Freda Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Can't find anything to take exception to here. I've expressed the opinion elsewhere, that as surplus land at Riccarton Park has now been sold for housing [ thus eliminating the scope for further stabling developments as well as a very valuable off-track exercise area ] and the majestic old stand which had fantastic views, is now facing demolition as a result of earthquake damage, that to sell the rest of it and redevelop on light, free-draining soil would make bloody good sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 I think you need to re-read my post again Reefton, I suggested shutting Te Rapa, Trentham & Pukekohe all Metro tracks I would have thought. & upgrading these ones below, which are hardly city tracks, Avondale is currently a dive, but has a great surface. " Upgrade Avondale, build a new track at Cambridge, Upgrade Wairoa & race more often, upgrade Tauherenikau & Waverley, modernise Otaki & Foxton, Modernise Timaru & Riverton". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, barryb said: I think you need to re-read my post again Reefton, I suggested shutting Te Rapa, Trentham & Pukekohe all Metro tracks I would have thought. & upgrading these ones below, which are hardly city tracks, Avondale is currently a dive, but has a great surface. " Upgrade Avondale, build a new track at Cambridge, Upgrade Wairoa & race more often, upgrade Tauherenikau & Waverley, modernise Otaki & Foxton, Modernise Timaru & Riverton". That's certainly a lot more sensible than anything Messara or NZTR have come up with barryb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Should the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas be moved to the North Island - Just throwing it out there Only looked at the last three years but: 1000 Guineas 2018 - 10 NI horses & 3 SI horses. 2017 - 11 NI horses & 3 SI horses 2016 - 7 NI & 2 SI 2000 Guineas 2018 - 12 NI horses & 1 SI horse who ran last. 2017 - 9 NI horses and 3 SI horses. 2016 10 NI & 1 SI horse ran last. The fields have been relatively small, very little SI representation (La Diosa won the 1000 Guineas in 2016) other wise just a third placing for the SI horses. Would they be better run in the NI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Should the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas be moved to the North Island - Just throwing it out there Only looked at the last three years but: 1000 Guineas 2018 - 10 NI horses & 3 SI horses. 2017 - 11 NI horses & 3 SI horses 2016 - 7 NI & 2 SI 2000 Guineas 2018 - 12 NI horses & 1 SI horse who ran last. 2017 - 9 NI horses and 3 SI horses. 2016 10 NI & 1 SI horse ran last. The fields have been relatively small, very little SI representation (La Diosa won the 1000 Guineas in 2016) other wise just a third placing for the SI horses. Would they be better run in the NI? Yep! And risk running them on shit hole tracks like the NZ is prone to at that time of year 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) On 21/07/2019 at 9:09 PM, barryb said: Yeah they do want it, they just don’t want all afternoon. That’s where my 3 hrs of Racing 20 comes from,1 November till 28 Feb 5pm till 8pm. Imagine finishing work at 4pm Friday, grabbing the kids for a nights entertainment every 20 mins, then home at 8pm. Makes bloody good sense to me. And Forbury did it last week with the races finishing about 8.35. It was really good as no sooner were the horses off the track that the next ones were coming out. I thought it was perfect for a cold winter's night at a minor meeting with average horses. The facilities at most harness racing clubs are not conducive to hanging around outside or inside! If you make me wait I will be gone. Any grass track venue for harness racing will see a clear drop off in patrons after race 6 or 7 when the length between races is extended by about 15 minutes. The whole thing falls flat. Harness racing should go from 11 to 4pm and leave anytime after that to the gallops. Big meetings or major courses could maintain longer times to keep their on course dining patrons happy. Just have to have more flexibility to match the occasion otherwise it is bloody boring. No one unless they are semi addicted is willing to hang around for 10 races at a track. I digressed from the title of thread but it is much the same in either code. Edited July 23, 2019 by Happy Sunrise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 22 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Should the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas be moved to the North Island - Just throwing it out there Only looked at the last three years but: 1000 Guineas 2018 - 10 NI horses & 3 SI horses. 2017 - 11 NI horses & 3 SI horses 2016 - 7 NI & 2 SI 2000 Guineas 2018 - 12 NI horses & 1 SI horse who ran last. 2017 - 9 NI horses and 3 SI horses. 2016 10 NI & 1 SI horse ran last. The fields have been relatively small, very little SI representation (La Diosa won the 1000 Guineas in 2016) other wise just a third placing for the SI horses. Would they be better run in the NI? Good idea to move them closer to the contending horse population. Trying to think of a NI track suitable to host them. Castlepoint? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, barryb said: I think you need to re-read my post again Reefton, I suggested shutting Te Rapa, Trentham & Pukekohe all Metro tracks I would have thought. & upgrading these ones below, which are hardly city tracks, Avondale is currently a dive, but has a great surface. " Upgrade Avondale, build a new track at Cambridge, Upgrade Wairoa & race more often, upgrade Tauherenikau & Waverley, modernise Otaki & Foxton, Modernise Timaru & Riverton". Yeah sorry about that. Just read the 'shut the coast' comments and thought here we go again. NZ treats the Coast like shit (in far more ways and areas than racing) and it gives me the shits. I gave Bernard all he was looking for and I will continue to defend the place. We owe nobody anything and we aren't giving up our racing when we are perfectly viable. Thats the whole point - the self sufficient get the life booted out of them and the bludgers sail happily onwards with smug looks on their gobs. My plan would right he ship in that regard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, Reefton said: Yep! And risk running them on shit hole tracks like the NZ is prone to at that time of year North Island not frigging NZ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Re the twenty minutes interval thing the way to do that is to have a set of stalls reserved for horses in the next race where they are required to be prior to the previous and as close to the weighing room as poss. Saddles out and on and in parade ring within ten minutes and off to the start. Make D Walsh the sole adjudicator of enquiries in the south and someone equivalent in the North. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 The only problem with that Reefton is that the gross margin on turnover is more like 12-15% so I don't see how you can pay out 25% on average to clubs after all other expenses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 How about combining harness and gallops,1 gallop race 20 minutes later a harness race etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 3 minutes ago, Reefton said: Re the twenty minutes interval thing the way to do that is to have a set of stalls reserved for horses in the next race where they are required to be prior to the previous and as close to the weighing room as poss. Saddles out and on and in parade ring within ten minutes and off to the start. Make D Walsh the sole adjudicator of enquiries in the south and someone equivalent in the North. Could easily be done. In the US almost all races are only 30 minutes apart. Horses for the next race should be in the back parade ring, saddled, ready to come in while the previous race is run. Simple. As to the adjudication. Imagine if it took the world cup video ref 10 or 15 minutes to make a decision on a run out. There's be a riot and then next time everyone would go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, mumbles said: How about combining harness and gallops,1 gallop race 20 minutes later a harness race etc. Only if you want us to die of boredom earlier. Sorry but that would drive me insane and in fact would mean I would never attend again. Harness unfortunately is too boring for those of us in NZ, sorry Reefton I meant the North Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 23 minutes ago, Reefton said: Re the twenty minutes interval thing the way to do that is to have a set of stalls reserved for horses in the next race where they are required to be prior to the previous and as close to the weighing room as poss. Saddles out and on and in parade ring within ten minutes and off to the start. Make D Walsh the sole adjudicator of enquiries in the south and someone equivalent in the North. Or have them located in a bunker off site like League does to reduce costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 minute ago, barryb said: Or have them located in a bunker off site like League does to reduce costs. Fair comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 44 minutes ago, Reefton said: Yep! And risk running them on shit hole tracks like the NZ is prone to at that time of year Interesting. I have noted you bagging the Riccarton track not so long ago. Curious is right bring those races to where to horse population is. Far less cost to owners and fuller fields. makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prankster Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 3 hours ago, Freda said: Can't find anything to take exception to here. I've expressed the opinion elsewhere, that as surplus land at Riccarton Park has now been sold for housing [ thus eliminating the scope for further stabling developments as well as a very valuable off-track exercise area ] and the majestic old stand which had fantastic views, is now facing demolition as a result of earthquake damage, that to sell the rest of it and redevelop on light, free-draining soil would make bloody good sense. Should definitely be sold off for housing, but why not just transfer the racing from there to Ashburton? Isn't there a new road system just about finished to make the trip there quicker? Timaru a way better track, but possibly a bit far away. Be good if you could get a train from Christchurch to these places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 24 minutes ago, curious said: The only problem with that Reefton is that the gross margin on turnover is more like 12-15% so I don't see how you can pay out 25% on average to clubs after all other expenses? I did mention 'if they can afford it'. Since they are not interested in my opinions I don't bother looking at what their performance is like (ie no idea what the annual turnover is but I do know the $150M distribution figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 minute ago, All The Aces said: Interesting. I have noted you bagging the Riccarton track not so long ago. Curious is right bring those races to where to horse population is. Far less cost to owners and fuller fields. makes sense. Riccarton in November is a vastly more reliable surface than say Ellerslie is in November. Keep up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Reefton said: Riccarton in November is a vastly more reliable surface than say Ellerslie is in November. Keep up Haven't Ellerslie just upgraded their track in the last 12 months? Keep up. Edited July 23, 2019 by All The Aces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Convince me as to why the two Guineas should remain down South. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VC! Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 If I was sleeping with RITA I’d employ sales reps from the top of the North to the bottom of the South I would send these reps to all businesses and try and sign up race goers non race goers into horse ownership people who aren’t into racing think owning a horse would take their weekly wage which isn’t the case I would get them to sell syndicates have different numbers 10 owners 20 owners 50 owners 100 owners whatever it took have a price list for every syndicate what the initial cost would be and the ongoing costs I would explain the benefits owners would receive how they could name their horse how it would be trained locally so they could go to the track to see it run, this way you would introduce a whole new group of people to the sport ... the flow on from this would be new accounts would be opened at the TAB more people at the track which would encourage sponsors......the bottom line is you need to get more people involved especially the young Barrys idea of starting them at 5/5-30 is a good idea family members active family members are usually involved with sports on Saturday so after they are done they could go to the races and once again a 20 minute gap all over in 3 hours is the way to go Also because of that time frame I would try and introduce the product into the Asian market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 20 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Convince me as to why the two Guineas should remain down South. Well (1) you quoted statistics about North Island horse domination of those races numbers wise as if it is a recent phenomena. Go back through the 45 years those races have been run at Riccarton and you will see it is no worse than it ever was (2) that carnival is one of the shining lights of NZ racing(God knows there aren't many) and 1000 Guineas day is one of if not the best attended galloping raceday in NZ (3) as I mentioned at that time of year you are liable to run into a bog track in the North(vastly less likely in the South) and (4) witness the number of North Island horses that turn up in the south as early as September each year to take advantage of the better weather (admittedly mainly Te Akau but in recent years Latta, Pike, Lowry Cullen et al) If you want to race the guineas races at that time of year AND to make it look reasonably attractive the South is the only place for it(unless you want to take them to Ruakaka of course - it really looks good at that time of year) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, All The Aces said: Haven't Ellerslie just upgraded their track in the last 12 months? Keep up. oh yes we can see how well that has gone by how keen they are to test it out in the bowels of the winter this year. And if they have had a decent result(to be fair it appears so so far) it will be a fluke To (sort of) paraphrase Meatloaf 'don't be sad cos one out of about a bloody hundred(track renovations) ain't bad' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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