The Centaur

According to the TAB statement of intent's timeline there is supposed to be a review of totalizator betting mid 2023. Does anyone have some info? Entain are not into tote betting so it would be foolish preempting the review by placing restrictions on tote betting in order to appease Entain. If Entain gets involved some way in NZ I'd like to see tote betting competing head on with bookmaking. That would seem fair. Competing to the point that tote betting is just a piece of software with no overheads. i.e. no middle men or as Freda has noted a skeleton staff.

Before you get into any deal there has to be a purpose or goal. Have we just heard what the end game is? You can't tell me the end game is a commercial secret.

Offcourse the TAB should partner but not with a competitor. Thats crazy. Better partner with an outfit that has nothing to do with wagering i.e. an IT or marketing development company as long as straight away 50% staff reduction. Perhaps they could come up with an invention selling for $1/2 billion. That would really be a boost NZTR should themselves be partnering with similar outfits to cut costs. So many options but TAB picked the worst and one which makes no sense. TAB managers/board have got a great way out. Just blame it on Messara if things go bad.

Exactly. Particularly as its stipulated "no job losses"

Will Tabcorp and the other parasitic outfits be keen on promoting NZ racing if Ladbrokes has the box seat. Its not like Aussie punters are going to sign up to Ladbrokes just for NZ racing. Now if there is no job losses at TAB plus Ladbrokes brings in their own chaps hell even TAB offices in Petone will be over crowded. If all the TAB agencies are going to be repainted, refurnished etc into the Ladbrokes brand that's more workers. Then when Ladbrokes leave who will repaint the betting shops? I am sure shareholders of Entain would not allow there not being an escape clause.

There is another aspect. Entain is so big it could possibly buy up Sky City casino in New Zealand. Sky have had a few problems of recent times so getting in with Entain could be an option.

Yes but you don't see where the new road goes.

So what you are saying anything is good enough as long as its different. Therefore it shouldn't be examined. That's strange logic.

Its just a mystery. Why isn't there more comment on this TAB deal given the importance to all facets of racing??????? I'll throw in a couple more swerves. 1. the law says its illegal to promote overseas bookmakers. Therefore just contemplating a partnership, outsourcing etc is illegal. 2. How will club sponsors react when their sponsorship goes into putting profits into an overseas bookmaker. As Garry Chittick says. "Is there something I'm missing."

Garry Chittick's column on the Waikato Stud web site always worth a read. this is an extract ... We no longer pay wagering duties so we have nothing to offer other than our shareholders wagering license, this clearly has a value hence the supposed competition but the promise of greater returns to the owners is dependent on our belief that our new partners will achieve results not only for us but them also. So, we are to carry our infrastructure on, share our bottom line, and still have increased stakes. There must be something I am missing. Full piece here ..... https://waikatostud.com/the-corner-with-garry-chittick-53/

I'll tell you what will happen. Entain will expose to the NZ population all their other gambling brands meaning millions more will flow out of the country. e.g the so called $10m racing carnival will be the Ladbrokes carnival and who are Ladbrokes ... just part of Entain with all those other betting options. English racing is so extremely poor because the proliferation bookmakers such as Ladbrokes hardly the experience NZ needs. Setting up the TAB came from countless debates in Parliament and subsequently since. TAB's Tod has no right to sell off a government induced monopoly for 25 years. Tod has no experience in racing or wagering and neither have the board. Sharrocks great business experience must also be queried. Getting on the phone and selling sport sponsorships hardly rounded business experience. Guerin is a TAB employee so naturally would ask non-questions.

Yes with both squabling over the ever diminishing profit meaning the workers get less. Just watched Weigh In and Bruce Sharrock. This is just beyond unbelievable. The most we got from Sharrock about the deal is "it's going to be exciting" The questions Guerin asked were just beyond stupid if there is such a thing. Like with the deal will it be possible to race Saturdays on All weather tracks?....Really !!!. There seems a great cop out. It all depends on changing legislation. Would it not be better change the legislation then look at deals.

Some of the regular posters on racing social media have gone into retirement. One guy although not always right by any means was Berri. At least he had some involvement with the offshore parasites.

Now its standard practice for stipes to enquire into "improvement" shown by some form reversals. e.g. yesterday Pure Zambezi. Why don't they ask the trainer just straight up and down. "1. Since the previous race has the horse received an injection.? 2. Has the horse had any manipulation e.g. for back. 3. Has the horse had a change of diet. 4. Was something post race rectified from its last race. Four easy questions. Instead we have the same standard explanations e.g. needed blinkers. Needed to be ridden from behind/handy. etc etc. Best of all however "Trainer wasn't able to offer explanation!"

Quite a bit of material on the three pages. Note the little article reports Analei winning the Doncaster Handicap which would have been a red letter day for Te Mania Stud and the Wilding family who also later bred Zonda not to mention the Angus Stud operation. Blast.. Ryan Fox another bogey.

1973 (50 years ago) Saturday Auckland R.C. Rotorua R.C. Feilding J.C. Wairarapa R.C. Riverton R.C. Monday Auckland R.C. Rotorua R.C. Feilding J.C. Wairarapa R.C. Canterbury J.C. Riverton R.C. Trots Saturday Hawera Harness, Addington Harness Trots Monday Hawera Harness, Roxborough Trots Tuesday Hawera Harness, Total for Easter = 17 meetings n.b. due to large horse numbers some races in divisions. Monday Newspaper with results and fields https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1973/04/23/6 N.B. another 2 pages. Click next page. Click any article to read it.

Yes I would. Stealing $1m gets higher penalty than stealing $10.

The Wigg case sounds quite similar to the Andrew Scott case with Penney Gem before the Kelt. The Kelt was worth $750,000 and done on the day so you would expect Scott being penalized much more.

extract from Gambling Act Advertising Overseas Gambling Prohibited Advertising overseas gambling is prohibited under section 16 of the Gambling Act 2003. An overseas gambling advertisement is any communication that publicises or promotes gambling, or a gambling operator, when that gambling, or operator, is outside New Zealand. It is also any communication that is reasonably likely to induce people to gamble outside New Zealand. Section 16 makes this an offence under the Gambling Act and carries a fine of up to $10,000. -------------------------------------- NZTAB, NZTR is clearly breaking the law. Any communication means any communication like the so called partnering deal.

I thought he was permanently settled somewhere in the USA. Don't know why you have such long winded thread headings?

Look the current law is "you can't advertise offshore betting or bookmaking enterprises" This deal is already breaking the law by advertising Ladbrokes and the other parasitic outfits Entain has so many vehicles for gambling and with the sponsorship of racing carnivals would expect to have huge promotional opportunities. All to promote their overseas businesses. So this will promote export of NZ money to these outfits. Sharrock and Cameron George need to be removed TODAY.

This is crazy. Judging by the level of discussion on social media of this TAB deal it appears most have been sucked into the absurd edict of no discussion whilst the minister is looking at it. Is this a murder trial or whatever where everything is sub judice. The high salaried managers have found a deal that guaranteed their income for 2 years and current owners trainers jockeys etc will have no decrease in stake money. But for how long? If there are developments in technology why bring in a third party to reap the benefits? There are so many red flags about this deal that National will have a field day if McAnulty OK's it in a hurry.

The so called deal just does not make sense. The proponents all seem to be in the dark. Take for instance Dennis Ryan's editorial. He admits he knows nothing about the detail yet writes what a great thing for racing. Could it be the TAB subsidy for Raceform has some influence on his thoughts. Same Michael Guerin's shocking non disclosure in his reporting. Bookmakers have got their money by being sharks so what makes one think they are suddenly great benefactors to New Zealand racing. I guess they have spotted a gullible easy touch.

The $200m per year is pretty much what NZTAB would generate. But wait.....N.B. the money is given to the TAB. Out of that TAB must pay its own expenses which depending on the secret "detail" could be $100m. So the amount distributed by the TAB is far less than before. Who cares we all love a change.