Taku Umanga

He's won races at the last two Addington meetings .....

No shortage in the South that I can see this week. Meetings at Addington Friday and Sunday and still 85 horses at the Rangiora trials tomorrow.

The draft dates were published ages ago - the final dates can't be far away.

Seriously - I'd happily put John on a horse if he was available

"... or the trainer for failing to work out the horse was ineligible" - rubbish statement given the conditions were changed allowing his horse's entry ....

Absolute rubbish .... the figures make it pretty clear that "where the majority of NZers live" has little interest in harness racing!

It's pouring down on the Kaimai Ranges right now ....

I don't think it's the tracks that hold the liquor licence - it's whatever the entity running the show on the day can obtain for the occasion

Definitely raced there but probably stopped for the same reason as others .... Cambridge and Auckland wanting to race at their own tracks after the amalgamations occurred.

39 nominations at close of noms

Was always going to happen being stuck between a couple of grass circuits, but what a sad state of affairs with 42 nominations for the anniversary weekend Monday meeting at Cambridge. In the old days was held on the grass at Tauranga and attracted many more horses and a holiday crowd.

You are wrong - I've loved three retired greyhounds over the years and can tell you they are the best pets I've ever had!

From the Peter Profit site: Auckland Trotting Club Archives - A Four-Legged Lottery Will be interesting to see how things have worked out if true.

Just posted online by Barry Lichter: Fears about the future of the Auckland Trotting Club were reignited today with news that the Chinese buyers of its Pukekohe training property have failed to meet the payment deadline. In a development which ATC president Jamie Mackinnon described as “disappointing” in a newsletter to members, Mount Hope Limited did not come up with the outstanding $90 million due last Friday. With the club between $70 million and $80 million in debt and accruing interest of more than $500,000 a month, the $100 million deal was seen as its sole lifeline. But Mackinnon said the club remained hopeful that Mount Hope would still settle, its lawyers saying they were still committed to buying the land and were actively seeking offshore finance. Mackinnon said the club had now issued Mount Hope a notice requiring them to settle within 12 clear working days. At the expiry of that period the ATC could then elect to exercise it rights and remedies under the sale agreement, which includes Mount Hope forfeiting its 10% deposit of $10 million. “On a positive note, the ATC still owns the land, has achieved a Unity Plan Change, and, we have already repaid part of the Club’s bank debt from the $10 million deposit.” Mackinnon said the sale agreement provided for penalty interest to accrue at 14%pa. Mackinnon said the club was exploring a plan B in the event Mount Hope did not front up with the money. In an earlier September newsletter, Mackinnon attempted to defuse rumours that Mount Hope would not be settling the deal on time, saying no extension of settlement had been sought. Mount Hope’s lawyer had advised the movement of funds out of China was proving difficult and Mount Hope would be seeking alternative finance should that continue. But the default should come as no surprise given China’s unprecedented crisis and the far-reaching effects of the collapse of several of its real estate giants. In August, a developer walked away from a $30 million land deal in South Auckland, forfeiting its $5 million deposit. Mackinnon previously said if the Chinese buyer pulled out of the Pukekohe deal, the club would still be OK as it could then keep the $10 million deposit and put the property back on the market with the benefit of the zoning having been changed. But industry experts say the chances of the ATC getting anywhere near $100 million for the land are remote, that figure considered “enormous overs” even when it was inked and the market being considerably depressed now. When the Chinese deal was struck, the 35.2 ha of land, before rezoning, was valued on the ATC’s books at $29 million and Fletchers had offered only $35 million. The implications of a lower sale price could be catastrophic for harness racing in the North Island. Even if it could stave off closure, the club would not have the money to build a new training centre, a vital feeding ground for its already depleted horse numbers. The ATC, which lost at least $108 million on its failed apartment developments, is understood to be meeting with its bankers to consider the development.

Looking at the programmes (albeit tentative) it seems that most southern clubs are offering stakes at a lower level than last season. I think the new funding announcements were just a smokescreen with most of the dollars going to the top end and to Auckland .... screwing the grass roots racing that brings in the turnover!