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I don't know if it is just me. Or more correctly I know it is not just me that thinks this debacle is not so Amazing A game for the rich boys and their toys springs to mind. OK anything that brings the sport some attention and turnover must be good, but overall is it. Where is the benefit for the 95% of the participants who stand looking at the manipulation of rules and unease created by a few well connected who are just trying the old mine is bigger than yours trick .I take an analogy where if it was motor cars and you wanted to boost the image of your countries products with an event where the fastest and reliable was decided, and you called for an event where all the Ferrari's, Porches, McLaren's and red Mustangs were entered is the result going to encourage anyone in the local industry. There is considerable money involved here and practically it will be only the flash Harry's who even participate. The average participant in the NZ industry has been hit with all sorts of levies and charges and restrictions that are making it harder work for the backbone of our industry while we go out of our way to provide incentive for the Aussie industry

Racing will survive in NZ . To many people love the industry to let it fold.

I see in the news the passing away of Don Grubb. He was a real character and a good trainer. A number of his good horses were mentioned in Racing News but one not mentioned was a horse called MONASTIC. I remember the horse being in work for about 2 continuos years and I asked Don when he was going to give it a spell. Don replied “Because he’s like me - Monastic doesn’t like spelling”. The horse won quite a few races for Don, mainly around the CD area. Don was in Feilding, but I think he was originally training at Wanganui (Whanganui for all you lefties!). RIP.

I like the idea of racing giving to charity. I understand the need to offer something different, to generate interest. But really is this the best we can do? I agree so far the exercise has been farcical. The trials have been shambolic in my area, weather conditions have knocked a number of participants out. The playing field is far from level. Arguments around eligibility shouldn't be happening but due to the poor construction of the criteria, they are. Is this event value for money? Will it attract new blood to the industry, will it attract new sponsors, will it attract new punters? Will it improve any of the areas needing attention, will more dogs be rehomed, will audience numbers be increased, etc? My contempt isn't for the participants, not at all, the race was created and they have the right to enter under whatever the race criteria is interpreted to be. However, I can understand the "big dick" analogy. Where's the mainstream advertising? We already own the audience that will tune in on the night, so is the hour of exposure worth effort and the money taken from stakes?

Let’s all be nice… by Christie Stuff has published this absurd little piece on free speech. As the writer, Glenn McConnell, is barely into his twenties, it is an interesting insight into how the mind of the millennial works – and it shows that they think the world is a lovely place, where no one wants to hurt anyone else and we all live in castles with rainbows. I will forgive him his rose-coloured view of the world because he is young. What I cannot forgive, however, is his complete stupidity and naivety, particularly as he is an aspiring journalist. Quote: Here is the first little dig. These guys are so wealthy that money doesn’t matter to them. Just so you know, young man, I donated to this cause, and I am a long way from being rich. I donated because I think it is a very important issue. Quote: I can understand his dislike for Don Brash, as his Orewa speech was grossly misunderstood, and therefore badly reported. However, Chris Trotter is a left-leaning political analyst who believes in free speech. It is insulting to describe him as “protecting racist speakers”. Quote: Kabam! You just stopped someone from exercising their right to speak. Even if it was boring, even if it was long winded, he still had the right to say it. Quote: No, it isn’t, buddy. Both parties in this exchange have equal rights to speak. You just think you have a greater right because you don’t like what you hear. You don’t. That is the essence of what the Coalition for Free Speech is all about. Quote: So, you have the right to say what you think but Leighton Smith doesn’t? Because you don’t like what he says about transgender people? The issue of transgender people is generally not the fact that they are transgender. Nobody particularly cares about that. It is the enormous fuss they make about toilets. Most of us simply can’t understand why they don’t just use a stall in whichever gender toilet they decide is appropriate. Why is this such an enormous issue? It really shouldn’t be. That is the reason these “demagogues” raise the matter. They feel there is something more sinister at play here. Quote: No. He is merely voicing his opinion, to which he is entitled, and you are voicing yours. You may not agree with him, but if you have any sense at all, you will defend to the death his right to say what he thinks because you are simply too young and too stupid to understand the consequences that the erosion of free speech brings with it. Glenn, judging by your photo, it was your great-grandparents’ generation that lived through the Second World War. For most “demagogues”, many of whom are baby boomers, it was our parents’ generation that did. We “demagogues” were brought up with the lessons that those times taught. We heard about the rise of Nazism, and the freedoms that were taken away. Our parents actually took part in the war and lived through horrors that you can never imagine. So, we know – not first hand, but by hearing the stories – how awful life can be if some of the things we take for granted are suddenly not there any more. The Nazis stopped free speech, freedom of the press and freedom of association. They burned books. They arbitrarily decided that some races were simply ‘sub-human’, so they embarked on a programme of mass extinction of Jews and Slavs. Hitler wanted a pure Aryan race, and was quite happy to murder people in order to achieve it. He did. 61 million people in all died during the war, and about 10 million of those were Slavs, six million were Jews and seven million were Russians. It is just about incomprehensible. To you, this is as much a part of history as the Hundred Years War but this all happened less than 100 years ago, and it happened because humans didn’t stop their fundamental human rights being eroded when they could have done more about it. Today the child-sex-slave grooming gangs in Britain are real, Glenn. These are British girls being taken as sex slaves by Muslim men. You can’t deny it. There have been prosecutions, although the authorities are not doing much about it. Why? Well, they don’t want to be seen as racist. It is just like Germany in the 1930s. They don’t like what is happening, but they turn a blind eye. A lot of people in Germany ‘held back’ in the 1930s. At first, they were concerned but said nothing and then it was too late, and they did not dare to speak. So, take away a person’s right to say what they think, even if you find it boring or long-winded, and you start down that slippery slope. Just like Phil Goff did when he decided that Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux were going to incite racial hatred. He did not know that. He just gave in to pressure from a group he did not wish to offend. There’s that slippery slope. If you accept that the mayor of Auckland can now decide who will be allowed to hire council venues, then you have to accept him deciding against someone whom you want to go to see. What if the next mayor of Auckland banned Barack Obama from speaking? How would you feel about free speech then? Quote: The Nazis brutalised people for no fault of their own, Glenn, and it wasn’t merely over toilets. Don’t, whatever you do, think it will never happen again. It has already started to happen again but, like in the 1930s, people like you won’t see it until it is too late. Only the demagogues, who recognise how all this starts, can save you. And it often starts with people who deny others the right to free speech. Just like you.

I don't think they will interfere with Riccarton RR, it has a historical place and needs to remain as such. I would guess that North Canterbury and areas around Ashburton may be looked at, and other options might be in the fast growth area just West of the City out Rolleston / West Melton way ( trot country I know ) as this would be easily accessible, particularly for trainers coming up from the South.

Yes the chipping in part is going to be interesting , as a number of clubs have nothing to chip in! I hope they go the way of Strathayr track as the sand or whatever base the Pakenham or Geelong tracks are just don't interest me and aren't as aesthetically pleasing as the Strathayr surface, not to mention racing from these Geelong and Pakenhams looks like Greyhound racing to me and incredibly boring.

There was an extremely important industry meeting about 10 days ago and he didn’t turn up for that, so I don’t know.

Did he take off early again?

Good luck Mike. All the best

Thanks Dave.Looks like a normal 'Naki weekend weather report - changes every 3 hours !

Because he is a very wealthy man, he didn't get that wealth through being stupid, he's an A List business luminary, his breeding business one of the highest producers, his ownership credentials, impeccable. I've never met the man, but I thoroughly respect what he and V'Landy's have achieved for NSW racing. His ability to identify trouble spots, and the remedies required to right the wrongs is transparent Puha.

I think Possente Cavello could win again in race 8. Nice odds at 8 and 2.10.

Must be one of the tougher jumpers of recent times. What a wee cracker of a horse, he never gives up. But I rather fear weight will get the better of him sooner or later.

One tough dude.

10 wins on the track. Amazing really

You will beat it mate. Stay strong

Yes all the best with it. Heads up

Thanks fellas I'll beat it alright intend to be around for another 6/7 years training want to get 2000 winners in NZ 10 treatments gone 18 to go!!

All the best Michael. Give it heaps.

On behalf of the North Island all the best Mick.

Yes, all the very best with it Michael. Thinking of you and the family as you undertake this journey.

Just keep fighting Michael and you will get there

Best wishes Michael, hope it all goes well for you!

I rode a winner one day for Brian Forbes called Dee Bee...i thought we were never going to finish... they would pull the pin if that happened these days...

You are correct and a real star at the Winter meeting in the 80s was Greek Meer. I was only writing about him a few days ago. refer below. In 1984 he won the Whyte Handicap (1600m) on the first day, finished 2nd in the Parliamentary Hcp (2200m) on the second day and won the Winter Oats (2200m) on the last day. Peter Fearon rode him in all three. In 1985 he ran 2nd the Whyte on the first and won both the Parliamentary and the Winter Oats on the other days. Paul Taylor rode him the first two days and Bill Skelton the last day. He had also won the Whyte Hcp in 1983. Great little mudlark.

Prizemoney Increases For NSW Racing Racing NSW has announced prizemoney increases across all three levels of racing within the state. The changes will see prizemoney increased by more than $24 million annually and will take effect from September 1. “We are delighted to be able to deliver these significant increases in prizemoney across all three sectors coinciding with the start of the spring,” Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding AO said. From September minimum prizemoney for Saturday metropolitan races will increase by $25,000 to $125,000 per race. The majority of the increase in prizemoney will be on horses finishing fourth to tenth in races bolstering returns to connections of the horses not finishing in the top three. In order to improve the cash flow for trainers, in a first for NSW racing, part of the increased prizemoney paid for horses finishing in these positions will be paid by Racing NSW directly to the trainer, with these amounts to be credited as a prepayment to the owner’s accounts. This will provide a $13.1 million improvement to trainers’ cash flows. In addition, trainers themselves will receive an additional $2.4 million a year in trainer’s commissions. With the prizemoney paid down to tenth position, jockeys will also collectively receive a widespread increase in their prizemoney percentages of $1.2 million annually. Also included is the increase in prizemoney to two of The Championship races namely the Percy Sykes Stakes and the Arrowfield 3 Year Old Sprint which have an additional $400,000 added to take them to $1 million per race. This means that the 10 Championship races now carry a minimum of $1 million per race.

Have a look at these breakdown numbers......will make a few weep.... https://www.racenet.com.au/news/nsw-prizemoney-increases--spreading-the-love-20180718 Below is how the new prizemoney increases will be split for Saturday metropolitan races. Finish Position Existing Prizemoney Prizemoney From 1 September 2018 Total Increase Benefit to owners Paid to Trainers Accounts as Pre-payment of owners Account Additional 10% Trainers Prizemoney Percentage Total Additional Cash Flow to Trainers Additional 5% Jockeys Percentage Additional 1.5% Strappers Percentage 1 $53,375 $58,000 $4,625 $3,862 $0 $463 $463 $231 $69 2 $18,800 $23,000 $4,200 $3,507 $0 $420 $420 $210 $63 3 $8,900 $12,000 $3,100 $2,589 $0 $310 $310 $155 $47 4 $4,450 $6,500 $2,050 $1,712 $1,000 $205 $1,205 $103 $31 5 $2,475 $5,000 $2,525 $2,108 $1,000 $253 $1,253 $126 $38 6 $2,000 $4,000 $2,000 $1,670 $1,000 $200 $1,200 $100 $30 7 $2,000 $3,500 $1,500 $1,253 $1,000 $150 $1,150 $75 $23 8 $2,000 $3,500 $1,500 $1,253 $1,000 $150 $1,150 $75 $23 9 $2,000 $3,500 $1,500 $1,253 $1,000 $150 $1,150 $75 $23 10 $2,000 $3,500 $1,500 $1,253 $1,000 $150 $1,150 $75 $23 * Welf.2% $2,000 $2,500 $500 - - - - - - Total $100,000 $125,000 $25,000 $20,458 $7,000 $2,450 $9,450 $1,225 $368

The Kosciuszko – The world’s richest country race The world’s richest country race will now be held on Everest Day at Royal Randwick with a new $1.3 million race – The Kosciuszko. The race will be restricted to only NSW country trained horses who will get a chance to compete on the biggest day of racing in Australia with more than $16 million of prizemoney on offer. Racing NSW announced the new race on Wednesday morning. Through a joint venture promotion with the Australian Hotels Association (‘AHA’), Tabcorp (‘TAB’) and Racing NSW, members of the public will be able to buy $5.00 tickets to win a chance to own a part share in a horse for The Kosciuszko race. Tickets in the Kosciuszko promotion will be exclusively sold at all NSW AHA hotels that feature a TAB outlet. Tickets can be purchased at the TAB Electronic Betting Terminals in the same way as a normal TAB ticket. Also, selected hotels will have dedicated Eftpos terminals that will exclusively sell the Kosciuszko tickets. There will be 12 winning tickets drawn. Each winning ticket holder will then have an entry in The Kosciuszko and can select a NSW country trained horse to race in their entry, subject to agreeing with the horse’s owners as to how they will share the prizemoney for the race. Racing NSW can assist the winning ticket holders in identifying horses for selection. Tickets in the Kosciuszko promotion go on sale on Thursday 19 July 2018 and the draw will be held on 14 September 2018.