chevy86

Those fees are insane, how demoralising to spend all that money for nothing in return. 
On another thing, Te Akau, claim they're all about the horse. I remember when Gingernuts broke down at Flemington. Yes, they made sure he got the best care possible, but what shocked me was they didn't retire him on the spot. It took multiple vets telling them that more racing could be catastrophic. He nearly died. If he was my horse, there wouldn't have been any consideration to racing him again.
To me, that told me a lot about them, then & there. I also can't stand DE, there's something about him that creeps me out, I can't put a finger on it.

Agree. ( Waitak, El Vencedor, Legato, La Crique, Jarrfi are genuine G1 horses)  This sort of "stack up the field" stuff is commonplace in NZ racing and sometimes even dangerous. John "Sheriff" Shreck would give several of them 3 months but never likely in NZ with our passive stipes.  Horses are stood down for being "uncompetitive", time for the same for many of our jockeys. The "race?" was a disgrace.

Quality always trumps quantity--bin all 3!

Foxton is an underutilised track - on a lot of land. Facilities would need some work, however a lot of clubs use those large marquees successfully on raceday. Woodville has had increased support since the new road went through, the facilities are all there and the track handles a lot of rain.

This scheme looks like the result of the President and Committee of HB Racing had a monumental piss up and then had a competition between themselves to come up with the dumbest idea....sorry guys, these dreams expired back in the 1950's and 60's when racing was right up there with rugby as a crowd puller. Why? Because there wasnt any trackside, you had to be on course for many bet types, and the TAB's were usually some type of dungeon down an alleyway.
You're dreaming if you think trainers will suddenly decide to relocate, same with jockeys and track riders.
I've won races as an owner/breeder at Hastings during the Spring carnival when it was packed. Terrific atmosphere. But..but it's over guys. Accept it, don't think of wasting $millions on your own dreams.....

Don't let the climate freaks find out about your heresy Ted--there will be a pinchbar through your window!  Of course we can take on Nature and win, even though ALL HUMAN ACTIVITY on this planet contributes only 3% of atmospheric carbon.

BK. I was also 27 in 1977 and happened to be flying to the UK to commence my OE. I was seated in economy, Air NZ, and struck up conversation with the gentleman sitting next to me. I believe he told me he was a farmer? and after several exchanges between us  he told me he was going to France to watch his horse compete. Due to a misspent youth on racetracks and TABs I was equipped to proffer the next statement " You must be Mr Stuart" Confirmation followed and needless to say we had an enjoyable trip as you would talking about thoroughbred horse racing.

BK. I was also 27 in 1977 and happened to be flying to the UK to commence my OE. I was seated in economy, Air NZ, and struck up conversation with the gentleman sitting next to me. I believe he told me he was a farmer? and after several exchanges between us  he told me he was going to France to watch his horse compete. Due to a misspent youth on racetracks and TABs I was equipped to proffer the next statement " You must be Mr Stuart" Confirmation followed and needless to say we had an enjoyable trip as you would talking about thoroughbred horse racing.

Thank you for joining to post this. He will always be with you in so many ways I have seen evidence of that...he is now able to be free and fly high and will be waiting for you when the time comes for you both to be reunited forever together.

Thank you everyone who have sent tributes about Lex
Lex and I met in 1978 and it was instant love which it is now and forever so this is what I would to share … the side a lot of people wouldn’t know 
I fell in love with a man who was dynamic,intelligent,funny,honest,kind,generous and an amazing journalist who could turn an ordinary account into something magic His way with words was unique and his story telling was a crowd favourite with friends and family hanging on every word and the best part the stories were all true and based on our life together and the travel adventures we had and even just everyday happenings 
Being a newbie to the racing game when I met Lex was overwhelming but he guided me through it and taught me well I had to learn in a hurry so I could keep up with him and try to not make a complete idiot  of myself He was so patient ( not usually  part of his persona) with him giving answers and reasons for all the questions I bombarded him with 
For all of you who knew him then you will know how many horses he owned and raced over the years and it gave him immense enjoyment to do that and he had a lot of success with many of them including Big Bickies with Linda Jones taking him over the line as her first winner as first NZ female jockey Lex was so proud of the pair of them that day 
His daughter shared his love of horses and racing and through Lex’s guidance and help at the age of 18 she became one of the youngest trainers in Queensland and together they had some winners and a shared interest 
Lex loved his family and welcomed  my two daughters Vanessa and Alanah into his life and together with his son Haydn and daughter  Sheridan we took them on travel around US in a campervan and tents,camping holidays at Thames  on a farm,camping in Uk and Europe Disneyland and in more recent years sharing some of those same  things with his grandchildren 
Lex always was up for a challenge and luckily so was I so with that in mind and both having a love of renovating houses we nearly always bought some really dodgy looking houses and transformed them into something really nice As a matter of interest long before Lex became a journalist he did his apprenticeship as a plumber and became the youngest ever to qualify …. He hated every day of his apprenticeship and plumbing in general so decided to fast track the system and complete it quicker 
there is so much more I could share but to some it up Lex was a man’s man,he did not suffer fools or drunks,he was fiercely loyal to his friends,family and colleagues and always said what he felt 
He was the supporter for the underdog and was always there to help a friend in need or just someone down on their luck 
a loving husband, a wonderful family man,a man who loved travel ,he loved  his mum  He never complained about his illness ( cancer for 14 years) but eventually in the last six months it came back with a vengeance and we both knew his time was not for long I was so lucky that I could keep him home to be able to care for him  and it was my privilege to do that He was stoic and valiant during his illness 
 But the time came  and he spent his last week in hospital and died peacefully and I was there with him 
He leaves a huge void for me to fill and for most of who knew him so now that void needs to be filled with memories 🏇
 

Bill Birnie was a director of "Investment Bankers" Fay Richwhite. As such he was also  a senior advisor to the Lange Douglas Govt on the divestment of many of the most valuable of NZ's Crown assets. I wont expand further than that, but some research will show what hands many of these assets ended up in and at what price they were sold.
He was also a director along with Fay and Richwhite of Capital Markets. The shell company JV between Brierly Investments and Fay Richwhite & Co. Capital Markets, sought to acquire a controlling stake in the BNZ through a series of complex financial transactions including the sale of preference shares to the crown, and the acquisition of a substantial number of BNZ shares. The transactions surrounding the BNZ acquisition and the subsequent sale to NAB were highly criticised and led to the public inquiry, colloquially known as the "Winebox Inquiry". because of Council's habit of carrying their significant number of documents to court in wine boxes.
Court summary of enquiry on Impact on Shareholders:
The transactions resulted in gains for Fay Richwhite and Brierley Investments, while minority shareholders experienced significant losses. 
Further reading here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/8056958/Birnies-Bergdorf-folds-owing-11m 
It fills me with dread on the medium/long term future of NZ Racing and I question whether in fact it has a long term future at all, given these recent developments and the appointments being made. We have not learned from the American disaster of selling horse racings valuable land assets to developers and to casino operators, the latter who use the track only to attract custom to their casinos. Consequently Horse racing in America is experiencing a slow but sure death. Or maybe those appointed to the welfare and future of the sport here have learned, and what we are experiencing now is the beginning of the long game that will end in NZ becoming an elite equine breeding country only. Maybe we will only have one or two racecourses. Ellerslie to hold elite only race meetings,  and maybe a couple of feeder clubs to cater for low class or feeder meetings.
I see two things that I vehemently disagree with: The sale of NZB's world class sale facilities at Karaka makes no sense to me at all except from a short term financial windfall perspective. And two: The sale of the WTR s  racecourse at Te Rapa. If anyone thinks that the residential creep that is impacting the values of our race venues and Stud farms and sales complex, and being used as the yardstick for divestment, will go away by moving them to " new Greenfields venues" at a cost of billions is a solution.
It isn't, because our immigration settings will ensure the demand for commercial, industrial and residential property will continue. What is Greenfields today will be intense suburban creep tomorrow. Mark my words on that. Viz Ellerslie, not that long ago a suburb full of training stables and houses and a vibrant racing and training hub, Gone: Move training to Greenfields country to Takanini, Gone to intense suburban development. Move to Greenfields country Karaka. Quickly changing from Greenfields to intense suburban development. You can't keep running away. If the industry is serious about building a strong, robust, secure and successful racing industry, it needs to put a stake in the ground. To respect our existing and valuable assets and zone them accordingly in perpetuity. I take my hat off to the members who successfully voted not to sell Rosehill to developers and  their various financially vested interests.
I will expand on these musings further, but this piece at least will be fuel for thought and debate.

Over the years O'man you have interacted on many threads and although I have not agreed with you on many issues
 
 
Over the years O'man you have interacted on many threads and although I have not agreed with you on many issues the above is "YOUR BEST POST EVER"!

Whooa there big fella
It's not about defaulting anti-Trumpers with Biden , but more with the crazy entire Dem party
If u wanna call ppl half-wits and lacking brain cells then call  on the 77 million who voted him in
All he's done is exactly what he promised all through his campaign trail ( unlike most politicians )
If you think another 4 years of Biden or that witch Harris would of been any better then you really really need the brain-cell check before anyone else

Oh dear another wannabe
So the Dems lied for 4 years about Biden's health but that's ok rite , did squat to stop the war - did fark all with the Israel-Hamas war but geez that cool for u
Russia invaded Crimea under Obama - Russia invaded and Ukraine under Biden but under Trump nobody dared fart in case of getting an arse kicking
Whitehouse and media lied to a nation and the World - but geez thats ok for u
Yesterday prime example -sat on their fat arses while The Don exposed the evil brought about in the 4 years - lets see the left suck up to all the female voters in 4 years time whom they betrayed ( dumb arses )
The criminal charges are a joke and any non-Trump hater saw through that hence why he was elected and thumped corrupt Harris ( do ypu really think if those charges were real he would of been re-elected )
 
Trump is all out on peace between Russia and Ukraine , yet the past Govt have been all out War and freaking out because he's closer than any national leader has been  
He's a winner and get over it

Nuthin better than watching the Don speaking the truth and exposing the Dems for the corrupt ,evil, ignorant ppl they truly are
Patting himself on the back for all the positive changes already that have made America a better/stronger nation
Karen Carpenter could not od sung it better - ' We've only just begun '
 
 
Go the Don
Choo Choo
 
 

Donald J Trump is the Greatest of all Time.
Some of you who have a massive dose of TDS can get help by texting 4357 or ring 0800543354 🙏,

Panama , he's done it again He just keeps on winning .
Panama's attorney general said Wednesday that concession granted to a Hong Kong-based firm to operate ports on either end of the Panama Canal should be scrapped for being "unconstitutional." The contract held by CK Hutchison Holdings, owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, has been at the root of US President Donald Trump's concerns for Chinese influence over the waterway. 
The result of Trumps displeasure is USA investment firm Black Rock will be buying both end of the Panama cannel taking over from the Chinese , that's winning .
 

So the thousands upon thousands that have been laid off are  suddenly Trump voters that have second thoughts and regret 
Come on Hoki yr getting desperate

Phil wouldn't get a look-in these days. Straight white male a severe handicap. Tony Lee would be a great promo man but failing that how about a gig for Ardern--after all didn't she do Journalism/Broadcasting at that bastion of higher learning, Waikato University/Polytech.

Phil wouldn't get a look-in these days. Straight white male a severe handicap. Tony Lee would be a great promo man but failing that how about a gig for Ardern--after all didn't she do Journalism/Broadcasting at that bastion of higher learning, Waikato University/Polytech.

Phil wouldn't get a look-in these days. Straight white male a severe handicap. Tony Lee would be a great promo man but failing that how about a gig for Ardern--after all didn't she do Journalism/Broadcasting at that bastion of higher learning, Waikato University/Polytech.

Just errant golf balls and a handyman marking it out for a velodrome.

Filthy Global  Communist

Do you have the link to this please?
The old 3 Guys Supermarket in Avondale is still derelict and used as a carpark for Avondale Sunday Markets.
There's a serious recession in New Zealand and a glut of hideous Shanty Shacks built.
Note how all the little Old Borough Council townships have become real eyesores in Auckland with Housing NZ bumper to bumper apartments that are jammed in.
 
There's absolutely no need for anymore Retirement Complexes or Apartments taking over places that were expressly set aside in perpetuity as Domains, Reserves, Golf Courses, Racecourses, Bowling Clubs or Croquet clubs etc to be dumped with ugly housing we don't need.
Quality of life over Quantity of poor quality people coming to NZ thanks.
Well done the idiot Economists etc.

New Zealanders have screwed themselves by building out instead of up. Breaks Maxi's heart driving past Karaka and Puke and Bombay and seeing the most producitve land in the country being used for suburban dwellings.