoroughbred studs in NZ are continuing today to do a wonderful job yet even they cannot work miracles when the foal crop continues to tumble. Racing horses was always an expensive pastime but the cost today to buy/race has become extremely prohibitive. That is why syndicates have become popular including probably a short term fad called micro shares. The real issue now is the diminishing foal numbers. That makes a horse with a 'chance' unrealistically expensive, so why bother? AND RIGHT THERE we have participation drop-off. That is what ultimately, will prove to be our once marvelous industries, Achilles heel. Fact; 1983 to 1989 5,000 to 6,000 foals each year. The next 20 years, between 4,800 and 3,800, mostly in the 4,000 plus. From 2010 the number of foals per thousand start with a 3 and in 2022 dropped just below 3,000 to 2,974 foals born. Before you apportion blame however understand this true fact and that is since 2010 the global foal crop decrease is about 20% globally. GFC and Covid have played a significant part. Meanwhile the most greedy corporate players have painted themselves into a corner. Most average people who are interested in horse racing are of above average intelligence and can, whilst maybe not as quickly as the savvy business types, see where the 'Game' be it betting, racing or breeding is stacked,(more than ever) against them. They, including me reluctantly, are starting to vote with their feet.

I do believe it. Probably a slow burn to start with a decade ago for many but now picking up pace. My spend this season is 80 % down on the last which in turn was 50% less than the previous. Dodgy tracks, dodgy track readings, a calendar and a handicapping system that does not work, musical chairs with the usual corporate hacks telling us total b/s, latest cry we are to be led to 'a new age'. Top class horses will always attract attention and decent turnover/spend on a particular day as will KM type days but they will not annually sustain an industry, that continues to invest in mediocrity

There is a one page article on Loveracing today headlined 'Ballesty excited to lead NZTR into a new age'. A key sentence is quote "One of the areas that is a standout is making sure that our industry has a plan when it comes to infrastructure around racecourses and where we want to put our money and efforts into various regions to get the best outcome on all fronts". unquote No mention in the article, not a smidgen re Awapuni, as if it did not happen!

You are highly likely to be correct which means the Awapuni debacle will be repeated next season. Next seasons calendar will be interesting reading but regardless the industry is now looking well and truly in serious trouble. Make the most of the next two to three seasons is my suggestion.