Bloke

Yes, the most expensive piss up of the year. If it is so amazing, then perhaps the owner of NZ Bloodstock should be providing the full stake.

This is not surprising with The Hawkes Bay Racing Club. I have moved from Lower Hutt to Napier and love the amazing weather. Temperatures in the 20s in winter are not uncommon here. Unfortunately, in my opinion the Racing Club is poorly run. I tried to join as a member online but to no avail. The sound system is still stuffed if you are in the main stand trying to listen to the call and the food at the sole outlet on course is disgusting. However, the one redeeming feature is that the quality of the fields is great.

There was no entrance fee on Saturday at Hastings. You had the option of making a donation for Daffodil Day.

If you want to see a smaller Group 1 Day, then go to Ellerslie.

From memory it was OK

I attended the Livermol race day last year and sadly it was a joke. They had no one on the gates to take our money so they let us in for free. The sound system was screwed and when the main race was being run, they had a DJ pumping out "Bang Bang" music in an area full of young people who had no interest in betting. It was very disappointing because from a racing purists' viewpoint the fields were great.

The race will be run in front of a few hundred spectators as is usual for Ellerslie unless its the annual Karaka piss up.

He has good practice at putting a spin on things. He used to work for Race so he would have been used to deflecting their many cock ups.

Interesting, NZTR address is 18 "Dick Street"

Showgate was a freak. In 1974 I witnessed her winning The Stewards (1200m) on the first day of the Cup meeting then an incredible win over 2,000m in the Canterbury Gold Cup on the second day and winning over 1600m in The Churchill Stakes on the last day. Jockeys didn't ride her, she carried them over the line.

I don't think it's the sun he is chasing in the South.

whoops I see that Mark D pointed this out in an earlier post

The song was first recorded by The Troggs in 1967 and was a number One Hit

Hey TAB on a more important subject, have you managed to get out of the shower yet?

Yes, just spoke to a mate who coaches Football at Kurapuni College just out of Greytown. The college has 10 Football teams and only one Rugby team, so they have closed the Rugby ground down at the college and the Rugby Team has to play their games at the Greytown Rugby Club ground. Featherston just down the road from Greytown no longer has a Senior Rugby team.

Have they announced the winner(s)?

There has been a huge increase of those wanting to learn Te Reo which is an official NZ language. Even "Egg Head" Luxon has learned Te Reo. As CEO of Air NZ he tried to patent Kia Ora. I recall when the lady whilst working as a The Post Office telephone operator welcomed customers with KIa Ora and that set off all of the racists including The National Minister of The Post Office who issued an order staff banning staff from saying Kia Ora. Brodie you say that you do not consider yourself a racist well based on your post I would judge it to be racist. The problem with racists is that in most cases they never admit it.

That is a good Analysis TAB, well done.

The criterion relating to turnover I believe is a good one. I recall Chris Weaver banging on about Auckland Cup Day being about making money out of hospitality not betting. Only problem was that the crowd got so small that even their hospitality income was drying up. At the time I was surprised that the RIB as it was called at the time did not challenge Weaver and Co.

Is Waikato classed as a Metro Club? You would think so given the population and that they are the main Centre for horses being trained and bred. If so it's a real embarrassment for The Fat Butcher finishing last in a four-horse field. Especially losing out to Trentham. I went to their "Christmas At The Races" last December and they did not have the public stand tote and bar open. The place is so run down, it's like a ghetto. I met up with a WRC Committee Member while there and he boasted that it was a very successful day.

Aah The Vibe! TAB is actually Dennis Denuto.

This is not the first time that Tauherenikau has been up on Waikato's Group One Day. A few years ago, Tauherenikau only had 7 races on Waitangi Day and still exceeded Waikato by some margin. Yes, and look who is running Te Rapa, Wonder Boy, "The Fat Butcher".

I have been told that Tauherenikau's Waitangi Day on course turnover was well above that of the on course turn over for Waikato's Group One Day.

You are out of touch if you think that The Wellington Cup still attracts big crowds. For the last two years maybe 5k on each occasion but perhaps that is big by your standards

Sure, there are many kids but Tauherenikau's contribution to racing is significant as they are introducing these kids to racing. All the entertainment is provided for the kids is met by the club, they are not parasites on the industry such as the Karaka Millions which is the costliest piss up of the year. As far as the so-called list of attendance goes, even in the days that they were supposed to be counting they would have to have got up early to count at Tauherenikau because by 9am on January 2, Race Day there are already thousands on course.