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

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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/20/2018 in Posts

  1. scooby3051

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    KIWI CALLER HONG KONG BOUND July 20, 2018 New Zealand race caller Tom Wood has been called up to the big leagues and will join Hong Kong’s broadcast team in the new season. Currently Singapore Turf Club’s number one race caller, Wood has spent the last 18 months in the South East Asian racing jurisdiction, taking over his current role from Australian race caller Matt Jones earlier this year. “I was the number two here for the first 13 or 14 months behind Matt Jones and when he decided to go back to Victoria and go farming I was in a fortunate spot to be put into the number one role here,” Wood said. “This year I have ticked off a few good races like the (Singapore) Derby last weekend and then before that the Kranji Mile meeting. “But he gave me a whole stack of opportunities when I was number two to him. He really believed in giving the person under him something to want to stick around for and keep them interested. “I was fortunate, as he was number two for about five and a-half years when Craig Evans was here, so he had to wait a while and I didn’t have to wait too long.” Wood believes his time in Singapore helped his cause in attaining the race calling position with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “It was just the right place at the right time and knowing the right people,” he said. “Being here in Asia helps your chances of getting a position like that because previous callers have come through Singapore to go to Hong Kong, like Brett Davis who is there now.” Wood is looking forward to moving to Hong Kong with his wife Stacey and the challenges his new job will present. “I’m looking forward to being part of a quality broadcasting team up there with quality racing,” he said. “Not many people know that the angle at Happy Valley is a real challenge. The commentary box at Happy Valley you are about 30 to 40m before the finish line, so it’s going to be a bit of an adjustment to try and get around and everything happens at Happy Valley so quickly. “So that will be something I am really looking forward to, calling at an iconic track like that. “I don’t think there has been any other Kiwi race callers up there, but I have had plenty of advice from Darren Flindell and David Raphael, they have all been good to talk to.” Wood hopes to make a fleeting visit home to visit family in New Zealand before venturing north next month if all goes according to plan. “It’s been a bit of a work in progress over a few months, but we finally got it across the line,” he said. “I am still negotiating with the Hong Kong Jockey Club regarding my start date, but I hope to be there by the start of the new season and possibly make it home for a few days before heading up there.” – NZ Racing Desk.
    4 points
  2. GOM

    Not so Amazing chase

    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
    4 points
  3. The UK embraced all weathers tracks, they even have an AWT Winter Championship, it's brilliant, it is a lifesaver for their industry as there is now no need to lay off staff during their flat season hiatus. Over here in Oz, they have more than paved their way, be it QLD and the sunny coast, or VIC and their AWT's at Pakenham and Geelong, they run scheduled meetings as well as being the default track for abandoned meetings...... How to pay, well, lets look at this scenario, NZ with it's archaic and puritanical attitudes to bookmaking is it's own worst enemy, maybe Bet365 Park Riccarton or Rangiora, or Sportsbet Riccarton/Rangiora, by allowing them to build and sponsor the thing for say 20 Years, well, it pays for itself, the people of NZ receive the huge income benefits, the attraction of bookmakers, real bookmakers I mean, not the imposters at Petone, the massive marketing that goes with it, the extra sponsorship opportunities for the many corporates that lay in waiting, the excitement that licensed oncourse bookmakers bring, will bring a new breed of young punter to the races, look at UK and the crowds they are pulling at places like Brighton, and Chester...although Geelong midweek resembles a morgue at times they provide a good reliable surface that the punter invests in.....today at Geelong the fields were good and the revenue good......All it will take is someone to say, enough...lets join the rest of the world......and reap the rewards.
    3 points
  4. Emotive

    Not so Amazing chase

    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?
    3 points
  5. How far have we fallen?? I remember back when I was at Waikato Uni and was on course to see Valentine Girl beat the champion Rough Habit in the Foxbridge Plate. Good to see Winston having a crack ,trying to stop the rot with his all weather track proposal, but will NZ ever get back to the halcyon days of the 80's and 90's when people actually used to go to the races?? We can only but dream. Meanwhile in Australia racing continues to thrive getting stronger and stronger. I can smell Spring racing!
    2 points
  6. Sadly I agree. It will be more wasted money, both to start with and ongoing that we clearly haven’t got. For the last 50 years when racing was much stronger than it is today, when we had more horses in training, when we had a foal crop twice the size it is now we didn’t need them. What we did have 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago was money invested in track management and maintenance which we don’t have now to the level as back then. When did you last see a track being tapped back, during a raceday? It did happen regularly once upon a time. If we don’t have the money to maintain the current tracks properly, how the hell are going to maintain three AWT’s, which cost a small fortune each year AND need complete replacement within 10 or 12 years?
    2 points
  7. Kloppite

    Don Grubb

    I don't think you have to be a leftie to be comfortable with Whanganui. You just have to not be a bigot. Whanganui? Wanganui? Each to their own!
    2 points
  8. Timing can be everything and in the build up to the Amazing Chase and Annual Awards the time to strike was right for the sports enemies. We live in very different and difficult times and are permanently under a microscope but some participants really need to have a long hard look at themselves if the general public's perception of the industry is to change. Unfortunately some of the people currently charged with running our industry are also out of their depth. Send them emails or letters asking questions but don't expect a reply because you won't even get an acknowledgement that they received it. Their future direction thus far has been basically replicating what has been put in place in most Australian states and covering their arses. Not arguing it was wrong to do so as this was an obvious step forward especially considering that New Zealand (GRNZ) is in fact part of the ANZGA but one has to question the time it takes for implementation and bringing about change. The only urgency GRNZ seems to show is to get out of the office by Thursday evening so they can have a long weekend every week. Probably why they couldn't front the story as they were too busy having their usual Friday flexi. There's that timing again !
    2 points
  9. La Zip

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    Another shame on NZ letting Tom go, someone pushing their own agenda surely as not only a great home grown talent [no disrespect to Macca as he's the best in NZ] but a beaut genuine bloke.......once the clean out is complete, maybe someone with sense will make Tom an offer, something he can't refuse.
    2 points
  10. We didn't expect any other answer from you Michael.......
    2 points
  11. kdt

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    HK is a great gig to get. Go well Tom, all the best.
    2 points
  12. Yeah, I certainly don't wish to be negative about what would be a huge plus....but just where is the question. Ashburton facilities [ tie ups, boxes ] are a disgrace and I don't see too many people bothering to go there. Hardly anyone goes now. No. Unless consistent trackwork is allowed on the surface [ no idea about that, someone may enlighten me ] installation at Riccarton would necessarily deprive trainers of a usable track. If the plough [ for example ] is taken up for installation and the corresponding trackwork is disallowed, a huge number of horses would be disadvantaged. In a typical dry Canterbury summer, the excellent plough is the only thing that many horses can fast work on. Contamination from horses from surrounding muddy areas also an issue I believe. My [ personal ] choice would be Rangiora. Handy to city, a considerable amount of new housing becoming established, population increasing dramatically in and around, and the place is neat, tidy and welcoming. The harness club however has a stake in proceedings and would have to be convinced.
    2 points
  13. Top effort , never heard a bad word about him from circle of punters I know . I really like his style and he will be a winner in Hong Kong for sure. Looking forward to start of their new season .Wonder if any from here will fill the void in Singapore ?
    2 points
  14. 55th wedding anniversary today. Horses done and onto next project at CB Lodge.Another garden project perhaps??
    1 point
  15. Awapuni Chief Executive is quoted in one report that he hopes final decision June 2019 , then if alls in place sign off , bridging finance to kick off prior to funding coming through. So even best case it won't be up and running prior to 2020. Time drainage pipes , different layers are put down , then finally test races. I would assume industry leaders will tour the world to find best practice and surface for NZ prior to all that. May I humbly suggest mid January Monday meeting at Southwell or Lingfield Park UK , take a warm hat, gloves and scarf , a warm beer goes down well on those days of minus degrees plus windchill in early afternoon. Would all three be built same time as that could push it out at Riccarton quite some years. Overall though I'd be happy to have a share in bread butter all weather performer trained on track. It must keep costs down training wise re travel and regular starts on track in town does appeal to me.
    1 point
  16. Awesome vid GOM. Flabber, you hit the nail on the head with your opening sentence. Frustrated and struggling, he has worked six months to find something to create a shit storm at the right time, (pardon my bluntness). I agree that the GRNZ should have fronted. I am always disappointed with this type of journalism, no balance. Would they attack Todd, Blyth, and Tait for example? No, they hold them up as heroes. A very high-risk sport with its share of drama for entertainment, money, and ego. Did they produce stats from the sport of canine agility, another high-risk sport for entertainment? No. I looked at a number of SPCA annual reports last night from 2016. One glaring omission was the animal stats. Where were the individual branch euthanasia statistics? Not so long ago they were under fire, with their numbers up around 36- 39,000 per annum. I have often wondered if their opposition to our sport is more about rehoming competition, but then I am cynical when it comes to that arm of animal welfare. When you add the council stats to the overview, what you get is a pretty dismal picture. The cruelty and abandonment within the general pet owning population is extremely high. And what about the dog attack statistics, reported to be around 70,000 per annum. The cost to the country which includes ACC compensation (around 10,000 claims per annum) is phenomenal. We don't even rate a mention in those statistics. The viewpoint presented was intentionally narrow. Not a show I ever watch.
    1 point
  17. Eagle Eye

    Not so Amazing chase

    Sorry but after reading this post, it Sounds like a bunch of bitter twisted people not happy because your dogs are not fast enough to nominate to make the final and this has nothing to do with me having one befor the flack starts, how about getting behind grnz instead of continuously knocking, this series is awesome cheers WB
    1 point
  18. Trump

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    I can’t see him returning to call Races in NZ when he’s got Hong Kong! Surely he’s so young that he could get an even bigger reputation whilst in Hong Kong and then move into a possible vacant spot in Melbourne or Sydney in 10 years time. It would beat calling a H11 in the middle of winter in NZ :( just ask Paul Shailer how he’s doing living in the sunshine on the Gold Coast :) he’s had 60 winners this season and his horses have won $6.5MILLION in prize money! Waller will love him and really supports him. They were the standout Stable at this year’s Brisbane “winter” carnival. I think young Woodsie’s nxt stop just might be a nice gig in OZ. You can feel very proud Chris.
    1 point
  19. And that's fair enough Hoka. I apologise for attacking the messenger. reading all your posts on the forums you come across as not a bad bloke
    1 point
  20. Yet to see any figures as to how the industry can afford to maintain one or three, let alone build them. I think it would be political suicide to ask or force the taxpayer to fund them for an industry that currently and for some time has shown it can't sustain itself.
    1 point
  21. Really nice people rode a few winners for Kevin back in the day...really good with apprentices over the years, and a nice family, well done on 55 years together.
    1 point
  22. I don't know why you South Islanders are so ungrateful After all Nathan Clown, that amazing Minister Of Racing gave gallops an All Weather Track at Addington
    1 point
  23. I don't think you were doing anything wrong posting it here at all It wasnt a good story on the tv and grnz have to start doing something or we will not have a sport very soon They need to front up and come up with some plan to stop it from happing we are not far from summer and then what happens then tracks get harder and more dogs do hooks and them more bad tv
    1 point
  24. My intention was to let people know about the News item, nothing else. Hardly worth starting a new topic.
    1 point
  25. 35 meetings a year an extra 12
    1 point
  26. Riccarton does not race in July , minimal in June and bar GN carnival I think only once in late August. As AWTs started obviously to be all weather to cover frost, snow , rain issues these are our worst months on the mainland therefore it follows other clubs must lose dates in these months to Riccarton to make it pay. Would then Riccarton have to give some dates in return from spring summer or these clubs would wither and die. Across the country this will be replicated so the whole calender will need a total regig. Theres 23 meetings a year at Riccarton but take off 6 at least for GN and Cup carnivals that leaves 17 on AWT at most at moment.Does not seem many for 10 mill outlay plus 100k a year to run . On a nice summer Saturday not best to go out to track and watch them run around middle on the sand separated from them by width of turf track . Been many a time to tracks like that and it isn't great so doubt it will be used much during summer.
    1 point
  27. Baz (NZ)

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    A Top Caller let go by all the clowns running and associated with NZ Racing. We need to export these clowns to Hong Kong as well! Good Work Tom !
    1 point
  28. Nothing to do with suiting a "few larger stables" it's more to do with what suits the entire industry, owners trainers jockeys punters a consistent product on a course that can accomodate more trainers/horse numbers and race days An all weather track has to be viable throughout the year not just on race day
    1 point
  29. Spikecity

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    Great news - who is leaving HK - I hope not Brett Davis - like his style
    1 point
  30. Usually they were the 4 legged variety until he found Bettors Delight
    1 point
  31. Mark always liked plenty of Cullens in his stable.!! lol.
    1 point
  32. rdytdy

    Good Luck Tom Wood

    Yes. Well done Tom. Fantastic achievement.
    1 point
  33. gubellini

    Don Grubb

    Ted yes Monastic won 8 races at Wanganui including the Wanganui Gold Cup on 13/2/71 ridden by Bill Skelton. He also won twice at Hawera and twice at Waverley including the 1969 Waverley Cup ridden by Bob Skelton. He also had wins at Foxton, Otaki and Trentham where he recorded his biggest win the 1970 Harcourt Stakes ridden by Maurice Campbell.
    1 point
  34. gubellini

    Don Grubb

    Trump Monastic raced 77 times for 15 wins. He won his 2yo debut at Waverley on the 26/4/67 ridden by Ray Cleaver. He won his first four races in a row as a 6yo. 22/8/70 Foxton ridden by Herb Rauhihi he dead heated with Cantostan ridden by Noel Eastwood. 29/8/70 Wanganui ridden by Bruce Marsh 5/9/70 Wanganui ridden by Bruce Marsh. 26/9/70 Otaki ridden by Gary Phillips.
    1 point
  35. rdytdy

    For what its worth....

    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.
    1 point
  36. AWT very much the low grade stuff back in UK , improving a bit with few listed races around the tracks like Lingfields Winter Derby and big easter all weather championship meeting . Plus Northumberland Plate at Newcastle . The surface at Chelmsford very well spoken of and the top Newmarket stables use it to kick off their top ones from time to time and Godolphin use it for private trial races.For most part though it's a if nothing else on I will have a punt on it but gets ignored on a Saturday by most punters. Kempton , Newcastle and Wolverhampton floodlit so caters for night out crowd. Southwell fibresand surface worse in my book, deep surface lowest quality horses , poor stuff. I suppose they will have to decide polytrack ,pro ride ,tapeta or hopefully not fibresand. Strathayr amazing way it races at Kranji, absolutely hoses down and still seems great surface that would be the ideal IMHO.
    1 point
  37. 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.
    1 point
  38. The coming 2year olds for next season is the next list above that....plus atlante
    1 point