Freda

Yep. it's been out of kilter for years, and, as said, those pandering to that model will squeal if their 'superiority' is threatened. The forbears of one of my very good owners [ H.C Greenwood ] took the famous Gloaming from Christchurch to Sydney to have his first start in the AJC Chelmsford Stakes. That would have entailed a boat trip, no mean assignment for a novice galloper - but he duly obliged. No doubt granddad had a punt too...but does anyone seriously think that such a herculean task would have been undertaken if the money and prestige had been here? NZ-ers accepted, then, that the bigger population/economy enabled better money, and also the chance of a decent bet. You have to question the intelligence - or veracity - of those who hollered recently about 'rising stakes'....however, no doubt they were able to purchase nice new yearlings on the basis of that......

If that is the case - and I'm not saying it isn't - then the removal of form information and reducing the ease of betting for older enthusiasts isn't the best way of doing this. Fumbling around in the dark.

Which funding level was expressly directed by Winston as I understand. Doesn't show a lot of comprehension on his part.

Wow, that's clear.....not.

For the track staff. If training facilities aren't supplied, there wouldn't need to be so many groundsmen.

Hastings does have incumbent trainers, although not sure of the scale.

Yes, it has happened before, once a circuit is split up it eventually flounders to non existence. What I cant comprehend wrt Rita is why it hasn't addressed the pivotal point in all the restructuring which was the outsourcing. All the rest is pointless without that.

Special horse all right. Has there been any info. from the autopsy as to why he had the odd paralysis?

Absolutely.

Poor guy...wonder if his ears are burning......

Yes, I dont profess to be an expert, but in my experience an afflicted horse never improves, the only change is for the worse.

Oh dear.

I'm not trying to be smart here...but I thought it was a well-known fact?

Yet we in lil ol' NZ can warrant three....hmm.

Agree, great spot and always good atmosphere with happy crowds. However, I think both clubs are facing personnel problems, i.e. the difficulty in attracting keen, young committee people. An ageing management is making it near impossible to plan ahead or undertake necessary works.

You're damn right there. But they still have a collective intelligence I should think. Shame they, and their predecessors, haven't used it.

Will be very interesting, K. Look after your source! One thing strikes me, here and elsewhere...this almost manic attack-mode on the hapless John Allen. I'm in full agreement about his competency, but he shouldn't be the only one to be vilified. CEO's carry out the policies of their Boards - don't they? Those behind him, and his predecessor, should be hanging their heads in shame. Neither Bayliss or J.A could have carried out the destruction on their own without the processes being ticked off.

Looks prerry well informed. But is unlikely to get any traction where it matters.

Certainly couldn't hurt.

Yeah. Utterly stupid practice.

Go and have a look at some horrific pictures of ' pleasure horses ' standing in paddocks with no tucker, shit up to their fetlocks, starving...others miserably behind white tape, synthetic rugs on in hot summer weather, no attention for weeks at a time...you think those horses are happy to be born? Fact is they dont consider ethical matters, they just are. I have euthanized horses I dont think are suitable for young riders, I place my retirees very carefully but I still can't track them for years to come. I just have to hope that they remain in kind hands. Plenty of humans might face dismal futures too, fact is none of us have a choice in the beginning.

While I'm in the frame....the practice, common in the UK jumps scene, of easing a horse out if it can't figure in the finish, or comes to the end of its stage of fitness, is not so common here. How often do you see a horse drifting out of contention, clearly tired, and under the bat? Terrible look.

Yes, well-meaning no doubt, but misinformed. But what will our industries do to combat this mindset? Putting out fluffy media reports on the NZTR website will do nothing, and, sadly, even though Marty Burns [ NZTR animal welfare officer] is a decent and approachable bloke, he can't single-handedly produce stables and properties across the country to re-school and re-home retired racehorses. Set ups like that require both funding and effort, both of which seem to be lacking. Compare our operations with V'Landy's immediate response to the sensationalist TV doco. about the horse abbatoir. Even the much maligned greyhound code has kennels dedicated to rehoming retired dogs. I have one myself from such a setup, and the girls involved do a great job checking out the dog's potential home, and following up the progress. I don't think harness is organised, but there are well -intentioned people who do try to rehome as well. No such system with T.B's although there are people in the Waikato who handle Hong Kong returnees. [ Gina Schick ?] Despite all the grand talk emanating, I have never been contacted by anyone from NZTR about any horse removed from my stable return list. That needs to be addressed and smartly, if public perception is to be altered in any way. And, although I am a lover of the jumper, the sight of an exhausted horse floundering over the last fence is not one I like. One way, possibly, would be to remove the last fence where that fence is close to the finish. Allow a decent run-in so that horses battle out the finish on the flat. Less chance for injury and much less horrifying for the general public.

I have been scratching my head about that comment....then it occurred to me you mean the raceday float park. Not sure if that, or the associated duckpond, would cope with the volume..but as i said, I'm no expert in that field.

Ha....no, they are awesome people, and are very supportive of me. They have never had any involvement though ( I'm a late-comer to the clan) and dont like the concept, although they all love animals generally. Once I start winding them up about Cinderella horses dont get a mention!