Trackside?

[Chief Stipe]

46 minutes ago, Huey said:

Ridden more winners than Sweeney, not that means much. I prefer listening to her than Innes, each to their own.

Yeah I prefer Innes and Sweeny over "read from the racebook" Heveldt and "she's glowing in the coat" Leighton.  But as you say each to their own.  Both Innes and Sweeney know the form.

[westbrew]

Well i attended Trentham on Saturday, my first visit since about 2010 I think, there is no doubt in my mind that we are at the beginning of the end for that course, with all surplus land sold, very little support from joe public ( with no public facilities anymore that's not surprising)  and reading thru RACE financials bottom line is that the numbers in their accounts show that racing is not generating enough money to support the running of meetings plus the ongoing of maintenance of  tracks and facilities. Trentham needs a serious upgrade to get the next generation to attend Race meetings and with stakes where they are, the money is not there to support that, so i expect Trentham to be sold off within 5 years.   

[Newmarket]

On 31/03/2025 at 12:50 AM, Dark Beau said:

Have you just emerged from your 10 year slumber or are you poorly read? 
There’s not a person in the racing game and a lot outside of it who all know of Erin. 
Seriously do some research friend. 

Well most would know her from the court case rather than her riding. 
Don’t be an arse, I follow mainly Aus & NZ harness, she hardly stands out for me riding 41 winners over 7 yrs…

[Newmarket]

10 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Yeah I prefer Innes and Sweeny over "read from the racebook" Heveldt and "she's glowing in the coat" Leighton.  But as you say each to their own.  Both Innes and Sweeney know the form.

Good god….Innes & Sweeny average. Just watch how polished the Friday Nights team are, very informative with interviews etc….

More often than not…. the gallops team interview trainer after a win and ask same question…. Were you surprised with the win…. Answer, No I expected it to win🤭🤣

Reason being we have so much nonsense shit going on, 

 

[SLB2.0]

Have you guys noticed how little they care about the punter now, though?

It's more talking heads and we barely see a result shown, and as we all know, they don't even wait to show a photo finish for a big Australian race. Instead, they cut off and say "we'll update you on the result, but now we cross to *insert shit nz meeting here*" - and we never get the result.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Newmarket said:

Well most would know her from the court case rather than her riding. 
Don’t be an arse, I follow mainly Aus & NZ harness, she hardly stands out for me riding 41 winners over 7 yrs…

Well if you know so much of her background why ask "who is this woman"?

That aside cut her some slack - I imagine like most trackside presenters she has landed the job and found that there is very little training nor support and the employment T's & C's are crap.  

I don't listen to her but then I have listened to very few of those on horse back with a microphone.  Lizzie Jelf's was worth listening to - a sense of humour and an astute judge.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Newmarket said:

More often than not…. the gallops team interview trainer after a win and ask same question…. Were you surprised with the win…. Answer, No I expected it to win🤭🤣

Aiden Rodley tends to detract from the others.  

[Newmarket]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Well if you know so much of her background why ask "who is this woman"?

That aside cut her some slack - I imagine like most trackside presenters she has landed the job and found that there is very little training nor support and the employment T's & C's are crap.  

I don't listen to her but then I have listened to very few of those on horse back with a microphone.  Lizzie Jelf's was worth listening to - a sense of humour and an astute judge.

Funny how you can criticise…. but when I say she comes across as ordinary it’s an issue? TAB sent me email awhile back to rate presenters…. Hope they listen to me. I suppose I am being a little harsh, Aussie crew are superb on major meetings, 

[mikeynz]

50 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Funny how you can criticise…. but when I say she comes across as ordinary it’s an issue? TAB sent me email awhile back to rate presenters…. Hope they listen to me. I suppose I am being a little harsh, Aussie crew are superb on major meetings, 

Aussie crew are better as aussies can spin more bullshit than kiwis lol.

[Chief Stipe]

53 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Funny how you can criticise…. but when I say she comes across as ordinary it’s an issue? TAB sent me email awhile back to rate presenters…. Hope they listen to me. I suppose I am being a little harsh, Aussie crew are superb on major meetings, 

Did I say you couldn't criticise?  I just said cut her some slack.  Why does everyone get so precious about their opinions...?

You've described her as "ordinary".  What does that mean?

[Newmarket]

14 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

Aussie crew are better as aussies can spin more bullshit than kiwis lol.

More informative, more experienced, just far superior 

[Newmarket]

11 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Did I say you couldn't criticise?  I just said cut her some slack.  Why does everyone get so precious about their opinions...?

You've described her as "ordinary".  What does that mean?

Ordinary for me…. Is when she starts yakking I mute TV till race starts…. How’s that. 
Not just her, a few others too, so many more have been employed but sadly just quantity not quality. 
 

[Chief Stipe]

38 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Ordinary for me…. Is when she starts yakking I mute TV till race starts…. How’s that. 

That's an ordinary response but you haven't described what you find ordinary.

In my opinion it must be hard to assess a horse when you are only bought out for a big meeting and even then not every big meeting.  Unless you are regularly seeing these horses you can't really assess them.

[Bill]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

That's an ordinary response but you haven't described what you find ordinary.

In my opinion it must be hard to assess a horse when you are only bought out for a big meeting and even then not every big meeting.  Unless you are regularly seeing these horses you can't really assess them.

Matt Hill to call the Wellington steeplechase with Justin Evans they announced today—-and no its not April 1

[Assange]

6 hours ago, SLB2.0 said:

Have you guys noticed how little they care about the punter now, though?

It's more talking heads and we barely see a result shown, and as we all know, they don't even wait to show a photo finish for a big Australian race. Instead, they cut off and say "we'll update you on the result, but now we cross to *insert shit nz meeting here*" - and we never get the result.

My big bugbear is not getting the times, especially after the 1st race when tracks miraculously get an upgrade. 

[Newmarket]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

That's an ordinary response but you haven't described what you find ordinary.

In my opinion it must be hard to assess a horse when you are only bought out for a big meeting and even then not every big meeting.  Unless you are regularly seeing these horses you can't really assess them.

I’ve told you, I don’t bet a heap with NZ gallops, but sadly I have to listen to NZ tripe while waiting for Aus races. 
Hopefully nobody listens to Trackside tips…. and when they say a horse has a great coat…. then by end of preview all have😆

I can get partial / full previous  replays  of most city meetings on Sportsbet, I like to judge myself. But good on you waiting for their best bets on a Sat morning….

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, Assange said:

My big bugbear is not getting the times, especially after the 1st race when tracks miraculously get an upgrade. 

Yep that really really pisses me off.  Trainers and Punters stuffed over.  Then the upgrade is only ever one grade never what it should be.  

As for the time.  WTF don't they fix the electronic timing at Trentham?  3rd world stuff.

OZ the replays are up before the next and times and sectionals often as well.

No wonder we need a monopoly why would OZZIES bet on our races.

 

[Chief Stipe]

5 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

I’ve told you, I don’t bet a heap with NZ gallops, but sadly I have to listen to NZ tripe while waiting for Aus races. 
Hopefully nobody listens to Trackside tips…. and when they say a horse has a great coat…. then by end of preview all have😆

If you are serious about making a quid on punting then you wouldn't listen to any commentator.

[Wingman]

22 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Yep that really really pisses me off.  Trainers and Punters stuffed over.  Then the upgrade is only ever one grade never what it should be.  

As for the time.  WTF don't they fix the electronic timing at Trentham?  3rd world stuff.

Entain do not care about detail other than these are the win prices for the race about to be shown (which are uncompetitive/highly risk averse, then change significantly when the race is about to start) . Then the next race and so on. Turnover is a "SECRET" which is usually code for underwhelming which will be why the change of NZ executive leadership.

They are the wrong company for this country and they are probably right now doing the sums re ongoing significant investment or cutting their losses and departing. The latter decision would be a win/win for both parties.

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, Wingman said:

They are the wrong company for this country and they are probably right now doing the sums re ongoing significant investment or cutting their losses and departing. The latter decision would be a win/win for both parties.

Who the F is going to take over?  

Seriously ENTAIN understand wagering and make good coin out of it.  The disconnect is with the product that we expect them to sell!!!

[Wingman]

10 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

The disconnect is with the product that we expect them to sell!!!

Therefore in this part of the world they are not connecting with the potential customer base and worse alienating what were once regulars. As to who takes over, that is a conversation for another time. 

[curious]

4 minutes ago, Wingman said:

As to who takes over, that is a conversation for another time. 

Just wing it then? Can't see Entain giving up much of the gravy train they are buying. They don't need NZRacing for that.

[curious]

And NZ racing is doing little to help itself or create any alternatives other than stealing community assets.

[Wingman]

I am not at all convinced that right now their board is looking at NZ as a gravy train. An experiment for future development perhaps but with a ROI that is a much larger short term  liability than they budget, the bookie beankeepers will be biting their lips. A good short term sell by NZ which will be very annoying to them.  

Re betting down to lower fixed odds margins..don't believe everything you read.

[curious]

32 minutes ago, Wingman said:

I am not at all convinced that right now their board is looking at NZ as a gravy train. An experiment for future development perhaps but with a ROI that is a much larger short term  liability than they budget, the bookie beankeepers will be biting their lips. A good short term sell by NZ which will be very annoying to them. 

20 years of half the TAB's profits? Looks cheap to me. Maybe why some execs got the DCM? Throwing millions at a lost cause? Doubt that will continue for long.

Edited yesterday at 03:59 AM by curious