Reefton

One thing I do know the sort of tricks Accountants get up to cover their tracks when there is something they do not want the public - or Auditors for that matter - to know. So I don't doubt there will be no trace on the WRC financial statements of all the money put in but it will be there all right. Greymouth was a 'Metropolitan' club under the old District Committee Structure as well and all those lovely tidy facilities people mention there were all paid for by the Racing Authority (the stand, the admin block and the stabling) - the rest of the Coast (Kumara included) got zero when assistance was requested. And if they haven't got any money in the last 22 years it is because their snouts were far too deep into the trough for years beforehand and essentially the money ran out. Since then they have just got a vastly disproportionate (in terms of turnover) amount of dosh to blow on stakes .

I've said it before and I will say it again - f off dickhead.

$59k on a cold windy showery day last Sunday. Kumara have done up to $400k in the past so a bit more but doubt Grey have ever had a turnover like that. Good effort. Been over that bridge and up the hill a million times so there is no issue with that and if you thought there would not be a checkpoint (given the booze bus had arrived in town and been parked on the Main St for 2 nights) you would have been living in fairyland.

In regards people getting knighthoods or whatever I am often left wondering what justification there is for dishing them out. Henry and Hansen at least brought some euphoria to the nation over 16 years or whatever. Whether we should even be retaining those honours - well that is another argument.

It is common knowledge the Trentham track and the Trentham facilities have had copious amounts of industry money spent on them (as have all the 'Metropolitan' Clubs in this country plus outfits like Omoto). In the days of the Racing Authority and up until a few years ago with the NZRB they would click their fingers and the industry cash would come flooding in. All the while the country clubs would be battling away trying to maintain tracks and facilities. There are a lot of tracks in this country that have attracted an enormous amount of criticism over the years and Trentham is a primary example. And the bottom line? (as exhibited by yesterday's tremendous attendance both crowdwise and in terms of starter numbers) - people clearly do not want to go there save for the one day a year. It might be harsh reality for you but it is the truth. For years those big clubs have been sucking the industry dry in terms of the money spent on maintaining them and in terms of the excessive stakes they pay compared to the turnover they produce. And now what will they want? To shut down half those Country Clubs and use their monetary assets to build more monstrosity buildings for nobody to use apart from one day a year.

Yes because the cops wanted to subject every vehicle leaving to breath testing. I was crook but went out to sober drive for a mate. Tried to leave the quick way but there was a cop behind the grandstand redirecting everyone the other way. Pain in the arse. They turned over almost $200k oncourse - will be interesting to see what Trentham did. Everyone there seemed to have had a great day and reckoned the Cops were pretty good - mind you I've been breathtested three times tonight already with another trip out to go so they are going to rub a few up the wrong way before the day is out.

It would want to be good - they have pissed millions of dollars of industry money up against the wall getting it that way. And did you feel lonely out there?

Believe so. I could be wrong about his first gallops meeting being there though - I think it was but as usual with me I have not checked it. Remember how when he took over the CD if there was a premier day they would import George Simon or occasionally Mark Mac to do it? How bloody insulting. Thank God they aren't pulling that stunt with Matt Cross.

Clearly you are rather defensive so we will just have to conclude that you have no idea won't we? And the AB coach position has a slight difference in that you have 15-23 other people supporting you - a commentator has exactly none. And when they make a mistake it is instantaneously known to all and sundry. The worst of them is unbelievably good let alone the best and if you think it is easy line up and have a go. I do agree with you however Tom Wood is very talented and I might add his first day calling gallops was at Reefton. Very very nice young bloke to boot and great to see him do well.

Just so we can judge your entitlement to critique commentators could you just put a couple of your own efforts up so we can compare these 'Mugs' Haub, Tyquin and McDonald with those who dare to criticize.

Oh dear!

Did anyone else cringe at the TV shots of the crowd(or lack thereof) today? I know most were probably in the stand behind the birdcage but the shots we got were of deserted lawns and those frames of hospo tents with no covering did not look too inspiring either. I see Bernard there so expect the Club will be getting a 'must do better' message before many hundreds of thousands of industry money are spent there on this day next year.

Won't matter now obviously but doubt the TAB would have cooperated. We have been caught previously trying to shift with a lot more notice than that and been refused. Might have been hard to get NZTR support/approval as well given Westland's recent property deal. Bloody pleased for the Westland people that the track has not been hammered and hope not too much rain hits in the next 24 hours.

I didn't read it thoroughly but got a RITA newsletter this morning sounding all in favour of the bill (though they did emphasise that they didn't write it). This is our last chance to get changes made to fix the industry

Oh dear! Heavy rain forecast for the Coast for the weekend. I am sure the Westland Racing Club will be delighted if it eventuates. Will make Tuesday on a ploughed up track a real pleasure. I told them (several times) that the best place for Kumara's day was Reefton but they were not keen to listen to someone who actually knows how the Coast weather works.

Turnover was up hugely off course(Matamata was on the same day last year) and on a par oncourse($79k versus $81k last year. Shad did you hear my comments re the powers that be?

Thank you Pam and everyone else. We were pretty happy with our day yes and the track was in good nick (though will get some minor remedial work after the March Trotting meeting) If yiu were there Shad you should have identified yourself so we could have provided some hospo. Mr Notts from the other channel was in attendance - good to see him

And of course we should all remember that if John Messara had had his way (and Bernard admitted NZTR had 'input') we would have been having four days at Kumara this circuit. How much of a delight would that have been? Why will they not listen to those who actually know what is going on here or in NZ Racing in general?

Yeah well we will see what NZTR does now Pam(and I bet it won't be much) Bloody lucky for the(NZTR) the forecast has turned around and it looks fine(ish) for the rest of the week so Omoto should dry out a lot and might cope with two more days. The amusing thing is that Pitty could tell you from 400 miles away on Saturday that Kumara could not race but another prominent Riccarton trainer who declared it perfect on Sunday morning could not tell from 4 feet away! And nor could a bunch of stipes and NZTR trackmen who visited it over and over and over again in the last month. One wonders how low the credibility of the various authorities in NZ racing can actually go.

Look Rusty with all due respect you should be reading my posts over the years. I knew they wouldn't run the day. They are genuine people (Patrick Meates is a good bloke and most of the rest of the committee very decent people - a couple of elderly ladies on that Committee will be devastated) but they are not racing people. They organise a piss up (and a bloody good one at that) but their pride is in the event not the quality of the Thoroughbred product provided. Two years ago on the Tuesday Michael Pitman told me(and the stipes) there was no way Kumara could run. They took 2 days to face reality. Last Saturday Michael Pitman told EVERYONE they couldn't race at Kumara - another Riccarton Trainer told them it was all OK - and again two days later they finally got the message. You might not beleive it but I do feel sorry for the Kumara Committee(especially those old ladies) but sowing uncertainty in regards the circuit does nothing for WC racing. And nor will running a meeting at Greymouth if it is a bog. And what about NZTR and the GJC's obligations to the Westland Racing Club? They run next Tuesday there - if they plough it up Saturday how good will that be? NZTR have been reminded of that as well (if it happens they will probably want to transfer that meeting to Reefton)

I have suggested in the past they should install an all weather trotting track at Kumara - the party goers have no idea of the difference and the ben hurs would be guaranteed to run! It is definitely not an option any longer for galloping.

Oh dear for the Westland Racing Club Pam - they follow Greymouth on Tuesday - if they plough it up on Saturday not sure how good it will be for the Westland meeting. Anyway forecast can be wrong and given the Wife(particularly) and I have just sent two and a half hours scrubbing dirty number cloths from yesterday we can do without the hassle of having to do it again Thursday and the other organisational hassles. This begs the question though of whether Kumara is a viable option as a racecourse - three out of four years cancelled and Messara and co want to retain it?

Word is racing at Omoto

We suggested that they run the piss up there and we run the meeting at Reefton(with a big screen at Kumara obviously) but the response was 'not an option' Strikes me as a bloody great option. Winton and Invercargill did it two years ago

Kumara gone. Decision made an hour ago. More info to come re where the raceday goes Omoto(which will be heavy 10 this morning with a dodgy forecast) or Reefton(dead 4 this morning and it is always better weather at this time of year in Reefton)