Freda

Agree here too. I like Barryb's ideas, can't see why a Racing20 trial couldn't take place without ado in the coming summer. Major Cup days would need a longer exposure as well as those country days that are left, I guess. Track improvements will have to wait until there is funding to do the work, a catch-22 for sure....but the other refinements you suggest can be implemented . Is there the will? That is the concern, the handicapping/programming/stakes structure highlighted by you and R.H. a few years ago was largely ignored - and when I brought it up with B Saundry more recently ( and forwarded him the work that he claimed to have not seen ) there was no acknowledgement or action whatsoever. All that can be worked upon at no cost at all.

You're right of course....but I guess I'm taking the view that without some forward thinking the hole just gets dug more quickly. What would you suggest, taking into account the reality of the revenue / costs situation?

Yep, agree.

Love the ideas...however,.do you not think there can be a place for a few one-day clubs in the country areas in summer? As long as there is no or little cost to the industry should they not be allowed to remain? After all, country racing is very popular in Aus and supported by local bodies too as being valuable for the tourism dollar. But all the rest, yes agree.

We have had heaps of discussion and criticism here and elsewhere, and I guess we are hoping that RITA can pull a rabbit out of the hat wrt funding. But I don't see too much agreement, or real lets-do-this policy or enthusiasm going forward. If we assume that racing is not going to die completely ( and it may just do that) - what positive or constructive ideas do people possess?

I sure hope you are right...Riverton is a lovely track, Invercargill a very poor second.

Shouldn't think so, that will take a long time - if ever - to get their hands on club assets. I'm not saying some rationalisation shouldn't happen, but at gunpoint doesn't seem the way to me. Just a thought - the ' world class facilities ' spoken of by some would be better expedited by selling off the rest of Riccarton Park ( which is a park no longer ) to go with the area already flogged off for housing, and develop from scratch out further, West Melton way or out more, on light, free draining soil. The funds garnered by forcing country areas to give up their assets would be peanuts by comparison.

Considering he is a Southlander, you would think he would be supporting the regions...that's sad to hear....but as you know, you can't sell what you don't own.

I think we were...somewhere...but given the performance of the TAB platform only the seriously deluded would have believed that, surely?.....and perhaps the RITA board were able to negotiate a further term of borrowings.....

If that's a dig at me, Pitty, I don't tell pork pies - and I've been involved with the NZTA for years. I've been an office bearer too, not of the notoriety of such as yourself, but I've been busy behind the scenes as well you know. You had a chip this morning about ' complacent" trainers, there may be some of those, but I don't know any who are happy with the state of racing at the moment. But how can any traction develop when the body is funded by NZTR and therefore can hardly be impartial - and trainers themselves won't form a consensus. You have said on several occasions that you are not unhappy with the level of stakes - well, you would be the only one....and pointing to the money earned by your charges proves nothing at all ( apart from advertising your success ) if compared to what they might have earned across the ditch.

They're useless, I disagree with many of their notions, I was a member for thirty-odd years but opted out in protest - however NZTR just takes yer money anyways and you have no choice in the matter.

Actually, after some sleep, yes I can. Notwithstanding the above, the problems facing racing are systemic and lack of funding, while a huge part, is still only a part. The ineffective management from NZTR is instrumental also and we have been responsible for allowing successive administrations to trundle on unchallenged.

Oh dear...can't really add to that.

A great character, and also representative of an earlier era which is sadly no longer with us. Always had a yarn to spin. Rest well, E.B.

I'm still locked out so all irrelevant to me.

Again, you're right...and this situation will be present in all employment situations, not just racing. Just a can of worms that doesn't need to be opened IMO.

You're quite right in what you say, apart from the fact that the girl concerned is not employed - at the moment. I know her well however, she used to lodge with me. This scenario would be consistent country-wide and will be even harder to 'police ' when these nutters decriminalise cannabis.

Not for the same person, Reefton...the meth ' positives ' were for two different people. The cannabis ' negative ' was for a girl who smokes every day.

Sorry may have been a bit ambiguous....the 'negative' test for the girl was for cannabis....and given her history there is no way it could or should have been .. The ' positives' were for methamphetamine, and later turned out to be negative. All in all, not very reliable results all round.

Yeah...a local wit reckoned she was being given Lucerne....

As yet there doesn't appear to be universal acceptance that 'drug testing' drivers is a satisfactory or accurate process ; and I certainly couldn't afford to routinely drug test employees - unless a simple, cheap and accurate process is developed. Which leaves me and others like me between a rock and a hard place. The most recent drug testing carried out at the track here produced a few positives to cannabis, and a couple to P. Those two samples were subsequently tested more rigorously and found to be 'false positives ' whatever that is. However, a local girl who is a well known stoner and freely admits to ' having a cone' before coming to work daily, tested negative. She even told the RIU members present ' don't waste your time, I'm done, I'll be positive' and tested negative.....

It seems from that that evidence is, at best, inconclusive. However, as an employer [ albeit of a very limited number ] the message that its now ' okay ' to smoke openly, and to present at work stoned, is unacceptable.

100% with you there....however, don't have an issue with the medical variety. I find interesting the stats from the USA however, which appear to indicate no increase in use as a result of the legalisation of the stuff. Are we to believe them? ..or are Americans just different....or are the stats ' manipulated' to tell the story as they want....

yep.

I'm all for horse welfare and fairness to punters....but, ffs, the effing track was heavy, end of story. Local knowledge should have told Vile pretty much how the conditions would be .