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I watched the interview & wondered afterward what the fuss was. Bugga me I missed it, had I heard that, I too would have done Exactly what I just did, laughed my lilywhite nono off. Ko tautoko te korero IMHO. Shaun would be 1 of the least "race ist" tane in Aotearoa & us Maareez should & do joke about ourselves & anyone else for that matter. Sad state of affairs for those with no sense of humour. Mostly only racing people who watch Trackside IF they happen to & one can hear far worse oncourse. A warning should suffice, after all watch TV & far worse is said & done in many programmes including kids ones. My Rottweiller's name was given as a term of endearment by me, so calling her mai N.....r may get me in deep tiko considering the breeds Pango LMFAO. PC gone mad, too many offended by too little of any importance. Biggist race ists IMHO are the very ones pointing the bone, our areas tino pai 4 that. I'm so over this kinda tiko & those who partake, much more to life as short as it is, to get knickers in knot over something so he mea iti. Big Mike's a Pangonui we love like Te whanau o Phelan. Kia kaha e hoa kia tiketike te māhunga

History made: the formation of a new Auckland super racing club becomes reality after Auckland Racing Club members vote almost unanimously to merge with Counties. Just like that Auckland Thorougbred Racing Inc is formed, coming to life on August 1. A great day for NZ racing.

Baz, thank you for quoting the seemingly offensive comments word for word. I read the comments out to my wife. She was born in Greece and has been a bit pissed off with Kiwis who ask her ;How do they separate the men from the boys in Greece. The cryptic answer is,..."with crowbars". She had lived in Greece in the 1967-74 period when the grossly offensive fascist Papadopoulos regime, ably backed up by fleas such as Henry Kissinger, reigned supreme. A repugnant regime that sent the likes of Mikis Theodorakis into exile. She tells me that not even that contemptible regime would have been so harsh on somebody such as Shaun Phelan. She is becoming worried as two of our four grandchildren are of Ngati Kahunganui and Ngapuhi extraction. The idiocy displayed by the extortionate fine placed on Shaun Phelan does absolutely nothing to enhance race relations in New Zealand in the near future. Indeed, it inflames racist attitudes. For that reason it is deplorable. And, Red Rum; for so long I have enjoyed your informative and intelligent comments about European racing. Your knowledge is a thing of beauty. But in this instance you are barking up the wrong tree.

Personally I think their decision was rather tough, didn't sound to me that there was any intent, we do live in a p c world these day, so anything is possible.

Just a shame the locals decide to turn out just before the lights go out…… Great memories from 112 years at Forbury….. Harold Logan match race with Aussie Champ Walla Walla in 1934. Robalan, Lord Module, Manaroa, Allakasam, Peter Bagrie’s Orbiter, pride of Ohoka, Noodlum, our great mare Robin Dundee dead heating with Jay Ar in the ‘65 Interdominions…..and on… The place may be gone, but the memories will remain…..

Shaun Phelan himself agrees the comments he made were totally inappropriate on National TV , so he is at odds with those on here that say they were fine . Again , iam no woke warrior at all , I enjoy having the piss taken out of me , I enjoy taking the piss . But my point has always been in 2021 that cannot be said on National TV and not expect to get a sanction , all sports are the same , look at the crazy overreaction to that England cricketer the other week, then they tried to slur other guys inc a NZ cricketer for a tweet he made years back that were very mild imho . I hear Poms this and that loads , it's great , it's funny , and I really don't give a crap what is said to me and 99 per cent time it's a laugh and bit of back and forth with great mates , the other 1 per cent is even funnier , nothing funnier than people getting wound up , my phone will melt with txts if Italy win on Monday morning taking piss put of England but it it's not about individuals and my point is I feel racing was backed into a corner . Imagine it came out on news and they had ignored it , the action they took and Shaun's mature reation has imho taken the wind out the sails of the " woke warriors " . I actually reckon Shaun comes out of this looking like a thoroughly decent individual , we all make on mistakes for gods sake , the authorities had to act IMHO and hes copped it with grace , better that than they ignore it and then it's on news they swept it under carpet. Likewise TN , always enjoy your posts.

Shame he wasn't, great stalwart of the deep south.

The best part of the law suit will be the discovery process making Facebook etc reveal how they determine what is blocked and what is not.

sad indeed. Great memory of Lord Module winning a Barton Memorial I think it was after missing away by lengths. Glad I got back a couple of years ago to pay my respects. It must have been something to be there when they had 50,000 over the four nights of the 65 Inters.

I understand that over 90% of the Counties members voted in favor of the merger on Tuesday night, let's hope for racings sake, that the same result comes out of the ARC meeting this afternoon.

Just keep the laser pens in the pocket this time RR…..they are beginning to look desperate……and still couldn’t beat Scotland…….

No Iraklis. Forbury as a racing venue may be gone but the history will remain forever and young people in 50 years will still remember being at the last meeting there.

100% correct and applies to all the "isms".

Ah settledown Pure mate LOL probably cos Bob Butt drivin the horse (GoldChain) himself, why? cos he wants to and as for Sat night, after race is done, maybe you will all be gaspin; Krug aint no mammas boy mate, and if anyone can get him home especially from that draw, Blair can! he knows the horse an all his, his quirks LOL Cran will have him cherry for this and if yuh wanna see the last time Cran had him 'cherry' take a look at the Woodlands Nthn Derby at Alex Park.... Cheers Iraklis

I remember Speedy Cheval getting a rails run from 4 deep and scoring a win back in 88, finished 3rd in Luxury Liners NZ Cup. Remember the likes of Honkin Vision nosing out Popiscle, Defoe's debut, Blue ' Innocence , Bulla Matari, Jasper McFaber, Tiger Lightning and more.

Good to hear J Teaz back there tonight

Idiot Recounts are not forensic audits....recounting fake votes is recounting fake votes You looking more stupid by the day Picking the corrupt losers is not ending well for you. Bbbbbrrrrrraaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiwwwwwaaaaaasssssshhhhheeeeedddd baby Sad

Simply because he leaves them all gasping as far as driving ability goes. Not much (if at all) inferior to Dexter and look what he's shown them in the States!

Not all he has to offer. His posts are those of a serial moaner who is quick to put the boot into NZTR and TAB at any opportunity. one wonders if he has a positive bone in his body where racing is concerned. Quite sad really TM

Friday's final declarations are through. 13 go in the Falmouth over 1600m for the fillies and mares. This is a bigger field than usual and is some indication the hierarchy among the 3-y-o filly milers is far from clear. Eight 3-y-os take on five older horses. Starting with the former, we have the Coronation Stakes winner ALCOHOL FREE, the English 1000 Guineas winner MOTHER EARTH and the Irish 1000 Guineas winner EMPRESS JOSEPHINE. It's unusual to see three Group 1 winners in the field and they've all been beaten as well in Group 1 company. SNOW LANTERN chased home ALCOHOL FREE at Ascot but was herself well held in third behind PRIMO BACIO in the Middleton at York. It's a tenuous form line and she has it to find on the ratings but plenty of the so-called experts fancy PRIMO BACIO. The main form line for the older fillies is the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge at Ascot which INDIE ANGEL won well beating LADY BOWTHORPE and QUEEN POWER. All three are closely matched on that but they have to give weight to Group 1 fillies and I just struggle with that for all the 3-y-os have yet to really convince. The one that interests me at a bigger price is SAFFRON BEACH - she was second to MOTHER EARTH at Newmarket and was clearly unsuited by the slow ground at Epsom in the Oaks. Back on a quick surface, she could be running on late and at 14s I've had a small investment. The thing is, the young fillies can improve at a rate of knots and it may well be one of them will suddenly find 7-10 lbs and scamper clear. It's going to be a fascinating race to watch and, I'd argue, more interesting than the big sprint on Saturday. 9 go in the Duchess of Cambridge for the juvenile fillies over 1200m. The Albany form gets a good going-over with the first three home, SANDRINE, HELLO YOU and OSCULA all running along with unplaced FLOTUS. It was heavy at Ascot but it's good to firm currently at Newmarket so that's a huge variable. The problem is none of them have any fast turf form - SANDRINE and HELLO YOU won their maidens on the artificial surfaces. OSCULA won on good ground at Epsom but she's had plenty of racing and looks vulnerable to the lesser experienced types. I don't like these races from a punting viewpoint - too many known unknowns or is it unknown knowns? 14 are left in Sunday's Jean Prat at Deauville over 1400m - the likely favourite is the Poulains second COLOSSEO, whose form behind ST MARK'S BASILICA got a real boost last weekend.

I am Maori and laughed out loud when he made that comment. As an analogy it immediately took me back to many of my mates who have relied on talent and not hard work to get by. Must so be fitting of the horse.

Mr.Kirrama. Do you think maybe you should change your Log In name ? After the fine Shaun Phelan was imposed??

i'm more upset that i didn't back the horse that won on Saturday named after one of my old girlfriends. A cute arse

Did he just say the colour Black , or was other words in a sentence around it , like I think this sentence would be fine " Black Caviar was a good racehorse " or maybe " the chequered flag was black and white " . Do you know of anyone saying that Black cannot be used in a sentence anymore . I've never seen that but I'd like to have a read up because that person would be crazy , I've seen people get upset at racial slurs though. You do understand this was on National TV .

Iam going to put my flairs on and get a perm, and watch Starskey and Hutch , this thread is getting retro . FFS you cannot say that shit on national TV , as a licence holder and not expect a fine . There no PC about it , it's common decency . At least he's copped it on chin by looks of it , he's not criminal number 1 , just a wally . Right iam off to pub to buy a 50 cent jug , and a 3 buck roast in my big holden then watching snooker on my black and white TV .

I know what he said and the fine is joke, maybe a warning and told to just watch what he says in future.

I've not heard the comments but I can only imagine it refers to the fact that the horse is Black of the darkest pigment, Oh really are we not all getting a little too precious. ......... this is going too farnow.

TAB mistruths, NZTR threats and a witch-hunt – what a mess! by Brian de Lore Published July 4th 2021 The willingness of TAB NZ to pull the wool over the eyes of the racing public became evident once again on Friday when it released a media statement claiming the credit for $30 million of income derived, not from the TAB, but the 2020 legislation. The $30 million is made up $20 million from ‘racefields’ or BIUC (Betting Information User Charges) and $10 million from the repeal of the two percent betting levy – two of the 17 Messara Review recommendations written into the racing Act of 2020, and nothing whatsoever to do with the TAB. The TAB’s announcement that budgeted distributions to the racing codes for the upcoming 2021/22 season will be 23 percent higher than the $117 million budgeted distributions for the current season is laughable. $117 million budget was low-ball because of COVID19 The $117m set by the TAB for the current season was a low-ball budgeted figure set when there were significant uncertainties for the future of New Zealand’s wagering and gaming businesses because of COVID-19. So, this budget for the current season is $33 million below what is required to fund the codes to enable them to maintain stakes at the pre-COVID level and the anticipated TAB betting profits for the current season. All this smoke and mirrors carry-on was part of the Glenda Hughes-John Allen publicity machine under NZRB, and now with a name change to TAB NZ and under the Chief Transitional Officer Dean McKenzie, nothing has changed. The chasm between reality and the fanciful world of Dean McKenzie is wider than the Grand Canyon. The participants of racing have only ever wanted to know the truth handed out by someone who is genuinely working in their interests – not some overpaid, self-serving egotist of the type we have seen succeed each other for the past decade. In the media release, McKenzie said: “It’s great that we’re in a position to increase our returns…we’re now seeing the positive returns from the investment made by the Government and the industry in the TAB. We’re excited with where we are heading and incredibly proud that significant tangible benefits….” He’s excited, is there anyone in the real world excited? Under last year’s legislation, the devolvement of many areas of responsibility from NZRB/RITA/TAB NZ to the racing codes has not happened because the three codes have not come together, as the legislation provided for, to draw up a commercial agreement for the negotiation of distributions into the codes, etc.. Bringing in the Racing New Zealand board was new to the legislation, and invented explicitly to: “act as a consultive forum for the racing codes, and to represent the racing codes in relation to negotiations, interactions with other bodies under this Act, and other matters, with the agreement of the racing codes.” However, Racing New Zealand cannot function effectively because it hasn’t been appropriately appointed. It’s supposed to have one person from each of the codes and two independents. But the two independents haven’t been appointed, and the codes have been running it on a please themselves basis in the first year by taking along the three CEOs – Saundry, Woodham, and Hughes – none of those three are supposed to be involved and shouldn’t be involved. It’s all very well having newish, one-year-old legislation in place, but when you have an industry that deliberately ignores bits and pieces to suit itself, it’s no different to them claiming they’re doing the Messara Review when, in fact, it’s only cherry-picking the low hanging fruit and leaving out the vital clauses. Some of our leaders haven’t even read the legislation Having spoken to some of the decision-makers at various times, would it surprise that some haven’t even read the legislation, and if they have, have only skimmed over it and don’t get it. Not that we wouldn’t mind altering the 59 clauses that require Ministerial stamp of approval to do anything – knowing we have a Minister very short on industry knowledge (and appearances) and advised by non-specified interested parties. Racing remains in a mess. NZTR has been weak and has seen a deterioration in its relationship with racing people trying to stay active in the game. NZTR CEO Bernard Saundry refers to them as customers, but he isn’t running a corporation; in reality, he‘s their employee and should support them and develop initiatives to keep people active in racing and breeding. The foal crop numbers prove that’s not happening. Where’s the future plan? It’s July 4th, and as I write this we have no funding model for the clubs for the season starting August 1st. On Weigh In when last interviewed, Saundry suggested prizemoney increases for the middle and top races, and the bottom level had their turn three years ago. Why didn’t he just kick 90 percent of owners in the guts there and then? NZTR puts pressure on Dargaville for $800,000 to $1 million Arrogance on NZTR surfaces regularly. Consider the plight of the Dargaville Racing Club and the stand-off that now exists as NZTR tries to enforce Clause 25 of the Racing Act 2020, which specifically addresses the ‘Transfer of surplus venue by agreement.’ NZTR has its hand out for 40 percent of the value of the Dargaville Racecourse, which is valued at somewhere between $2 to $2.5 million. Dargaville is an isolated outpost over an hour by car east of Ruakaka. It had one annual community-driven race day but hasn’t had a date allocated for four years. The club resisted taking their race date to Ruakaka as the sponsors and local community said they would not support it. The Dargaville committee has accepted that the decline in racing would lead to track closures, but the pill they haven’t been able to swallow came when NZTR wrote to the committee to inform them no further racing would be staged at Dargaville with an offer to help sell the racecourse to put the money into other racecourses. The club has owned the land in an unencumbered title since it was donated to them by a local family named Findlayson about 100 years ago. Since then, volunteer committees have run the racing with all upkeep on the course done through working bees. Not one cent has ever come from NZTR to assist in its maintenance. Some committee members have served for 30 volunteer years, so anyone with a sense of fairness will understand the resistance. Shane Jones and Winston Peters at odds on the future of Dargaville The irony of the Dargaville stand-off is the NZ First left hand not knowing what the NZ First right is doing. Almost simultaneously, Winston Peters signed off on the legislation for the ‘land grab,’ as NZ First’s Provincial Growth Fund Manager, Shane Jones, allocated the Dargaville community $900,000 to develop the racecourse for the benefit of the community. Dargaville is on the point of gaining approval for a retirement village and housing development to benefit the locals, and rightly say the grant or the land value won’t be used to benefit NZTR, and nor it should. In a letter to Dargaville from Bernard Saundry, dated June 25th, in part he stated: “As a starting position, we would propose that 20% of the proceeds be allocated to support racing in the northern region, 20% be allocated to NZTR for stakes and other purposes, and the balance (60%) settled on a community trust as the Club has previously proposed. “I must also warn you that NZTR’s patience in relation to this matter is close to exhausted. We wish, as does the Minister, to see an industry-led negotiated resolution to the future of the Dargaville Racecourse. However, if the Club continues to fail to engage reasonably with NZTR by refusing to provide the information NZTR has requested, or to continues to avoid negotiating in good faith with NZTR, or otherwise act in a way which gives rise to concerns about the Club’s governance and management, we will be left with no choice but to consider other options to bring this matter to a close, such as exercising NZTR’s statutory power to dissolve the Club.” “…analogous to the collectivisation of farmland in 1920s Soviet Russia” – Dargaville committee The Dargaville Racing Club take this view: The ‘Transfer of assets and surplus venues’ clause should have no place in New Zealand. It is analogous to the collectivisation of farmland in 1920s Soviet Russia (‘Your land is not yours, it belongs to everybody, and we are going to collectivise it.’) “The clause is based on a false premise. Assets built up, particularly in rural communities, from donations of land, from volunteer labour, from grants and local fundraising, are community assets. Not Racing Industry assets, and no amount of Trumpian repetitive rhetoric will alter that fact. “Racing has been held at Dargaville for nearly one hundred years. Never has there ever been mention of the race track being an ‘industry asset.’ It wasn’t an industry asset when the toilets needed replacing; it wasn’t an industry asset when the track rail needed replacing, or the many other capital improvements. “The original land was donated circa 1925. In all that time no one can remember, and no record can be found of the New Zealand Racing Industry making any contributions to any capital development at Dargaville. “All built by working bees, donated labour, donated goods… “Very considerable input from the local community, first in developing the land, then gradually building up the asset we have now. Clubrooms, commentators tower, toilets, cafeteria, stables, jockey rooms, etc. All built by working bees, donated labour, donated goods, and capital grants from outside organisations such as ASB and Lotteries Board. “It is an impossible leap to go from that level of community input to claiming, retrospectively, that the Dargaville racecourse, is in fact, an industry asset. It just stretches credulity.” The Dargaville case rests, your honour. Let this be a warning to all clubs owning their own land, racing only once or twice a year – they’re coming to get you. And to finish, I should reveal that NZTR isn’t happy with me because I used a table in a blog published on June 18th, entitled, “Alarming foal crop projection for 2021 as NZTR administratively expands.” In that blog, I published a table put together by NZTR (the second table that appears) supposedly not meant for my eyes and apparently not meant for publication in The Optimist. I didn’t know that at the time, and it’s only a table I could have composed myself in two or three hours. But I soon found out the NZTR board, or at least some of them, or perhaps just the absent Chair, was furious and has demanded to know who the whistleblower is. Who supplied the table? I did receive two phone calls making friendly inquiries on behalf of the injured parties but didn’t reveal the source. Next, I am informed (third hand) that Bernard has sent out an email to over 50 on a database requesting any information as to who leaked the table. What are they going to do to that person if they find out? – disappointing that no reward was offered, and disappointing Bernard didn’t even phone to ask, if he needed to know that badly. NZTR must have more important things to do than conduct a witch-hunt to find out who leaked the table, especially when it was minor information that was circulated to some clubs by email without a confidentiality stamp. Well, I can tell you who leaked it, Bernard. It was Bill – a photo of Bill appears in my blog published June 25th.

Maybe I have got extremely sentimental in my old age but for me, this story encapsulates the essence of what the horse racing industry should be about: - no money to start with - no previous experience in the industry - market research into pedigree - gets a helping hand from a bloke who knows something (but obviously not a lot) - that bloke nearly lost everything due to previous racing experience - mare kept in an allotment (throws out every thing theoretical as to where you can breed horses - lots of love care and attention given to mare - mare dies during foaling - foal brought up by humans - taken to good trainer who first rejects it and then accepts it - Togetherness of all syndicate members going to races first first race (4th was a success) - enemy toff who is the Goliath of the story - first race at top racecourse (Newbury) build up was interesting so was like getting to Wimbledon - success of first decent race - offer of good money for the horse (declined of course because how could they sell their pet) - injury - recovery when in shouldn't have - whole town now interested in the horse - Welsh Grand National success (betting included but only a side line) - whole town comes out to welcome horse home Moral of this story....teamwork, hope, love for the animal. eject greed....all the characteristics that should make racing horses great -

Unless mainstream media get hold of it ! Racially disparaging comment about Māori in relation to occasionally slow race horse earns trainer $800 fine Marty Sharpe11:53, Jul 08 2021 Joseph Johnson/Stuff Shaun Phelan agreed completely that his comments were inappropriate and added that he is himself part-Maori. (File pic) A horse trainer who referred made racially disparaging comments referring to his sometimes-slow horse has been fined $800. Shaun Phelan, who co-trains the horse BIG MIKE with his father Craig, admitted making an inappropriate comment of a racist nature when being interviewed live on Trackside TV on July 3. The remark was made when Phelan was interviewed before Race 5 at the Hawke’s Bay racecourse. In the interview he said: “Yea, as long as the track today is on that better side of slow, if it’s not the holding side -the only worry the big boy can’t get his feet. When he can’t get his feet out of the ground he just, he’s got a bit of Māori in him and doesn’t feel like having a go….” The matter was heard by the Racing Integrity Board the same day. In a recently released decision, the board said Phelan “agreed completely that what he said was inappropriate adding that he is himself part-Maori”. “The interview took place in the jockeys’ room while he was getting ready for the race, and in that situation he said “you tend to forget that phone interviews are going live on TV”,” the board said. The board said Phelan had a clear record in regard to the misconduct rule. He had been an apprentice rider and had held a jumps licence for many years. More recently he had become a licensed trainer out of Cambridge in partnership with his father. “This incident was out of character for him,” the board said. Joseph Johnson/Stuff Shaun Phelan and Upper Cut, on which he won the Grand National Open Steeplechase during The Grand National Carnival week held at Riccarton Park in 2017. (File pic) Chief stipendiary steward John Oatham said he knew of no other similar cases. The closest was a jockey who had been suspended for two days for making a racial comment to a fellow rider. Oatham said the stewards did not condone anything of a racial nature in racing and said a fine of not less than $1000 would be appropriate. The board’s ruling noted that Phelan said the penalty had to be such that neither he nor anyone else in the racing industry made the same mistake in the future. “It was a wakeup call for him to be more careful and to remember that everything can be recorded. It was not a good look for him or his business,” it said. “The comments made by Mr Phelan on live television were insensitive, inappropriate and thoughtless. Not only has this reflected poorly on him, but also on the racing industry in general,” the ruling said. The board said Phelan instantly recognised his comments were racially offensive and unacceptable. He was contrite, did not attempt to downplay his comments, and accepted that he must be held to account. He was fined $800. The board said that if Phelan had failed to recognise or understand the gravity of his comments the fine would have been much higher.