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Sad to hear of the passing of Dr Jim Marks, one of the best vets I ever had the pleasure to know. Great guy who loved life and lived it to the fullest. Thought and prayers with his family at this sad time, give em hell up there Jim you were one of the worlds great characters...RIP.

You don't really get the point. You should read all of the comments carefully before commenting. No one is suggesting they should plow through deep water just to complete a meeting. Virtually all of the comments on here are concerned with: - Is there a problem with how the track has been maintained? - If a lot of money has been spent renovating the track recently, has it been well spent? - Could the abandonment have been foreseen and the meeting transferred the previous day? - Should the AWTs be called into action in such circumstances because that is how their cost was justified? - Is it wise to have closed lots of perfectly adequate tracks that could have been used as back-ups when necessary? - What are the costs to the industry of these abandonments: trainers and jockeys time, owners and punters frustration and disillusionment. International reputation.? - What is being done to mitigate similar things happening in future? - Is it wise to be announcing endless stakes incentives when industry infrastructure is in such a perilous state? These are the reasons behind people's comments on here, not "bleating". I realise you don't have the industry experience of many on here and nuance can sometimes be hard to understand. If you choose to come on again you would be wise to politely ask people to help you understand what is happening rather than telling people to "get over it."

Q & A with Eddie Lamb Paul Richards@richowp Eddie Lamb. (Image: supplied) Winning Post’s Paul Richards catches up with former leading Kiwi jumps jockey Eddie Lamb. PR: Eddie, we’ve just passed the 25th anniversary of your Grand National Steeple win at Flemington on Vowtinsk (1999). Do you remember the day? EL: Yeah, clearly. I flew over from New Zealand that morning and was back on the plane home again before the meeting had finished. It was the only time you rode him. How did you get the ride? I think Craig Durden was supposed to ride him, but he had to take something else. Robbie Laing was Vowtinsk’s trainer, and he asked around for options. I’m great mates with Scotty (Brett Scott) and he ended up suggesting me. Robbie gave me a call and I said yes and flew over. As it turned out we knocked off Scotty on Wild Trista. Had you met Robbie before? No. I think he got a bit of shock, actually. After he legged me on, he asked, “All good?” I said, “yeah,” then after a pause I threw in “How many laps is it?” He stopped in his tracks and said, “What?” He wasn’t happy until he realised, I was joking, but I suspect he was thinking, “Who’s this idiot?” Did you know much about Vowtinsk before the race? Not really. I knew he was Vo Rogue’s half-brother, so I was a bit surprised he was in a steeplechase. One of the owners picked me up from the airport and we called in at (expat Kiwi horsewoman) Amanda Lupton’s place and watched a few videos of his races. I watched the Grand Annual where he’d finished second and they were concerned that he’d gone early that day. They wanted me to hold him up for as long as possible before asking him to sprint. As it turned out, I was able to sit and cuddle him for most of the way before asking him to go in the straight. If you flew out that afternoon, I’m guessing there were no big celebrations. No, I didn’t even have time to shout a drink. My flight got diverted to Auckland instead of Christchurch. They had to put me up in a hotel near the airport and all I wanted was a beer, but I didn’t have much cash on me. I couldn’t go to the bar and the minibar was empty as the airline didn’t want to pay anything extra. It wasn’t until the next day that I got to have a bit of a party. Vowtinsk never raced again? No. I was supposed to come back and ride him in the Hiskens Steeple two weeks later — the owners promised me an extra 10 per cent if I came back — but he broke down and never raced again. Did you get the 10%? Ha ha. No, I’m still waiting. What was it like winning Australia’s biggest jumps race? It’s funny, I took it all for granted a wee bit when I was riding. I didn’t realise the talent I had, and it was only when I retired and saw the good races I’d won that it sunk in that I was okay at it. At the time you’re just looking forward to the next race and the next beer. I do remember the days after the National win though. I rode a few more winners, but also, I got a cheque for winning the Great Northern Hurdles on Serpente six years earlier. Why did it take so long? On the day, I got promoted to winner after being beaten a half-head by Majestic Blaze. He’d knocked me sideways at the last fence. It was so bad I reached out and pushed Rick Cassidy away. I ended up getting suspended for three months for reckless riding. The connections of Majestic Blaze weren’t happy with the protest decision, and they appealed it, and it ended up going to all the way to the High Court. It took a few years before they eventually confirmed that I’d won, and I got paid. You mentioned earlier you’re good mates with Brett Scott. He came to Australia and was very successful. Did you ever think about moving as well? I had plenty of offers but I was happy at home. I enjoyed being a big fish in a small pond. I suppose I was bit of a homeboy. Whenever I went to Australia I’d fly back the same day. The same when I rode on the North Island, I’d always fly back home (to the South Island) that evening. I was happy at home. I had a short stint in Australia in early 1992 but I got rubbed out and had a bit of a discussion with the chief steward about it. He suggested I shut my mouth and gave me a three-month suspension. I went back home after that and stayed there. Do you look back now and think maybe you should have come over? I do, and maybe I should have had a crack. Scotty and I were always top-two in the riding premierships back here in New Zealand. I came second to him four times and I was managing around 20 winners a season. These days they win the jumps premiership with seven wins. Then, when he moved to Australia, I started winning titles. I guess I was believing my own press a bit. The media were saying I was the best, and I thought I was the best. So naturally, when people are ringing up and saying you should move to Australia, you’re thinking, “Nobody tells the best what to do.” I used to have the attitude that it was “cash or crash” when I was riding. It was only when I broke my leg badly and spent over two years out of the saddle that I changed my attitude. I was watching the races and thinking, “Gee, these guys are pretty reckless, the way they ride.” Then it occurred to me that I was the same. I came back when I was bit older, started to ride a bit safer and wasn’t as successful. People said I’d lost my nerve a bit, and to be fair I probably did ride a year or two too long. Why did you become a jockey in the first place? Was it a family thing? No. I was very small as a kid — I was only 28 kilos when I was 14 years old. I’d been working at a stable before and after school up until then. One day I was at Foxton races and Jimmy Cassidy rode a treble. Everybody just loved him. I thought that day, “I want to be like him.” When I got my licence to ride, I’d grown to weigh 40kg and two years later I was up to 55kg. Did you have a growth spurt? A little. I’d also found beer by then … I rode around 60 winners on the flat, but as soon as I jumped a horse, I knew this was for me. What would have been your first feature win? It would have been when Region won the Grand National Steeple at Riccarton (1987). I’d finished third on him in the Grand National at Flemington two starts before. When I won at Riccarton, I was only 18 years old. I think I’m still the youngest jockey ever to win the race. I had bit of an attitude. I certainly wasn’t as good as I thought I was. I remember I was asked by a member of the press, “Where to now?” in relation to me winning the race at just 18. I said, “I’m going to the bar.” I was very naive and didn’t appreciate what I’d done. I’d certainly love the cash and the lifestyle now from those years. I’m guessing the best horse you rode was Rand. He was a sensational horse. He was the best jumper in the world in 2001. When I won my second race on him, I said to (trainer) Mark Oulaghan, “He could be something special, this horse.” He had such a high cruising speed. I won all five starts on him in New Zealand, then we went to Japan for a crack at the Nakayama Grand Jump. And how did you go? In the lead-up to the big race he kicked their heads in. On the day of the race I said to Mark, “The only way he gets beaten is bad luck.” Uh oh. Yep. With a lap to go we were just cruising, when the leader slipped coming down the hill and then the two horses behind him went down. It was absolute carnage and I had nowhere to go. I got thrown off as well. He would have absolutely bolted in. But things improved soon after in America. Yes, we won the Iroquois Steeplechase in Tennessee. That was an amazing occasion. It’s actually not a racecourse, it’s like a point-to-point course, but they get a massive crowd there. It’s another thing I didn’t appreciate at the time, to win such a big race. I met up with Craig Thornton, who was a top Kiwi jumps jockey over there at the time, and we partied for three days straight. Unfortunately, I never rode him again. I had a falling out with Mark’s partner and was replaced. Then I started to lose the passion a bit. I’d been a bit spoilt by the success and probably didn’t work hard enough. Why did you give it away? I had another fall, and I think it took my tally up to 14 different broken bones. I kept coming back but I’d had enough of it by then (2007). I trained myself to deal with pain, but now I’m a sook. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with leukemia a few years back and I think that riding experience of dealing with pain hasn’t let me down. I’ve been able to cope, though I do whinge a bit. I was told five years ago that I only had 24-36 months left to live, but I’m going okay at the moment. I’m on some good medication. Sorry to hear that, Eddie. All the best with it all, but also well done on a fine riding career and thanks for reliving it with me.

There will never be unity in the industry , self interest in all areas is too strong . When money is involved then those doing well have very little motivation for change . Most are very comfortable financially so are happy to take as much as they can while they can and when/if things go tits up they will either move across the ditch or close up shop and retire . The A/W's are a classic example , all those big stables training on them and having regular racing on them have a huge advantage so are more than happy to have them and won't have a bad word said about them , why would they ? they have an advantage , look at the numbers that race on them , huge% of them home track horses . Then extrapolate to all other areas of the industry and the status quo will always hold sway . Now are they truly better for the WHOLE industry ?. As for changing the way the industry is run and managed , for one those in charge have no idea nor appetite for major change , too big a job . Look at areas of our industry that have needed change for the last 20 years , programming , calendar, ratings , tracks , stakes for god knows how long , if Entain hadn't come along it would still resemble previous years , the shortage of jockeys coming through , the drain on our horse population , not enough owners . Clear issues that have never had any significant attempt at rectifying . The only significant thing that has changed is the Entain money , but as ever we see the vast majority of that money being directed where the big boys have the greatest opportunity of winning it . Yet that was one of the easiest solves IMO , use the money to build a solid base which in turn might help solve , how ever slowly , a couple of other problems , owners staying in the game and owners not so quick to sell a promising horse . Building a strong base would in the long run help build the whole industry into a better and stronger industry , would have taken time but good things do , but we went for the fast and easy solution which benefits a few . IMO our current position is as good as it gets , unless the things above are tackled and improved then things simply CANNOT improve , money alone cannot solve our problems . in many instances used in the wrong way it just perpetuates them .

I thought Justin Even’s commentaries at Trentham today were fantastic. I was very very critical of the TAB pushing Tony Lee out, so much so, that I wasn’t really ready to give Justin a go BUT today he excelled in my opinion. Well done Justin, especially in face of the pressure that you have been facing.

Absolutely right Jim. Te Teko race Course is now leased as a dairy farm. All rails gone but some evidence of the " grand Stand " still there. I think The Whakatane Racing Club still owns the land. Others on here will be able to verify that, if it is so. Syd Weatherly, Snow Harris, Bob Crowley, Sir Ian Morton, Ron Wells, Sir John Hayes and other very good stockmen and women, trained from out of "Te Texas "! Most of us rode track work in light stock saddles. Used a Bates exercise saddle for gallops. Many horses from Matamata started their winter training in late January conditioning at Thornton Beach and the river as well as the wonderful Track. Great days. Fastest horse I ever rode was Arclestar a grand little black sprinting mare.She beat Bob Crowley's grand grey Silver Can in a track gallop one day and maybe still holds an Ellerslie Track Record over that inside track of 1575 metres. With Toby aboard !! ( Possibly Jim will tell us !!). Early days there was equalisator only but always the car Park Bookie. Mainbrace may have won his first public appearance at Te Teko

Oh dear. Back to spelling class, Miss J.

Comes across as used car salesman type...they should have given a show to Luke Radich...then there would be some proper journalism...but no he is not PC enough to fit in.

Haha he is a joke just a paid mouthpiece dont expect anything controversial on his show...a simple talking head in my opinion.

Slightly related to this subject, Oamaru last Sunday. Full fields, except for the unfortunate circumstance in the 2yo. 34 starters from all over Otago and Southland. Winners from Riverton (2) and Omakau. A couple of winners from Timaru as well. NZTR doesn't want this sort of racing. They want everyone to focus on the AWT during the winter. Their attitude is that if these Southern trainers want to race during the winter they should move to Canty and buy an AWT horse or give up. Personally I think Oamaru is an amazing asset. It was really good racing as well despite the heavy 10. And they went quicker times than Pukekohe from memory. It is only 4 hours from Riverton to Oamaru. To be able to keep all those trainers scattered all over Otago and Southland involved throughout the winter is brilliant. Oamaru and Timaru should be racing every two weeks during the winter, perhaps even more frequently. Everyone thinks Ruakaka is a great facility but there is little effort made to encourage similar assets in the South. I was going to say the industry's big problem is the lack of leadership, but really it is poor and unimaginative leadership, almost negative leadership to be honest.

Will clubs now have to post truck reports as well as track reports?!

That's my recollection too. Despite the push for centralisation - which has been ongoing for many years [ remember ' One Racing' supported by Stiassny? ] Purcell, despite the stupid things he did do, was not in favour of arbitrarily shutting tracks - but he did say NZTR would work, in a supporting role, with clubs which chose to race elsewhere. Saundry, on the other hand, had a 'venue plan' well entrenched by the time Messara appeared on the scene. Of course he was going to be advised by local administrators. How could he possibly know all the local information otherwise? It was unfortunate that those advisors were less visionary than they should have been. And - if we are quoting Messara - the singular most important thing he indicated was the restructure [ outsourcing ] of the TAB. The rest, to use his terms, was just window-dressing which was largely useless without radical reform of the TAB, our funding arm.

As NZ Racing is becoming more and more of a laughing stock, how can things ever be expected to improve when the heads of the responsible organizations just continue to roll out PR spin or are totally M.I A.? There seems to be an 'immunity to accountabilty' in these roles which will just allow the crisis to deepen until the next unaccountable lot take over. For an industry that was once widely respected from fellow industries worldwide we have now just sadly disappeared into the shadows and become insignificant on a global basis. Perhaps the industry participants need to take action that might force change? Owners, trainers, jockeys and all other associated employees here in New Zealand are poorly done by and falling behind as each and every year goes by. My thoughts are that there should be a 'coming together' of all these parties and strike action served to NZTR - for the entire week starting xxx, there will be no horses (harness included?) presented for racing. This situation has been survivable before (lockdowns), and at least this will be a planned absence from the track, rather than what is being served up to them now and the mostly non-recoverable costs that abandonements cause. There are many and various industry participants in Racecafe so I would like to hear others thoughts around accountability and change.

I get referred to as a sex machine regularly.....the actualy words used are "you are a fucking tool".

What a bunch of incompetent morons. How depressing is this for any who have been involved with this club and industry. The previous CEO Dowding and Board are responsible for this financial disaster with their pie in the sky building scheme they had no experience in. Someone should have been held accountable for that professional dereliction instead of the arse covering exercise we got. Now these geniuses expect HRNZ and the wider industry to pour more money into the hole to help them out. That’s one way of wasting the Entain funding…….

Mick certainly has form- totally unwarranted attacks on Brian O'Meara when Christian Cullen was totally dominant followed by similar attacks on Warren Stapleton. Throw in his credit bet at the Parnell TAB. Good luck to him but I would rather watch a blank screen than tune into his show.

Poor Katie .....copping the dreaded cancer at just 34 and passed away yesterday. It really makes you appreciate being alive as none of us are here for very long and Katie was just coming into her prime!!! RIP Katie.

Thanks anyway Nomates. I was attending meetings from 5 years old at the Riverton Easter races, and we usually went to the Gore races at Labour Weekend and the Tapanui races in December at the old Tapanui racecourse which was a quirky little track with a very short home straight and a tight turn after the winning post as well as other meetings like Kumara. This was in the late 1960s, the 1970s, into the 1980s. Huge crowds back then, and much more family orientated, and not a yuppie in sight! Just ordinary Kiwi's enjoying a day out at the races, with a picnic basket in the boot. As others have pointed out, clubs were run by volunteers back then. Now everything seems so corporatised and sterile with an emphasis on hospitality and fancy marquees for people who are not really there for the horses. Just my opinion.

I honestly think they think that nobody is interested , just too much effort . One thing they are not strong on is tradition and yesteryears results would show up how much they have stuffed up our traditional racing pattern . Sorry .

GP, many of our 'other tracks' have been decommissioned. Part of the Grand Plan.

Facture the quality of the execution of a painting; an artist's characteristic handling of the paint. "Manet's sensuous facture"

Good posts, Alf - but - getting trainers to agree on ANYTHING is like herding cats, as the saying goes. And without getting into personalities or specifics, any 'strike' or protest has to have a clearly defined aim. Such as, a wage increase, or taxation change, or a policy issue. For example, standing up for someone who has been unfairly treated. Those matters can be understood, and if there is sufficient will, attended to. The recent fundraiser for Amanda Higgins was a heartening example of just how cohesive racing people can be. But the issue has to be clear and defined. Waving our arms around about 'racing being up shit creek ' and it is, you're spot on there, is too vague and can't get the buy in needed. Where to start? Track maintenance, jockey standards, programming, handicapping, the 'track closure' notion , along with its cousin, the centralization concept...all are flawed but to deal with effectively is too nebulous a process. The Members' Council, followed by the Board, and finally their paid minions, all need a 'refresh'. A strike isn't going to start that process. And among these no doubt well-intentioned folk there will be some be able individuals. But anyone who has served on committees will know that one or two dissenting voices don't carry much clout. It is the opinion of the collective that matters.

Albeit that did happen several days later, but Timaru was abandoned during the meeting. And new fields were taken.. In Victoria they virtually always decide the day before if a meeting looks suspect and make a quick decision regarding alternatives. Look at Donald/Warracknabeal last weekend Of course in Victoria they are all about managing the racing programme and structure. In NZ all we are interested in is a new slot race, some sweepstakes and a new bonus series for some obscure set of races. In Australia they are all about the structure of racing being most important, and anything else is a bonus. In NZ nobody appears to give a stuff about the structure of racing as long as we have a couple of wank meetings in Auckland each year. The industry won't survive on that basis. It has just occurred to me there might be some poor bastard sitting in a corner at NZTR who's prime interest is making sure the scheduled race meetings go off as planned. When things look suspect he probably looks around the room and sees everyone else busy planning a new slot slot and a $1m bonus series for horses who mange to run fifth in a designated series of maiden races at Pukekohe with a $9m final at Ellerslie, with a proviso that the final gets transferred to Waverley if Ellerslie is out of action. He probably comes on here and posts as Family Friend when he gets frustrated. And Jools is probably his typist, who spends most of her days correcting his grammar. You can see why she gets pissed off.

Quickly tidy that up Horse before Jools sees it.

They're all jumping , seriously , I agree , this winter is showing that there are plenty of horses and I hope industry leaders work hard to keep this momentum up . Nothing better than the jumpers .

We'll miss Micks Dad if he does bugger off Hopefully he takes the right colored pills, gets out of his cot, picks up his toys and carries on

Well thatll do me regardng NZ racing! The one intelligent guy on telly and Entain give him the heave-ho. Reminds me of how he got shafted the first time with Trackside because a fellow "presenter" (more like clown) felt inferior and got the powers that be to edge him out. Luke should take both incidents as a sign of excellence on his behalf. Sometimes you need to be proud of what youre doing if the losers out there dont like you.

Friend Family stating that Mick will ask the hard industry questions is a gross abuse of the English language. He should become an MP with his unmatched ability to ask patsy questions.

Money Money Money its a Rich Mans World aaah aaah aaaah Thirty years ago, or probably more, I wrote an opinion stating that the reason the pyramids were still standing, 5000 years after they were built, was that the Egyptians understood the fundamental truth, that if you want to go UP, you need a strong foundation to build upon, the base is the most important thing, HRNZ still don't get it.

Bumped into Gubes at Garry Edges recent funeral, wow, the knowledge and books he has to refer to are superb, great statistician and guy!

They should never have stopped racing at Te Teko. It was always a great winter track.

Joe did not clip. The stipes view showed his horse slightly brushed with Warren as he improved wide but the amount of contact could not have caused such a sudden slip behind. The slip marks photographed by the jockeys that inspected the track were significant. Most of the early races were smaller fields of around 7 runners so no one was improving four and five wide at that point on the track in those races. The race with the issue was the first in which the riders were improving wide, partly because everyone had to navigate around Bailey who had had a gear malfunction, and partly because by that point in the day the inner had broken up.

Is due to commence racing at Caulfield on August 17th on his way to the Melbourne Cup. Good luck team.

Agree and throwing more money at the top end will not change the field they would get in any form as the good horses would still be there. My opinion is there should be more of the special big prize money races for the battling trainers and battling owners with a lower grade horse, these should be encouraged as you never know the next one they own may just be a good one but if they leave then very difficult to get them back. Way to much focus on the top end...needs to spread more somehow...not sure how as there are so many lower end races to fund but targeted series for those may work to..spread out the riches to many more not just a select few.JMO

We currently have 3 separate threads for Hastings Abandoned, Rotorua Abandoned and New Plymouth Abandoned. We have a pinned thread for our Tipsters, so wondering whether we should now have a pinned thread for Abandonments.... seeing there's so many of them

What staggers me is we have had 19mls of rain overnight at Taranaki and 31mls at Rotorua. These are not massive amounts of rain. Both places have probably had 50mls each in last 7 days. I think everyone knew these meetings would be abandoned......and there was no forward planning. Just put the abandonment notice on love racing and move on..... The poor track staff do not have the equipment or it is old. We keep spending the funds in the wrong places. I list of funds that I think would have been better spent on track equipment (including starting gates). $50M TAB funds on new system THe millions spent on the annual maintenance agreemetn for a poor performing site THe $5M gone on implementing a new system for NZTR, that system has been binned The $M on grand tour promotions Bonus races etc It never stops. Prize money in NZ is sufficent now. The reason people send horses or themselves to Aussie is to avoid this stuff.

Why would you want to run your heavy 10 horse on a A/W track that has a rating of 4

Great decision on Wednesday / Thursday to have only one NZ race in this weeks competition. Well done John. .

What a crop of crap. Talk about papering over the cracks...."Phase 2"......please!!!!!!! Just say they stuffed up and had to go back and fix it - a $50M balls up! Honestly these Auckland pricks will never admit theyre in the wrong.

You a mate of MJ's , you get over it buddy , don't come on and tell seasoned racing people to get over it . Just another sanctimonious git . You go get over yourself .

It should not happen it never used to happen there and they just spent a lot of money on the track supposedly fixing the issues and have now caused a new one...take the rose coloured glasses off Matey.

I think Mick is head n shoulders the best racing presenter on the telly

That's all very well and good but this is just the latest in a very long series of screw ups and abandonments. A friend of mine drove all the way from Whangarei today to see his horse race - you can blather on about people 'getting over themselves' (stupid saying by the way) but people like you seem to forget that these abandonments affect connections financially.

Lack of funding by NZTR is the common denominator in all these fiascos. They must be putting funds aside for their next big overseas soiree- the 40th Asian Conference in Sapporo Japan from August 27 to September 1 this year. The TAB should open a book on how many freeloaders are going. Their presentations should be filed in the Fantasy section of NZ libraries.

Does ATR stand for Abandoned Thoroughbred Racing?

I don't think Natalie has anything more to prove my old mate. She's trained/driven one of the G.O.A.T. Australasian champion Black's A Fake, four-time Interdominion winner. She has won many G1's with All Stars. Perhaps, she will retire or just drive at Premier meetings? I wish her well. She's a cracker!

The jumping races at Trentham today have been fantastic. The win of The Cossack was exceptional.

I see he is back in NZ and back riding as well. He has 1 ride in the last race at Hastings on Saturday and is the pre-race favourite. Welcome back Parksy, hopefully this means he can be back close to full time.

Neville trained Ring The Bell to win the 1980 NZ Derby ridden by Nigel Tiley. Secured Deposit to win the 1983 NZ St Leger ridden by Tony Williams and the 1984 Wellington Cup and 1985 Auckland Cup both times ridden by Neil Hain. His jumpers included Ascot Gold, Srar Of Avon, Valium, Raoul- 1977 Maramarua Hunt Cup- Neil Hain, Little Rebel- 1976 McGregor Grant- Gary Bell, Tassaby, Regenerate - 1979 McGregor Grant- Ross Thompson, Le Roy- 1980 Pakuranga Hunt Cup- Chris Wood, New Blue and Patrone- second in the 1981 Great Northern ridden by Rick Cassidy a short head behind Beans Beau and Bryce Waters and third in the 1980 Great Northern ridden by Ross Thompson.