Wingman

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

Yes please indeed. We, well most of us, service our cars regularly, get the most out of our loyal servant than flick them on knowing the next owner will get the benefit of a well maintained vehicle for a few years. What on earth is he going on about...?? I am referring to getting the most out of a newly refurbished track by doing what most do with their cars, regular servicing. The racing Industry got itself into a bind by being too mean to do more than band aid attention to those that were bleeding profusely. Now that key tracks are being properly upgraded, please, please, ensure regular maintenance is a GIVEN, along with occasional periods of abstinence from being galloped on.

Go and take a walk. Its raining everywhere and that will be as good as a shower for you. That should freshen you up. There you go again making assumptions. What does it matter anyway. Most who post here are looking at the medium term security of the industry and are annoyed at the lack of vision and decent governance by those currently in control.

The old fella is playing with words, feeling hurt. When you have said "So basically you have no idea" he is suggesting you are being dirt(y) with the play being the word grass but implying you (smoke). Thin skinned or a skinfull?

This tantrum from TAB For Ever has its roots in the post headed 'All talk and no do as been for decades now on track infrastructure' On 26/3, Bloke; briefly took the post down a different path saying 'Rugby clubs had to address the same issues' and also mentioned how surprised he was that Wellington has won the NPC two of the last three years. TAB For Ever (aka Oscar Madison), with an opinion on everything like his flatmate Chief Stipe (aka Felix Unger) gave his opinion and in closing suggested the best thing to come out of Wellington was the road to Auckland. At this point I, Wingman, flew in and said "Ha Ha howeva you can't beat Wellington on a good day." MikeyNZ was less impressed, didn't see the funny side and referred to TAB For Eva as a Halfwit You now have yourself in a bit of a pickle Oscar as you said you were referred to as a fuck-wit when no such thing was implied as the term was Halfwit. What do you prefer?😂

When the deal was first done I was thinking along similar lines. 3 years however still to go, hundreds of millions still to be invested and revenue under performing. How long will it take to get back to even and is the continual input worth the slow drip back. That is Entain's problem to answer, not ours but if we don't like their product/presentation we are part of the equation in their decision making.