recommendations from M Report... 6 years on

[Murray Fish]

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Shared with Public

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Reduce the number of existing thoroughbred racing venues in New

Zealand over the next 6 years by 20, from 48 to 28 venues, and establish

Cambridge as a new synthetic track racing and training venue within 1

year, so making a total of 29 venues. Sell all freehold racecourse land of

the closed venues with the proceeds to accrue to NZTR. Maintain

racecourses in all regions of New Zealand where racing is currently

conducted. Not require any Race Clubs to close but encourage them to

race at another venue or merge with another Club.

2. Significantly improve the racing and facilities infrastructure at all

remaining tracks over the next 6 years and build 3 synthetic racing and

training tracks (including Cambridge) over the next 3 years, at an

estimated total cost of about $190 million.

3. Fund all the proposed capital expenditure by the sale of surplus freehold

racecourse land, grants from the Provincial Growth Fund for the

synthetic tracks and co-funding by some Race Clubs. Clubs racing at

retained venues (or NZTR as per recommendation 5 below) should also

be required to sell any surplus freehold land holdings to help co-fund

infrastructure investment.

4. Build an exceptional new racing and training venue in the Waikato within

the next 8 to 10 years at an estimated cost of at least $110 million and

then close and sell the Te Rapa, Cambridge and Te Awamutu

racecourses to fund the development. There would then be 27

thoroughbred venues racing in New Zealand.

5. To allow for recommendations 1 to 4 to be implemented, amend the

Racing Act 2003 and any other relevant legislation to provide for the

vesting in NZTR of the ownership of freehold racecourse land and other

net assets of Race Clubs. This would allow NZTR, if it decided not to

issue licences to a Race Club/s to hold any race meetings at a venue, to

then take possession of the Race Club/s freehold racecourse land and

sell the land with the proceeds being used to benefit the entire

thoroughbred racing industry. The proposed amendments to the Racing

Act 2003 should also facilitate the ability of NZTR to negotiate loans,

secured by the freehold racecourse land, to fund infrastructure

investment before the freehold land of the closed venues is sold.

6. To introduce a simplified 3 Tier structure for New Zealand thoroughbred

racing and a simplified Prizemoney Matrix that will provide for about

$110 million of prizemoney (up from $53.7 million in 2016/17 and an

estimated $59.4 million in 2017/18), including 6th to 10th prizemoney,

subject to the implementation of the other recommendations in this

report. All races at the same meetings to have the same minimum

prizemoney whether they be an Open Handicap or a Maiden race.

7. To introduce the measures described to reinforce the importance of

good corporate governance practices by Race Club controlling Boards

or Committees, to improve the Race Club management skills of CEOs

and senior staff and to lift the NZTR minimum acceptable standards for

racecourses in terms of the presentation of racing tracks, training tracks

and facilities infrastructure. Increased attention should also be given to

ensuring the adequate training of all Race Club staff and, in particular,

track maintenance personnel.

[Murray Fish]

Tracks to close

• Dargaville

• Avondale

• Thames

• Rotorua

• Wairoa

• Stratford

• Hawera

• Waipukurau

• Woodville

• Reefton

• Greymouth

• Hokitika

• Motukarara

• Timaru

• Kurow

• Oamaru

• Waimate

• Omakau

• Winton

• Gore

[Murray Fish]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The proposed 28 remaining venues are:

• Ellerslie

• Matamata

• Te Aroha

• Pukekohe

• Te Rapa*

• Te Awamutu*

• Tauranga

• Ruakaka

• Taupo

• Te Teko

• Awapuni

• Trentham

• Hastings

• Otaki

• Wanganui

• New Plymouth

• Waverley

• Tauherenikau

• Gisborne

• Blenheim

• Riccarton Park

• Ashburton

• Wingatui

• Ascot Park Invercargill

• Kumara

• Cromwell

• Waikouaiti

• Riverton

[Huey]

3 minutes ago, Murray Fish said:

Tracks to close

• Dargaville

• Avondale

• Thames

• Rotorua

• Wairoa

• Stratford

• Hawera

• Waipukurau

• Woodville

• Reefton

• Greymouth

• Hokitika

• Motukarara

• Timaru

• Kurow

• Oamaru

• Waimate

• Omakau

• Winton

• Gore

Clown show in no position to close all of those.

M Report has done next to nothing positive for the NZracing scene.

[Chief Stipe]

27 minutes ago, Murray Fish said:

Tracks to close

• Dargaville

• Avondale

• Thames

• Rotorua

• Wairoa

• Stratford

• Hawera

• Waipukurau

• Woodville

• Reefton

• Greymouth

• Hokitika

• Motukarara

• Timaru

• Kurow

• Oamaru

• Waimate

• Omakau

• Winton

• Gore

Interesting I've talked to a few Trainers and Jockeys over the years.  BEFORE the Mess-ara report.

A few of those tracks were rated the best in their districts.  

They may not have had nice GRANDstands but they had good tracks.  More often than not they had cash in the bank.

Go figure.

[Murray Fish]

the Offical take on the M...

NZTR Applauds Messara Report Recommendations

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has welcomed the findings of the Messara Report into the state of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.

“It’s time for change. We believe this report will create a blueprint for a thriving thoroughbred industry,” NZTR Chairman, Dr Alan Jackson, said.

“While our Board has yet to consider the report in detail, the major recommendations are in line with NZTR’s views and it is reassuring to have those policies verified by an independent and expert voice.

“But implementing the report will still require a considerable amount of work and investment,” Jackson said. “We need to work with the Government, the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB) and the Racing Industry Transition Agency to ensure that this opportunity is not wasted.

“We are confident that racing has a bright future in New Zealand but real change and brave leadership will be required if we are to achieve the report’s target of doubling prize money.

“We are at the cross-roads in terms of sustainability and we need to move quickly. It’s a heavily regulated industry and it is vital that any recommended changes to the Racing Act are put in place as soon as practicable, to allow each Code to achieve their potential.

“The current wagering business model is under severe competitive pressure, and we need additional income streams and reduced costs if thoroughbred racing’s share is to grow.”

NZTR endorsed the Messara Report recommendation that the NZRB outsources much of the TAB’s commercial operations.

“This is something NZTR has been advocating for some time,” Jackson said. Multiple pieces of work, which NZTR had been involved with or undertaken, had shown that an outsourcing arrangement would provide significant financial gains.

“This is one way of overcoming a lack of scale, which has made it increasingly difficult for the NZ TAB to operate in what is now a highly competitive wagering market.”

The argument for outsourcing had also been strengthened by changes to the international regulatory environment, which had not been anticipated at the time of the NZRB’s current strategy.

NZTR also welcomed the recommendations in the Messara Report on synthetic tracks and racing venues. “NZTR has been undertaking its own venue review and has come to similar conclusions,” Jackson said.

“While there will always be a place for each club, it has been obvious for some time that the industry cannot sustain the current number of venues.

“Infrastructure spending needs to be lifted. Many of our strategic tracks require significant investment but if we attempt to retain the current number of venues, there is a risk that the infrastructure spending will be spread too thinly.

“Synthetic tracks will play a key role in providing consistent and reliable surfaces and will ease the pressure on the main turf tracks.

“The recommendations in the Messara report are a pathway to a major uplift in our sector’s economic performance and contribution to New Zealand,” Jackson said. “But there is a lot of detail to consider and we are pleased that the Government has pledged to consult further with the industry.

“Our sport has had a significant economic and social impact on New Zealand. It sustains more than 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs, has over 55,000 participants and generates more than $1.6 billion in value-added contribution to the New Zealand economy.

“The thoroughbred code, alone, has 16,000 owners, 3700 breeders and 1000 trainers and generates more than 9000 FTE jobs, plus volunteers.”