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The thing is, when a controlling body, be that a government or in this case HRNZ, are faced with dissent within the ranks they have two ways of dealing with it ... Fix the issues that the ranks are concerning about, or Quell the ranks HRNZ obviously realise that they have neither the desire nor the ability to fix the issues, so they've decided to go with Option #2! You only have to look to Russia to see how Putin is currently dealing with his critics to see this "business model" in practice!

John wheeler’s interview is a beaut (referred to earlier) this link might get you there... https://player.whooshkaa.com/player/playlist/show/1711?scrolling_title=true&visual=true&episode=822699

Maybe for those who are not public trainers though I agree, a bit more difficult compared to Aussies city/ country situation. Bottom line is if nobody talks about it, it certainly won't happen.

he's too civilised but you are on the money memphis make it happen and the great northern would be the race to start with

Forget the country/ town thing. Just use the lottery concept. Apply it to whatever race you like. Great Northern Steeplechase for example. Or a race with a maximum field likely. Of course someone would have to get off their arse and organise it. I have just the man in mind. Loves his facts and figures. Loves his research. Yes our one and only Tasman man. Let’s go

Sometimes we think lifes tough, but this sort of stuff puts things in prospective, only in this world for a short time, and even shorter for some, celebrate the day,

We are putting together a Betting/Racing syndicate that will be very affordable and a heap of fun! $25 a week is all it will be and only 50 slots will be sold! Below is a quick outline. 35 Weeks @ $25 per week. The syndicate will kick off punting starting the week of 24th May. Automatic payments must be set up the week before we kick off In Winter we will have 1 punter invest $500 a week and the other $750 will be banked! From October 11 once Spring Racing is upon us we will let 2 punters have a crack per week spending $300 each and the other $650 banked. Once the syndicate is finalised we will draw all names out of a hat as to which week you will be punting. At the end of the 35 weeks, if we dont have 1 collect there will be guaranteed kitty of $24000, if we haven’t even had 1 collect we should all give up the punt anyway We will use our kitty and go to the Sales in Karaka 2022 to buy a yearling and find our next star With 50 people / slots available each person will get a 2% share (ongoings after that will be billed directly to you) The highest money earner for the year gets official naming rights of the purchased horse. Contact myself directly if you have any questions.... marshracing@xtra.co.nz or text only on 0272288889

The big studs continue to talk up the success of their weanling sale but the numbers tell an "interesting" story. Take Bruce Negus for example, the biggest buyer on the day. His purchases at Karaka were : Lot 1 What The Hill – On the Mantelpiece Filly $3,000 (service fee $7000) Lot 22 Downbytheseaside – So Many Words Colt $4000 (service fee $6000) Lot 29 Majestic Son – Susan Colt $9000 (service fee $5000) Lot 43 Sweet Lou – Yasmine Bromac Filly $4000 (service fee $7500) Lot 47 Sweet Lou – Arden’s Pearl Filly $4000 (service fee $7500) Lot 73 A Rocknroll Dance – Chevelle Star Colt $2000 (service fee $5000) Lot 75 Ultimate Machete – Cracka Dawn Colt $3000 (service fee $3000) Lot 95 Downbytheseaside – G B Blaze Colt $4000 (service fee $6000) Lot 101 What The Hill – KC Spur Filly $4000 (service fee $7000) Lot 129 Sweet Lou – Nicky’s Power Filly $3000 (service fee $7500) Total paid: $40,000 Service Fees: $61,500 For the average breeder to have brought these yearlings to market would cost a very conservative $100,000, yet the big studs were prepared to dump these yearlings on the market for $40,000, thereby undercutting their own clients (and devaluing their clients remaining stock). Who experienced success here? Certainly not the average breeder!

It looks like grass track racing is here to stay, unfortunately it is going to take a fatality or serious injury with the current grass crossings. It really sums up the professionalism of harness racing, living with there heads in the sand. The game is a joke with no welfare to drivers or horses, there is still no action to race fixing, drugs and cheats. Last one out, turn off the lights..

You have to wonder whose idea this is . Obviously got board approval if its going out for feedback. Another example of how incompetent HRNZ really is.

Or perhaps build some All Weather tracks, that would be an innovation.

Well they are galloping tracks If they are such a problem get HRNZ to build or buy a couple of specialized grass tracks for trotting pacing only

Day Two at Chester and the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes over 2600m has JAPAN installed as 11/8 favourite. The ground on the Roodee has eased to Good to Soft following plenty of rain yesterday and this morning and that would have to be a concern as JAPAN's best form is on top of the ground. On his third to Ghaiyyath in last year's Eclipse he's home in this company but his subsequent runs were uninspiring albeit at the highest level. He's actually joint top-rated with TRUESHAN who put up a stunning performance to win the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day romping home by seven lengths. The ground was soft that day and you'd just wonder if this turning tight track would be ideal. MORANDO could be the option against them both - to be fair, they both beat him at various times last year but we know MORANDO loves this trip and this ground and in 2019 he won this race slamming none other than Kew Gardens by eight lengths. It's an ask two years on but he looks an each way bet to nothing at 11/2. The Dee Stakes is only Listed class but has some pretensions as a Derby trial. ONTARIO ended his 2-y-o campaign finishing eight lengths behind POETIC FLARE in the Killavullan and that looks better now than it did and while he was only third to TACTICAL in the Free Handicap last time, I think this track and ground will help him but he faces a serious Godolphin opponent in YIBIR who was a close third in the Classic Trial at Sandown. I don't think this one would want the ground to go too soft. At Lingfield, the ground has eased to Good for their Derby and Oaks Trials on Saturday and HIGH DEFINITION has been confirmed for the Derby Trial.

On then to Sunday and the second day of the Guineas meeting at Newmarket. The ground remained Good to Firm with a strengthening wind through the afternoon. The second classic, the 1000 Guineas, looked to revolve around SANTA BARBARA, the subject of glowing reports from Ballydoyle, but in the end she was easy enough to back on the day ending up joint favourite at 5/2 with ALCOHOL FREE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3OffWW0YDE There's an old saying - "there's no point getting older if you're not getting wiser" - and after 54-year-old Kevin Manning won the colts' classic, it was the evergreen 50 year old Frankie Dettori on supposedly the Coolmore second string, MOTHER EARTH, who showed the other girls the way home. It was clear on Saturday the quickest ground was just off the far rail and Dettori emulated William Buick on Saturday by getting his horse to quicken down into the dip and use the momentum to "slingshot" up the final hill. That manoeuvre doesn't always work - it didn't work for Buick though not by much - but Dettori knows every blade of grass on that heath and timed his move a fraction later than Buick and that won him the race. SAFFRON BEACH ran a huge Oaks trial in second and the outsider, FEV ROVER, ran a blinder in third having been with the pace all the way for northern trainer Richard Fahey. The joint favourites finished fourth and fifth and ran contrasting races - SANTA BARBARA was never far off the pace but hung left, either through inexperience or perhaps because she was finding the ground plenty firm enough, and ended up beaten a length and a quarter in fourth. It was still a fine effort considering it was only her second run and if she goes on to Epsom, she'll prove a worthy opponent for SAFFRON BEACH and the others. ALCOHOL FREE, rather like BATTLEGROUND on Saturday, ended up on the wrong side of the race and had to do a lot to get involved. I think a track like Goodwood or perhaps the July Course will play more to her strengths. SACRED travelled well until running out of petrol with 100m to go. She looks an ideal for the Jersey at Ascot. STATEMENT, who had run second to ALCOHOL FREE at Newbury, was well supported in the market but in the end was well held. MOTHER EARTH was having her ninth run and let's not forget she was second in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She looks versatile in terms of ground and Dettori though she would get 2000m. She's by Zoffany out of a Green Desert mare so I'm less convinced and certainly don't see her as an English or Irish Oaks type though the Diane is an option. She's 10/1 for Epsom with SANTA BARBARA at 5/2 and SAFFRON BEACH at 8/1. Elsewhere on a card biased towards the ladies, the Group 2 Dahlia Yesterday also saw the first French Group 1 of the season, the Ganay, over 2050m at Longchamp and with no Skalleti in the field, Harcourt runner up MARE AUSTRALIS made every yard and in the end wasn't too pushed to hold off GOLD TRIP and MOGUL. I suspect the Arc is the long term aim for this son of Australia out of a Rainbow Quest mare and though he'snot got many miles on the clock he's going the right way. I wonder if Fabre will put him in a race like the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud. GOLD TRIP is a solid yardstick and ran well enough - I thought MOGUL was a little flat footed when the pace quickened - we know this in French races where they dawdle and then sprint. That's fine if you've tactical speed at 2050m but if you're a 2400m you can be caught out and that'spretty much what happened to MOGUL. I hope races like the Coronation Cup or the King George are on his agenda this year.

More catching up to do from Saturday in the UK and Ireland. Plenty of comment after the Listed 2000m race for the 3-y-o which saw MOHAAFETH absolutely bolt up by five lengths. In truth, he was never out of a canter and visually it looked hugely impressive and he was immediately brought in to the Derby market at 10s. A little perspective - he won a 2000m handicap at the mid April meeting off 85 and followed up here off 92 so he needs to find, I'd have thought, another 20 lbs to be a Derby contender. He's by Frankel and is the second foal of a Sea The Stars mare called French Dressing who was trained by John Gosden. She ran twice and won both including a listed at York back in 2015. Stamina's not going to be an issue but whether he has the nous to use the term for a track like Epsom and an occasion like the Derby remains to be seen. Saturday was the final day at Punchestown and the Willie Mullins bandwagon rolled on with STORMY IRELAND winning the Mares Champion Hurdle over 4000m. She made every yard and was very impressive - whether they'll put her over a fence next season I don't know but she looked to really enjoy the quicker turf whereas her stable mate and favourite, CONCERTISTA, never looked as comfortable and the distress signals were already evident when she bungled the third last and she came home a well beaten third. The final Grade 1 of the meeting, the Juvenile Champion Hurdle over 3200m, saw JEFF KIDDER continue the upward curve that has taken him from the juvenile handicap at Cheltenham through a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse to a Grade 1 success and there's no fluke. Perhaps it's just the better spring ground but his rating has gone from 125 to 137 and possibly into the mid-140s which puts him in the Champion Hurdle leagues. That's early days and it's notoriously tough for second season hurdlers to mix it in open company. That said, he was perhaps fortunate as ZANAHIYR was arguably unlucky being checked after two out and on the home turn. He lost by three quarters of a length and I'm minded to the view he'd have won with a clear run. This was a much better effort after a lacklustre performance at Cheltenham. I thought HAUT EN COULEURS was going to win approaching the second last but he found little for pressure - I certainly wouldn't write him off and with a summer on his back he could be the one to take it of this for next season. QUILLIXIOS ran a stinker to be honest - he was going well enough but stopped very quickly and was eased off.

HRNZ has brought a lot of the current online media problems on itself with the failure to provide a managed open forum for participants to ask questions of 'officialdom' and discuss burning industry issues since the demise of the Harness Weekly. The old 'letters to the editor' and opinion/discussion articles by various people played an important role in enabling even small players such as myself feel they could have some influence. Now we don't and bringing in codes of conduct etc is likely to increase that feeling of disfranchisement.

someone over there needs to do something very interesting listening to john wheeler this morning on RSN worth seeing if its podcast , he didn't pull any punches in regard to the state of racing in NZ

One of the great things about living in a free, democratic country such as ours, is that people such as 100 1 and Gruff can keep churning out their subjective, unadulterated drivel day, after day, after day, after.........................

Definitely has been an influence.....a big influence......but also the many other issues which are being discussed on social media sites where frustrations boil over. And even where posters are identified by name , license holders are speaking out more and more. It's become a bad look........things like the rating/handicapping system , the programming ,the increasing costs are driving many to question their futures ! Plus there is the sorry saga of the Auckland TC and the decline of horses/opportunities in the North in particular. Livelihoods are at stake and folk will lash out !

Messaged them anyway and got in.

4.1.5.1identify themselves; This site will have a decline in numbers then

he'll be hoping the charges are .........dropped !

NZ has never copied a single successful idea from anywhere else; none that I can recall anyhow. All we take from Aussie is their unwanted administrators who can't get a job anywhere else.

www.betfair.com.au

Great interview. We don't really do anything like that in NZ. Apparently the trots have introduced some rule where anyone involved with trotting isn't allowed to express an opinion anymore. I can't imagine something like that would go down well in Aussie. I bet NZTR would love something similar.