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I cant see any positive advantage at all , You have to wonder how many Passionate Club Members, supporters, committee people , locals etc. that have some sort of ownership in racehorses and will feel aggrieved about this situation and finish their association with NZ Racing? The Messarra Report : I'm not exactly comfortably taking business advice from an Australian whose own business in Aus. is based around selling his produce to the same clients NZers are selling to and need to sell to to survive , Surely We are competing for the same market! To Me that like DOMINO'S PIZZA having PIZZA HUT as their business Mentors or consultants!

Haven't we been taking advice/employing Aussies for the last couple of decades , That didn't seem to have been that successful ? Some of these small clubs that are going to be closed have proven very successful at attracting some Very good sponsors that now I would say would also be lost to the Industry , I don't think the Suits actually realise the true loss to the industry in the closure of these smaller country clubs.

Bet you could buy a Best Bets or turf digest on the Sunday also to do study and circle your fancies.Fast forward 30 years you have Zero printed form the day before.

Cheers Tim ...it was nice to get a bit of luck this year after 2018 when it was mostly bad luck.From the excellent filming/ coverage I doubt if it was able to guage how bad the weather was. Very heavy rain , serious wind and freezing cold...ZERO.....the camera people were remarkable ,wrapped in plastic bags. The track stood up real well and of course the covered barn right next to track a real winner. As usual the trainers and strappers did a great job ,helping others by walking horses and escorting them to swab box etc...chipping in. No complaints at all ,everyone was quite excited, it seems, to be involved. Let's try and get a couple qualified for next year ! The Northern horses ,trainers and drivers were very prominent and did well. Racing was great ,despite the conditions and there were some very close finishes . Personally I thought it was a step up , even though weather tried to ruin the day. A great vibe to the day IMO. You can't imagine how bad that weather was ,especially prior to the start ......walking in, the water was lapping into my shoes !

In 100 years they will still be talking about Henry Cecil, Frankel and Tom Queally. Until the day I die, there will never be a better spectacle than I witnessed in the early hours of a Sunday morning (in my lounge alone) when Frankel took off in front, in the 2000 Guineas and just went further and further ahead. In a life time of watching races around the world I had never seen anything like it, and never will again Oh, and Sir Henry Cecil, what a reward at the end of a magnificent career as a trainer with wonderful highs and then a low, as low as one of his ability could go, and then come back and handle Frankel the way he did. Good on Tom Queally for playing his part in the story that will out-live all of us, by generations.

Whatever... you can knock the big boys as much as you want but it seemed like a bloody GOOD day...JMO.

Hahaha ... I'm speechless, maybe the greyhounds can tell us whether they have been training with live or dead baits

Frankie Dettori's magnificent 7/7 at Ascot ?

Wasn’t that long ago they dropped the parliamentary and Whyte handicaps to 25k. Now back to 40 k .

Pretty sure he won a 2040m race of some significance.

I see things a little different. At the Jewels yesterday a contributor to this forum when it was set up said what a great idea it was for like minded people to discuss the sport/industry they love. Social media ,including this forum ,are now mainly used to point out every negative ,mistake or to denigrate individuals. To many ,this is a turn off ,especially when the key board warriors are those who claim to love the industry. Misery loves company ,and for some reason many feed on the negativity of others . So the industry tends to eat itself up from the inside. There are many challenges as horse racing is basically dependant on 'gambling' which is viewed dimly by many and faces much competition . No longer is racing part of our DNA. The Jewels is one of the few days on the calendar when Harness racing can show case itself. The weather intervened ,always a risk in June especially in the South Island.....and the fact that the day proceeded on time was a real tribute to the facilities ,the track itself and the people . The people involved with the day put on a fantastic showcase in atrocious conditions and the day seemed to go off very smoothly. Preparation seemed very thorough and in very trying conditions they performed extremely well. Ive been to many Jewels and thought it was a step up in many ways......the trainers and horse people just rolled up their sleeves and turned on a show .The race books were excellent ,the food and coffee etc outstanding , racing was exciting and on time ,the coverage ,filming , communications were top-class and the excellent entertainment did its best to soldier on. I had trouble performing my best dances as puddles on the dance lawn and the fact my shoes filled with water before the first race slowed me down a bit. Boys Get Paid [BGP] were in attendance as were many harness enthusiasts from all around NZ and parts of Australia. I spoke to dozens of folk involved with horses and all were pleased to be part of the day.......it was exciting to be part of. Its a shame the weather had a crack at washing the whole thing out !! My only query would be the starter.....how can he continually allow horses to have second chances when they just fire up the others doing things right...and why don't they make the perennial trouble makers UNRULY !

As far as I know has a mixed stable.From a NH back ground and travelled a bit with horses for possibly Dunlop or Hills ,can't remember know. He has a couple of big syndicates and owners behind him.

There are so few people that go on course these days, that they could do away with 90% of the security. Most restaurants don’t need security, ( HQ’s excluded) neither do Business Men’s Clubs, Cosie Clubs, Working Men’s Clubs etc so why do Racing Clubs? Do away with them on the majority of days and we will be able to drink Moët for $75 and that’s a reasonable profit margin. LOL (If only)

Don't have 2.just asked if it's a fair price.dont worry me but seems silly chargingbig prices on a bad day.doesnt encourage anyone to attend.looked more security than patrons.good day was had though.

A very average jockey that looks like a dog trying to screw a gumboot when he rides out a finish. Many were in awe of Henry having him on the best horse in the game. Can't fault that call but once that great horse was gone, things have got tough.

I have been seen on race courses since the mid 70s and bar prices have always been inflated by greed. The same applies to the 2 week old sandwiches and pies. Listen up Ellerslie and Te Rapa.

Gee I Jane was another unlucky Stradbroke story. Drew the outside, sat deep and went down a neck to a 3yo carrying 48.5kg.

Tasman man kept up his amazing record as an owner another group one one the wall.wahoo

If he hadn’t been nearly put over the running rail at the 250m peg when bolting thru on the rails, Sedecrem would have beaten Thorn Park. Cory Brown got 9 weeks and a $2k fine for causing the interference. Some consolation for the impeccable 6 month planning raid by Jillo!

A bet of $10,000 at $6 was placed on The Bostonian to win the Stradbroke. He’s now into $5. HOTY here we come!

Googled it ,it was a bit about him going stateside based out Golden Gate but that was 18 months back. Haven't seen his name pop up for a while .

Saw a bit on Tom Queally a little while back on what he's up to now , I don't think he's riding anymore . Trying to recall what channel I saw it on might be Racing TV .

Good horses and some very good drivers showing a lot of talent, still like the mile racing though, they are race times we like to see

P4P. All I can say is I am extremely releived that you supposedly refused an offer to get involved in the reconstruction of racing. Is there anything at all about racing or the people involved that you actually like?

All this talk of the state of the track is of interest but to my mind the effect on the horses to have to race in these conditions should be the first consideration. There is a wind chill factor of minus 4 and the heavy rain is mixed with hail which combined with winds of 50 or 60 K's makes it impossible for horses to compete on a fair and equal basis

Alan Jones Patrick Moore interview

Me too Col....sure is persisting down. The rain radar on met service suggests a huge rain bomb over Christchurch but some relief likely by 12 noon.. I guess the main issue is the condition of track for horse and drivers , as the surrounds should be pretty much rain -proof . Covered barn ,concrete jungle and indoor rooms. So assuming the track not washed away ,there should be racing conditions after noon when the bomb moves on . Racing in June in South Island was always going to be a challenge with the weather so contingencies must have been considered. theres no where to move to so all depends on what the water done to the track. As I type it's the coldest and wettest its been since rain started about 6pm last night. Maybe the storm before the calm !

I remember a few years back P4P admitting on here he wasn't up with the play when it came to the technicalities of gambling. This post confirms that assertion 100%.

At 3% for January to March your advertising and marketing costs, agents fees, sports codes fees,staffing costs, interest on the loans to cover the platform development cost and running costs from Sportsbet to price and result the sports that would 100% result in a deficit situation. So the bottom line is those months were a liability to the NZ Racing Industry. The sports odds previous to the new betting platform had an average of 3.5% factored in as on overlay on the odds to help to pay the above costs. Now Sportsbet price the sports odds they enter in their odds which are that average of 3.5% more. So yes Sports do contribute to turnover but due to bad management your giving away more than the Company can afford to do so. So if Australia bookies pay a fee to take betting on NZ Sports events that will be negated by the lesser % on the odds offered. Then factor in the millions a year Sportsbet are charging to manage and price the sports markets. The $50 million cost of the Betting Platform and the $17,000,000 a year to pay to Open Bet and Paddy Power to run and maintain the Platform all covered by the Racing Industry means there is only one outfit carrying the other and its pretty obvious which one that is. Sports turnover for those 3 months at 3% compared to the 9% prior to the Betting Platform means that the Sports Betting needed to be 200% higher to compensate for the reduced % level and we know that wouldn't go close to happening. Whoever allowed the above to happen is totally clueless on basic understanding of costs verse expenses, you wouldn't leave them in change of your kids piggy bank. No Company can operate on increased costs verse lower product % returns. The same overrun on expenses in other areas no doubt has also escalated the Industry's financial plight. Going on the above and what was promised to be returned from the betting platform I hate to think what RITA will find. I can see RITA putting their hands up and saying we are %$#@ed. The only solution will be outsourcing everything to TABCORP as the they won't be able to sort out all the problems needing to be addressed in the limited amount of time they will have. In any other Company answerable to shareholders the Board is gone, senior management is gone and anyone who was associated with the Betting Platform purchase is gone. Their incompetence has cost the Industry 10's of millions and they have the audacity to keep pulling inflated salary's verse performance every week. Once NZRB start charging Australia a fee on their customers betting on NZ Sporting events what do you think Australia will turn around and do. NRL, AFL, Football, Cricket & Basketball sports events that NZRB take customer bets on will be charged a fee on. Joint trade agreements between the two countries provide for equal protection. The difference between NZ's Australians sports betting verse theirs on NZ Sports will be miles apart. NZRB can't not agree to pay Australia when they enforce a charge on them. Bottom line is NZ Racing Industry will be %$#$ed over. TABCORP outsourcing may resolve the problem. As for Nikki Kaye she may have beaten Jacinda in an Electorate but she didn't need to know and doesn't the financial impacts of Sports Betting through poor NZRB management is having on the NZ Racing Industry. I am surprised she didn't say she knows about the NZ Racing Industry as once she won an egg and spoon race. I hope at every Regional visit that John Allen made he put his hand up apologised and said we $#@%ed up and not one of the promises we made on the returns from the new betting platform has eventuated. You Sir are living in cuckoo land it should be automatic that 700 number is reduced by you and you senior management. RITA is coming in to take over total management July 1st your and senior management are surplus to requirements. If they are managing there's nothing for this lot to do, mind you if they had stayed at home in bed and collected their pay checks the Industry would be no worse of than what it is now.

I will put my hand up as a lifelong National voter and someone who dislikes Winston for his usually self serving hypocrisy. He has done more for racing in a year than Nationals Guy and Bennett did over a decade. I think based on recent events he should be given the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise.

For fooks sake Leo, just became the “Nikki’s of this world hang around the Viaduct, it doesn’t mean that the real people of the rest of NZ don’t know what they are talking about. Again for fooks sake, your mob had 9 years to fook everything up, and what a bloody good job they did. Lets see who gets more likes, your post above or mine!

As a “bean counter” by profession I would really be interested in what $ savings the racing industry will achieve by closing courses that are largely run by enthusiastic locals. I’m sure the industry can come up with other benefits of rationalising tracks, eg health and animal welfare, but what cost will be avoided by this action? in Australia they seem to have an operational track in nearly every town, sure they run non-tab racemeetings, but they keep the tracks going. Such as Tabulam, in NSW, one meeting per year as I understand it.. Rough as guts but cleaned up b6 the locals for their annual go. I know there has been plenty of discussion on this part of the Messara recommendations, but what is the real financial or operational benefit of rubbing these tracks and people out?

Seriously !!! .. you can tell by the lack of enthusiasm on this thread how exciting it was. Honesty and respect for harness racing would be at an all time low.