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

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  1. High Sparrow

    John Allen

    I can't say I will be losing any sleep over that resignation. He's overseen the most disruptive and generally inept time of management (and I use the word "management" very loosely here you understand) in NZ's long racing history and all he does is repeat the same old platitudes about how well things are going when anyone in the industry knows that's just corporate jargon and PR spin of the highest order. The website is just a symptom of the greater disease now infecting racing. With today's resignation it just puts me in mind of that Italian cruise liner captain who ran the ship aground and then was one of the first in the life boats.
    12 points
  2. LightsOut

    John Allen

    700 still employed so shrink that by your 70% = 190 which equates to around Hedley's number of only needing around 190 employed. Individual NZ Racing Codes will take over racing and Industry responsibilities which will help reduce numbers. If Racing joins Sports and is outsourced that will help to reduce employment numbers. The purpose of RITA is to reform the Industry now not one day. Procrastination and management unable to forecast the changes needed to adapt to an ever changing market that is chasing the gambling dollar is why the Industry now struggles to perform. In order to return the figures needed today income needed to be in line with inflation rises each year but sadly the only figures rising were the costs to run the NZRB. The Industry didn't need an Empire to run the NZRB but unfortunately manager numbers now verse past numbers show Empire Building has been a major downfall. 50 plus years in existence operations should be streamlined and along with more modern technology staff numbers should have decreased. Phone bet employees are only hand full compared to past numbers and Agency's are near existent so employee numbers are down and sports trading is outsourced so numbers well down there also . So how can 700 still be employed? Hard to go from 700 to around 200 in a short period but unfortunately when you have no assets left and owe $20 million plus in overdraft and your $50 million dollar Industry life saver never delivered as promised its not had to see that there is only one option remaining. Codes take over there own marketing so huge staff reductions there. Race field fees won't make up the shortfalls needed to sink into a betting platform that in relation to cost to build and the ongoing updating and servicing yearly fees were too much for the Industry to absorb as advised by Deloittes would be the case. The NZRB never had the management knowledge and experience to commit the Industry to the tens of millions of development and future expense incurred that on paper couldn't return the figures required. NZTR spent $100,000 plus on that Deloitte Report on a business decision effecting all the codes and the tens of thousands who survive from it . The NZRB should have appointed Deloitte's to carry out the report then at least it could be shown they did seek a second opinion and they addressed areas of concern to make it a more practical proposal to put forward to the Industry. People lacking the knowledge needed argued the points of concern raised by Deloittes which have now proven to be correct as one would expect from a world rated powerhouse accounting firm. The two companies who were involved sold the platform to NZRB management who didn't have the business acumen needed in the largest expense ever undertaken by the TAB or NZRB . Those two companies only concern is returning a higher dividend to their Investors and to achieve that Industry concerns by Deloitte's would have been whitewashed and NZRB management advised we are right and they are wrong. The figures generated and given to the Industry in support of the new platform wouldn't have initially come from John Allen as he would have no idea so who put the figures together eg doubling customers and turnover increasing by tens of millions? If it was Paddy Power and Open Bet who sold the proposal to clueless management then they should be taken to task for failing to provide a system based on returned figures and profit as promised that it would return. If those two companies didn't promise the results forecast to be delivered the person or persons responsible needs to be taken to task for falsifying numbers to seal the deal to the Industry. John Allen did the correct thing by the Industry yesterday he cost the Industry each year $650,000, those in charge of the betting platform disaster make that look like pocket change in cost verse return thye need to also do the right thing. Something did change yesterday the CEO of the Industry resigned. You fail to back-up your own statements ' you say that one day you may get your wish but that will be when the Industry has shrunk by a good 60/70% and then you say the NZ can't sustain its Racing Industry in it's current form. If the Industry is going to shrink as you say by 60/70% you help to sustain it by cutting costs and obviously employee numbers need to be reduced now to factor in that shrinkage. Racing Codes are having their numbers reduced venue wise now to allow for shrinkage of public participation and overall Industry costs and as Hedley points out the same principal re NZRB employees needs to be applied to save a huge expense that has got out of hand. That's a very condescending and arrogant statement to make, that type of comment mirrors what i would expect to come from another quarter that is lacking in the required Industry experience and knowledge to be taken seriously. The majority of trainers are no doubt 50 plus and that's because its not financially viable for the younger generation to derive an income due to rising costs and lower returns to consider horse training as an employment opportunity. Many of those 50 year plus trainers have been involved in the Industry from the start of their working life and many were following their family's working involvement. The changes they have seen they have had a huge personal interest in eg decreasing stakes from years gone by which equates to decreasing owners and the bottom line decreased financial returns to themselves. Now you explain why these 50 year plus trainers would have no interest in change, if changes in the Industry results in better returns to them of course changes are in their best interests. If your company reduced your yearly salary to levels of years ago your saying your sitting back and not complaining? I would say its a very high % of trainers in NZ that are struggling to be a viable operation and you can honestly say they are happy to ride it to the bottom, exactly what planet are you on? Those 50 year old plus trainers have contributed to ensuring the Industry has a product to generate income, by working 7 days a week work in a reducing market where they are struggling to make ends meet but they battle on because they love the Industry. No trainer i believe is happy to ride the Industry to the bottom. They have interest in change all right and just remember they didn't ride the current state of the Industry to the bottom. The only plus is once you reach the bottom you have to at some point reach the top again to survive. You have said you have a percentage in a racehorse but your comments reflect a hidden agenda that doesn't align well with the true facts. I hope your trainer reads your ill informed comments and gives you the swerve you deserve.
    6 points
  3. Berri

    John Allen

    The problem that we have had is that successive boards and the CEO's have each contributed to the degradation of the industry. One mob turned down the lotteries contract. Chittick's mob changed the Act taking away the rights for clubs to operate their own tote's and eliminating the racing industry's claim to the tote ownership. One tried to build a new tote (Typhoon) when they were told it wouldn't work. One spent a whole lot of cash (Fair Tax) on a non sustainable model promoted by the breeders. This latest mob developed a platform without understanding either betting, technology or the correct value of a commercial betting contract. Successive governments have been slowly strangling the industry through inept governmental legislation. Successive boards have appointed CEO's with no/ very little experience in horses, betting, technology and gaming. This has led to indecisive and ill informed decision making. The problem that you have is that the formal/ governance/ certification/ due diligence process required by government (DIA in particular) decrease the gain of the appointment filter where the right people/ person to help can't be appointed due to governmental process. The same could be said for the NZTR but this is less a government issue and more of an internal appointment structure. The continued staggering of appointmental process promotes a legacy model where successive board membership needs to meet the approval of incumbent appointees, which promotes nepotism. To break that cycle is difficult. The only way to do that is to change the process.
    5 points
  4. TurnyTom

    John Allen

    No loss Pleased to see has gone, let's drain the swamp as more should follow
    5 points
  5. Baz (NZ)

    John Allen

    He'll more than likely reappear somewhere receiving a huge salary as another CEO of a failing company or on the board of a failing company. Has the perfect track record to run Fonterra!
    4 points
  6. drewandjo

    John Allen

    have to disagree here P4P......read his statements in the last 3 years of annual reports....full of bulls**t and wet dreams.....I don't know but would hope it has been suggested to him, probably at a cost to the industry, that he move on.....and I would think there is very little of his reputation left
    4 points
  7. TurnyTom

    John Allen

    More to fall, he has only gone as he lost 50mil on the website, holy fcuk how did that happen
    3 points
  8. Hangfire

    John Allen

    John Allen, The man who tells it like it isn't. Even in his departure notice he manages to offend with boasts of achievements (non). He leaves the New Zealand Racing Industry in a much worse position than he found it (full stop)
    3 points
  9. weasel57

    John Allen

    Perfect timing for a self-satisfied public servant on the gravy train. Three months notice to keep up appearances of working, schmooze through the spring and silly seasons, plenty of time to secure a new gig in 2020. $12k+ a week and no accountability for anything. Luvly jubly. Probably turn up next year running Problem Gaming Foundation or Plunket.
    3 points
  10. tripple alliance

    John Allen

    One day you might get your wish but that will be when the industry has shrunk by a good 60/70% . We all know racing has been struggling for many years , a change of ceo will change nothing . When co mingling , internationalisation was introduced that was the time when it was official , NZ cannot sustain a racing industry in it's current form , nothings changed today . If the current strategy's fail (messara) then only a hard nosed business approach will save anything . Face it most involved in racing are all to old , what good is any 5/10 year plan for most of us . I've been to 4 funerals in the last 3 weeks , ages 63 68 (not racing related) . A successful racing future will be 5/6 tracks , only approved trainers and first class patrons facility's , perhaps the young will return , without them racing will disappear . Currently the majority of trainers are elderly (50plus) and have no interest in change , they complain but are happy to ride it to the bottom .
    3 points
  11. CosmicBlackie

    John Allen

    This f**ker and his team have been a complete waste of time. Good riddance.
    3 points
  12. weasel57

    John Allen

    disagree entirely, LO. He is the man responsible for among other things the outrageously expensive FOB platform that isn't doing what he promised it would (incr revenue for stakesmoney), and the failure to create a more efficient management/ops team. Should not have had his contract renewed and should have resigned on 1July latest. IMO.
    3 points
  13. Phantom

    John Allen

    Same epitaph as Glenda., Good fucking riddance to an absolute disaster whose legacy consists of wasting years of time and energy on the ridiculous "Race Fields Legislation" project and then doubled down by spending $50 million plus on an abortion of a website and outsourcing the crown jewels, the fixed odds operation. But as others have pointed out, it's not his fault he was hired, the people who hired someone with absolutely no racing OR betting experience should be at least fired or preferably put up against a wall and shot.
    2 points
  14. TurnyTom

    John Allen

    Total fckuen loser who got away with it for 5 years - why did we let it happen, he has only bailed as he fcuked up 50mil on the new site that dont work
    2 points
  15. Trump, you are not too far away from reality, or what it really should be. But if you have seen him in action, you can see how he could convince the “Board” he was going in the right direction. The chair was the culprit, she of little upstairs, but plenty everywhere else. JA convinced her, and she wouldn’t know what he was talking about because she didn’t understand the industry anyway, as exampled by the resignation statement. JA will show up again, possibly as the new President of the Labour Party as he and Jacinda would get on well together, both smiling and shallow and trying to provide answers to everything. Sorry folks, there is still a funding shortfall of significance, so there has to be less racing or races, to consume the less money available for stakes. Betting levels will be a real challenge but if the second part of the plan is franked in Parliament before Christmas then there is light ahead, but a wee way off as yet.
    2 points
  16. rdytdy

    John Allen

    Then that makes most of us above average
    2 points
  17. Trump

    John Allen

    To be fair, the CEO has to deliver on the Strategy outlined by his Board of Directors. So really, there’s got to be a huge finger pointed at the Board and Chairman he answered to. Surely he can’t be chastised too much if he’s done what the Board have commanded him to do?
    2 points
  18. We're Doomed

    John Allen

    Can you elaborate on how you see that working? Surely you don't want the 5 or 6 tracks to be in Auckland, Wgtn and ChCh, and racing there every week. Many people would suggest that those cities under-perform as it is. And who is going to approve those selected trainers, and on what basis?
    2 points
  19. tasman man 11

    John Allen

    John Allen was on a hiding to nothing from the moment he took on this job....put the boot into him ,he was paid a huge salary and had worked in other ailing industries. He did his best. He was approachable and willingly gave you an ear if one took the time to approach him. He didn't stand a chance with the NZ Racing Board. Sure ,he should have kept tabs on costs and staff numbers. Hindsight is an exact science. He's gone now , give him heaps. But NZ racing and the TAB is still a sick puppy ...in a small and competitive market.
    2 points
  20. slam dunk

    John Allen

    What a silly statement !!
    2 points
  21. CosmicBlackie

    John Allen

    Exactly. Hate to be in the trenches with him.
    2 points
  22. Ohokaman

    John Allen

    Jumping before that Performance and Efficiency Audit Report on operating costs comes out....?
    2 points
  23. Red Rum

    John Allen

    Sadly I really think you've hit the nail squarely on head . Now people know stakes not going up the sales could be a bath for vendors too especially lower end , even some syndicators might start to feel like they are pushing shit uphill.
    2 points
  24. Norway ahead game , the rest following re no whip . Walter Buick, William Buick's father was on Racing TV a month back. He has extensive experience riding the Scandinavian circuit . They only gave him a minute which was part of talking point segment but he would be the man for NZTR to contact as he went through the whole process of whip rules modifications as it changed over the years . He guards against total ban as in his opinion it changes things quite dramatically . He said every race full bore there now as drop a lot horses out its tough to light them up later in race as no whip to even show them .Sweden and Denmark allowed three cracks . The Kick On Maiden Chase on Pakaranga Hunt Club day is what needs sorting , both jocks employed plenty whip , plenty on run in and felt need to crack three in row bang bang bang machine gun style a few times on both horses . No mention in stipes but I'd suggest the racing authorities do not use that film as publicity to entice youngsters to game .Straight out of 1970s , would be better viewed on black and white TV for retro effect .Most places both be gone for month.
    2 points
  25. LightsOut

    John Allen

    Yes okay weasel57 your on the mark i went soft
    2 points
  26. hedley

    John Allen

    Is there 700 still employed :o that number needs to be only 150 to 200
    2 points
  27. I never caught the Weigh In programme and I probably should not comment as no doubt I am going to piss a few people off. However I think there are a few things that are never mentioned regarding the state of the industry. All I hear is that the stakes are too low and it is driving owners out of the game. That is true but not the entire story . Owners are getting stuffed up the chutney left right and centre ( to quote my good mate Leo!) Not all of it from the powers that be. Some of these so called" top trainers" are charging anywhere from 85/day to 100/day, clipping their tickets on chiropractor charges, jump out fees, administration charges, vitamin charges, gear charges, and whatever they can think of. They cry poverty but still manage to take a holiday to Hawaii, Fiji , world cruise or whatever once a year. They drive an Audi or other luxury car a, have a big TAB punting account etc. As they read this they know who they are. They get away with it by forming syndicates . Some of the Cambridge Trainers have between 55 and and 140 horses in their stables so don't let me hear them crying poverty at the rates they are charging! Throw in some of the vets, and farriers that charge like wounded bulls and you have an industry that is in shit street not all of it at the feet our administrators. In saying that NZTR still have a lot to answer for. Like them or loathe them, Race Course Inspectors, J McKenzie, B McKenzie and the the like seemed to police the industry without all the cost that is now happening. NZTR have around 30 personal policing the industry (and a policy of dob your mates in) . NZTR programme trials at Ruakaka or Avondale so an owner with a horse in Cambridge is up for between 350 and 500 in transport costs alone. The big stables don't care as they have a syndicate horse or big money owner. It appears that people are employed at NZTR in vital positions but have no real empathy at what it is really like out here. They have no idea of the costs involved when they do the programmes. Meanwhile there are a lot of trainers trying to keep owners in the game by charging affordable training fees and no hidden charges so big ups to them!
    2 points
  28. the $50 million lemon is expected to increase revenue...nah , committees and boards costing millions...wastage. , why build greenfeilds when te aroha is already there ,spend some money on it and make it the premier racecourse for the region
    2 points
  29. Bernard we have been playing the long game for too long . Shaune Ritchie rightly said the $1b+ Industry can go tits up. Bernard - WE DON'T HAVE 4 OR 5 YEARS to fix this
    1 point
  30. JJ Flash

    John Allen

    Departed NZ Post, MFAT and now NZRB/RITA. That is some reputation and unlikely to be overtaken any time soon . One hopes he finds future employment in a NZX company where the possibility exists for a party to go "short" Greg
    1 point
  31. Pam Robson

    John Allen

    Great post.
    1 point
  32. Almost a quarter of a century on and still it lingers..... I wonder if he’s forgotten hasn’t eaten a kiwi fruit since
    1 point
  33. Well done to them - totally deserved.....
    1 point
  34. Baz (NZ)

    John Allen

    He also blew $50 million of the games cash on a completely crap (lemon) TAB platform with a $17 million annual cost to the industry... just to squeeze the shit out it produces.
    1 point
  35. 100 1

    Jacinda Ardern

    So Trump is meeting with Jacinda next week. Wouldn't it be great to be a fly on the wall. He knows her spy agency illegally spied on him to overthrow him. (Treason) He knows climate change is a scam. He knows Chch was a deep state false flag...and he knows she knows. He knows the Clinton Foundation is a huge crime syndicate under state investigation. He is well down the process of taking down Jacinda and her corrupt globalist mates. Will he tell her straight or let her linger?
    1 point
  36. drewandjo

    John Allen

    don't care if he does.....as long as it has nothing to do with our industry
    1 point
  37. MisterEd

    John Allen

    https://www.hrnz.co.nz/news/john-allen-resigns/
    1 point
  38. LightsOut

    John Allen

    Triple Alliance I hope you pick your racehorses better than your CEO working term forecasts, you have to admit that was a very poor and ill informed statement to so 'boldly' predict.
    1 point
  39. I reckon it gets back to the Convicts (Oz) and the Puritans (NZ). The convicts always loved their gambling and dont see anything wrong with it, whereas the Scottish/English 'founders' of NZ contemporary society looked askance at gambling as an evil that had to be firmly controlled (eg no bookies on NZ racecourses)
    1 point
  40. Sorry Crow, I’m sure you mean well but it’s not a revenue issue to start with. When a business is leaking, the first area you look at is the COST v REVENUE. Clearly, the COSTS have blown out way beyond REVENUE growth. So, I’m surprised that the Board of NZ Racing hasn’t taken a chainsaw to costs. What’s Mr Saundrey achieved during his tenure?
    1 point
  41. Leggy

    GREAT STORY ON PITTY

    Totally, but let's remember that behind every great man ...
    1 point
  42. Huey

    Weigh In - Shaune Ritchie

    Great post!
    1 point
  43. crustyngrizzly

    Cars singer gone.

    Lead Vocalist Rhythm Guitar Main Song writer Just what i needed Drive My Best Friends Girl Shake it up Hello Again You might think Good Times roll Just a sample of songs to turn up your stereo for.
    1 point
  44. Of everything that was stated yesterday I can't see where there has been any improvement or even looks like being , apart from perhaps the animal welfare. Everyone is saying the hard decisions need to be made ,well that's just corporate BS, the fact is the hard decisions that need to be made are ones that will impact upon the 7 main race clubs he is talking about having a meeting with , messing about with country racing from NZTR perspective isn't going to achieve a lot imo. It looks like moving deck chairs for the sake of it and as you say been here 2 years hot to look like there is some progress. Any thoughts?
    1 point
  45. Bernard has sadly inherited a lemon, he has a hard ride to hoe!
    1 point
  46. TurnyTom

    Ruakaka finish line

    I am more worried about the leaders bias - fcuk the red cone
    1 point
  47. Trump to win again . '' Houthi rebels launched drone attacks on the world's largest oil processing facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia and the major Khurais oil field on Saturday, sparking huge fires. OilPrice.com suggested oil prices could spike above US$100 (NZ$156) a barrel in the wake of the attacks when oil markets reopened, up from their current range of US$55 to US$61 a barrel. A barrel of oil equals about 159 litres, which means each sustained US$10-rise in the price of a barrel of oil could be expected to push up the price of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other derivatives by an average of about 10 NZ cents a litre. '' Trump has made the USA self sufficient in oil and gas , he allowed fracking ensuring America is great again , this attack on the Saudis will have almost no impact on the USA and may be a bonus . China is dependent on oil imports just like we are so this development puts him in a very strong position when fighting the trade war with China . Lets see how this develops but if the Saudis can't get production up and running fairly quickly then Trump wins the trade war easily , China will be begging to do a deal . If he gets a deal with China then the Dems are even more stuffed than they are today .
    1 point
  48. The question he posed that didn’t get answered, why have overhead costs gone up so much in a declining business? Normally suicide in any business.
    1 point
  49. 1. What is the forecasted (projected) total cost of running NZ Racing for the next three years? 2. Are there any plans to be put in place for a “real” reduction in running costs over this period? 3. If there is a planned reduction in running costs, what is it in percentage terms and what does that translate into real $ savings over this period? 4. If the answer to Q2 is a YES, what plans are in place for the future use of the savings? (Eg, debt reduction, improved infrastructure etc). 5. If the answer to Q2 is NO, can you give an explanation as to why you don’t believe it’s neither necessary nor beneficial? Trump (1) RITA doesn’t have visibility of the Code’s future costs but if we look at their most recent reports we know NZTR operating expenses were in the region of $9m, HRNZ approximately $4m and $5m for GRNZ. For the same period, the former NZRB’s operating expenses were $144m, with the total at $162m. I can’t speak for the Codes but I expect RITA’s expenses to be less on a consolidated basis. (2) There is an absolute commitment from the RITA board to achieve real reductions in running costs going forward, as outlined by the Minister in his Letter of Expectation. (3) We have not focused on a targeted % number at this point but instead have a strategy of examining all parts of the business to ensure any available savings, that doesn'tcompromise performance, can be made and drop to the bottom line. (4) Given the fact the industry has been living beyond its means the last couple of years, our first focus has been to at least maintain industry funding (per the Ministers Letter of Expectation) and then look to pass the new revenue streams created through the reform process and relevant cost savings onto the codes once this base is secure. Debt repayment is most definitely something that also needs to be considered in the short to medium term, obviously balanced against the need to kick start the industry through getting these funds flowing back to stakeholders, a demanding balance to strike.
    1 point
  50. 100 1

    Trump written off

    Trump is going to dismantle the Fed and return the currency to the gold standard. He will audit them and expose their criminal behavior.
    1 point