Bloke

I am unsure if they are still counting attendance figures as I read somewhere that they had ceased as part of cost cutting. The two biggest this season I have seen were NZ Cup Day and Tauherenikau New Years meeting where they also had a big crowd on Waitangi Day.

Strongly agree re the marketing. By now these clubs and Love Racing should have realised that by showing some posers all done up with wine glasses in their hands puts 95% of the market out of their comfort zone so they give it a miss. Each year when The Auckland Cup rolls around, I chuckle about stupid Chris Weaver who screwed up the racing calendar by moving the Cup to a Wednesday in March as well as chasing away general punters and declared that The Cup would be "the race that stops two nations". And the Auckland Racing Club swallowed it hook line and sinker.

Does anyone have the weekly figures for the last two weeks (weeks ending 10 and 17 Feb) or can inform me how i can ascertain them?

I have just spent a few days over the Wairarapa which included staying in the Camping Ground at Tauherenikau the night before and the night of the races. Thay had a crowd of 10k only 2k less than the supposed biggest race day of the year and I am told that on and off course turnover combined on their Waitangi Day meet was $2m with only stakes of $230k odd. Many other clubs have tried and given up on Waitangi Day so it seems that only Tauherenikau can make a success of that day. On 2 January they had a crowd of 15k which surely must be the biggest of the year. Clubs such as Wellington could learn a lot from Tauherenikau but no doubt their committee, wearing their suits and badges stuck in the Committee room at Trentham, drinking free grog would look down their noses at Tauherenikau while they slap each other's back, boasting about what great club they are.

If you look at the Karaka Meeting, there was $9M bet. Let's say the TAB takes out 20% which = $1.8M. Total Stakes were $4.5M of which I believe NZ Bloodstock contributed $1M for their sweepstake race(s). So net stakes provided by NZTR / TAB were $3.5M. Income was $1.8M outgoings $3.5M results in a deficit of $1.7M. I cannot think of another meeting that would generate a deficit such as this amount.

Karaka is still the biggest loss day of the season for The TAB given the massive stakes put up and the return on investment.

True but Form is Form.

Penny Gem was late scratched from the Kelt when Scott was caught injecting the horse prior to the race.

I seem to recall something about a syringe in the stables on race day was that, Scott?

Didn't Scott have "Form" when he was with Mike Maroney?

I used to enjoy the Waipukarau meetings. A lovely well-kept course and their meetings attracted very good crowds. I was fortunate to have a horse win there and enjoyed a great "after match" to celebrate in the committee room. Now they have to race at Hastings in front of miniscule crowd. Where is the benefit in that?

According to Sam Neill who was a student at Christ's College the majority of those that went there were inbreds.

If you want to see a large race day crowd, go onto Tauherenikau's Facebook Page where they have photos from their January 2 meeting.

Well Weaver started all of this crap. They don't want your common punters who will actually bet, they only want Posers and A Listers who will stand around taking selfies with a wine glass in the hand.

Gee The CD has already more than enough racing over the New Year period. Looks like we will now have Hastings, Tauherenikau, Otaki and Awapuni all racing over a 5 day period. Tauherenikau will have the biggest crowd of the year watching the smallest fields of the year.

I backed Simon De Montfort $2 each way and had a $2 double ticket on it. I exchanged it for four, fifty cent tickets on the second leg but missed the double which I think was won by Count Kereru and the double was $2k plus. The reason I backed Simon was that he ran a very good fourth the preceding year, in fact he was clear well into the straight before being run down.

Over the hill at Tauherenikau they had 15k on January 2. On Waitangi Day, Tauherenikau will have another large crowd.

Probably one of the reasons they are forgoing the Pokies is that the savings they will make by closing branches will be far greater than the income generated.

It would in tears. Let's not forget that the ARC kicked NZ Thoroughbred Breeders out of Ellerslie. Trackside had a very modest rent to pay out of Avalon but moved to Stanley Street where their rent increased dramatically. Also, you talk about population well sadly Ellerslie needs to "rent a crowd" unless it's for one day a year when NZTR pays out a fortune for giant piss up.

Well, it was this "Socialist" Government that gave $70M to racing to ensure its survival. It was a Tory Government that gave us Guy to root it.

True, but clowns like Guy have forced this to be the last throw of the dice.

Well the Tories will not solve the crime. Their policy has changed so many times. Boot Camps which they have now reneged on and announcing policy which is already in law. Hey, remember Crusher Collins her legislation crushed 3 cars and if they really cared about the law they would have reported to the Police the MP who took a photo of his Dick and sent it to young ladies and Bill English who was falsely claiming rent from the taxpayer for a properly that he owned through a family Trust! He paid it back but surely, he should have been charged with Fraud. Remember John Key's war against "P" that was a huge failure. Also, when we had they occupation of Parliament where were the Tories on that? They stayed very quiet. Let's not forget Nathan Guy what did that clown do as Minister of Racing? Appointed a National Party Hack as Chair and she appointed a broken-down failed State Servant and both knew zilch about Racing. At least Entain has knowledge of betting.

If you look at Love Racing Promos as well as many Clubs, they show some "Dolly Birds / Flash Harrys" posing with a wine glasses. Well, that puts 95% out of their comfort zones so they give racing a miss.

Compare this to The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame where they have inducted country singers Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. Poor Dolly was so embarrassed that she has been asking Rockers from way back if they can join her in making a rock and roll album.

So Trackside are activists because they promote women in racing? I notice that once again you show your Maori Hater bias.