Rangatira Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) ATC keen to start again in June with penalty-free racing to stimulate field sizes By Barry Lichter • 15 April 2020 The Auckland Trotting Club is confident it can run race meetings in June and is promoting a novel idea to encourage as many horses back to the track as possible. ATC vice president Jamie MacKinnon wants to see harness racing resume in Auckland sooner than anticipated, providing New Zealand moves out of the level 4 COVID-19 lockdown on schedule. And in order to fill fields, while public track trainers in particular get their charges fit, the club is proposing penalty-free racing for two months. “We want to encourage trainers to get their horses back as quickly as possible so owners and the industry can get some money coming in,” says MacKinnon. “We’re in a time of crisis and we need to chuck out the rule book. I’m told there will be dates for June and the club supports penalty-free racing until the new season.” Jamie MacKinnon … we need to chuck out the rule book.Under the plan, which the ATC hopes will find favour at Harness Racing New Zealand, horses would initially be rerated after wins but would revert to their original points come August 1. MacKinnon says after canvassing most trainers, the club has been surprised by how many horses will be ready to race in early June. “Will there be 10 races with full fields? Probably not, but we might get, say, six races of eight horses.” MacKinnon says the club is likely to restrict races to a mile in the first instance as horses don’t have to be fully fit to compete at the sprint distance. The concept had already proven popular in the months leading up to the lockdown. “I know there’s been talk about Auckland alternating with Cambridge in the first few weeks but we’ll be pushing to race every week. Why disadvantage the horse population up here by racing only every second week? “While I’m a supporter of Cambridge, racing is going to need Government funding, and there’ll only be so much money to go round. Right now the focus should be on getting Addington and Auckland up and running.” MacKinnon said while the club has to be prudent on the purses it can offer when it is haemorrhaging money on its building project, it is still committed to putting all its HRNZ funding into stakes. “We’re the only club in New Zealand that puts 105% of its money back into stakes - Cambridge pays 80% - so whatever the new deal is on prize money, Auckland will still be higher.” MacKinnon says the ATC will be further discussing race programmes with trainers and keeping nominations as open as possible to ensure every horse can get a start. “Everyone wants to get back sooner than July and we think there‘ll be a lot of horses ready. Trainers aren’t taking their usual winter break and the fields for July and August should be larger than we’ve seen in previous seasons.” Edited April 15, 2020 by Rangatira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowornever Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Boring old usual Alex Park fields. I will not be betting there and also not at Addington if the same old fields go round week after week. Will be worse than betting at Menangle. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 I will play devil's advocate. 6 hours ago, Rangatira said: “Will there be 10 races with full fields? Probably not, but we might get, say, six races of eight horses.” Alexandra Park can barely get 10 races at the best of times. Six races of eight horses is not far off the normal. No one will want to bet into even smaller fields as Nowornever says. 6 hours ago, Rangatira said: “I know there’s been talk about Auckland alternating with Cambridge in the first few weeks but we’ll be pushing to race every week. Why disadvantage the horse population up here by racing only every second week? Are there enough horses for every week at Auckland? 6 hours ago, Rangatira said: “While I’m a supporter of Cambridge, racing is going to need Government funding, and there’ll only be so much money to go round. Right now the focus should be on getting Addington and Auckland up and running.” Government funding for what? Is the situation that bad? If Cambridge has been included in the tracks to start then it should be alternate. 6 hours ago, Rangatira said: MacKinnon says the club is likely to restrict races to a mile in the first instance as horses don’t have to be fully fit to compete at the sprint distance. The concept had already proven popular in the months leading up to the lockdown. Brodie, the red is for you, courtesty of your ardent follower. Mile racing is the saviour of harness in the north! Don't fight it. It is usually less than 2 minutes of pain lol. 6 or 7 seven horses in a mile. If that is your cup of tea then all good. Mind you, the horses won't have to be fit as it will be a procession of racing. INCA instigators will have to keep a close eye the spoils are not shared around ? Quite frightening the comment about government funding. Winston P is actually going to have to front up if that is the case. Should be a good watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taku Umanga Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 8 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said: MacKinnon says the club is likely to restrict races to a mile in the first instance as horses don’t have to be fully fit to compete at the sprint distance. The concept had already proven popular in the months leading up to the lockdown. Hmmmmm - I recall the last "all mile night" only attracted enough nominations to make up 5 races (just)! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 I would hope the ATC (and Cambridge for that matter) do what the trainers want - what we have to keep in mind is that when racing restarts the pool of available horses will be very small. No one was supposed to be fast working over this period, remember! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 1 hour ago, eljay said: I would hope the ATC (and Cambridge for that matter) do what the trainers want - Is that usual? Good line of communication between the two with ears open? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harness4All Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 10 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said: Government funding for what? Is the situation that bad? Yes. Where is the funding for stakes going to come from? RITA balance sheet is weak and fully borrowed against. Currently trading at best break even, but most likely weekly losses. No reserves left to call on. So stake funding would need to come from government bailout/support, club reserves or nomination and acceptance fees returning. Hope I am wrong. No matter what stakes next year will be a significant reduction on what they were. Now is the time for our administrators RITA & HRNZ to be transparent, open & honest with the racing community, and not mislead by omission. Not going to hold my breath on that, but RITA CEO has been an improvement over anything we have had for for a decade. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 and the problem will be that "they" will take yet a higher percentage out of the betting pools 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 12 hours ago, eljay said: I would hope the ATC (and Cambridge for that matter) do what the trainers want I think this article is quite disappointing reading it again. Seems to be 100% Auckland and a 0% Cambridge. Seems to be very self centred and a lack of compromise that might benefit harness in the North. Why couldn't one suggest 2 weeks at Auckland and 1 at Cambridge? How keen will Waikato trainers be to go Auckland every week with their 'inferior' horses? On 15/04/2020 at 2:29 PM, Rangatira said: “We’re the only club in New Zealand that puts 105% of its money back into stakes Can someone explain this 105% to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiplash smile Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 24 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: I think this article is quite disappointing reading it again. Seems to be 100% Auckland and a 0% Cambridge. Seems to be very self centred and a lack of compromise that might benefit harness in the North. Why couldn't one suggest 2 weeks at Auckland and 1 at Cambridge? How keen will Waikato trainers be to go Auckland every week with their 'inferior' horses? Can someone explain this 105% to me? yes if you invest $1 and after all the expenses you have $2.05 you have made a 105% profit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 1 hour ago, whiplash smile said: yes if you invest $1 and after all the expenses you have $2.05 you have made a 105% profit. Is giving this much back prudent or a luxury ATC have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiplash smile Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 thats as far as `cabbage maths or remedial learning mathematics goes for me ! after that im afraid your on your own sorry!, hope it was helpful? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 big baz has team ready to fire when racing starts back in June Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiplash smile Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Now what would Big Barry say on lockdown/ Peering at the lovely Katrina with the local Horse transporter! Why your big horse looks alittle dehydrated! Its great having caring owners! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 1 hour ago, whiplash smile said: Now what would Big Barry say on lockdown/ Peering at the lovely Katrina with the local Horse transporter! Why your big horse looks alittle dehydrated! Its great having caring owners! he would say geez that nephew of mine is very clever 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiplash smile Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 4 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said: he would say geez that nephew of mine is very clever its only a rort if your not in on it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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