Kiwi slot auction

[Cyril]

I see this is on trackside tonight. I am confused. Lots of big girls and boys with wads of cash. But how does it help the battlers, smaller trainers, heartland racecourses and clubs? There's something about this that doesn't smell right.

[Chief Stipe]

It's called marketing.

[billy connolly]

1 hour ago, Cyril said:

There's something about this that doesn't smell right.

Didn't seem to be that much interest, same select few chasing all nine slots at 700k approx.

What doesn't smell right to me is the fact that the perennial CEO, Mills got a Slot for 450k... on time payment.

[Huey]

3 hours ago, Cyril said:

I see this is on trackside tonight. I am confused. Lots of big girls and boys with wads of cash. But how does it help the battlers, smaller trainers, heartland racecourses and clubs? There's something about this that doesn't smell right.

Agree, sickening to watch . Then fools congratulating fools for spending large wads of cash on a slot in a race.

[Chief Stipe]

6 hours ago, Huey said:

Agree, sickening to watch . Then fools congratulating fools for spending large wads of cash on a slot in a race.

Sorry I'm confused?  Why is it sickening?  I thought you would find it entertaining given none of it was your money.

[Chief Stipe]

Phenomenal Results Achieved at The NZB Kiwi Slot Auction

There were plenty of fireworks in the Karaka sales ring on Tuesday evening at the inaugural NZB Kiwi slot auction, with all nine lots up for grabs far exceeding their $450,000 reserve.

The initial $3.5 million prizemoney on offer in next year’s NZB Kiwi (1500m), with a $1 million bonus up for grabs, was enticing for prospective New Zealand and international buyers alike.

Group One darling Seachange was the first “hero” racehorse through the ring, representing slot one for The NZB Kiwi, and bidding was spirited from the get-go, with an opening bid of $600,000 which soon exceeded $700,000, and was finally knocked down to the $725,000 bid of Singapore businessman John Chew.

The next four lots had a distinct New Zealand flavour, with slot two going to the $675,000 bid of Kerri Spence Bloodstock and Clotworthy Racing, slot three knocked down to Wexford Stables for $700,000, well-known owner and industry supporter Daniel Nakhle made sure he was in the mix when securing slot four for $675,000, while Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis ensured his ‘King of Karaka’ title wasn’t lost when his $675,000 bid bought slot five.

Te Akau Racing director Karyn Fenton-Ellis was rapt her husband was able to secure a slot, but said it was unnerving going into the auction not knowing what to expect.  

“We had spoken to numerous people that we knew were registered, as the New Zealand industry is quite a compact industry, and no one knew what to expect,” she said. 

“When we come to the Karaka yearling sales, we have a game plan and know exactly what to expect. David Ellis never gets nervous and we know exactly what we want to do, he has bought some very expensive yearlings here. We sort of had a game plan, but it had to be a bit flexible.

“We talked about this (NZB Kiwi) and we said given Te Akau Racing’s success with (trainers) Sam (Bergerson) and Mark (Walker), and the whole team, we were taking a slot home for our owners.”

Te Akau Racing are hoping to have a number of contenders for what will be the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race, and Fenton-Ellis said they already have a transparent system in place to identify their contender.

“We have got a very good process that we have already decided on because we may have a number of contenders,” Fenton-Ellis said. “We will be very transparent with an independent third-party involved so that every owner and every horse in the Te Akau stable know they are equally considered and it will be a judgment made on merit.”

Australian businessman Ozzie Kheir has been a strong supporter of the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, sourcing many of his racehorses from this side of the Tasman, and he ensured there would be a trans-Tasman element to the NZB Kiwi when he secured slot six for $700,000.

Entain New Zealand took Kiwi punters on a whirlwind ride when securing a slot in last year’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) and their representative I Wish I Win just came up shy when runner-up to Think About It. They are hoping to replicate that excitement on home soil after securing slot seven for $700,000.

Chief Executive Cameron Rodger had been the underbidder on a number of previous lots, so was delighted to finally come out on top with just a couple of lots to go.

“I was nervous,” Rodger said post sale. “They were opening and going higher and faster than we ever dreamed of. We had to revise the strategy there. I had the CFO (chief financial officer) next to me so we had to make a few emergency budget increases, but we got there, so we are pretty happy.

“There were a great number of bidders early on from a different range. We didn’t want to be last, so that was the strategy, but the market found its price really well, so I think everyone will be pretty happy with how it turned out.”

Rodger said the process of filling their slot had already started.

“We have had a look at who didn’t get one and we are probably going to start conversations as we speak and that is the beauty of a slot race, it gets you engaged and talking starts right from the dot,” he said. “Hopefully we can have a few on our radar soon.”

Rodger was pleased with how the slot race has been received and he said that has been reinforced by the heavy level of interest in the evening’s auction.

“I think the action you saw today is a vote of confidence in the industry about where things are and where things are going,” he said. “That is important to us and we believe in the path that everyone is on at the moment, so bring on 2025, we can’t wait.”

Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman is hoping eight is his new lucky number after paying $675,000 for the slot, while Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay were intent on securing the final slot of the night, and went to $700,000 to fulfil that. 

“At the end of the day it is $3.5 million in prizemoney, plus a $1 million bonus. New Zealand has never seen anything like this before,” Brendan Lindsay said. 

“Jo and I have to be a part of it and we were always going to buy lot nine. We decided that we were going to buy lot nine no matter what happened – last in, first out. We would have gone a bit higher. We made our mind up that we were going to buy the last lot.”

After the dust settled, the nine slots sold for an aggregate of $6,225,000 million, with an average price of $691,667, and a median of $700,000.

The remaining five slots for the NZB Kiwi have been allocated to Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, Waikato Thoroughbred, RACE, and the Canterbury Jockey Club, with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing holding the final slot for promotional purposes.

NZTR Chief Executive Bruce Sharrock was rapt with the outcome of Tuesday’s auction.

"Tonight exceeded all expectations and sets a new standard for the New Zealand racing industry,” he said. 

"The best part was how excited our participants and stakeholders are, and it sets us up extremely well for the future."

NZTR Chairman Cameron George echoed those sentiments and said it was great to see international interest in the concept.

“It’s an outstanding result for the industry and we are really proud of the fact that people around the world were participating,” he said. “We are looking forward to the next 12 months and how we can make this race the great event we can have in New Zealand racing.”

New Zealand Bloodstock has been instrumental in the launch of the NZB Kiwi and managing director Andrew Seabrook couldn’t have been happier with Tuesday’s outcome.

“It’s the first time that a slot race has been auctioned anywhere in the world. Everyone went into the unknown and what unfolded was quite incredible,” he said. “It’s great to see global participation and there is an amazing buzz here at Karaka.”

The NZB Kiwi Slot Auction Results

• Average: $691,667
• Aggregate: $6,225,000
• Median: $700,000

Slot 1: John Chew - $725,000
Slot 2: Kerri Spence Bloodstock/Clotworthy Racing - $675,000
Slot 3: Wexford Stables - $700,000
Slot 4: Daniel Nakhle - $675,000
Slot 5: Te Akau Racing - $675,000
Slot 6: Ozzie Kheir - $700,000
Slot 7: Entain New Zealand - $700,000
Slot 8: Andrew Forsman - $675,000
Slot 9: Cambridge Stud - $700,000

Corporate Communications
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
Contact: Emma Thompson 
+64 21 071 2929
nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

[Shad]

So how does the concept work, do they have an automatic runner for the race after buying the slot.

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Sorry I'm confused?  Why is it sickening?  I thought you would find it entertaining given none of it was your money.

Find a concept (yet another) copied off the Aussies , thats closed off to the majority of the industry just via obvious ($$$s) reasons, sorry I find it sickening the soul of racing continues to disappear in this country, no wonder the common man finds it difficult to get interested these days.

[billy connolly]

1 hour ago, Shad said:

So how does the concept work, do they have an automatic runner for the race after buying the slot.

14 slots, 4 pre-sold at $450k to clubs hosting qualifying events, 9 auctioned at $700k approx and 1 freebee to NZTR.

Not entirely sure of prize monies and field selection but each slot has a three year tenure and slot owners can either use their slot or lease to a third party (at an inflated price) close to the race.

Seems a reasonable investment if you have a spare 700k.

 

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

no wonder the common man finds it difficult to get interested these days.

Define "the common man"?

[Doomed]

Just now, Chief Stipe said:

Define "the common man"?

That would be me.

[Huey]

12 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Define "the common man"?

Also be me. 

I stand by the my sentiment, sickening to watch.

[Wingman]

A top class racing journalist Tony Morris published a superb book 'Thoroughbred Stallions in 1990. In the Preface he said the aim of the book "was to provide a background to the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industries of the modern era with particular reference to the role played by leading stallions. It examines the key events in the racing and stud lives of 75 horses, each notable for some reason or other."

This book is fascinating because the author doesn't just give dry facts but links those facts into other facts backed by his knowledge and yes, opinion. The following is the opening paragraph of one of the chapters and I will leave you to your own conclusions apart from the comment, 'The more things change the more they stay the same.'

Quote, "One of the saddest results of recent developments in the pattern of ownership in Britain is that the vast majority of the better horses are now concentrated into a tiny minority of unnaturally flourishing stables. The likes of Henry Cecil, Michael Stoute, Luca Cumani, Dick Hern and Guy Harwood are obviously very good trainers, but they are not that much better than a host of talented smaller trainers who, until a few years ago, had a chance of competing with them.  The little man has been robbed of his dreams while the favoured fellow at the top really has nothing to congratulate himself about beyond having made the most of what were, at best, his exceptional opportunities, at worst, his unfair advantages. The medias' inevitable tendency to concentrate on the big trainers and their strings only exacerbates matters. Countless second-rate horses, who would not be deemed worthy of notice in a smaller yard, become hyped, while the first rate-rate horse in an unfashionable stable is overlooked, seemingly powerless to attract attention to himself. "unquote 

[Huey]

3 hours ago, Wingman said:

 

Quote, "One of the saddest results of recent developments in the pattern of ownership in Britain is that the vast majority of the better horses are now concentrated into a tiny minority of unnaturally flourishing stables. The likes of Henry Cecil, Michael Stoute, Luca Cumani, Dick Hern and Guy Harwood are obviously very good trainers, but they are not that much better than a host of talented smaller trainers who, until a few years ago, had a chance of competing with them.  The little man has been robbed of his dreams while the favoured fellow at the top really has nothing to congratulate himself about beyond having made the most of what were, at best, his exceptional opportunities, at worst, his unfair advantages. The medias' inevitable tendency to concentrate on the big trainers and their strings only exacerbates matters. Countless second-rate horses, who would not be deemed worthy of notice in a smaller yard, become hyped, while the first rate-rate horse in an unfashionable stable is overlooked, seemingly powerless to attract attention to himself. "unquote 

That quote is so relevant in NZ today!

I'm sorry if I don't get my rocks off over another well bred winner the Lindsays have acquired, an Aussie Bred that TA have thats flying , kid trainers being puffed up in big stables who have mostly seen only one side of the sport,anything Ellerslie being hailed as god like, trackside presenter salivating when speaking to the chosen few and the list goes on. Its become so boring and the character the industry has had in the past slowly disappears.

[curious]

1 hour ago, Huey said:

That quote is so relevant in NZ today!

I'm sorry if I don't get my rocks off over another well bred winner the Lindsays have acquired, an Aussie Bred that TA have thats flying , kid trainers being puffed up in big stables who have mostly seen only one side of the sport,anything Ellerslie being hailed as god like, trackside presenter salivating when speaking to the chosen few and the list goes on. Its become so boring and the character the industry has had in the past slowly disappears.

Only thing I disagree with is the "slowly".

[TAB For Ever]

5 hours ago, Wingman said:

A top class racing journalist Tony Morris published a superb book 'Thoroughbred Stallions in 1990. In the Preface he said the aim of the book "was to provide a background to the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industries of the modern era with particular reference to the role played by leading stallions. It examines the key events in the racing and stud lives of 75 horses, each notable for some reason or other."

This book is fascinating because the author doesn't just give dry facts but links those facts into other facts backed by his knowledge and yes, opinion. The following is the opening paragraph of one of the chapters and I will leave you to your own conclusions apart from the comment, 'The more things change the more they stay the same.'

Quote, "One of the saddest results of recent developments in the pattern of ownership in Britain is that the vast majority of the better horses are now concentrated into a tiny minority of unnaturally flourishing stables. The likes of Henry Cecil, Michael Stoute, Luca Cumani, Dick Hern and Guy Harwood are obviously very good trainers, but they are not that much better than a host of talented smaller trainers who, until a few years ago, had a chance of competing with them.  The little man has been robbed of his dreams while the favoured fellow at the top really has nothing to congratulate himself about beyond having made the most of what were, at best, his exceptional opportunities, at worst, his unfair advantages. The medias' inevitable tendency to concentrate on the big trainers and their strings only exacerbates matters. Countless second-rate horses, who would not be deemed worthy of notice in a smaller yard, become hyped, while the first rate-rate horse in an unfashionable stable is overlooked, seemingly powerless to attract attention to himself. "unquote 

I never heard of trainers Cecil , Stoute , Cumani ,Hean or Harwood. 

Are/were they North Island or South Island  ? 

[Cyril]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

That quote is so relevant in NZ today!

I'm sorry if I don't get my rocks off over another well bred winner the Lindsays have acquired, an Aussie Bred that TA have thats flying , kid trainers being puffed up in big stables who have mostly seen only one side of the sport,anything Ellerslie being hailed as god like, trackside presenter salivating when speaking to the chosen few and the list goes on. Its become so boring and the character the industry has had in the past slowly disappears.

And we've only got another 12 months of this hype to endure.

[TAB For Ever]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

That quote is so relevant in NZ today!

I'm sorry if I don't get my rocks off over another well bred winner the Lindsays have acquired, an Aussie Bred that TA have thats flying , kid trainers being puffed up in big stables who have mostly seen only one side of the sport,anything Ellerslie being hailed as god like, trackside presenter salivating when speaking to the chosen few and the list goes on. Its become so boring and the character the industry has had in the past slowly disappears.

Every time I see these 'leading' industry participants win a decent race I am reminded how thankful we should be that the 'common Kiwis' are propping up and contributing so much to the Industry which many on here claim they love !

The quick sand crowd and keyboard snipers point out every move these guys make with a negative spin and seem to suggest they are getting richer by the minute in Racing.

To me these guys served long apprenticeships as battlers ,made money from working hard, good investments etc and now pour millions into their hobby , Racing .I doubt if any make money out of Racing . And they employ and assist hundreds in Racing .

Hanger Lindsay used to borrow $2 for lunch as he made Coat hangers in a small shed..... then he developed a World renowned plastics company , and was in a position to assure that NZ's Iconic Cambridge Stud remained owned in NZ.

The Nakhles were a Immigrant family ,who worked in factories and restaurants etc to survive in NZ. Their family is very highly regarded in the Community thriving in Charity work and they built Byleley Park to enhance NZ Racing.

David Ellis worked 3 x jobs as a youngster to get into a position to buy Farmland which was always his goal....his love of animals escalated to include Gallopers. 

Etc, etc.....but so easy for jealousy and envy to cloud our thoughts and keyboard offerings !

Naturally we would all like to have more money , assets etc but in an earlier era none of these folks were just handed it.A very successful NZ trainer told me last month how hard he found it to start and early on after some success he went almost 12 months without a win ,and he and wife were grinding it out with the horses ,struggling with owners and bills until ONE good horse was developed and the resulting huge sale paid their mortgage etc and they never looked back !

We rubbish the successful people [ Tall poppy ] yet when a 'little guy' has success if he hangs on to the horse long enough to make the headlines ,he gets it almost worse! ie before a Sale...most winners in NZ are hit with offers , many too good to refuse .

Remember  Sir Slick...these pages were riddled with negativity towards the small trainer ! Didn't have a clue you said !

And before that Showgate....they still talking about incompetence from nearly 50 years ago. 

So maybe we should concentrate on the things we are responsible for and control and think twice before putting the boot into these good folk who contribute so much to racing !

Afterall IMO they are good 'common' Kiwis who with a great work ethic and attitude have accumulated a bit wealth on the side which they happily share with others !

 

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, curious said:

Only thing I disagree with is the "slowly".

But not for the reasons @Huey and @billy connolly argue.  The tracks are the fundamental issue not the people at the coalface - the trainers, the owners, the Jockeys,....

[Chief Stipe]

49 minutes ago, Cyril said:

And we've only got another 12 months of this hype to endure.

It's not your money is it?  So what's the problem?

[That Girl]

I must say I sat and watched the news that night, stories about kids living in hardship, no money to upgrade rotting classrooms, National instead spending money on tax cuts dishing out prob $20 a week (if that) for the struggling 'common man' ... then I flicked over to watch the slot auction, and in that sense, I think I see where Huey is coming from. 

[Chief Stipe]

35 minutes ago, That Girl said:

I must say I sat and watched the news that night, stories about kids living in hardship, no money to upgrade rotting classrooms, National instead spending money on tax cuts dishing out prob $20 a week (if that) for the struggling 'common man' ... then I flicked over to watch the slot auction, and in that sense, I think I see where Huey is coming from. 

Do you really think @Huey is a "common man"?

How many youngsters do you think the major stables employ?  I know one stable employs over 100 individuals.

Or do you think a better option is for gang members to spend $50k plus on a gold plated motorcycle that they have funded by selling meth?

 

[That Girl]

26 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Do you really think @Huey is a "common man"?

How many youngsters do you think the major stables employ?  I know one stable employs over 100 individuals.

 

Don't know Huey (or Cyril), wouldn't know if they are 'common men' or 'wealthy' men, I'm just speaking to the fact that, personally, the irony of the contrasts in my TV viewing lastnight wasn't lost on me.

In fact, if the aforementioned men are in fact wealthy, then I'd probably have even more respect for the fact that they can still see this as "not smelling right" or being "sickening".  

I have a background in the greyhound industry so I'm very common lol. And to us 'greyhound people' and to everyday common people, horse racing is a 'rich man's sport'. That is a fact that has never looked more apparent than last night... I understand people's concern that this isnt really any help to "battlers,smaller trainers, heartland racecourses and clubs". All of the above have all but been eradicated from the sport of greyhound racing, its gone from a  hobbie/sport to a gambling product basically, lost its heart and soul.

I see your point, and I take that on board, employing lots of people.. 👍

[Chief Stipe]

11 hours ago, That Girl said:

In fact, if the aforementioned men are in fact wealthy, then I'd probably have even more respect for the fact that they can still see this as "not smelling right" or being "sickening".

But they haven't told us why it "doesn't smell right"or why it is "sickening".

11 hours ago, That Girl said:

I have a background in the greyhound industry so I'm very common lol. And to us 'greyhound people' and to everyday common people, horse racing is a 'rich man's sport'. That is a fact that has never looked more apparent than last night... I understand people's concern that this isnt really any help to "battlers,smaller trainers, heartland racecourses and clubs". All of the above have all but been eradicated from the sport of greyhound racing, its gone from a  hobbie/sport to a gambling product basically, lost its heart and soul.

So what are you doing to address the issues in your chosen racing sport?

Of those in the "rich man's sport" (I note your gender bias) how many were gifted their stake in the Thoroughbred industry?  

[Chief Stipe]

I see that one of the rich stables/rich men (whatever that means) bought a Slot in the Kiwi B race.  Clotworthy Racing - sure in partnership with someone else but they bought a slot.  Shaun and Emma Clotworthy.

I was reviewing the negativity on this thread and watching Trackside today and saw a young apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll win a race in the so called Waikato Mafia home - Matamata.  Now young Ace doesn't come from a very privileged background but I understand is apprenticed to the Clotwothy's and obviously is doing well in his chosen career.  I might add that career hasn't been without some ups and downs.  Who amongst us can say that our teenage years wasn't chequered?!

I saw Ace at Ellerslie riding track gallops on Monday.  He got off one horse exhuasted having had to work really hard to get it to gallop.  I was impressed with his assessment of the horse he rode.  I talked to the Clerk of the Course and heard all about his journey to this point.  It isn't my place to relay that story but what I will say racing has offered a young keen man from south of Auckland a chance to pave a good career.  

Has the sport of Thoroughbred Racing really left the "common man" behind?  Whatever that term means.