Bloke

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.

Malcolm Gillies is not what you would call a "pie in the sky" developer. He is very successful. He has however, done well out of the Wellington Racing Club/ Race having previously purchased a large block of residential land on a deferred settlement which enabled him to build and sell properties then repay the WRC/Race for the land.

Lol. I see it as dishonest, Honest John

And you call yourself "Honest John"

General admission was free on Saturday, and you would not call that a large crowd. The Women's Football at Eden Park attracted probably 4 times as many. NZ's Racing's most costly day after having to subsidise one of NZ's richest by $650k. It will be interesting this Saturday to see how many turn up at Trentham with $50 general admission.

In a few years the WRC will follow Auckland who this year is providing free general admission for The Auckland Cup. Auckland has done a marginally better job in chasing away the general punter than Wellington thanks to their star CEO Weaver who was supported by his right-hand man, The Fat Butcher. They were followed by "Boy George" who was of the same ilk. However, after this year's Cup Day those few remaining soles should finally realise that they are being crapped on.

Yes, and from memory the charge then was $10, and it is now $20 still attracting huge crowds to rock up.

General Admission for the Auckland Cup is free. They are paying the price for stuffing up the racing calendar by moving The Cup to March and having a CEO at the time tell punters that they can piss off as they only want to sell booze. This has resulted in very few being interested in Cup Day, so entry is free now as the try to attract back a crowd.

For my sins I am a member of the Wellington Racing Club

I did not attend but I saw Wayne Guppy, The President, on Trackside. I have been to Trentham on small days and there has always been a Security Guard on the Committee Members Car Park. It basically sums them up.

Even though there was a miniscule attendance at Trentham, I can assure you that they would have had minimum, twenty security guards on course and that would have included a security guard posted to the Committee Members Car Park.

The CEO has to meet the agenda of the Members' Council and Reefton does not meet that agenda. He also is a man of integrity so would stand up to the Old Boys Network. Oh no they would not like that.

Tauherenikau charge $20 entry fee for 18 years and over and they flock there including myself. Another massive crowd on 2 January. They have a camping ground which was very full the night before the races and I counted 35 marquees set up at the back of the bird cage on race day.