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And Chris is driving the float home......what a champ

So tonight we are having an industry and community day of racing,,,the Karaka Millions. We have 2 racing channels, 62 and 63 and instead of having on channel totally dedicated to the Karaka Millions night with a specialised presentation of a great event, we have the same normal dross with races from everywhere in Australia with parades. Then we also have channel 263, the Karaka Sales pop up. That channel is not being used as it only has a holding screen. And we also have nothing on conventional free to air channels for the normal mob. A chimpanzee could be more creative and forward thinking in respect of the Karaka Millions. Even though this sort of thing has been discussed adinfinitum, nothing happens. Why will this change with a new board? How will we have any options to improve this when under the proposed Section 81 (1) and (2) the new board, with unknown members, own all the data, even though the owners pay all the bills and take all the risks? Who is going to be accountable? Where do all the compplaints go? What happens?....nothing Get onto submissions....giving away control of the owner's data is short sighted and smacks of complacency IF you don't do anything about it.

The group certainly bring something to the industry I have not seen anything like before. I was playing cricket yesterday and half the team were in the syndicate, many who barely follow racing but we were all huddled around a phone at drinks watching the 2nd race, my best mate who has a passing interest in racing took his phone out on the field to watch the races ffs. The talk and hype around it amongst everyone was really cool, my mate even now making noises about getting a share in a horse.

Not long back to the rest home after a fantastic Karaka raceday as part of the Boys Get Paid day out. BGP certainly is a Bloody Great Promotion , which morphs into a Bloody Good Party. And its kinda special to be a tiny part of a a massive $100 k bet....that will be a great yarn for the 'show and tell' session at morning tea at the home. The group[BGP] put a real positive vibe into a great day with groups from Invercargill and Christchurch among others. All the bets were thereabouts , top effort by the selectors Father Ted and Bertie Germ who along with me were probably the oldest 3 there.....much Kudos to Luke the brains of the outfit who has been successful IMO at giving hope to the Industry by reconnecting a lost generation. The setting was brilliant ,the organisation slick and a real credit to all concerned. My advice to the rest of you......subscribe and get amongst it ! Elsewhere , the Birdcage party was as huge as ever and roared on after dark ,the NZBloodstock area was glowing in anticipation of sales, TAB party hosted some big hitters and the Birdcage bar was packed ! Private areas hosted visiting Aussie and Asian groups. Leo 's boutique was sparkling as usual , with the Host himself at the hem. And most importantly the Public areas were top - notch , and many amazed with the buzz and enthusiasm created from the BGP group...my 'new' young mates,incl ladies ! A great day out , deserved results and great to see Hanger Lindsay sharing the limelight with his family.Well done OP and Jamie and Te Akau. I guess you had to be there !

What a super effort by Team Te Akau 4 Karaka Millions in a row and the first horse to win the 2yo and 3yo version with Probabeel..which they bought and sold to the Lindsays. One things for sure NZ racing would be much the poorer without their involvement .... I think Probabeel will hold her own in the Autumn in OZ... top class filly.

How will racing be in the SI when Chris hangs up _ legend such a talent

Long time since I saw Chris celebrate like that. Worst luck in the running too. Special horse? john and Karen own it too.

Totally Agree, great for NZ racing!

All I can say is I wish I could bottle that days racing up an bring it out every day I attended. What a fantastic day

They got bacK $365k for $250k start. intrigue losing by a nose with lost whip and Elliot .5kg over was unlucky. They made a big atmosphere. Well done to BGP team. They will be singing at karaka today.

How good was that ride and how good is that horse? My only bet of the day. What a price. Win and a place from only two rides today; both in group races. An underused talent sometimes.

Great point. Another example, last night I was enjoying the racing from Moonee Valley, the G2 feature of the night was upcoming, we get the birdcage preview and the build up is about to continue, taking in the on course atmosphere, then suddenly Trackside crosses to France where a nondescript race from Chantilly had been programmed, with a very small pool. It's running late so we spend the next 5 minutes watching them behind the gates before crossing to The Valley as the gates open. There's just no thought for the product or quality of broadcast, it's all about throwing every race from any corner of the globe on air. What other sport has that sort of attitude to it's premium product? As you say pop-up channels are available, and in the age of streaming there's opportunities to have an app and let viewers choose what coverage they want to watch. They wonder why it's so difficult to attract people to the sport, how about starting with one of the most important things, which is the presentation and broadcast you put to air.

And despised Southerners to boot....trainers and jockey. Great result team Parsons.

Yesterday I mentioned the Breednet quick link resources. They have added a really good link which shows photos of all the yearlings for each new season sire in Book 1. https://www.breednet.com.au/gallery/sale-sires.aspx?salename=NZB+Karaka+2020+Book+1&sire=American+Pharoah So it allows those who judge on type, in particular, to view on one screen all the yearlings by American Pharoah , for example,and it gives you an idea of how much the sire is "stamping" his progeny. Or if you are interested in a particular sire which one looks better than the others available and to pay more attention to that particular yearling. I realise photos are no substitute to actually looking at the real thing but I think what they have done is a real good time saver and added tool.

Here's a little table of everyone's selections...…...Aaron leads the way. (sorry the table has "pasted" a bit all over the place from what I had done.). Selector Lot # Gender Sire Dam Sold For Aaron Bidlake 13 Colt Snitzel Katie Lee $375k Mikie 50 Filly American Pharoah Latest Plan Mike28 59 Filly Sacred Falls Lillet Red Rum 71 Colt Tavistock Lovetessa Huey 79 Colt Savabeel Magic Dancer Southland 86 Colt Tavistock Meleka Belle Rusty 140 Colt Savabeel O'Dianne Kingshill 155 Colt Pierro Our Squeezer Pegasus 9 189 Colt American Pharoah Posavina Blue 229 Colt Savabeel Rockadubai JJ Flash 243 Filly Ocean Park Ruud van Slats Gubellini 247 Colt I Am Invincible Sancerre Slim Dusty 305 Colt El Roca Star Affair Jeepers 316 Colt American Pharoah Strada Cavallo Breeder 368 Colt Exceed and Excel Tricia'o drewandjo 399 Colt I Am Invincible Wedding Tarantula 417 Colt Tavistock Zonza Caroline 476 Colt Belardo Boundless Memphis2 521 Colt Burgundy Corsage Abide 537 Colt Savabeel Dating Patiti 546 Filly Tavistock Diamond Smile Talk 565 Filly Snitzel Echezeaux Caroline 615 Colt Burgundy Game Duchess

The truth will be their downfall

Ponderosa8, GST gets added to the sale price. Buyers of horses being exported would not pay GST. The breeder of a horse would pay tax on the profit only (if any). Cheers Tony

I went to hear the head of the Racing Industry Transitional Authority speak in Cambridge. Then I compared notes with a former NZTR chief executive officer who had attended the Awapuni presentation. I get the impression that the organisers of BGP will do more good for our industry than will all the boffins in Jackson Street, Petone.

We've been here before and on a continuous trajectory... Why does anyone think the current process will change things? https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/racing-taskforce-recommendations

So what happens if the Bidens, Obama and Rudy end up witnesses at the Senate trials? Team Trump have it all. The world will be watching......boring no more

My monies enough to slow them down

Ha Who in their right mind is taking notice of these crazies except Ohokaman believing the Russia bullshit. Rudy with the facts

Could it be an option in future comps to do what we all did at school when marking tests and just swap with the person next to you. Just make an order and you score the name next to yours...

About 7 or 8 from US and OZ handicaps from quick scroll though . Cox Plate at 9 , out top four Enable won 2 , 1 off layoff and was second in top one the Arc . Pretty decent racemare that one .

Tatts run October Auction Sales race at Newmarket for the Oct book 3 and 4 yearlings . With total stake with exchange rates now 300k NZ prize , 165k to winner . Minimum bid there 800 guineas . Uk, France and Ire also run many Auction races , they each have varying conditions . Works on average of sires yearlings sale prices or variations of across uk Ire and fr sales normally. Basically gives owners a chance to race similar levels through system avoiding the big heavyweights of Ballydoyle, Gosden , Godolphin etc . Of course they can enter horses but not many in their stables by cheap stallions . They also have restricted races down to sires average winning distance of progeny to promote stayers .

Read this guys and gals and tell me why the NZTR, RITA and Harness Racing NZ are not on-side. If I was in charge, this would be at the very top of my "to achieve today" ....... before it's too late. https://thoroughbredracing.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8f27b48b2f6f46ee70b93ed7d&id=c4faa767cc&e=4cc1cfdc61 If they cant see the world closing in on us, then none of them should have a job in our once outstanding industry/sport. Liz

I’m a slow learner so perhaps a few of the more intelligent Cafers might be able to enlighten me. The term “Roadshow” is now a regular theme when it comes to NZ racing. John Allen was a “Roadshow” man. Apparently, it’s a term used when someone rocks up to a venue, say Awapuni, and has a talk Fest with 15 or 20 tea drinkers, enlightening those gathered on progress with reform in the Racing Industry. Is that correct? My attendance numbers might be wrong and maybe a few more could be added. But what’s the point of them? What has been achieved by them that could not be more widely reported by way of press releases via social media and have far more reach? If POTUS (Donald Trump) can talk policy, achievement, comment etc via social media, for all the world to see, why can’t NZTR? Perhaps Racecafe could open a special Forum for “exclusive” use by NZTR (Call it NZTR PROGRESS REPORTS) and let them post for all to see and read - on a weekly basis. This would not only cut back expense but would have a wider reach within the Industry and enable ALL racing people to have instant info at their fingertips - via their iphones, pads etc. It would also be open and transparent. Just a thought.

When the government done our last appointments they gave us Glenda Hughes and John Allen (a man that never walked in a TAB before he got his job and has never had any involvement in the industry before his appointment).

I can see immense issues coming up soon. I am not feeling positive, at all

After all the promise and false hope from the messara report being implemented we are now rapidly approaching a point of the permanent demise of the racing industry certainly in the central districts and south island. How has it come to this? I thought dean McKenzie peter vela and Winston were on our side? who are we fighting against? some nameless unelected bureaucrat's from department of internal affairs? Cannot believe they seriously suggest giving all the power to the racing minister so we can get more john allens and glenda hughes types who know nothing about racing and wagering We give away our intellectual property for free while sports keep there's? Can anyone tell me how much rugby,basketball etc contributed to the creation of the betting platform that we bet on those sports or did racing fund the lot? And what is the ramifications if the tab went down the line of what's happening with Victorian tab? What about the outsourcing of the tab? Are the really going to take on the big corporates? Dean answered a lot of these questions saying its basically the same? really ? and does that mean what passed in 2003 was right? I cannot see any stake increases anytime soon if ever,betting levy is only filling the gap for what was borrowed! Sooo many questions ,feel free to answer them for me!

LLOYD JACKSON Strong opposition to proposed legislation affecting the racing industry was aired at a feisty meeting held at Awapuni Racecourse yesterday evening. Staged by the Racing Industry Transition Agency’s (RITA) Dean McKenzie, the meeting attracted more than 120 industry-associated people from the Wellington, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu and Wairarapa districts. Prior to the start of the meeting the writer spoke with owner-breeders Mark Verran and Charlie Rose. When asked if they thought there might be some fireworks, both replied “We certainly hope so!” Among those in attendance were Alasdair Robertson (chief executive of Race Group, which oversees six racing clubs in the area), Bernard Hickey (NZ Thoroughbred Owners Association), trainers Jeff Lynds and Kevin Gray plus Jim Wallace (trainer and studmaster of Ardsley Stud) and Gary Thomas of Seaton Park. McKenzie skipped any explanation of proposed Racing Bill #2 and went straight to a NZTBA Q&A session which brought about a number of questions and concerns, many of which will very likely be raised at similar meetings this week as well as at next week’s yearling sales. Submissions to the select committee are open until February 11th. Early questioning surrounded the proposed bill’s centralization of power with the Racing Minister and his total control of re-appointment of chairman, as well as the seven-member board. The industry codes (thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhounds) are displeased that none will be represented in the manner proposed and recommended in the Messara Report, which is/was supposedly the foundation of the legislation. McKenzie’s response, that code- represented appointees had not been successful in the past, was countered with the belief that those with “skin in the game” need to be on the board rather than bureaucrat appointees. A further question asked exactly who McKenzie was working for: “The Minister or the industry?” Revenue, expenditure, profits, turnover and the much hoped for increase in stakes monies was intellectual property, who owned it and what was it worth? From young Oliver Bau (17) was: “Why is the Racing Bill going to the Transport Committee and not the Primary Production Committee, which handles racing?” Oliver‘s parents are ex-jockey Trevor Bau and past Trackside presenter Donna Beck. Often under the gun, McKenzie held his ground with his apparent support for the proposed legislation as written. Given his stance, he was understandably combative. The writer also sensed a dismissive tone. McKenzie promised to take the concerns to the Minister but the dismissiveness prompted one comment along the lines of: “Given your support for the legislation as written compared to our virtually 100 per cent negative response to the legislation, how can we be sure that you will transmit our concerns back to the Minister?” While conducted is a respectful manner, the meeting should have given McKenzie and the RITA a clear indication that submissions will be many and are opposed to what is a departure from the Minister’s own comments at the release of the Messara Report. Good to see a decent turnout and a vociferous one by the sounds of things....! Dean will know by now, if he didn’t already, that this will be no walk in the park.

One of the proposed sections of the bill is that the JCA and the RIU will be run by the one board. I don't think that any of us would like the Police and the Justice department being run by one Board but that is what would happen. At least the JCA has some impact now on the RIU. It would have none under the proposal in the bill. I intend to make submissions on this in due time. Don't have too much faith in the RITA board. The personnel does not impress me. By the way once a cop always a cop.

Just read that Martina H has died, so sad, she was put to sleep at the grand ol age of 22 due to injury......thanks for the memories girl Cheers Iraklis