Wingman

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.

The folly of changing to a corporate model without accountability is now in full sight. The only thing left to do is a decent cleanout but has the Minister the time, resolve and importantly the best possible industry knowledgeable people advising him. The last part is the real problem. I genuinely fear we are not watching a sunset but a sinking sun.😪

Now, if we put the justifiable emotional outbursts to one side we get to the crux of the matter The only part of your statement Doomed I would change is to put the words re NZTR "They aren't really up to it" in BOLD The Industry has been run with a corporate model for the last 20 years but with no shareholder accountability. We are at a crossroads, the people who are in charge but are not in charge, as they really do not know what to do, have been there far too long. The only way this can change for the better, is for the Racing Minister to wield and use the metaphorical axe

Call them track superintendents' shall we? and all going forward, using best practices, will be just super.

I gave you a bouquet on a post of yours the other day, now with the degree of naivety you are displaying consider yourself now receiving a brickbat. Smack yourself with it to your hearts content. FACT. There was a problem area 3 metres out around the final bend area so to avoid that the rail went out to 6m. The track manager moves the rail after consultation but it is done at at the high levels of management at RACE and NZTR. The track Manager does not dictate in the final decision as to race or not.

Yes but which Manager. NZTR? RACE? Fat chance. "We will review our processes, take learnings from this unfortunate experience and going forward ensure best practice is our ultimate goal".

We cannot answer the Why? however it is also the reason the track managers cannot be held to blame. Move the rail out and get on with it is not the track managers decision.

I did type that but deleted, preferring to be optimistic

My take on trainers is that they are too busy developing their stable, meeting their commitments. By the time the lucky few get to the top and their name has genuine influence they are then too busy dealing with owners and staff. Levin fightback is great indeed but that is rare. Would be really nice if it encouraged other collective 'we shall not be moved' in the future. Where the influential trainers, some now retired, have let the industry down is by letting these obsession's with sand tracks take a hold. We are a grass track nation and in the next few decades it would not surprise me if grass tracks make a comeback.

Please do not bundle everyone together. The hard done by punter has no input into getting tracks upgraded. All WE can do is not bet on any track that we consider dodgy. e.g. I only bet on the 'old' Awapuni track when it was a good surface

The best close/summing up on this subject I have seen. Well said/explained Special Agent

Agreed. No lover of the thoroughbred code is getting an ounce of enjoyment out of this latest debacle. We cannot blame the track managers, they have done their best and we are not privy to conversations about whether or not racing should or should not have taken place at this time. I am at a loss to understand the obsession with sand based tracks where naturally there is no sand. Had Awapuni been upgraded with soil and grass, cambers worked on, drains thoroughly replaced and then given enough time to bed down the chances of todays event happening are nil. Yes the track would not be a track one would use in the winter. That problem disappears with a proper and diligent overhaul of the racing calendar. The reality is the people in charge (RACE/ NZTR) did agree to develop a track with sand slits so we have another total fuckup to deal with. Why are these people in charge still here today?

They are more devious than that. After they have sold the the used toothpaste their next statement is "Wanna buy a toothbrush"

As in my post last month on 11 March titled LAND GRAB AND SPEND the new CEO of NZTR said "There are some really big infrastructure issues, especially in the Central Districts. There is some big real estate plays that need to happen. This appears regardless of how visionless it is, the beginning of making it (selloff) happen😒

It was a soft track, clods were flying through the air, therefore there will be splatter. Every horse that was capable of running a decent race on a soft track appeared to do just that. Bottom line a fair and safe autumn track. It may develop into a horses for courses track, that remains to be seen.

There is a better chance if like most tracks your runner has a decent draw but todays racing says it is fair to all runners. The winners positions in the running were varied. A great example was the last two races. Doctor Askar won the Easter from a wide draw (14) but on pace and in the last also over 1600, Croupier from barrier 13 won after being back for most of the race. The other 7 races were all won by single digit barriers one (x3) five (x3) and 9 nine (x1). Only two runners out of all the races placed with a double digit draw, they were barriers 10 and 14, both ran 2nd. Barrier three did not run 1,2, or 3 in any of the nine races.

It told us that it can now withstand a lot of rain and present a fair track

Said it before but will repeat myself while I still know I am repeating myself. New Zealand is the worst country to live in however it is still better than all the rest!

They must be running over a shorter distance. Horses of the caliber going down the Shute today, do not run the times they are said to have run on a yielding track. The maiden breaks 55 seconds for 1000m, no way! 1200m open in 1.05.13, pull the other leg. R65 1100m in 1.00.45, "tell him he's dreaming'". Hand timing suggests there is no interest in investing into what will be, a soon to be a closed racetrack. The fact that those in charge continue to publish this woeful misinformation speaks volumes for how little they care about those that matter the most, punters.

I have agreed on that numerous times re summer tracks. We shall have to wait and see how Awapuni is presented Dec 25 thru to March 2026

The words 'Used to be' are missing