eastern whipbird 82 Report post Posted April 17, 2017 The fiasco continues. Meeting after meeting called off in the north. The Govt , quite apart from the industry, must be losing millions in tax dollars but seems to be blissfully unaware that its losses could be mitigated if there was an all weather track for galloping in the north. A couple of years ago NZTR spent a small fortune on a "trials 'track at Te Rapa. It has been a white elephant as far as I can see. I am not aware of any trials on it nor are there any scheduled in the current programme. Te Rapa would be the ideal course for an all weather track perhaps using the new trials track as the foundation. Perhaps Jackson and co could start to put some pressure on Govt to fund a track. It is, after all, election year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crustyngrizzly 1,701 Report post Posted April 17, 2017 45 minutes ago, eastern whipbird said: The fiasco continues. Meeting after meeting called off in the north. The Govt , quite apart from the industry, must be losing millions in tax dollars but seems to be blissfully unaware that its losses could be mitigated if there was an all weather track for galloping in the north. A couple of years ago NZTR spent a small fortune on a "trials 'track at Te Rapa. It has been a white elephant as far as I can see. I am not aware of any trials on it nor are there any scheduled in the current programme. Te Rapa would be the ideal course for an all weather track perhaps using the new trials track as the foundation. Perhaps Jackson and co could start to put some pressure on Govt to fund a track. It is, after all, election year. All weather track required..........yes Location Te Rapa......................NO Majority of horses at Cambridge,Matamata,Pukekohe,track needs to be at one of those places or else close by. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turny 1,224 Report post Posted April 17, 2017 Cambridge - Otaki - Riccartoñ - wingatui Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Bidlake 760 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 An all weather in the Cambridge or Matamata area purely a racing venue, basic modern facilities with no need for big flashy grandstands or anything, racing there twice a week,say Wednesday and Sunday for Industry days and then leave the Saturdays for feature turf racing at the other venues with your traditional picnic meetings like Thames worked around at those times a year. If the Saturday meeting looks in jeopardy because of weather then transfer to the all weather. Possibly work in with the harness and dog codes and make a track for them as well and have racing there every day.... Not sure who is doing the paying for it though?? DatoStar and talk 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalano 951 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 Or how about something completely different... We know that people from the city do not frequent the races in the same numbers as those from the country - basically, the competition for the entertainment dollar is too fierce. We know that due to infrastructure and population pressures, it will be increasingly difficult for trainers to bring their horses down the motorways to the main centres. Why don't we sell up the likes of Ellerslie, replace it with a state of the art entertainment complex, with arena-style seating and dining options, above holographic races beamed in from the provinces, who are racing on a brand new purpose-built all-weather track, close to where the horse population resides? The ARC could retain ownership of the new facilities. Makes too much sense I guess talk 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varro 244 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 surelyt examples could be cited were by the NZRB use the NSW government as an example of what a supportive government can do for racing. They have poured millions and millions there, same as Vic, WTF has the NZ government put into NZ racing. NZRB should be getting of their arses, and should be scathing our racing minister for doing sweet fuck all for this industry which is dithering away. Surely examples have to be shown at how reacing is in decline, and if the government doesn't act by support of funding for new track, helping with stakes increases then they will loose in the long term. Out of interest, does anyone know approximately what cash reserves the NZRB have? Surely with ther new fixed odds betting platform that is support to generate a massive return over the next 5-10 years, they could get a loan either from the government or somewere else appropriate to fund say 3 or 4 all weather tracks to avoid this issue. The idea of also having a harness and greyhound track so all 3 codes can take advantage makes total sense Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varro 244 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 1 minute ago, Catalano said: Or how about something completely different... We know that people from the city do not frequent the races in the same numbers as those from the country - basically, the competition for the entertainment dollar is too fierce. We know that due to infrastructure and population pressures, it will be increasingly difficult for trainers to bring their horses down the motorways to the main centres. Why don't we sell up the likes of Ellerslie, replace it with a state of the art entertainment complex, with arena-style seating and dining options, above holographic races beamed in from the provinces, who are racing on a brand new purpose-built all-weather track, close to where the horse population resides? The ARC could retain ownership of the new facilities. Makes too much sense I guess would never happen. Tracks are not owned by NZTR or NZRB. secondly, I wouldn't be surprised if Ellerslie in the next 5 years via their own cash reserves fund the re-development of their own track and possible introduced an all weather track so they can race there during winter. Perhaps try and have a track similar to that of Hong Kong in terms of its surface Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalano 951 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 I was at the last Ellerslie meeting and overheard one of the trainers who had just won a race saying that they'd only just made it because they got stuck in traffic - you'll hear more and more of that as time goes on. Hong Kong has apartment blocks full of horses, I don't see that model stacking up here (pun intended ) This is akin to maintaining a Head Office in Auckland and moving production closer to the workforce/resource... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 This weekend Hesi, every bed across Auck is taken for the World Masters Games. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider 3,960 Report post Posted April 18, 2017 Only old people go to the races these days and they can't be in two places at once. Obviously the World Masters Games won out. Maybe by default Ellerslie got it right this time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Falcon 90 Report post Posted April 19, 2017 Which world do you live in Hesi.When Ellerslie had the Easter Handicap at Easter and the Monday meeting the people who went to the track on the Saturday were getting less and less and the Monday fields were useless .Auckland has to many things for people to do and most people are not interested in going to the races it is shopping,cafes .Look at the numbers who go to Ellerslie when it is free to get in which is a number of meetings minimal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
