Weasel

and while you're at it, how about the rap sheet for the Top 10 trainers in NZ and Oz.

Tavistock had such a stellar start here, his fee went up very quickly; he is leaving plenty of winners but now the pressure is on to sustain the number of black type performers. The stud will be hoping like hell he leaves another Derby, Oaks or WFA winner soon. No Tavistock female Group 1,2 or 3 winners in NZ yet; his oldest crop are 7yo. I believe there's at least one maybe two Oz-trained Tavis on a Derby raid (incl a Busuttin/Young one called Murless) and two or three girls on an Oaks path. The Tavistock fillies/mares appear to be getting better as they get older, esp the sprinter-milers. TAVISTOCK NZ SEASON 2018-19 WINNERS (2/2/19) 30 races won; 23 individual winners, 0 Group wins ; 1 Listed win (Tomelilla - Haunui Farm Karaka Classic) · 23 wins by girls, 7 by boys · 18 wins @ 1000m -1400m · 8 wins @1500 -1600m · 4 middle distance wins (2000m -2100m; 2 of them by Shantav @ Gore) · 0 x 2yo winners (only 1 runner) ; 7 x 3yo winners (6 of them fillies) 19 of the 30 wins are from 5yo or older (incl 6 wins from his first crop, ie 7yos) · Only 4 (of 30) wins have been beyond 1600m this season so far · Girls outperforming the boys, ratio of 3:1 · Winners mostly from older sprinter-miler mares · A winner over 1000m on debut (Times Ticking) ..the first in the last 3 seasons, maybe the first ever in NZ

and no charges laid. If no charges are laid, or are ultimately unproven, how many millions the law suit? I repeat, I am not defending DKW...no-one knows all the facts at this stage, but reputational damage has been done already.

The question has to be asked..what knowledge of this did D K Weir have?

i agre ethat the incentives nee dto be in lower grades too, as you suggest re noms./accept fees, jock fees etc..the examples i qupted wer emore to show how the $$ emphasis on just one or two races (ie 2yo and 3yo) ignores the strength of NZ -bred horses ..stayers!!

its part of the grass roots issue...horse supply is declining because breeders/owners have few incentives to breed/own cos $$ rewards are pathetically low compared to mid-late 20th century. Owners look overseas for the stakes but need an exceptional horse here to justify the expenses. For every Booneval/Jon Snow/Rising Romance there are many who win bugger all or pay their way and that's all. They key, IMO is to incentivise the breeders and the owners and the employers simultaneously in as many ways as possible. Fo example, on Karaka Million night, two of 6 races were worth $1m each, but the other 4 were worth $340k in total. Where are the incentives for connections of the older horses, esp the stayers on whos reputation NZ's reputation has been built. Why isnt there a $1m City of Auckland Cup? Why isnt there a $1m F&M WFA race?

agreed...but doesn't changing the business model mean necessarily closing course/Clubs? I can understand the 'investment' of $48M if it will yield squillions of new revenue mostly via sports betting and international punters as John Allen seems to think will occur (his budget forecasts are based on it, aren't they?). Most people I talk to see the rationale behind reducing the number of tracks ..as long as its not the course/Club they belong to or support.

and then transfer your TAB account to Betfair? Or have you already done that? LOL. Have one for me

Reefton asks: I wonder how many voluntary years Houseboy or Weasel have put into Clubs? Racing Clubs..NONE. You don't have to have been a Racing Club volunteer or paid employee to express a point of view or ask questions. I fully support the notion that real consultation should be occurring over which Clubs keep race dates/courses and I have no particular confidence in Winnie to get the overall restructuring job done. That's why I have previously posted that the answers on sustainable future for our industry here will come in this year's Budget, cos it will reveal how much influence he has over Taxinda ...and time has run out for promising and not delivering. (This is the Year of Delivering, remember. There's an election in 2020!)

perhaps not ...but another significant income stream is taking the land that belongs to Incorporated Societies (or similar entities) to part-fund the industry's future. Question is: will the Labour-led Gummit get their hands on it via Winnie (now there's a Dafthorse) Peters? PS: the Weasel may be Daft but he ain't no horse. So there.

i have no time for the bureaucrats/buffoons in there RM ... but a crime investigation is serious stuff, so justice requires that we all wait and see if/what charges are laid, against who ...and what is proven. If proven guilty, take him/them down for all the right reasons. Just let's not get ahead of ourselves. eg 3 x jiggers found ...is DKW guilty of anything because of this? eg cocaine found ...same question eg firearm ...same question.

to those of you in the DW camp, if you are innocent, why refuse to answer questions......please explain. So if you cooperate you have nothing to hide and all will be well, right? Let's say you are asked questions by the cops, having been taken in for questioning for the second time during investigation of a serious crime ... are you innocent just because you cooperate with the police?* My point is this: it doesn't matter what we glean from reports of cooperation or non-cooperation..what matters is, what are the facts? Assembling the facts takes time.And people like Newmarket and Rowley Mile want to be judge, jury and executioner in a heartbeat! As mentioned before, they may be right re Mr Weir et al... I am not defending him or 'in his camp' ..I am simply reminding everyone who would judge him to WAIT and SEE what facts are assembled and whether or not charges are laid/proved. In the meantime ...innocent until proven guilty. Assume nothing. *the case i am quoting is Arthur Allan Thomas/Crewe Murders (1970); the most cooperative man in a police investigation there ever was...gave up all he knew from Day 1 cos he had nothing to hide... and yet, a corrupt police investigation had him 'jailed for life' ..at two separate trials, before being pardoned in 1980.

and in the absence of evidence at this stage ... Ay, there's the rub. everybody wants to know everything all at once. And beacuase thats not possible, conclusions are drawn (some right, some wrong) on speculation. What are the facts? DW +2 arrested, released, no charges (yet). Charges may follow. they may be proven they may not be proven. In the meantime, innocent until proven guilty. But I fear I am repeating myself, repeating myself, repeating myself .....

Yes, of course you are entitled to your view. On Planet Weasel's rarefied air, all alleged criminals are arrested, given a fair trial and are either found guilty or innocent (would love there to be a 'not proven' verdict as well, but that's another story). The presumption is of innocence until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt ...unlike the rationale of your 'real world', RM.

I don't see why the Government (ie taxpayers) shouldn't contribute to the growth and development of one of NZ's highest export industries and employers. (It is willingly embraced by state and fed govts in Australia, for example, with massive funding for capital projects.) For about 150 years Governments in NZ have creamed this industry through revenue from every aspect, starting with Govt control of our sole betting agency (TAB), banning bookmakers, and God knows how many other revenue streams ... while local/provincial clubs (many of them Incorporated Societies) worked their butts off, operating on shoestring budgets to sustain the business of the 'sport of kings'; and are struggling now to keep their licences (having originally built, and then improved tracks, grandstands, public facilities, etc). I can see why they view the proposed Venue Plan as a land grab. History shows neither National nor Labour-led Governments has the will, enthusiasm, knowledge or respect for Horse Racing to achieve effective, long-term improvements. Winston is now under pressure to deliver in this year's Budget the $$$ he promised pre-election. His problem is, he has to convince Taxinda to spend massive money on something she and her Labourites view as a game for 'rich pricks' and/or corrupt pricks. (Current investigations in harness racing here and the Weir arrest yesterday are not helping!) Notably, she has failed to show at either of the two Karaka Sales (2018 and 2019) ...and I noticed Crusher Collins making sure she got seen alongside David Ellis earlier this week. It's now up to Winston to deliver on the promise of last year. The answer lies in the Budget. If the money is or isn't there this year, you will have your answer on the future of racing in NZ.

Food for thought re Chief's moderation policy. This is from USA website Horse Racing Nation. It's not all about Thomass ...it's about being grown-up in the way you communicate your point of view. Would you like to join the conversation here on Horse Racing Nation? Good! That's what our community is all about. The Horse Racing Nation community is made up of like-minded, passionate fans of horse racing, just like you. We don't always agree, though. Sometimes these discussions can become a little heated. Which is fine. There is nothing wrong with a little good-natured debate. We only ask that you keep it good-natured. Personal attacks and harassment of other community members will not be tolerated, and will be removed. Offensive language used to insult, antagonize, or inflame will always be removed. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing your comments on Horse Racing Nation!

Thank God you are not on the Bench! So if you had a criminal record and were arrested on suspicion of a crime but were innocent in this case, would you be OK to be convicted and sentenced just because you'd been arrested? Look up the meaning of - and origin of - the word prejudice.

He's been caught cheating today, has he? Really? Hmm..arrested, interviewed, released...could be re-arrested in future I guess BUT until he is tried and convicted of woteva he is NOT GUILTY. You may be right. You may be wrong. Don't jump to conclusions based on trial by media.

indeed indeed...though 'prediliction' is, in fact, predilection...just saying.

I am not defending him. I am saying: don't presume guilt based on an arrest (or even arrests and prior convictions).

I hope you're not trying to scare this Mustelid with that big purple thing, Yankiwi!! Mighty tempted to go hide Under a Rock for a day or two ...

Police have released Melbourne Cup-winning horse trainer Darren Weir and two other men without charge as they investigate allegations relating to the corruption of betting results and animal cruelty. Key points: Darren Weir is widely regarded as Australia's leading horse trainer Police arrested him and raided his properties as part of an investigation into racing integrity They say they also found electric-shock devices, which may have been used on horses Victoria Police raided properties owned by Weir in Warrnambool and near Ballarat, and arrested Weir, 48, and two other men aged 26 and 38. Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson said the raids formed part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome. The investigation has been underway since August. Officers searched Weir's high-tech training facility at Miners Rest and his beach stable in Warrnambool, as well as a property at Yangery just outside Warrnambool.

caught the cheats or why did it take so long? If Mr Weir and Co are released without charge, or if charged are found not guilty, do you think he/they might want to sue you for defamation?

Thank God someone said it..thank you, Shu. Trial by media is almost as bad as conviction without trial. Let's all just stop speculating on things (eg the nature of the firearm and its reasons for being there) and let the judicial process take its course.