Cambridge Trials Cancelled....wheels fallen off?

[Chief Stipe]

MEETING NEWS

Cambridge Trials Cancelled

 

Due to insufficient entries the Cambridge Trials scheduled for Thursday 24th August have been cancelled. 

[Jim Green]

Its coming into Summer now so trainers will start looking for grass track options (te awamutu next tuesday) for trials and races

 

The Synthetic track has proven it's worth this year. Alot of race and trial meetings run there that would have otherwise been abandoned.

It's not the answer to all of racings problems but it's a great facility to have during winter and certainly was a great assist this year. 

(And this is coming from someone who questioned do we really need a synthetic track when the idea was first mooted.)

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, Jim Green said:

The Synthetic track has proven it's worth this year. Alot of race and trial meetings run there that would have otherwise been abandoned.

It's not the answer to all of racings problems but it's a great facility to have during winter and certainly was a great assist this year. 

Is there enough activity for it to pay its way?

[Jim Green]

Where are you without it?

 

Trials cancelled,races off,clubs not wanting to run trials because they want to save their course proper for the races etc

Where do the Cambridge trainers of which there are many gallop their horses?

They tell me they have weekly jumpouts on it.

The plough is out all winter as it's more akin to a mud wresting ring leaving only the sand that is terrible on the horses feet or the grass which becomes like Swiss cheese with to much traffic on it. Can't be good for the horses legs. Horse go sore,go out for a spell,horses don't handle a wet track they go out for a spell.

So having this synthetic option surely keeps more horses in work over the winter period which has to be a good thing for all.

Does it pay for itself as a race day venue? I couldn't tell you. Don't have access to those figures.

But looking at the overall picture I think it plays a vital roll. 

 

[Chief Stipe]

7 minutes ago, Jim Green said:

Where are you without it?

 

Trials cancelled,races off,clubs not wanting to run trials because they want to save their course proper for the races etc

Where do the Cambridge trainers of which there are many gallop their horses?

They tell me they have weekly jumpouts on it.

The plough is out all winter as it's more akin to a mud wresting ring leaving only the sand that is terrible on the horses feet or the grass which becomes like Swiss cheese with to much traffic on it. Can't be good for the horses legs. Horse go sore,go out for a spell,horses don't handle a wet track they go out for a spell.

So having this synthetic option surely keeps more horses in work over the winter period which has to be a good thing for all.

Does it pay for itself as a race day venue? I couldn't tell you. Don't have access to those figures.

But looking at the overall picture I think it plays a vital roll. 

 

Well Cambridge of any of the three AWT's has the best chance of paying its way.

However judging by the OZ experience their usefulness is limited.

As you said trainers are looking to grass tracks now even though officially we haven't started Spring.

Noticeable that recent big trial days have been on grass e.g. Te Rapa on the 1st.  Between races at Taupo and I imagine Te Awamutu will be big next Tuesday.

[Freda]

For what it's worth - my two cents of opinion.

Firstly, no NZ race day ' pays for itself '  or 'covers its costs', however one wishes to phrase it.

To that end, the AWT's will be in the same boat - except that it wasn't industry money, for the most past, that set them up.

Yes, they provide somewhere consistent for work, that has to be a positive.   However, not all horses like - or can cope - with the surface.    Some cannot even manage being worked on the surface, and, here, locally, a magnificent training facility has been very harshly modified with the construction of the AWT.   Now, training options are very severely reduced.

The policy seems to be to close down quite functional grass tracks to 'justify' the things, those horses are badly served indeed.   

The closing down of tracks, in itself, increases the pressure on the remaining ones so of course you are going to see those reluctant to run trials, they don't want their grass hammered.

Cambridge has excellent facilities quite apart from the AWT, and there are still plenty of grass tracks left in the Waikato.  The CD seems to have been poorly served in that respect, with closures, and years of under-investment in upkeep coming back to bite many - and those clubs, in the main, can't be held totally responsible for that under-investment.  Policies designed to deprive them of their turnover share [ and I'm going back decades here ] in favour of the bigger clubs has left many struggling - and then the finger is pointed at them.

Here, in Canterbury, the closure of one excellent facility in particular has deprived locals of a very good trials track.   The AWT does take up some slack in that area but, as the Chief alluded, the large entries at the remaining grass trial facility shows clearly what the preferred option is for most.

As for Cambridge - with the huge number of horses in training in the Waikato, to have to abandon a trials day through insufficient entries shows very strongly the opinion of most trainers there too.

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Firstly, no NZ race day ' pays for itself '  or 'covers its costs', however one wishes to phrase it.

 

Really?  What is the point then of being in this business then?

I don't actually agree as many Clubs run their business at a profit.  Sure some of those have volunteers and diverse income streams that help.

2 hours ago, Freda said:

As for Cambridge - with the huge number of horses in training in the Waikato, to have to abandon a trials day through insufficient entries shows very strongly the opinion of most trainers there too.

That's my point.  Cambridge could have funded the AWT themselves - the PGF and the industry funded most of it instead.  With over 1,200 horses in work at Cambridge they can't get sufficient numbers to run trials then that is a clear sign that trainers don't want to race on the AWT surfaces.  Australia has worked that out.

Sure a useful tool in the winter but that doesn't stop clubs like Matamata still operating during the winter.  

[Doomed]

The Cambridge fields on Wednesday are hardly flash either. Only 7 races, only one with more than 8 accepters and a couple with only 6.

[Freda]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Really?  What is the point then of being in this business then?

I don't actually agree as many Clubs run their business at a profit.  Sure some of those have volunteers and diverse income streams that help.

 

Some clubs may do.  Don't forget stakes are bulk-funded, clubs don't have to find the money themselves.  However the income 'earned' per medium of race turnover doesn't cover the stake money.   Any surplus comes from non-NZ racing sources, and now - Entain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[curious]

4 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Really?  What is the point then of being in this business then?

I don't actually agree as many Clubs run their business at a profit.  Sure some of those have volunteers and diverse income streams that help.

Some clubs do but they certainly don't stay in business from racedays for the most part. Industry days are lucky to cover costs for most clubs, as the likes of Reefton I'm sure will tell you. And if they do it is the outside income from pokies, overseas racing etc. that allows NZTR to sufficiently fund clubs to run them. They are not fully funded by the revenue that they generate directly from wagering. Doubt there is a race day in NZ that is anymore.

Edited August 26, 2023 by curious

[curious]

30 heats at Te Awamutu tomorrow. 29 at Foxton.

[Reefton]

On 26/08/2023 at 2:05 PM, curious said:

Some clubs do but they certainly don't stay in business from racedays for the most part. Industry days are lucky to cover costs for most clubs, as the likes of Reefton I'm sure will tell you. And if they do it is the outside income from pokies, overseas racing etc. that allows NZTR to sufficiently fund clubs to run them. They are not fully funded by the revenue that they generate directly from wagering. Doubt there is a race day in NZ that is anymore.

Its an interesting one really

Our cancellation would probably have put us out of business but for NZTR's recognition that there was no track issue and subsequent full payment of our meeting fees.  Frustrating thing about that of course is that clearly  NZTR knows, the likes of Michael Pitman David Walsh Jim Walker Mouse McCann and Max Skelton know but the RIB, clearly knowing not one thing about racing, continue to insist they were right.  There is none so blind as he who will not see.  It isn't like Clement in his days with the NZ police force where they could pick the evidence to suit their argument or they could withhold evidence that might be useful to the defence.  The facts of this case are there as plain as day to everyone and yet this guy continues to blindly argue that Oatham is right and we are wrong while the Minister washes his hands of the matter.  I don't think even Monty Python would come up with a sketch as silly as that

We generally manage a profit simply because of volunteer work, a desirable time of year to race. the novelty of being a one day Club and the only Thoroughbred race meeting in the province (and the Northern South Island for that matter).  And we keep our raceday process as simple as possible - contract out the bars and the catering and keep our staffing to the minimum.  Oh and the generous sponsorship/donations of our many long term race name supporters.

But as I constantly say - the thing we will go broke on is enthusiasm not financially(unless Oatham strikes again!).  And that, after many months smashing my head against a brick wall, is where I now find myself.  No more enthusiasm, no more motivation and a rapidly waning interest(might have watched on e race a week this winter unless I am in the local on Friday night and then I won't bet unless someone wants to take easybets or something in a group).

Its a great game this full of great people and great characters but gee it is being ridden into the ground and that's pretty bloody depressing

 

 

 

 

[Freda]

14 hours ago, Reefton said:

 

Its a great game this full of great people and great characters but gee it is being ridden into the ground and that's pretty bloody depressing

 

 

 

 

Five years of guaranteed stake money;  get in now, try not to get depressed with management in the interim.     Whatever happens after that, the industry, whether the better for the intervention, or worse because of inept direction, will bear little resemblance to the one most of us grew up to work or participate in, in some respect - and love.

[Chief Stipe]

48 minutes ago, Freda said:

Five years of guaranteed stake money;  get in now, try not to get depressed with management in the interim.     Whatever happens after that, the industry, whether the better for the intervention, or worse because of inept direction, will bear little resemblance to the one most of us grew up to work or participate in, in some respect - and love.

Assuming that Entain globally makes good profits to sustain NZ losses.  Also that there is no backout clause with TABNZ. 

 

 

[Chief Stipe]

Entain Layoff Discrepancies

Entain is experiencing “rapid growth in Australia,” according to a company statement. Despite its stronger results and the great success of its takeover of Tab NZ in New Zealand, it’s letting workers go.

 

The changing environment will result in “a small number of redundancies” of positions in Australia. Exactly how many depends on who is providing the information.

 

The Australian Financial Review said that more than 50 positions have been eliminated. Other sources told the media outlet that the figure is closer to 80. But another source puts the number higher.

 

Last month, WPT Global Senior Marketing Manager Andrea King said in a LinkedIn post that the figure could be as high as 80%. King was a marketing manager at Entain until February of this year.

 

Entain has been busy making several acquisitions in different markets over the past couple of years, most recently finalizing the purchase of Poland’s STS Holdings. As it reportedly leveraged much of the business to continue its M&A efforts, the employees who helped it get to where it is are paying the price.

[Chief Stipe]

[Chief Stipe]

[Chief Stipe]

Entain's share price falls after BetMGM's UK announcement

www.gamblinginsider.com

MGM Resorts recently announced it will be launching its BetMGM operations in the UK without its US counterpart Entain.

 

Entain's share price dropped by 5% following BetMGM’s UK announcement. 

 

In 2021, MGM sought to acquire Entain for £8.1bn ($10.3bn), but the bid was rejected.

 

However, now that MGM has entered the UK without using Entain’s tech, it will be using its LeoVegas brand to handle the casino operations, while Kambi will power BetMGM’s UK sportsbook. 

 

BetMGM was initially launched as a collaborative product between MGM Resorts and Entain in North America. 

 

MGM Resorts will continue to operate the BetMGM brand in the US and Canada, using the technology and platform provided by Entain.

 

As of the time of writing, Entain’s share price is £11.57 compared to 10 July, the day that the company released its H1 report, when the share price was at £13.80. This drop represents a 16% decrease in just eight days.

 

Furthermore, in the past two days, since the launch of BetMGM in the UK, the share price fell from £12.33 to the current £11.57 - this is a representative of a 6% fall in just two days.

 

Despite it seeming peculiar to not use Entain’s technology for its UK operations, a spokesperson from Entain commented: "MGM has been operating a UK online casino for some time under the LeoVegas brand." 

 

Before adding: “We do not consider that this new launch will make any impact on our business or indeed the market."