RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
SMD is rife

Interesting reading on Te Akau website

Recommended Posts

"That should get us all thinking – aren’t we lucky in the Waikato to have such a wonderful track at Te Rapa – and I have been stunned recently at the unbelievable talk going around from some people who are promoting closing down Te Rapa, selling off its valuable land and moving to a ‘super track’ at Cambridge.

I am completely against this concept – which interestingly was investigated a few years ago.  An expensive, professional report was commissioned and it quite simply did not stack up.  From Auckland to Wellington, Te Rapa is our best track without question – so let’s get behind it and support it as an industry.  I have long talked about the need for an all-weather track – with Te Rapa’s location to the horse population as well as the public, wouldn’t it be great to see this investment there?  Being right in the middle of one of the biggest growing cities in New Zealand – Te Rapa is also ideally positioned to promote racing and get people back on course.

So I say to those people who are talking about selling off Te Rapa and moving out of Hamilton, put your effort into things that need to happen, rather than things that won’t happen."

posted by David Ellis on Sunday 28 May 2017

Hold on a second here - who is talking about selling off Te Rapa?

Surely the only people who have that power are the Board of Directors at the Waikato Racing Club.  Who is the Chairman of the Board?  What is going on here?

And as for the expensive, professional report referred to, could things have changed since that report?  What was the zoning of the land back then?  What is the zoning now?  How could that impact the value of the land?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest 2Admin2

If it is such a "wonderful track" why do they need an All Weather one installed?  The fact is it isn't a wonderful track from a racing surface perspective.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SMD is rife said:

"That should get us all thinking – aren’t we lucky in the Waikato to have such a wonderful track at Te Rapa – and I have been stunned recently at the unbelievable talk going around from some people who are promoting closing down Te Rapa, selling off its valuable land and moving to a ‘super track’ at Cambridge.

I am completely against this concept – which interestingly was investigated a few years ago.  An expensive, professional report was commissioned and it quite simply did not stack up.  From Auckland to Wellington, Te Rapa is our best track without question – so let’s get behind it and support it as an industry.  I have long talked about the need for an all-weather track – with Te Rapa’s location to the horse population as well as the public, wouldn’t it be great to see this investment there?  Being right in the middle of one of the biggest growing cities in New Zealand – Te Rapa is also ideally positioned to promote racing and get people back on course.

So I say to those people who are talking about selling off Te Rapa and moving out of Hamilton, put your effort into things that need to happen, rather than things that won’t happen."

posted by David Ellis on Sunday 28 May 2017

Hold on a second here - who is talking about selling off Te Rapa?

Surely the only people who have that power are the Board of Directors at the Waikato Racing Club.  Who is the Chairman of the Board?  What is going on here?

And as for the expensive, professional report referred to, could things have changed since that report?  What was the zoning of the land back then?  What is the zoning now?  How could that impact the value of the land?

 

Te Rapa could be zoned residential, sell it. Govt would take it.

Move to Cambridge. It's more than just talk I'm told by my sources...needs to happen

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, MrBigStuff said:

Te Rapa could be zoned residential, sell it. Govt would take it.

Move to Cambridge. It's more than just talk I'm told by my sources...needs to happen

If it is zoned residential and it gets sold why not just invest in Matamata its the centre of the industry... why build a whole new complex...it seems to make little sense either.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, hesi said:

When you look at the NZTR Annual Report the Waikato Racing club have one of the lowest oncourse/off course turnover ratios, 500k on versus 9 mil off from memory, 18 to 1 ratio

Perhaps some of the bluster and puffery would be better directed at addressing this

Does this ratio matter? Surely a far better indicator of effectiveness is turnover/prize money (net of NZTR subsidies).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just now, hesi said:

 

Apologies the Waikato ratio is 12.4

It's just an indicator of how well each club is doing in attracting people oncourse, the more oncourse the more money they will turn over.

Some of the other big population centres

Tauranga 8.3

Ellerslie 5.7

Trentham 6.3

Canterbury 7.8

My point is, Hamilton is a big population centre yet they struggle to get people oncourse, as evidenced by the turnover.

Overall turnover ratio I would have thought would have been more important...but I know or care to know little about it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Prime example of Te Akau being in bed with many others within the industry , how can you take this seriously or in its own account with KFE at Te Rapa.

This is not a Te Akau witch hunt just fact, and it's not just them within NZ that have mixed investments/motives on different topics.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If the all weather track is Te Rapa, sobeit. Look, if we need to assist to finance this necessary project, then we owe it to the future of our wonderful sport to ensure we make it happen, and quickly.  We need a track that can ensure racing can take place every week in the north. Cancelled meetings, is costing many participants their livelihoods.

Cheers.

Robert.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very small gene pool in NZ thoroughbred racing.  This will always give rise to conflicts of interest.  Which are all the more damaging when they are not declared - or exposed.

Sometimes integrity and commonsense are the victims.

Everyone has an agenda, folks. 

So keep your wits about you or you will be either duped - or bought out - or paid off.  Or someone you are counting on will be.

J.

 

    

   

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, hesi said:

 

Apologies the Waikato ratio is 12.4

It's just an indicator of how well each club is doing in attracting people oncourse, the more oncourse the more money they will turn over.

Some of the other big population centres

Tauranga 8.3

Ellerslie 5.7

Trentham 6.3

Canterbury 7.8

My point is, Hamilton is a big population centre yet they struggle to get people oncourse, as evidenced by the turnover.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The problem with the industry is that there are too many people of very little inherent intelligence to realise that we need to plan for the future. Racecourses such as Te Rapa with the facilities that it currently has, are not the future. We need courses that can take up to 30 runners (increases betting and has international appeal because of the numbers differential), and attached to those should be commercially induced infrastructures for our future horse people. A race course does not need to be in a city unless it is a night course and you are looking to attract a different sort of participating populous.

I'm not sure why people are bleating all weather racing to be our saviour. It's not. It's boring racing and not an overly attractive proposition. All it does is fill the gap of when winter racing shouldn't be held in the first place. Why don't we get behind a very very good jumping program, close down winter flat racing for a couple of months and rely on Aussie racing for our flat race betting revenue? Get one when we can afford it if need be but we need to get our normal tracks managed properly before we move on. Every one thinks that the all weather is the answer but that's crap. Between Ruakaka, and changing the under promotion of the likes of Te Teko and  Taupo, we can cover things in the meantime.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, Berri said:

The problem with the industry is that there are too many people of very little inherent intelligence to realise that we need to plan for the future. Racecourses such as Te Rapa with the facilities that it currently has, are not the future. We need courses that can take up to 30 runners (increases betting and has international appeal because of the numbers differential), and attached to those should be commercially induced infrastructures for our future horse people. A race course does not need to be in a city unless it is a night course and you are looking to attract a different sort of participating populous.

I'm not sure why people are bleating all weather racing to be our saviour. It's not. It's boring racing and not an overly attractive proposition. All it does is fill the gap of when winter racing shouldn't be held in the first place. Why don't we get behind a very very good jumping program, close down winter flat racing for a couple of months and rely on Aussie racing for our flat race betting revenue? Get one when we can afford it if need be but we need to get our normal tracks managed properly before we move on. Every one thinks that the all weather is the answer but that's crap. Between Ruakaka, and changing the under promotion of the likes of Te Teko and  Taupo, we can cover things in the meantime.

I was in the uk for a long time and loved the way it had two distinct seasons. Jumping winter, flat summer. However I don't think this model would work here due to mind set of many re jumping. 

Also in the U.K. I did not care for the all weather track at Wolverhampton, lingfield and kempton. Very poor racing. However the all weather turf track I think has a big part to play in future of nz racing. This is the track you see at monee valley, hk, Singapore. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, scooby3051 said:

The days of people going to the races unless its a really big day are long gone... we need to move on from the old days.

I dont agree. With the change in the payment system for clubs on race days NZTR have contiruted towards the lack of numbers.  Except for premier days clubs are paid a set amount per meeting with no income from on course turnover. Therefor it doesnt matter whether you have 50 people or 500 people on course these industry days as you will get the same money. There is no incentive for clubs to encourage punters on course.  I know these days arent as big as days gone by but unless there is an incentive for clubs to people on course it wont happen.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just another example of the sad lack of vision that we've come to associate with DE, and when you couple that with his relatively high media profile, and the way he orchestrates his media opportunities, you must accept the inevitable and realise that NZ racing will never arrest this decline into oblivion as long as the " pale stale males " like DE have any say in the future path we choose.

Pity really as he could be quite a useful participant in developing future policy and strategy if he could only open his mind and seek enlightenment from the learned.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Berri said:

The problem with the industry is that there are too many people of very little inherent intelligence to realise that we need to plan for the future. Racecourses such as Te Rapa with the facilities that it currently has, are not the future. We need courses that can take up to 30 runners (increases betting and has international appeal because of the numbers differential), and attached to those should be commercially induced infrastructures for our future horse people. A race course does not need to be in a city unless it is a night course and you are looking to attract a different sort of participating populous.

I'm not sure why people are bleating all weather racing to be our saviour. It's not. It's boring racing and not an overly attractive proposition. All it does is fill the gap of when winter racing shouldn't be held in the first place. Why don't we get behind a very very good jumping program, close down winter flat racing for a couple of months and rely on Aussie racing for our flat race betting revenue? Get one when we can afford it if need be but we need to get our normal tracks managed properly before we move on. Every one thinks that the all weather is the answer but that's crap. Between Ruakaka, and changing the under promotion of the likes of Te Teko and  Taupo, we can cover things in the meantime.

I for one wouldn't bet on fields with 30 runners may as well take a lotto ticket. Also there's plenty of people like myself that prefer winter flat racing and it's our chance to shine. Example look at the trainers that won at Wellington on Saturday I think all were small time trainers do you want to shut the industry door on these people ? If i love my NZ racing why on earth would I want to close it down and watch AU racing on my TV .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

"From Auckland to Wellington, Te Rapa is our best track without question"

Is this quote from a so called industry head?

This track is plain horrible in regards to level racing.

How often is the rail in the true position?

Mind you having said that what track in NZ races in its true position more often then not - maybe none.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Firstly it is only a twenty minute drive between Hamilton and Cambridge being only 20km between the two and Hamilton is experiencing rapid growth and fast expanding. 

The land that Te Rapa currently occupies would be worth a huge amount if zoned residential and if sold and they relocated nearby to the Cambridge training centre and developed a new facility encompassing tracks grass and a strathayr,  possibly catering for even all three codes at one super venue and also establish facilities such as a conference centre, dining facilities, shopping mall etc or whatever to ensure other types of income (they don't have the room at Te Rapa to do that) . It would be right in the heart of the Waikato with the horse population virtually on your door stop. The sooner something like that happens the better as it gets more costly to do as time marches on.  

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, rdytdy said:

 

Firstly it is only a twenty minute drive between Hamilton and Cambridge being only 20km between the two and Hamilton is experiencing rapid growth and fast expanding. 

The land that Te Rapa currently occupies would be worth a huge amount if zoned residential and if sold and they relocated nearby to the Cambridge training centre and developed a new facility encompassing tracks grass and a strathayr,  possibly catering for even all three codes at one super venue and also establish facilities such as a conference centre, dining facilities, shopping mall etc or whatever to ensure other types of income (they don't have the room at Te Rapa to do that) . It would be right in the heart of the Waikato with the horse population virtually on your door stop. The sooner something like that happens the better as it gets more costly to do as time marches on.  

 

 

 

A man after my own heart Ted...you speak such sense. Ive heard all this to and it is more then just a pie in the sky idea believe you me. Ive been told talks are happening, govt is desperate for housing land....momentum is building 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So if Davey is completely against this idea, you would assume his lovely wife is too, and then I see one of the other board members at the Waikato RC is also a director of one of Davey's companies so could we assume he also is agin it?  Yet reading on here most people seem in favour of the idea.  So what are we missing here?  Can someone confirm if indeed Te Rapa is now zoned residential?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.