mastermind

This weeks example Prince Oz, Scored his third Rated 75 race in a row!!! Won all his five races in a row in South Island and has accumulated only 24 points. Typical 5 points for each win (plus his first win for 4 points) A winner of six races of 16 and still in the Rated 85 grade in the South Island. He should be in the in open class grade. Prime example of Strictland not knowing how to put horses through the grades. Strictland takes points off far too quickly, not allowing them to have enough runs in their grade before dropping their points. By doing this, he's clogged the lower grades! Some trainers are taking advantage of this, and purely cheating the system and Strictland and NZTR can't see the big picture. With the Winter Cup coming up, there are some horses just going round. Look at Te Rapa on Saturday. 8 races - 6 winners got typical 5 points. Maiden automatically goes to 62 and the 2yo got 3 points. Ambitious Winner - 5 points won by one and quarter lengths Cyber Attack - 3 points in 2YO. Dougie - 5 Points deleted. Has NOT raced in Australia YET! Won by three and a quarter. Pasabahce - 5 points won by a nose Shockwave - Maiden winner automatically goes to 62 Igraine - 5 points won by 2 and quarter. Storming The Tower - 5 points won by 3 lengths. Vittachi - 5 points won by a short neck. Is Strictland the handicapper or a automatic computer???? Strictland shows no thought by giving 5 points. By only giving winners 5 points, after two/three unplaced runs they have lost the points of winning, therefore nothing is going through grades, hence clogging the lower grades. The system is a mess.

This weeks classic example: New York Minute won by 11 and half lengths at Trentham. Given only 4 points to 92?? If NYM meet the same field again, Dolcetta remains on rating 98 will carry 60kg, NYM (R92) will go to 55kgs with the 2kg sex allowance. So, New York Minute been re-handicapped only 1kg for the 11 length win?? This is beyond a joke! Did he actually see the race? or a computer? Theres the problem with Strictland's handicapping. Has no idea. Dean Nowell was more than happy to help trainers program their horses when he was handicapper. Strictland ratings are inconsistent. He is impossible to get hold of. Doesnt give answers. He's incompetent. All Strictland is doing is dropping horses too fast and not putting horses through the grades. Every week there are classic examples. What do NZTR do? drop the rating bands??? This is detrimental to NZ racing. If rating bands are done properly, there would be plenty of horses in each grade means bigger fields in each grade/race. The rating bands numbers are a mess now.

Easy win for Rodrico at Egmont in the wrong grade. Good money too. This weeks classic example: Lambrusco won by 11 lengths at Egmont. Given only 5 points to 64 and still remains in the same grade after a 11 length win?? Theres the problem with Strictland's handicapping. Horses are not being pushed through the grades. All Strictland does is give 5 points for a win. It proves, he is NOT judging wins/runs on merit. A computer can do this! It is not handicapping!! Within a couple of unplaced runs, a previous winner has lost those 5 points (from the win) and back in same rating, hence not going through the grade. Any idiot can see this. Strictland is out of his depth and its proven with the shambles the rating system is in now.

Typical answer. Some of us in rural areas cant get reception for radio. First the phone accounts gone, now listening to people that actually know like Sharrock, Marsh, Forseman etc...gone from Trackside radio on Trackside2. Trackside are amateurs. Listening to Rodley, tan (he is a idiot) and Geurin. ok, Guern is good on trotting, but galloping he talks like everyone is a novice and hes the only one that knows anything. I dont watch those morans but turned it on after I had five calls from people (well known to the industry, although abit older now) arguing that Counties was still on because of First Call repeat this morning. Why didnt trackside have a banner running across the screen Counties cancelled Amateurs!! Trackside radio on Trackside2 replaced by American racing, with $17 in the win turnover.

This new handicapping policy is not the right answer!! By downgrading the system, they have downgraded all NZ horses. The problem lies entirely with the handicappier and administrators/trainers he listens to. The problem is horses are winning too many races in the lower grades and not being pushed through. Classic example: Touch of Silver (was entered at Counties today). Won by 15 lengths in Rating 65 $22,000 on a Premier day - gets ONLY 5 points and doesnt even go out of the grade! There's your problem! There many examples like this, hence the congestion in the lower grades. George Strictland had no experience taking this position and in 4 years hes f..ked the system. This new policy is only hiding his mess. And that is exactly what the NZ rating system is. A mess! It is time, NZTR swallow their pride and re-employ Dean Nowell as a consultant. Talking to others in the industry, also agree. We didn't have these problems when he was handicapper for 30 odd years. Only when Purcell along with Australian sidekick Mark Webby that the whole system gone to sh.t! And Strictland has followed their practice. This new policy is not handicapping. Another example of Strictland's inability of handicapping Rodrico rated 74. Won over $320K in Australia. Rodrico ran second in the Group One Queensland derby, while the winner Eagle Way runs in the Group One in Hong Kong on Sunday, Rodrico runs in Rating 75 at Trentham!!!. ok, he obviously didn't settle in HK but after racing in HK Derby, Classic Cup and Classic Mile, he's rated 74 here???

Why is Trackside radio not on channel 63 anymore? Replaced by American racing with $100 in the pools. NZRB your a joke! I looked forward to listening to Stephen Marsh, Andrew Forsman, Mike Brown etc... every Saturday morning. Yes, it maybe on TAB website audio, but not all are computer savvy. Are the NZRB trying to get rid of the the older generation? First the phone bet? now the Trackside radio on TV?