Levin is not needed!

[curious]

3 hours ago, Bloke said:

Levin would have spent a considerable amount on the tie ups which are very impressive. Just like Auckland did with their upgrade I would suspect that they sold assets to provide the funds to have them built.

Don't think they had to sell a thing. Paid for from revenue.

[Bloke]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

That is true but none of them are earning/saving enough to maintain their assets without having to borrow capital in the future.

Levin seem to do Ok. They have traded well over the last couple of financial years and have $1M plus in the Bank. That would be the main reason why NZTR are looking to sell them up. Then no doubt NZTR will give the funds to "Race" for them to squander

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Bloke said:

Levin seem to do Ok. They have traded well over the last couple of financial years and have $1M plus in the Bank. That would be the main reason why NZTR are looking to sell them up. Then no doubt NZTR will give the funds to "Race" for them to squander

The Levin Racing Club has a complicated structure as the Club has control over three separate Trusts.  It's not clear that any revenue from Jumpouts was applied to the LRC as I recall that is managed by one of the Trusts.

As you know the $1m in the bank wasn't acquired through trading activities.  The LRC had a loss last season from racing related activities and the biggest single source of income was from interest on investments.  

Also their racing revenue was subsidised by the Otaki Maori Racing Club who hosted the LRC's three racing dates for $10k each day.

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, curious said:

Don't think they had to sell a thing. Paid for from revenue.

You think or you know?

Did the LRC pay for the tie-ups?

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

Try talking to some trainers who aren't wearing Tangerine, you might learn something. 

I have and do frequently.  Essentially from top to bottom they all say the same things with regard to the issues they face.  But you are so fixated on blaming all and sundry that you can't see reality.

[curious]

[Chief Stipe]

11 minutes ago, curious said:

Did you get the Levin discount?

[curious]

What discount is that?

[hesi]

30 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

I have and do frequently.  Essentially from top to bottom they all say the same things with regard to the issues they face.  But you are so fixated on blaming all and sundry that you can't see reality.

Out of interest what are they saying are the issues they face.

If you believe the ongoing onslaught on social media, the industry is on its last legs, especially the well spruiked advisability of proceeding with Flaxmere, when the industry (foal crop) is supposedly contracting so much

[Chief Stipe]

15 minutes ago, hesi said:

Out of interest what are they saying are the issues they face.

As I said in another post - poor tracks, a handicapping system not fit for purpose and a total lack of coherent race programming.  Trials also fit into the latter.  There seems to be no appreciation by the adminstrators that all roads DON'T lead to Ellerslie and that there needs to be regional patterns that allow trainers to get their horses through the grades while minimising other costs such as travel etc.  The classic in that regard is Ruakaka - a good winter surface but stuff all meetings spread all over many months - two of their 7 meetings on consecutive weekends!  Using Ruakaka as an example - why not give them 10 meetings 2-3 weeks apart through the winter?  The local trainers would like it as would trainers further south.

Of course they are all experiencing the increase in input costs e.g. fuel, wages etc. just like everyone else.

Poor stakes - well it has always been like that and people have short memories.

Meanwhile those with well bred yearlings especially fillys are banking extraordinary money from China.  Same applies to well bred well performed mares.  😉

Most of the negativity is confined to Social Media which seems to attract doomsayers especially those with slow horses.  Always better to own a fast horse by yourself than with 20 other owners but better to own a slow horse with the 20!

[hesi]

I'm not in the industry, nor do I really want to be, happy punting

But if you believe social media, the industry is in a terrible state thanks to poor management over the years, and that is from people who are supposedly very knowledgeable in the industry.

I don't really know if this is true or not

From what I see people in the industry are very quick to blame everyone other than themselves.

Classic example, for years and years the industry has sold off its best bloodstock, then wonder why the quality of racing here is not good???

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, hesi said:

Classic example, for years and years the industry has sold off its best bloodstock, then wonder why the quality of racing here is not good???

I disagree with that summation.  Top NZ buyers have still competed with offshore buyers and raced here.  Plus many have bought new blood in from overseas.

[curious]

2 hours ago, hesi said:

I'm not in the industry, nor do I really want to be, happy punting

But if you believe social media, the industry is in a terrible state thanks to poor management over the years, and that is from people who are supposedly very knowledgeable in the industry.

I don't really know if this is true or not

From what I see people in the industry are very quick to blame everyone other than themselves.

Classic example, for years and years the industry has sold off its best bloodstock, then wonder why the quality of racing here is not good???

I suppose that depends what you mean by "quality of racing".  Do you mean having the best of our horses racing here?

[hesi]

Yes

[Huey]

14 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

As I said in another post - poor tracks, a handicapping system not fit for purpose and a total lack of coherent race programming.  Trials also fit into the latter.  There seems to be no appreciation by the adminstrators that all roads DON'T lead to Ellerslie and that there needs to be regional patterns that allow trainers to get their horses through the grades while minimising other costs such as travel etc.  The classic in that regard is Ruakaka - a good winter surface but stuff all meetings spread all over many months - two of their 7 meetings on consecutive weekends!  Using Ruakaka as an example - why not give them 10 meetings 2-3 weeks apart through the winter?  The local trainers would like it as would trainers further south.

Of course they are all experiencing the increase in input costs e.g. fuel, wages etc. just like everyone else.

Poor stakes - well it has always been like that and people have short memories.

Meanwhile those with well bred yearlings especially fillys are banking extraordinary money from China.  Same applies to well bred well performed mares.  😉

Most of the negativity is confined to Social Media which seems to attract doomsayers especially those with slow horses.  Always better to own a fast horse by yourself than with 20 other owners but better to own a slow horse with the 20!

And you're too silly to connect all of this to having places like Levin available to prepare horses.

You're wasted here , you should be working at NZTR!

[Chief Stipe]

14 minutes ago, Huey said:

And you're too silly to connect all of this to having places like Levin available to prepare horses.

Another bitter snipey one liner from the retirement village.

Enlighten us with your erudite cogent analysis. 

[hesi]

With 151 accepting, Tauranga probably thought they were in for a decent race day of maximum 14 fields.  But alas 69 scratchings so only 10 going around per race.                            Must have been a typical H10++ track.  No, it's G4

Who can we blame for that one lol

[Dark Beau]

23 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

The Levin Racing Club has a complicated structure as the Club has control over three separate Trusts.  It's not clear that any revenue from Jumpouts was applied to the LRC as I recall that is managed by one of the Trusts. [Good positioning by them, wouldn't you say?]

As you know the $1m in the bank wasn't acquired through trading activities.  The LRC had a loss last season from racing related activities and the biggest single source of income was from interest on investments.  [So what, neither was Auckland's!]

Also their racing revenue was subsidised by the Otaki Maori Racing Club who hosted the LRC's three racing dates for $10k each day.[That's simply you opinion, not necessarily a fact or prove it]

You never seem to be happy. Next time I am in Auckland I'll shout you a beer at Molloy's bar. That should cheer you up or possibly you will have someone else [Leo] to tangle with, as I don't have enough energy to keep responding to you.

[Chief Stipe]

8 hours ago, hesi said:

With 151 accepting, Tauranga probably thought they were in for a decent race day of maximum 14 fields.  But alas 69 scratchings so only 10 going around per race.                            Must have been a typical H10++ track.  No, it's G4

Who can we blame for that one lol

The trainers who wanted a soft track?  They should have gone to Hastings.

[Huey]

16 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

The trainers who wanted a soft track?  They should have gone to Hastings.

But that was a Heavy , you do know the difference right?

[curious]

27 minutes ago, Huey said:

But that was a Heavy , you do know the difference right?

The Chief might but some clubs obviously don't

[Chief Stipe]

On 28/05/2026 at 5:36 PM, hesi said:

But if you believe social media, the industry is in a terrible state thanks to poor management over the years, and that is from people who are supposedly very knowledgeable in the industry.

Sad indictment of NZ Racing when a Topic named after the leading stable has the most posts knocking the stable.  Is that the definition of envy?

[Huey]

58 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Sad indictment of NZ Racing when a Topic named after the leading stable has the most posts knocking the stable.  Is that the definition of envy?

 

58 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Sad indictment of NZ Racing when a Topic named after the leading stable has the most posts knocking the stable.  Is that the definition of envy?

How so?

[hesi]

How so?

You have these faceless and nameless people trying to slur the character of TA and its key players, based on hearsay and anecdotal fluff

I see some of the borderline defamation posts have been deleted.

Rather them than me, screen shots will have been taken.

[Bloke]

On 28/05/2026 at 4:11 PM, Chief Stipe said:

The Levin Racing Club has a complicated structure as the Club has control over three separate Trusts.  It's not clear that any revenue from Jumpouts was applied to the LRC as I recall that is managed by one of the Trusts.

As you know the $1m in the bank wasn't acquired through trading activities.  The LRC had a loss last season from racing related activities and the biggest single source of income was from interest on investments.  

Also their racing revenue was subsidised by the Otaki Maori Racing Club who hosted the LRC's three racing dates for $10k each day.

There is no mention of any "Jump Out" income in the accounts, so I think it is safe to assume that financials do not include jump out  or training income. The accounts also state that there is a racing surplus of $50.7k, however it is difficult to obtain a definitive overall picture as all the activities are not consolidated.