RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
Peter Jenkins

Ellerslie today

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The party crowd and the racing purist crowd are not mutually exclusive. I simply believe that in trying to attract the "Lindauer and G-string" brigade they have taken their eye off looking after the loyal, financially-commited to racing group. I personally know several previous long-time owners/punters who have given Ellerslie the flick following the change to the Xmas calendar/loss of the infield party/plethora of security goons/no BYO and inflated beer prices etc, etc. And these were all "RACING" people, through and through.

But hey, if they can suck the bucks out of the party posse, then go for it. Also provides another sandpit for P4P to play in!

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Blind Squirrel thanks for your reply. Point taken. Meeting was a success but George should have been consulted about the colours. Just been talking to the wife of a retired trainer. She enjoys a flutter but couldn’t find any of the horses she bet on during each race! I am not opposed to change at all. In other threads I have advocated radical ideas about alternative means of raising revenue to lift stakes. Tomorrow I have a Rating 65 horse going around at Tauranga for $10,000 - the same stake as his last start Maiden win! Ridiculous situation!

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Avondale is another whole can of worms.  After going to Avondale a couple of times in the last few years I am truly amazed it is still a going concern.  It appears to be the racecourse that time forgot.  It must be sitting on land worth $100mill plus and it is truly a blight on the game in NZ.  At least Ellerslie and now Te Rapa have the facilities to bring in the new generation of race goers.  Avondale and a few other courses only perpetuate the feeling that the industry is dying a slow death.

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The concept was crap.  How many times did George get the commentary wrong?  It was a nightmare for the punter to watch as the colours weren't updated in any of the form guides.

Great fun for the jockeys and sponsors but was absolute crap for any off course owners or punters.  I daresay for the eyesight challenged on course it wasn't much better!

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35 minutes ago, Patiti said:

Why do we need a Strathayr in NZ.

Surely we could design tracks to suit the area and environment and be leaders instead of followers.

Avondale with lights was a disaster.

We can do much better.

Avondale racing under lights was ONLY a disaster in winter, in summer the crowds and turn over exceeded pre lights .   If they could have found a way to only race i warmer weather they would have been fine. The winters killed them and they did experience some of the worst nights imaginable , their luck has frequently been rat shit over the years.  The other thing that did them over was loss of sponsors and corporate crowd after 87 stockmarket crash.

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1 hour ago, Gofta said:

Avondale is another whole can of worms.  After going to Avondale a couple of times in the last few years I am truly amazed it is still a going concern.  It appears to be the racecourse that time forgot.  It must be sitting on land worth $100mill plus and it is truly a blight on the game in NZ.  At least Ellerslie and now Te Rapa have the facilities to bring in the new generation of race goers.  Avondale and a few other courses only perpetuate the feeling that the industry is dying a slow death.

Agree, it should be shutdown it’s a disgrace to the industry

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So the place looks a bit run down,if your there for Magnolia trees and Rose gardens you've gone to the wrong place,if your there for a few punts ,a relaxed atmosphere on a great racing surface it's all good. Hard to please the 5-star crew.Spend some time around the parade ring out the back,you won't get much closer to Racing identities at most other courses.Good bunch

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We've been over this time and again, there isn't much wrong with the facilities with member stand and owners / trainers open to everyone, not much difference to other race courses I've been to in last year and that's a  fair few.  The public stand is a bloody eyesore I'll agree , although  no one uses it, maybe knock it down,  and grounds need a damn good do up, now they have cash from land sales they should get to it, I see they have made a small start with painting the outside.  Now to fix the lift to member's stand for elderly members at cost of $ 100,000 plus.....   As Gruff said nothing wrong with parade ring out the back and Richard Fitness does a great job with the track.  Being stuck with Wednesday races they could spend untold on facilities and get no bigger crowd than now. Why shut it down ?  I stand to be corrected but seem to recall they were 3rd to highest racing club in off course turnover last season or one before ?

 

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So Mr Blind Squirrel, I hope that you heard the interview with Mark Baker from the Auckland Racing Club and Mark Claydon this afternoon when Mark Baker stated that the colours didn't work well last night and that they will be looking at that for next year

The people that criticized that aspect here have been well and truly vindicated.  

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6 hours ago, Gofta said:

Avondale is another whole can of worms.  After going to Avondale a couple of times in the last few years I am truly amazed it is still a going concern.  It appears to be the racecourse that time forgot.  It must be sitting on land worth $100mill plus and it is truly a blight on the game in NZ.  At least Ellerslie and now Te Rapa have the facilities to bring in the new generation of race goers.  Avondale and a few other courses only perpetuate the feeling that the industry is dying a slow death.

Avondale I think was offered a merger with Ellerslie. They declined. How stupid. The combined Club would have been a bonza. Filthy rich, huge membership, etc etc. But Avondale decided to live in the past. Where are they now? An anchor like many Clubs in NZ

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23 minutes ago, Trump said:

Avondale I think was offered a merger with Ellerslie. They declined. How stupid. The combined Club would have been a bonza. Filthy rich, huge membership, etc etc. But Avondale decided to live in the past. Where are they now? An anchor like many Clubs in NZ

They declined for a number of reasons, one was that a lot of their members lived locally and being older were less mobile and able to travel. The fear was they would be swallowed up and lose special identity member's felt they had  , in other words you could call the  new club whatever  you like but there  would be no combined club in anything but in name only. Idon't feel  that  they are an anchor, I'm sure a lot of trainers don't feel like that, may be wrong , but have heard through grapevine trainers like Steven Mckee certainly didn't feel like that  and would have liked more meeting held  there and I guess life members like his dad and Collin  Jillings don't  If they rank among highest rating clubs for off course turnover and even before land sales were one of the few clubs turning a profit  IMHO just don't see them as an anchor to industry. If we are looking at anchors maybe should look at some clubs that are heavily subsidised

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25 minutes ago, Mr Spyro said:

They declined for a number of reasons, one was that a lot of their members lived locally and being older were less mobile and able to travel. The fear was they would be swallowed up and lose special identity member's felt they had  , in other words you could call the  new club whatever  you like but there  would be no combined club in anything but in name only. Idon't feel  that  they are an anchor, I'm sure a lot of trainers don't feel like that, may be wrong , but have heard through grapevine trainers like Steven Mckee certainly didn't feel like that  and would have liked more meeting held  there and I guess life members like his dad and Collin  Jillings don't  If they rank among highest rating clubs for off course turnover and even before land sales were one of the few clubs turning a profit  IMHO just don't see them as an anchor to industry. If we are looking at anchors maybe should look at some clubs that are heavily subsidised

Good response. But a merger was the answer.

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2 hours ago, rdytdy said:

So Mr Blind Squirrel, I hope that you heard the interview with Mark Baker from the Auckland Racing Club and Mark Claydon this afternoon when Mark Baker stated that the colours didn't work well last night and that they will be looking at that for next year

The people that criticized that aspect here have been well and truly vindicated.  

As the resident know-it-all I'm sure you meant Craig Baker the ARC Racing Manager as opposed to Hallmark Studs Mark Baker - both top notch fellas but I doubt very much that Mark speaks for the ARC. Good to see you got Claydo's name completely correct - well done you, have half a gold star.

For the record I did say the following "No doubt the colours could have been a little more diverse and easier to associate with either the jockey or horse" - my argument was not that the colours weren't tough for those used to seeing the traditional silks - my argument, if you looked outside your narrow minded invective, was that you were just another of the mob trashing the whole event based on one component of a multi headed beast that was designed to try and lift racing out of the doldrums. 

You all want change, growth, prosperity yet the minute anyone steps outside an antiquated set of norms you attempt to undermine them with your overwrought version of the chicken little classic "The sky is falling...: 

 

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1 hour ago, Blind Squirrel said:

As the resident know-it-all I'm sure you meant Craig Baker the ARC Racing Manager as opposed to Hallmark Studs Mark Baker - both top notch fellas but I doubt very much that Mark speaks for the ARC. Good to see you got Claydo's name completely correct - well done you, have half a gold star.

For the record I did say the following "No doubt the colours could have been a little more diverse and easier to associate with either the jockey or horse" - my argument was not that the colours weren't tough for those used to seeing the traditional silks - my argument, if you looked outside your narrow minded invective, was that you were just another of the mob trashing the whole event based on one component of a multi headed beast that was designed to try and lift racing out of the doldrums. 

You all want change, growth, prosperity yet the minute anyone steps outside an antiquated set of norms you attempt to undermine them with your overwrought version of the chicken little classic "The sky is falling...: 

 

Resident know it all is correct 

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15 hours ago, 2Admin2 said:

The concept was crap.  How many times did George get the commentary wrong?  It was a nightmare for the punter to watch as the colours weren't updated in any of the form guides.

Great fun for the jockeys and sponsors but was absolute crap for any off course owners or punters.  I daresay for the eyesight challenged on course it wasn't much better!

dear oh dear - no the concept wasn't crap. It was great and it worked. They got one bit of the execution wrong and you continue to rave on about it when the club have already publicly acknowledged they will fix the colours next year.

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2 hours ago, chelseacol said:

dear oh dear - no the concept wasn't crap. It was great and it worked. They got one bit of the execution wrong and you continue to rave on about it when the club have already publicly acknowledged they will fix the colours next year.

The colour concept was wrong for a start.  Where is there evidence that there was a connection between the concept of creating teams of jockey's and getting 4,500 people on course.  The number of people probably has more to do with it being a twilight meeting with only 6 races after work (great concept) on a really good sunny day (good fortune).  How many of the people on course were sponsor connected?

Great effort however doesn't it reek a little of arrogance?  It disenfranchised owners and temporary owners (punters) by making it difficult to ascertain where the horses were during the racing.  Yes one little thing can have a big impact.  Owners subsidise and provide the product and punters provide the industry revenue.

Who cared off-course whether "the girls" (female jockeys) in team Headquarters (a restaurant somewhere on the viaduct) were beating the other teams?

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The worst aspect of Avondale, apart from the decrepit facilities, is getting in and out of central Auckland.  I was there a couple weeks ago when many participants arrived late due to the Auckland Traffic.  I arrived only just in time to see my horse run, and it was in the 2nd race.  Coming from the Waikato as many in the game do, it is an absolute nightmare, and I for one vowed never to go to the track again.  As for trainers being happy to go there,  I suggest you talk to them now, after that traffic fiasco.  I am sure many long standing members and stakeholders have great memories at Avondale but if we don't bring in young blood the industry will die along with these participants.  Avondale is not conducive to achieving this.

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2 minutes ago, Gofta said:

The worst aspect of Avondale, apart from the decrepit facilities, is getting in and out of central Auckland.  I was there a couple weeks ago when many participants arrived late due to the Auckland Traffic.  I arrived only just in time to see my horse run, and it was in the 2nd race.  Coming from the Waikato as many in the game do, it is an absolute nightmare, and I for one vowed never to go to the track again.  As for trainers being happy to go there,  I suggest you talk to them now, after that traffic fiasco.  I am sure many long standing members and stakeholders have great memories at Avondale but if we don't bring in young blood the industry will die along with these participants.  Avondale is not conducive to achieving this.

Didn't you use the new tunnel?

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Just now, hesi said:

With the new tunnel, you don't go anywhere near central Auckland if coming from the south to go to Avondale.

Mid to late morning, it should be a free run

I'm assuming Pukekohe people would use the South Western Motorway - the tunnel has improved flow immensely.  Go through the tunnel and use the interchange to get onto Great North Road and then onto Ash Street.  A bit further in distance but better traffic flow.

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Travelling to Auckland frequently from the Waikato,  I am yet to have a free run anywhere past Pukekohe at any time of the day.  I am glad to hear the tunnel is expected to help the issues, but I stand by the comment that a track in central Auckland ( I view Avondale as central), is always going to have traffic issues, there are choke points everywhere.  Maybe I shouldn't have turned this into an Auckland traffic discussion as it takes away from the real issue, which is the appalling state of the Avondale racecourse, and its inability to attract future race participants. I am heading towards middle age but I still remember what young millennials look for in an entertainment package,  I can assure you,  Avondale is not it.   The future for racecourses is around businesses and events people can network at, hence the huge success of "xmas at the races" and Melbourne cup days etc.  Te Rapa is already seeing the benefit of their revamp with huge numbers booked for corporate events and this is flowing down into lesser racedays through the calendar.  These people get a taste for the atmosphere and the industry and very often become owners or at the very least, punters and participants at other race days around the country.  Their are only a few courses in the country that can attract this growth and if racecourses are not prepared to make the changes required to attract this future growth then they are part of the problem and not the solution.

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