What’s the Point? Franklin Cup?

[Doomed]

33 minutes ago, the galah said:

We will have to agree to disagree.

But people numbers that turn up to aucklands christmas meeting to watch the races which cater for the good horses are just a drop in the ocean when compared to christmas  race meetings like oamakau,motukara,westport,nelson,gore,etc.

 

And what do these christmas race meetings all have in common...

They all cater for the lower grade horses ,with a country cup race.

And its turnover from these very meetings that provides some of the income to provide the bigger stakes for the higher grade,low number horse races.

So if your going to hit the incomes of those that provide the horses for these lower grade meetings at this time of year,by cancelling their bread and butter meetings where they earn the money to keep going ,as they have in may and as they have in southland, then don't have the bean counters at hrnz patronise those people with their double standards of what justifies races to be run or not.

 

That is absolutely sensible, but a lot of people seem to miss that connection.

[Gammalite]

1 hour ago, the galah said:

But people numbers that turn up to aucklands christmas meeting to watch the races which cater for the good horses are just a drop in the ocean when compared to christmas  race meetings like oamakau,motukara,westport,nelson,gore,etc.

Yes aren't they great little meetings and well attended. very enjoyable day out. those clubs do it so well.

Brisbane only have the 4 feature harness meeting Saturdays each July for the whole year . The new $1/4 million "Rising Sun" race run on the last two years. I went 2021 to get a look at Copy That (2nd), Amazing Dream (1st) and Krug (4th)  , So nearly the BIG Nz Trifecta !! Very excited  and great racing BUT,  distinctly remember thinking 'Where's the Crowd ?" to look at those beautiful horses.??  no-one in a city of 2-3 million interested ??. same size as Auckland I guess  . so was shocked by the 'drop in the ocean roll-up' that you mentioned happens at Auckland too. terrible.... I only remember thronging crowds the years I went there. Go Delightful Lady and co lol !

Guilty myself last Winter here, as didn't even bother to go along 😩, and see 'Ladies in Red' win the Rising Sun at Albion . (she's had 27 starts for 22 wins and 5 seconds life-time now) wow !  quite astounding. Gamma slack like everyone else ......... 

so yes, I am 'barking mad' thinking people would of gone to see dual Cup winner 'Copy That' the other night in a feature race late in the evening. Times have changed.😪 . and then he didn't win anyway . bit like this thread lol...

[Blackie]

Nothing new there, Gamma reeling on back foot. 
Nothing new about attendance either, takes something special to get bums on seats. Was at a meeting, must’ve been mid ‘90’s, Under Cover Lover had just come back from the States, Courage Under Fire going round, Christian Cullen to top it off, hardly anyone there.

Lord Module, now, different story, excitement machine, use to pack them out on his name alone.

[Brodie]

1 hour ago, Blackie said:

Nothing new there, Gamma reeling on back foot. 
Nothing new about attendance either, takes something special to get bums on seats. Was at a meeting, must’ve been mid ‘90’s, Under Cover Lover had just come back from the States, Courage Under Fire going round, Christian Cullen to top it off, hardly anyone there.

Lord Module, now, different story, excitement machine, use to pack them out on his name alone.

Personally think that Trackside has potentially been the major reason for the huge drop off of oncourse patronage!

It is so easy just to watch on TV now, you bet to watch the preview, and reviews of the race from the comfort of your lounge.

Drink you own drinks without paying bar prices and do what you want between races!

There is buggerall atmosphere oncourse now due to the low attendance and js going to be very hard to entice people back oncourse.

They were going to just have the self service terminals going without the operators to save costs, so why bother going????

The $1k socalled Anti Money Laundering Bill BS, has also been a major negative for racing and needs to be DONE AWAY WITH!!!!!!!

[the galah]

6 hours ago, Blackie said:

Nothing new there, Gamma reeling on back foot. 
Nothing new about attendance either, takes something special to get bums on seats. Was at a meeting, must’ve been mid ‘90’s, Under Cover Lover had just come back from the States, Courage Under Fire going round, Christian Cullen to top it off, hardly anyone there.

Lord Module, now, different story, excitement machine, use to pack them out on his name alone.

I ofren wonder why ,if the crowds don't come to see the top horses race,then why aren't the top horses taken to the christmas crowds.

I'm not talking about racing.

Wouldn't it be great to have christmas crowds experience watching the likes of Muscle Mountain or sundee's muscle parading and having a quiet run around,then sprinting up the straight on the grass track say 5 minutes before start time of the main trot race at the latest rangiora meeting. Or have Self assured do the same at the latest motukararai meeting.Then the horses could walk back up the straight close to the crowd before leaving the track. The horses connections could also be driven up the straight in some type of flash car with the top down while Matt cross gives a run down of their achievements and earnings.

These horses only live 20 minutes down the road from these tracks and their connections no doubt like to show off their champ.

Never seems to happen,not sure why.

I remember derek jones doing a tour of pubs  with blossom lady after she retired. One pub patron told me the horse even went into the local bar,although never saw that in person.

Edited January 3, 2023 by the galah

[Gammalite]

4 hours ago, the galah said:

I remember derek jones doing a tour of pubs  with blossom lady after she retired. One pub patron told me the horse even went into the local bar,although never saw that in person.

seriously How good is Derek Jones?. never stop hearing these great stories of him. Even some of my Queensland trotting buddies including Chris Garrard got to go over and stay with him in the 80's and had a blast. One of the best men ever in harness racing for sure is Derek. Did plenty of behind the scenes stuff too.

Here in photo he has done a little of what you say too , Derek taking his Nz Trotting Cup winner HANDS DOWN along to Riccarton to give 'harness racing' a bit more publicity with the galloping folk in Cup week . How cool is that ??

The grey horse in the photo was that years NZ galloping Cup winner . what a magic moment in time . Think Hands Down fell over too but Peter Jones has gathered him up ok thankfully lol.....