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I run a pot with mates at races few times a year , I am always quite pleased to get even which is what they did really . Tough work keeping all involved , punting on every race and trying to cover a few bases each race so they see a collect or two . I bet differently running a pot than on my own . Running a small pot is IMHO a learning process as you need to throw the odd bone to the ones lacking any knowledge to make it fun for them too and manage the more dangerous ones for the pot which are the ones who watched the Melbourne Cup once so are the experts that want to take over cause they can do better, so you have to factor in that damage limitation at times as you want everyone to have a good day .If I had a buck for every time I heard one say , my mates brothers friends 2nd cousin put an easy bet trifecta on once and won thousands. Iam exhausted after running a pot .

Just for interest I went back to the 2020 results for the first 200 lots. 43 sold for $50k or less or passed with a reserve of $50k or less.( There were a few that sold for $20K.) 2020 had everyone who wanted come to NZ there. The other thing this year, is a lot more than usual NZ yearlings are being sold at the Aussie sales. I presume this is because of Covid restrictions. I'm just trying to put yesterday into perspective.

but JJ flash, again and you dont seem to grasp this, and this potentially affected a number of tab customers, thousands of dollars worth, actually probably over half to 3 quarters of the entire quinella tote pool for this race. lets say hypothetically, you were a winning punter via the tote, your only way to access this bet, but your return was substantially less than BGP. And if say the tab did thi via using your money, the tote funds, to subsidize the return to 1 punter, then would you deem this fair? in my opinion this is not fair, infact i think its a disgrace

Good to see the TAB come to the party re BGP - I think it has taken the TAB a while to get fully on board, but they got there. The TAB quite rightly looks after it's best customers - they have joined this group and are perhaps the key positive in the industry right now (and I am not a member)

Yeh guys bloody good to see TurnItUp and OneChange front an centre whoar Turny was low flyin easy peasy lol Cheers Iraklis

And the introductory special promotion already has received better coverage/cut-through than any other advertising re the introduction of FO Quinellas. Smart work by the TAB getting this exposure ! Quinella is a popular bet option.

The average was only down $5k and percentage sold is similar to last year after Day One. The NZB guy I saw interviewed said most people are saying the quality is better in day 2 & 3 --that could be just sales talk, but we will see. Given the problems of people getting to NZ etc. I think it is going OK. Having said that there were some bargains to be had eg. Te Akau picked a nice Belardo colt (Lot 118) for $40k

Four Bucks for the thrill. I'd call it a winning day Then think of the margins TAB made on the day..

Good point , to be honest I love twilight racing , wish there was more of it . Times are good on KM night .Cruise along after work ideal , iam a bit jealous of the wobblers here with all their evening racing .

i get that, and thats all fine and well. but the tab is asking punters to stick with them. Saying they are loosing to much of their customers to offshore betting agencies. ok fair play, send a message, ask for loyalty. but then dont piss on them, by subsidizing one punters bet with the tote. if you want people to stay loyal, prop up the tab, which in turn has all those positive consequences to our industry, then simple, dont rip off the punter. A differential of nearly $1 per unit is a staggering differential. again im all for special incentives, new schemes, and yes BGP is great for our industry, they are actually a blessing, but the tab already operates on a very high take out compared to other competitors, so i can only presume their take out would have been even higher. that is my point, the exercise i believe was done at the expense of the punter. this is my main point. Given they are in desperate need of not just punting dollars, but more regular and loyal puntng dollars, if your gonna piss on all the punters that could only use the quinella pool, if they were to have known that before that race, and tab were gonna probably a take out rate near 140 or so, possibly, then they probably wouldnt have invested. all you need to do is compare the payouts from the tab to other competitors t see that was an uncompetitive price that winning punters got via the tote. that is not fair.

Surely youd also have to be pretty happy with the Almanzor prices off the 30k fee, some nice ones still to come.

Hope some of you followed my musings and were suitably rewarded with a 14/1 winner. Review to follow.

The TAB is not up to scratch!! I wish I could back with the TAB all the time but it is just not competitive. On a Saturday I like to do a 4 horse multi (cross cards etc), win and place. If I put this on with an offshore bookie I can choose tote or fixed odds (can have one horse tote odds and three hrses fixed odds etc). With the NZ TAB you can only chhose fixed odds and these are done at 136%. This is crazy!!

Sometimes life ain't fair. In most businesses big , elite customers get special deals unique to themselves...loyalty and volume does bring some benefits. When I go to Mitre 10 for a packet of screws , I realise I wont be offered an extra bulk discount or a trip to Tahiti as per their elite customers. Many times folk grizzle about the TAB bookies being far too skinny on FO options...cos of size of our market they sensibly try and restrict their exposure. Bet what you like on the tote. Get a group together , pool your cash and approach the TAB ......on a big day with $5 mill turnover they likely to accept a challenge to lose a few dollars ,but try on a day like today at Matamata and why would they ? That quinella was all the talk the day prior to the big day ...and on the day....talk was everywhere , the best , cheapest and most effective Advertising the TAB and racing could have enjoyed. And with 100m to go I actually thought the 3rd horse was closing fast enough to upset the result...it was no sure thing !

What s the basis of your complaint JJ and what would you do different. Surely we don't want what happens in other codes - sweep it under the carpet?

In Hong Kong where it is not unusual to have HK$100,000,000 bet on most races - the quinella is the most popular option - they have quinella and place quinella where your two picks have to run 1,2 or 3

Go onto Aussie Harness then horse search put in Vigoroso NZ and you will see every step it has taken ,13 starts for 8 wins and a few placings.

I suggest you go to results and click on Turn It Up and you will read owners and lessees breeding and form.

Sadly broke down mid-race. Thoughts to all connections.

When Chris Rutten selects and buys a Savabeel colt lot 194, out of a group one winner and the stud has given the colt the number 8 brand for $120,000 , you know the sale is struggling. Chris could not believe his "luck".

Yep, I'm sure the vendors of the unsold and bottom half of the draft will be delighted about the "bargains"! Using the "average" as a reflection of how the Sale has gone is not that valid when there are a couple of aberrant sales at the top end IMO. As for the NZB guy, of course they are going to talk it up just like any horse, house or car salesman! Let's just wait for tomorrow but all I know is that Day One results were not of Book One standard from my recollection of sales over the last several decades.

Unfortunately for many breeders today was a train wreck--76 of the presented 180 yearlings sold or were passed in for $60K or less (hardly Book 1 credentials) and I suspect most of the passings were run up to one bid below reserve so who knows what they may have truly sold for. Rogie had a big throw at the stumps, HK bought only a few and all in all, from my perspective anyway the results were very disappointing, considering the number of entries this year is down 20% to start with. We will have to see what tomorrow brings but those 10K maiden stakes obviously not tempting owners.

From all accounts the BGP group had a massive day out and made some $$ via bonus bets. Lots of moans from the usuals about no restrictions on them and BGP getting preferential treatment from TAB. Go to a supermarket every week and see how many loss leader products are on the shelves.

Just going back to Terribly Disappointed's comment which started this thread, I believe it was CWJ himself who nominated the horses named in the programme. I think Final Lot might be in his next round!

I guess there is one lesson here for us all,you can sometimes have thousands to bet and still cant win so the TAB is happy with the promotion and the people betting still have fun anyway.

True but hopefully might encourage the industry to try other initiatives that can generate some interest and excitement instead of the same thing year in year out.

$96 return for $100 investment, so small loss on the day.

A Chris Johnston memory I cherish - he rode one for us at Ellerslie a couple of years ago. The track was really heavy, plus it was raining on the day and when legging him on, trainer asked CJ to settle back, make a late run down the middle of the track and just come through the field rather than go in or out. Well, from all appearances the instructions were followed to a tee, last on the corner, weaved through the field going inside and outside horses and the horse won the race. We went in to the jockeys room to get the colours from him and said well done mate. He looked up with a face just covered in mud, and casually said with his inimitable humility " yeah that worked out quite well, I copped some mud on the goggles at the turn and couldn't see a bloody thing all the way down the straight"! A true legend of racing.

What a breath of fresh air BGP are, legend stuff and well done Leo for making HQ available to the BGP team Simply fantastic for our struggling game. Will be a great day, Ida liked to have been there as a loyal Kiwi supporter

8th March 2007 , Westland raced at Kumara that probably what I am thinking of . Westland used to race when wild foods were on . Id always have the races over eating huge tree maggots myself .

Dean today Ellerslie staged two $10,000 Maiden races. In provincial Victoria today they ran Maiden races for $25,000 and $27,500. What plans do you have for boosting minimum stakes? Also are you looking at alternative income streams such as stallion levies or levies on exported horses? Thanks.

I agree totally, in recent days, it seems a long time ago that the South Island summer racing began on Boxing Day. I have had horses in and driven our float to every day since, with Omoto the only exception Timaru Kurow Reefton Kumara all have their place and racing should remain at these venues IMO