Freda

They can afford to. They get paid megadollars for betting licenses, and receive taxes and gaming duties too.

Not entirely racing related...but how are we all doing during this time of restriction? Many are finding the situation difficult, others have adapted really well. What have members done to adjust?

Hope you're right.

Yeah, 'fraid I agree there.

If, however, Rita is insolvent, there will be nothing in the bin to competely comply with any contractual obligations. But, again, more knowledgeable commentators than moi will know how these situations work.

I'm not that au fait with employment laws...but I surmise that it might be cheaper to keep staff on with subsidy than to lay off and fork out redundancy.

Hmm. Same staff numbers then.

Yes, I guess the likes of casual bar staff etc are factored in...but it seems a lot considering other clubs would have similar operating costs? Awapuni - although it hosts other clubs - has a lot of meetings, but Ellerslie with three months virtually doing nothing wrt racing seens to have a very large contingent. I know the track staff numbers here are considered to be inadequate, with some of the guys very frustrated at the difficulty of finishing one task before being rushed off to the next.

Ha. No. More than any other club with the exception of Auckland, if I haven't missed something. And I know they are not heavy on the track staff either.

Couldn't find them earlier.

Agree here, for what it's worth. Our PM is an admirable communicator, but slack - read nonexistent - border controls and very low testing numbers have allowed the spread of covid-19 far more readily than should have happened. I agree lockdown has and will cause economic pain for years, however I dont think there was any choice. But what an unenviable place to be, whoever's turn it was. Agree also, despite what many are thinking will happen, that racing should ( rightfully) be at the end of the queue for money. They've been on the tit for years and show no comprehension just how well they've been treated. Good discussion.

I'll refrain from commenting on that.....! Brighthill and Pencarrow two...

Yes, and a couple of studs.

Ooops....just found one. City Care.

Neither has any other company that I have entered to have a look.

That decision re. George Pell is certainly justified, and it is astounding that so many legal minds seemingly ignored the one resounding principle understood by people everywhere - that of reasonable doubt. Yes, he deserved to go free, and should never have been convicted in the first place. However, the presence of ' reasonable doubt ' does not automatically confer innocence.

But, while the point you make is both real and valid, businesses carefully managed wrt safety matters, would benefit the economy and have closed down as required; sadly, I see fkwits everywhere still openly flouting directions. A woman who rents a ' granny flat ' from me, and is thus perfectly placed for effective isolation, continues to go out and ' hang out ' with her mates. Cannot get through her thick head the meaning of lockdown. Given the habits of some of those 'mates' she represents a considerable risk. After digesting the rebuke I gave her recently for not just going out, but for getting behind the wheel when she was so wasted she could barely stand, she informed me that she had a job over Easter weekend.....doing security work for a supermarket. Ffs....

Yeah, I probably am there.

I'm thinking some clubs won't be travelling too well either.

Another thought - we have discussed at length the financial situations of RITA and NZTR, to the extent of our knowledge. What about racing clubs themselves? How will they be managing with no track fee income, and, whatever else they may earn from ancillary activities? hospitality, etc. The smaller ones might be impacted less, with only one or two employees, but the larger ones may be looking a bit ill.

One meeting per week per region....that will, nevertheless, prevent Otago [ Wingatui ] and Southland [ Invercargill ] from racing at all, until unrestricted travel is permitted. There are only three jockeys [ Barnes, Campbell, and Lowry ] in Otago, and none in Southland - apart from Stu Higgins. I'm fully supportive of 'lockdown ' but, the disorganised shambles that has ensued from conflicting information, poor, or non-existent testing protocols, few organised quarantine facililities, will dog us all for quite a while. If - and that is a big if - 'racing' can start again as per the above statement, there has to be availability of farriers [ currently deemed non-essential ], horse transporters; many businesses have been summarily shut down, that could have continued trading with suitable protocols. I'm sure we can all think of retailers which could be at least as safe as some supermarkets - and many, more so.

Especially the analysis by knowledgeable people.. !

Have received one, finally, from Dan Smith.

I never got an acknowledgement anyway.

I don't wish to be unkind, Lord knows, I wouldn't like to be tasked with turning the show around ; but, given that Australian racing is so far superior to the NZ version, one would think that a good administrator would be administrating over there.