Lowdown

Am I the only one who saw this dog turn its head on Friday night (just short of finishing line)? No mention stipes report. In again today... big chance too...for a win or maybe 2nd by a tooth, I mean nose.

Get used to more cock ups at head office after the sacking of the wrong people. I reakon management might be realizing they've backed the wrong horse as Deb and JJ have left with all their knowledge and left the rest scratching their heads. 'Review' all right! cause no one in there knows what to do!!

From July 1 2017 the NSW premier is aiming for.

This is scary..beginning of the end? I commented some time ago that the live baiting saga may force us into extinction, I thought were we lucky to have quietly moved on from it..but no..this is huge.

I see on thedogs.co.nz that the Lisenced Person Rep nominations are open. What I find interesting is in the position description there is a list of essential skills and competencies you will need to secure the position. Does the incumbent have these skills? His predecessors? There I was thinking all you needed was the most votes from LPs? Have I missed something or is the New CEO making up some new rules as he goes?

I did bring this up in another thread a little while ago but I'm glad it's got it's own thread now because the more I hear about this the more it stinks! Gary to answer your question...from a reliable source Debbie,JJ and Carol have been made redundant or 'sacked'. The reason? Restructure. Only problem is I don't believe new chief executive has done his due diligence before sacking the most hard working,reliable trio in the office. Not to mention you actually see Debbie and JJ at dog meetings, a knowledge and actual involvement that has stood for nothing whilst making this 'business decision'. There's more to greyhound racing than business, it's about people,grassroots, passion. There will be more to come out of this....

According to another forum, said grnz staff member has been given the chop by new ceo... 'restructure'. Only problem with that restructure is JJ is the only one that has an actual interest and involvement in greyhound racing out of work. The 3 ladies rumored to be getting the sack, in my own experience and hearing from others, are the ones ticking that office over!! New boss comes along, sacks the workers and gives all their work to the sherkers!? Interesting times ahead.... Hope the powers have done their due diligence...

I've said in a previous thread that this 'gear changes' thing is an overkill. I cant imagine it ever having a bearing on my selections. Some will say more info the better, but nah not for me on this one. If anything might put some people off punting when they see all the McInernery dogs taped up like mummy's and cause punters to get paranoid about barking straps or rubber bands etc. TMI.

I have no issue with a dog racing twice in 2 days per se. Its when its 3 times a week, week after week that is the problem. Smaller kennels like Kites for example, I would have more faith in them because they would know their dogs intimately and thus would make the correct judgment call on how their dogs have pulled up the next morning and in saying that, check how the Kite dogs have gone when backing up! Its the 'dog farmers', or is that 'voucher farmers' who are running their dogs into the ground!

And my opinion for what its worth.........(probably wont be a popular with some). Most, if not all of the injuries sustained on Sunday appeared, to my eyes, to be the result of competitive racing/ jostling. Just saying............. That and also the fact that occasionally some dogs will line up with an undetected pre existing injury are contributing factors to these injuries, the other being an unsafe track. But not always the tracks fault. As long as we are keeping it in perspective...sadly we will never have an injury free industry. But certainly can agree that everyone, trainer's, track curators, management should being doing all they can to keep injury toll to a minimum.

Thanks Yankiwi, one of those wonderful occasions when you envisage a certain price only to find its paying considerably more than you thought! I back B.Billy mainly for place. 1:10 ratio. I thought he'd be 1.80-2.00 place this morning, $4.50!! Unbelievable. If only they came along everyday. And Racing84, interesting point about Place6. I find it a profitable bet type. Very rarely do I not get it and the returns range from money back to very profitable. Tonight at chch was a tidy profit. I anchored Boston Billy, Cant catch Tim and Opawa shackley and in another leg had Homebush Kelso and Paperbond (pretty easy) and wide the other 2 legs. Paid $150! Not to blowass just thought id show you how I played it tonight as others may find it helpful. Obviously Boston Billy's race made the divvie! I've also made tidy profits from Place6s that pay $10-$20odd due to the amount of combos you can get running through it.

Well that's why we love the game, differing opinions makes it more exciting. Billy was 4.50 FFP this morning, amazing value I reckon. $3 currently. He's had 15 starts from boxes 1or2 14 times in the $$. 36 times in $$ from 54 career starts. He is ultra consistent and even since reaching the top grade his form stacks up. Last start 4th was good enough. 2 starts ago runs 3rd behind Vikkers and runs past his bro Cant Catch Tim in the process! He owes me nothing this dog and at 4.50 FFP this morning I was more than willing to see if he can pay the mortgage again this week!! Good luck everyone.

ChCh. Boston Billy runs a place. Multi anchor.

Given yourself a good name there tool no 1. As in "what a tool". Yankiwi makes some very good points around this 'deadheat' issue and you accuse him of being abit slow and in la la land!? You my friend are not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Just to pick up on your comment in Crouchs' thread GONSTA re presenting on TV Friday night, 100% agree. Why did Trackside have Darryl Robinson there.? He at best belongs commentating low grade meets or presenting on trackside2, but providing 'expert' analysis and comment on a premier night! Just embarrassing. The stupid thing is it meant Mark Rosonowski was limited to seconds of pre race comment when he would've had much more analytical, knowledgeable things to say! Would've run much better with just Liz and Mark. Or if they insist 2 man format then Andy McCook would've done a better job, Matt Gardner is CD based and is a possible one for the future as well, mind you we've said it all before! Some of the decisions made re appointing of commentators/presenters in this country are mind boggling...speaking of which anyone hear Trev Wilkes miss the start the other day..."whats happened here?...oh they're coming around the home bend" LEGEND!

Interested in peoples thoughts on our Racing Manager Roebyna Bak, particularly her interview on Dogzone last night. Personally didn't think she spoke well at all, maybe she was nervous but surely coming across well in that kind of setting would be something we can expect from someone in her position.? She was interviewed by Liz on Trackside on NZ cup night and that was equally as awkward, giving short and sharp answers and seemingly avoiding any questions that require her to show some knowledge about greyhound racing and on both occasions went back to talking about her harness racing experience and how 'there are similarities'. Gives the impression that she waltzed into the job on the back of harness racing experience and thought 'here's easy pickings, GRNZ will give me a job', without actually having any passion or want to learn about and improve the new industry she's in! Harsh? Maybe, but like I said that's the impression I get. Other than that she also mentioned 'gear changes' being publicized, what's that about? Strappings, blinkers, what other gear will be mentioned.? Vital part of horse form information sure, but interesting concept for dog form analysts.

You've got waaay too much spare time on your hands Yankiwi.

Several things here..I believe the incident report states inconclusive evidence? And I believe it is inconclusive. The rake lands on its point then jumps up, if it did make any contact with the dog it was very minimal judging by the dogs reaction, or lack there of. Calls for a No race are absurd, at best late scratch the 8? Also look who trains the dog, with all due respect R.Maisey would be easily stood over whereas other trainers may have kicked up a stink..but what does Rachel get if its scratched? No petrol voucher so she cant win regardless. Some of you guys are always so quick to call stipendiary stewards f***wits as if you'd always make the correct decision..? They will never please everyone with some of the decisions they have to make. What do you do if your the stipe GONSTA?? No Race?? Well they'd be on racecafe calling you a ****wit as well!

I just went to 'thedogs' website and at first glance I thought Aaron Cross had become a contributor. The article 'Greyhound racing only legal in 8 countries' appears on the surface of things, to be anti greyhound racing. Now I believe the 'Welfare Manager' is trying to make some point along the lines of 'look at Aussie stuffing up, that's why you have me to steer you in the right direction'. But I have some real concerns about the over involvement of the welfare officer in our industry. (not to mention rumor has it he'll likely be the next CEO when Leach steps down). We should have a welfare officer sure, but at head office where the day to day running of our industry takes place? In the time that we have had a welfare officer, NZGRA have purchased and maintained the kennels in the lower North Island, spent money on a "safety rail" ,meanwhile petrol vouchers have halved and there's been no change to stakes. We need to get on with racing, if activists are going to shut us down they'll do it, at this rate it seems a race between the activists and the welfare manager! Get on with it, back ourselves and our sport. Bowing down to the activists etc. seems like some kind of admission that our industry is outdated and barbaric.

From what ive heard Pete is struggling to break the 40 year habit! (As u would) Only caught 1 race on sunday and pete said bunny twice that I heard! I was only tuned in for less than a minute!

Well I guess I can give up on my hopes of the great show 'on the bunny' returning then.

His employers need to take some responsibility, seems no one has the balls/heart to sack him. In any other line of work no one would survive that level of incompetence. But his employers continue to let trevor make a fool of himself while continuing to subject the punter/listener to his substandard commentaries.

Well said legs&lashes. Look don't get me wrong I don't have all the answers and I certainly don't agree with the extent to which we reward mediocrity either. I was simply talking about what we are going to do to get people to 'take abit more notice of our industry'. I've got to try and refrain from my extremely pessimistic posts, you may have seen one from me recently were I predicted the extinction of our industry, thats how dismayed I am at our direction! You know out in the real world, I call it that because some people have been in dogs all their lives, they live and breath it and therefore lose perspective of 'the real world', greyhound racing dosent exist, it seems 2% of new zealanders have watched a dog race in the last year and if your lucky 0.2% of those people had a bet. That cant be healthy. Anyway there's a 4am rant....back to sleep...hope I made some sense. :-)

What people are going to take more notice just because g1s are worth more? The half dozen trainers that win g1 races these days? Certainly not jo bloggs at the pub. He'll take notice of swift fantasy weather she's racing for $5 or $500k.

I agree ashoka, this over 'sanitization' is the beginning of a slippery slope. Its almost an admission that greyhound racing has no place in the 21st century. No wonder trainer numbers are down. I personally think you'd be mad to set goals around building a greyhound establishment, the future is uncertain. Sorry greyhound lovers but I have serious doubts. As someone whos been involved since the 80s I feel like the great days were 90s/00s and we are now heading for extinction.