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Perhaps you understand something that I don't Trump. Please explain. Where is the $ waste in these tracks when the industry is providing no funding other than for stakes and raceday costs. Most of them are otherwise community supported aren't they? They also get people to the races that would not otherwise go. There were some interesting figures published some years ago following the closure of the Nelson track There was a clear correlation between the closure and a following decline in off track betting in that region. That doesn't seem like a helpful strategy to me if there are no cost savings and a loss of betting revenue. No-one seems to be able to produce any figures supporting the idea that there will be any improvement in net revenue to the industry from this.

I think you blokes might need your hankies after hearing this sad story .I know we are all getting a bit older and as we try ot outwit and out smart the other half 24 hours a day. Sometimes our old beer flooded brains only work 23 . Lets go way back 18 hours to when this error of befuddlement happened . We were cruising down the Desert Road dodging potholes when I said to the better half can you put a bet on for me in New Plymouth , after a few minutes later I here the words that make any conman shudder ,""Hey you have heaps in your account" I slid slowly down my black leather seat as i try to compose myself. She carries on " I wont need to give you any money for the Tauherenikau races you can use your own"" those words were bouncing off Ruapehu as I start to realize my Hide your balance had come up on the APP .So if you see a lonely old soldier at the races with tears running down his face mumbling about one little mistake .Come and tell him we have all been there. Cheers BH

I feel a bit sorry for all here, the club, the connections of the scratched runners, punters, but mostly for Gripper He’s a good man, and he’s owned this. I say we should cut him a bit of slack this one time and all move on.

Why don't nz Racing retain one of the tracks marked for closure and turn it into a jumpers course only. Also they could combine it with the local equestrians and provide facilities for them also. JMO

Should have just not push the false start, just late scratch the horse left behind!!

We are now going to be 2020. Tavistock died this week. I was asked this week what his form was....you know ....how good was he as a race horse. I then go the the NZTR site. And what do I get...shitty mediocre useless coverage of anything that should be there. No videos, no really meaningful coverage...Bernard, I have suggested many a time that you get the Information Processing System (IPS) for our racing up to speed. I have also said this to you Alan, and to you Rick, and to anyone else who has come into my view. You have all let us down and if you continue not to produce this simple industry asset then you should get a new job

I’ve got the old press box at the top of the stairs, by the tunnel into the birdcage Come by and have ONE drink on me if you wish, and provided you’re not 1. A Greta Thunburger climate changer type 2. Green ( unless it’s emerald Irish green ) or one of those dung recycling vegan types with facial hair and no soap or toothbrush 3. A Labour Party voter or sex offender ( is there a difference ?) 4. From over at the oxidation pond 5. From the Racing Lack Of Integrity Unit Happy Boxing Day Cafers ... now let’s do to the TAB what PETONE has done to NZ racing

Really, it depends on how well you want your horse trained and “maintained” in good health. A friend of mine has a “handy” horse and until recently it was with a Melb Trainer - a G1 type of trainer. It did nothing at its latest 3 starts from a spell, so thought it might be better off in Qld. I when asked, I told him that if it’s got any ability, Tony Gollan will find it and he will give you an honest opinion. So, about 2 weeks ago, he transferred it to TG. First thing he did was get his Vet to scope the horse, dentist check, chiropractor/phisio check. There goes about $500! The horse arrived looking a treat so previous good trainer did a good job there. However, the chiro/physio found the horse had a tender part in a shoulder - which have occurred on trip from Melb to Bris. Nothing serious but it was bothering the horse. A bit of treatment and an injection of some sort and the horse has no soreness. Should be racing soon. TG is the leading trainer in BRis and has a beautiful stable complex at Eagle Farm Centre. He charges about $99 per day in full training. Then there’s Gastrazol $5.50 per day, track fees $5.50 per day, pentosan, saline drenches, pre-race vit’s, Ovumate (if a filly), etc etc etc! So really, it ends up about $4k per month. But, as some have pointed out, if you’re racing in a $10k maiden to win (after trainer -jockey %) about $5k, it’s a hard task and no matter your enthusiasm, it doesn’t make sense. Hence Stakes are very important. The Trainers have a job to do and have your horse fit AND healthy. It’s the Racing Administrators job to ensure that the Stakes are “high” enough to help at least provide relief to the winners/place getters, and encouragement to stay in. $10k races won’t do that. Owners have to net (imho) at least 3 - 4 months costs out of a win. JMHO.

When winning the last race at Taupo on Flourishing he won the last race for that decade in the North Island (2010 -2019). Yesterday he won the first race at Ellerslie which would have been the first race run in the world for this decade and his win later on the programme on Julius in the Railway being the first G1 race in the world this decade also. Fabulous and special day at Ellerslie yesterday and thank you Leo for your wonderful hospitality on the day. Most appreciated.

Agree Leo, genuine mistake, he has put his hands up, move on. Probably a few new protocols need to be put in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Ellerslie had a loyalty card a few years ago but wiped it. They recommended we become members (then shut the course for nearly a year). Now the choice is easy, pay an entrance fee, get through security, be roped off from most areas, pay exorbitant food and drink prices, be blasted by static/music, OR stay at home with Wi-Fi, fridge and couch. Tough call!

And it wasn't a false start according to that manual. 7.1 False Start The Starter may signal a false start where in their opinion runners were not afforded a fair start due to mechanical failure of the barrier stalls, such as gates opening prematurely, slowly, or not at all. IMO, the race should have proceeded and the affected horse been declared a non- runner. So, that was a second bad mistake in the incident. Not the starter's fault but but the hapless judiciary's. Once the false start was wrongly signalled I believe the race should have been voided not restarted. I imagine there's now a good few more punters out there looking for events other than NZ thoroughbred racing to spend their money on.

Top sportsman will get no recognition here .nice man like his brother and father.super achievement

Sadly, I have to agree with most of the above comment. There was a good meeting held over National time, with much enthusiasm shown, and commitment from at least some of the jump riders present to make themselves available for schooling sessions. It's clear [ and undisputed ] that the industry cannot afford to put up 20k stakes for 4 horses to compete, and along with the schooling days mentioned, there was an indication that several northern trainers would be prepared to base a team of jumpers in the south for most of the season. As well, several local trainers - me included - indicated that they would be happy to campaign any northern jumper for their connections. Bearing in mind Timaru and Riverton are both on the closure list, that leaves Wingatui and Riccarton only to host jumps races [ if there are any left by then ]. Riccarton indicated it would be prepared to hold hurdle races earlier in the season, but - we'll see. One problem with Riccarton in that frame is that often tracks are still very hard in April/May, which is not what jumpers want or need. But, as Wheels said, the problem is largely of our own making, S.I trainers haven't been very pro-active in supporting the jumping game. And for those who complain about lack of riders, there seems to be no problem getting Asian/Mauritian riders out to work, and the north island seems to have little problem with UK riders either. Andre Klein did try to get English lads out here for their off-season, it worked reasonably for a short time, but these boys need employment. They can hardly be expected to sit on their hands for one ride a month. As Charlie Wallis said to me, I didn't expect a red carpet, but why the hell would I want to come out to ride someone's breakers for $400 a week. I'd have been better off staying at home. The idea petered out. There are bigger stables who regularly have overseas staff, the ball is in their court. ....but typically, no action, just complaints. The young man who works for me is English, a former jump rider and very capable all round. If I [ with my very small operation ] can manage to employ someone like him, others certainly can. There are plenty available.

Many apparent date ' anomalies ' are hangovers from a time when there were two distinct pools of horses/ jockeys in the S. I. They were effectively stand - alone areas, and seldom met apart from Cup time, National meeting. The hiatus in Canterbury over the five week holiday period reflects the traditional West Coast circuits of which there used to be two, a November one , followed by the January one . To adequately reflect the changing demographic there needs to be consultation with regard to requirements , numbers and grades etc of actual horses in training. Shouldn't be too difficult to retrieve such data with modern technology, it's not as if we are using pencils and paper. But it would take some thought and should have the buy - in of everyone, not a select few. And it shouldn't involve the forced closure of anything. Market forces should dictate which remains....genuine market forces, not artificial constraints applied due to flawed ideology.

I imagine that one day rita will come out and quantify the numerous benefits to the industry from closing Kurow. Just as they will explain how winter racing in the south will be better off now that Waimate has gone. I presume stakes at those meetings around where Waimate used to be will now increase because of increased efficiencies. And much the same when all that money is saved from closing Kurow. Just imagine what the Waikouaiti Cup will be worth when they close down Timaru. I presume the Timaru licence would have to remain in Canterbury as currently it is the only Canterbury race-meeting for 5 and a half weeks. Must be tough being a Riccarton based trainer if you don't want to travel for four or five hours to race in a $10,000 race, just to get a racing opportunity. As it was, the maiden 1,200m at Timaru had 28 noms, but only 14 got to start; no intention of splitting the field. And on that subject, 69 of the 86 acceptances at Waikouaiti come from Canterbury. Not much interest from Otago or Southland. I do think Otago is perhaps over raced at this time of year. Interesting too, no maiden stayers races at Wingatui, Timaru or Kurow, so 22 nominate at Waikouaiti and only 12 will get a start. But wait, there is another stayers maiden two days later at Omakau. That's clever isn't it. I actually blame the trainers for a lot of the problems in the South. South Island racing is so badly run when it comes to dates, racing programmes and the distribution of stakes money that I am stunned that the trainers haven't all got together and said "look, this is hopeless. You people couldn't run a piss up in a brewery". After all it is the trainers lives at stake. God knows how they manage to attract owners when they are surrounded by such gross incompetence. I used the think the average trainer was brighter than the average administrator, but I am beginning to wonder. What do the trainers say when their owners ask them which SI 2yo race they will be setting their syndicated 2yo for over Xmas so all the owners can turn up? It would be nice if rita could spot where the actual problems are rather than thinking closing Kurow, Waimate and Timaru will solve all of Racing's problems. I must admit, I have virtually given up on anything constructive happening, so for all I know rita may have come out and said something useful already, but I just haven't seen it.

And by "designated" tracks, what is left? Oamaru ,Waikouaiti?? How to drive people away from the races in one easy lesson.

Gruff mentioned about the friendly and efficient tote operators at Matamata. They used to have a couple of tote operators who bore a marked resemblance to "broom factory test pilots". Thankfully they have resigned.

He’s a shining light in the gloomy world of NZ racing Our jockeys and trainers continue to shine on the global stage.....it’s only our administrators that seem unable to achieve anything useful....except abuse licensees From the great B P Thomson, Chris Waller, Dexter Dunn through to J Mac......they are our rock stars and they deserve every accolade they get so I say yes, he should be in the HOF and we should celebrate it not question it.

Suppression orders have a role in the justice system......but my understanding is that the 63 year old charged breached the orders because he considered the defence lawyers ( Ron Mansfield ) use of the elective sexual history of Grace Millane to be wanton “slut shaming” that was used to mitigate the premeditated & inexcusable actions of the murderer In doing so Graces family and friends were unnecessarily humiliated and embarrassed, and that’s a disgrace to the justice system, and to NZ.. Grace was victimized by the murderer, and then again by the legal system. The person charged believes Judge Simon Moore should’ve suppressed all evidence pertaining to Grace’s elective consented sexual history, because it had no degree of “public interest” As for the murderer getting suppression, ........mmmmmmm.......that’s another story but suffice to say it’s more complicated than it appears......

Bit off topic Boss but she is a nice filly who went well enough on debut, just left a bit flat footed when they quickened so stepping up to 1400 meters will only help. Once she learns the whole game she could be well above average on what she has shown at home.

They should do it now, (immediately,) ban the whip before it’s too late.

The thing is, when you let something like this drag on and on and on, no one cares anymore. The saddest part about it all, this typifies greyhound racing in NZ, like this thread no one cares, there are the few in the industry that dominate everything starting at the top, but for the average person like myself that used to love participating it's dead and buried. There is nothing to attract ownership, dont get me wrong, there are some real good people there, but they must find it bloody hard to compete with the dominaters. It's just as ridiculous when you think about the poor punter looking at the fields being dominated by the few also, the fun and interest has gone.

Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year to you all. A return to good health is the only thing on my list this year....

Copper belt grey way ooplk its doesn't seem the same any more. Legend. Hard to replace.