Tauhei Notts

I suggest that in future years the Auckland Cup stake be reduced to $450,000 and that the horses finishing 6th to 18th get a $3850 discount on their entry fee. To the owners that would be great. It would save 3/23 of $50,050 in GST viz $6528.26; and it would save the owners $7500 in percentages. So the perennial payers would be $14,228.26 better off. This scheme is so simple that there must be some reason why it is not tried. Please tell me where I am wrong. If I am right I would be willing to have ARC member 64846 donate the $43.48 (20/23 of the extra $50 cost) the Club would be missing out on.

Notice how Avantage came from off the pace and wasn't against the fence. Huge win.

For about twenty years the double was THE BET. Then it was stuffed as the take out was increased and concession doubles introduced. At one time the minimum doubles bet was 10 shillings on course but you could take a straight two horse 5 shillings double at the TAB. Until information technology advancements came along the on course tote could only accept exchange doubles. That is, if you picked the winner of the first leg you had to exchange your ticket for a couple up in the second leg. Usually the first and second legs were the 4th and 7th races, to give plenty of time, what with an enquiry or whatever, one had time to do the exchange. Tote staff monitored how many successful first leg tickets were not exchanged for the second leg. At that time the take out on win, place and doubles was 17.32%. Then they increased the take out on exotic bets such as doubles. As tote machinery advanced and quinellas were introduced the take out on quinellas was higher than win and place. Quinella machinery also enabled the tote to run straight doubles on each division of a two division race. Trifecta machinery was still some years down the track at that stage. As your eyes are now glazing over with this historical treatise, consider the effects of inflation. In 1967 the minimum bet was $1 which is about $17 adjusted for inflation in 2020 dollars. I recall, at age about 13, organising a syndicate whereby some kids put in a bob and some two bob and a mate's oldest brother put the ten shillings on for us; the betting age, like the voting age, was 21 at the time. There must have been a lot of pennies and three penny pieces involved in the syndicate payout as it was a favourite and won!

Peter Kelly had always been New Zealand's best auctioneer of thoroughbreds; until Steve Davis came along.

Gruff mentioned about the friendly and efficient tote operators at Matamata. They used to have a couple of tote operators who bore a marked resemblance to "broom factory test pilots". Thankfully they have resigned.

I had seen that filly win earlier this month. She reminded me of Hamlet's Ghost winning there some years ago. Today was surreal. I watched it on the Tv in the Owners' Hospitality area. 350 metres out; "He's riding her for luck." 100 metres out; "Damn it. Unlucky." But as those words were spoken the commentator said she had won. The Tv coverage, what with all the filtering that is involved, is delayed about 5 seconds. Peloton is no mug. His win later in the day was eye catching.

Crusdtyngrizzly, I have had some degree of respect for Andrew Yang for some time. I frequently look at the odds at the Betfair website and noticed him shortening in the odds, but he has gone out of favour recently. Similarly, Buttigieg shortened considerably, but has eased in the betting lately. I think that Yang could possibly beat Trump, whereas the rest of the Democrats have no show.

Following the last race Andrew Scott was very complimentary to the Matamata track staff. The overnight rain was torrential; over 55 mm fell. Being a twilight meeting helped; it dried out so well. One local thought the race meeting might be canned as the rain was so bad. They have expert track staff at Matamata.

Leggy, thank you for bringing that Department of Internal Affairs 114 page report to our attention. Nobody with superior legal expertise has contributed so far, so I might just have to give it a go. But in a later contribution, damn it. BUT; I recall a comment made many years ago, possibly by one of the Roosevelt people who said; "A government that is big enough to give you everything you want will also be big enough to take away everything you have got." I have never ever been a member of any Civil Liberties group, but the measures outlined in the Bill and in the DIA paper raise a few hackles with me about a breach of civil liberties. I can see the irony in the Avondale Jockey Club having to run their Anzac Day meeting at Ellerslie or Pukekohe. I think Anzac Day commemorates those people who fought to ensure the continuance of our civil liberties.

This Bill is due to have its first reading before the Christmas break. I have only spent 40 minutes studying it, but the wording brought to mind the actions of the Bolshevics in Russia circa 1918 - 1923. I am rather perturbed by all racing club's land and buildings being seized by an outfit with its head office in Jackson Street, Petone. Lenin tried that game once, and it went okay until 1989 when it all came tumbling down. Lenin was successful because all those who disagreed with him spent the rest of their lives on holiday in Siberia. I would dearly love to see an interpretation of the Bill prepared by somebody with a legal knowledge vastly superior to my limited skills.

Pukekohe today. My gripe is always a bit different. In the last race Swords Drawn was balloted out #4 on the ballot. This was a very much in form horse as the tote showed; he started 5 to 4 on favourite. Once upon a time the Club's ballot committee would decide which horses would be balloted out. In those long ago days there is no way they would have had a horse like that at #4 on he ballot. If he was going start at $20 that is understandable, but "odds on"!!! The second horse was #5 on the ballot, but he ran much better than his form had disclosed, and his odds accordingly. Swords Drawn won paying $1.80 to win. Whoever did the ballot on that race knows a hell of a lot more about tramping in the Tararua Ranges than they know about horse racing. But, when we give that job to mountaineers from Petone, we get a ballot like we saw. It would have been a travesty if such a good looking up and coming racehorse was denied a start today. The ballot is decided from the ratings. There are some rare times in life when one must grab a cup of coffee, a writing pad and a pen and say; "The ratings make this look stupid."

Aalaalune and Jennifer Eccles; now that would be good three year old fillies maiden race.

That misery guts paid her $30 because it only took six minutes.

I see that The Shark is tipping a horse driven by Christ Butt in the Fyfe Painting Handicap Trot today. If I backed a horse driven by Christ Butt in the Easter Cup; I wonder if I would have to wear a crown of thorns.

I could not find anything about property consolidation in the Report. What I did find is a terribly worrying trend. Equity is an accounting term meaning assets minus liabilities. Talking in millions of dollars. At 31.7.17 the Racing Board had equity of $66. Two years later it had equity of $28. But look more closely; Included in that equity of $28 was $47 in intangible assets. To help readers understand what tangible and intangible assets are; when I drive home from the races I have a tangible asset called a motor car. An intangible asset is the value ascribed to my superior knowledge in picking winners. My wife says I tend to grossly overstate my intangible asset. I wonder what she would say about the value ascribed to the RITA's intangible assets. All jokes (I know, they are piss weak) aside; this is alarming.