tasman man

I think its the opposite to what you suggesting. ie the dogs subsidise Harness ! Last time I looked , the TAB took more bets on overseas than NZ racing and although NZ Harness wagering is higher than NZ dogs , betting on overseas dogs was twice that of overseas Harness. Yet the code funding was considerably more for Harness than the dogs . One year quite recently ( 2017 ) Harness received $40 mill ( $30m for stakes ) ,the Dogs $22 mill ( $12m for stakes ). Harness wagering was in a slump and has improved since. In 2019 the Code payouts were Harness $45 mill and Dogs $25 mill.

Picks Ruakaka r1.....6 , 9 Ruakaka r2......2 , 15 Ruakaka r5......9 , 11 Eagle Farm r1....10 , 16 Randwick r7.....13 , 15 Randwick r4......9 ,18 Ruakaka r10.......3 , 10 Eagle Farm r6.....1 , 3 Eagle Farm r7........4 , 12 Eagle Farm r8.......3 , 8 Randwick r10.......15 , 16 Eagle Farm r9........8 , 15 Free slot......7th Thanks

I will say it again......the guy who organises these comps does a fantastic job ! My effort was the story of my life.......showed a bit of talent at times, difficult for an 'average' bloke to head off but in the end more likely to be 'cream of the crap ' as opposed to 'cream of the crop'. Thanks to you all who give it a go !

Picks Hastings r1....2 ,6 Hastings r2....1 , 3 Hastings r3.....1 , 2 Hastings r4......8 , 12 Hastings r5.......2 , 3 Hastings r6.......2 , 5 Hastings r7.....1 , 3 Hastings r8.....9 , 10 Hastings r9......3 , 4 Hastings r10.....1 , 4 Thanks

Picks Waverley r4......5 , 8 Avondale r3.....4 , 6 Waverley r5.....2 , 3 Avondale r4.....2 , 13 Waverley r6......1 , 5 Eagle Farm r4....1 , 5 Eagle Farm r5.....3 , 9 Eagle Farm r6.....1 , 8 Eagle Farm r7......5 , 7 Eagle Farm r8.....2 , 10 Eagle Farm r9.....2 , 3 EagleFarm r10......2 , 7 Thanks

Ray Cairns...as in ROCairns often rode it !

I always amazed there are not more people live on course , full stop ! The small fields and largely poor divis really aren't that attractive , neither is the gridlock traffic to get there and many work on a Friday and just want to head home ! Goodness knows how many folk will be on course when Thursdays increase in August/September. Don't forget too that the Club was basically insolvent , and definitely lacking the cash for any advertising spend at all. Bus backs ,billboards ,buildings and Cinemas [restricted these past 2 x years] is largely for Mayoral candidates ...haha ! And don't forget the background ethnicity of the folk who enable the ATC to clear over $2 mill annually from their pokies ,and make the ATC TAB the biggest , by a country mile , in NZ. I'd suggest the Asian community actually enables the ATC to battle on ....and I think they much prefer the gallops !

Any charge would be seen as a ' Fart into the wind ' and dismissed immediately !

And wasn't there some great horseflesh racing in those Group 1 races ?....some of the best races of the year IMO Yes ,its thanks to the betting on Aussie Harness etc etc and in particular those meetings with the big NZ fields of plodders that go around regularly that allow the Group racing stakes be maintained at the current level and Auckland still appeals as a track that can host them at night . Possibly would be better to further reduce the venues , concentrate on Addington and the Sunday and Summer venues etc . Plenty of excitement among the winners and placegetters of these Group races on Friday. Sounds as most will go again ....breeders will be happy too , and many jobs will continue. The woes of the ATC in recent years in particular and stakes distribution and programming etc have been well discussed on here. ATC has actually lost some Friday meetings so will seldom top the weeks T/0 throughout the year. ATC by their recent miserable standards have had a couple of good weeks . When their two top races of year offer stakes of $700 k , there is NO chance betting on those races will recoup even a fraction of that. Thanks for reminding us , let us know from what angle your concern comes from ? I get really pist when my horses are running around for stakes of between $8 k and $12 k.....we hang out for the chance to contest a Group race , and pleased they still have them.

picks Pukekohe r2........3 , 5 Pukekohe r4........1 , 5 Pukekohe r5......4 , 7 Pukekohe r6.......4 , 6 Pukekohe r7........4 , 7 Eagle Farm r4......1 , 16 Caulfield r4........2 , 13 Eagle Farm r6......1 , 16 Eagle Farm r7.......5 , 11 Eagle Farm r8......2 , 5 Eagle Farm r9........12 , 13 Eagle Farm r10......17 , 20 Thanks

I had a peek today and can tell you progress is being made. There were 5 big diggers in action plus smaller machinery putting in pipes and pouring sand/ gravel etc . All the running rails had gone , steeple chase fences gone . The area that had the fence out of straight has been cleared as its been advertised for sale . But although several machines and workers were busy to my untrained eye I would say the task has barely started and the job very much in it's early stage. The Golf course and driving range was busy and the Ascot car park almost full !

My apologies for today.....I ambled past this morning ,and saw preparations underway for the last dance ! Of course , the two places next door will no doubt carry on the the traditions. When one door closes , another two will be open !

I've heard and read complaints that there are no grass track meetings in Canterbury for 7 weeks , during the time that regular meetings ...3 in June , 2 in July.....are held on the synthetic track. This comment appears to be untrue. In June there are grass meetings at Timaru and Riccarton , while Ashburton races in July . In addition between now and the National week starting early August there are grass track meetings planned for Wingatui x 3 and Oamaru x 2. And before National week there are at least 3 x meetings where most races are worth $30k - $35k. As to the smaller field sizes racing on the Synthetic , naturally there have been some nervousness and misinformation as to the suitability of the surface for racing. Once this has been overcome , those willing to race should improve. Even if it doesn't ,wasn't the main reason for them to assist in traning and to ease the burden on winter tracks and limit postponments of trials and racing during inclement weather. Yhey were never intended to 'save' NZ Racing in their first year ! Like my trainers I want to see my horse burning up the grass tracks of Ellerslie ,Randwick and Flemington but sometimes our horse is just too slow for that !And we hate admitting it. ! Good to see 9 x connections pay their training fees for 2 x months today and some excited ones indeed eg MHouse !

Cheer up eljay......more time and information etc available to encourage more betting ! I heard the cameras will be scanning around the oncourse crowd to see the happy folk enjoying their night out with special focus on your lounge and in particular your table to gain some insightful comments on each horse's chances. So have a shave ,wear your best threads and take your trial notes along and remember to smile !

The article states it is available on both Facebook and You Tube so should be accessible to most. 6 weeks is quite a short trial , but it starts with a Group 1 night and better fields than recent weeks. Every race will have extra lead in times for people to have a bet. The new channel probably won't be shown in TAB's and Sports Bars and may give folk even less reason to go to the races. But on-course attendances often quite bleak in winter.

Try Harness Dato Star......all good there, they will take your money !

Maybe the Waikato should have a synthetic track .

Unsure how the RIU excess costs crept into a thread on Luke R , but I feel it worth recalling how this RIU thing was born in NZ . Following the GFC , NZ looked to be in major recession with high unemployment and less consumer spending. Many predicted doom and gloom ...racing was worried. The NZ Racing Board about 2010 did a Nielson Research survey and asked the NZ public many questions re their opinion on NZ Racing and wagering. None of the results were particularly good. Only 16% of respondents had a positive image of NZ Racing and wagering. Only 22% thought Racing was run with honestly and integrity. I remember these results vividly.....not good .....and the Board obviously felt obliged to act with some urgency on this. Obviously since then the costs have ballooned out of control , and the runaway train is hard to stop !

Luke , and he probably is very lucky as well , is a great guy to listen to ,very knowledgable and I always loved him when on previously . He had a great knowledge on many sports ,and in particular racing and he was a Tasman man .Obviously with his law qualifications he was possibly over qualified to be just presenting from a Trackside studio. My friend used to say he reminded him of an undertaker....quite a stern serious complexion. So I read Torch's post with interest and decided to take a peep at what he was in convulsions over and praying to get strength from above. I saw a very relaxed Luke enjoying his opportunity to give his opinion on the weekends racing and chip in with some rants ! The mighty Wairio Cup warmed him up....he called a couple of the runs in that deplorable !!!!! He ranted about the Computer Generated picks in the Australian race form guide presented to us Kiwis......bang on ....employ a person .Bang On ! He then commented that all NZ bred horses should be in running for end of season awards , even if solely racing overseas.....interesting opinion but probably not overly supported. He made a few suggestions of horses who could win the awards this year.....standard stuff. He honestly described recent Austalian race conditions with shocking rain and visibility as disastrous.........good on him. Very few point out negatives re Aussie racing . Good on him ! Then at end he mentioned that he could add support to Verry Eleegant 's owners trying their luck in Europe ...the program seemed to be leaning to saying it was a bad thing to take the horse away from CWaller etc etc. He was just going to explain how International travel was more normal now days, and to impress the old buggers he brought up the time when Harness horse Vanderford was off to USA and................the program ended with Luke trying to finish the story. I doubt the Racing bosses wanted that story retold.......a horse being beaten to death with an Axe ! And he was smiling while trying to get it out. Yes ,Luke was in very relaxed mood ! But is he a game changer ? How many other than Torch actually watch that show ?

Exactly........that's why the current strategy , along with poorly thought out race programming should not be adhered do...what is the definition of insanity again ? The same happens at the other end eg young trotters. Even in the south. 10 race one week ,then the next week , 6 days later there are 3 noms. Even allowing for the known few trotters having a breather ,the Rowe Cup will be lucky to get 7 ! Good luck , Valmagne got second a few years back ! No Mufaso Metro or the good Neal trotter to help boost the field ,they blazing around Aussie ! Back to RATTO , it worked well down South where there are plenty of horses.......will the North's connections be wowed by the chance to win $11 k first prize by racing more often than would normally be the case ? The trotters at least know the 'final' is a handicap stand start while the pacers have a 2700m Mobile....rare these days .

Mostly these races are feature and/or Group races. Pretty hard to cancel these races when horses have travelled from South Island and afar in the search of these much sought after features. Another race changed from Friday was a 4 x horse mares race ,so it easy to transfer these horses into a their race in rateing range ! As we have discussed on here many times connections are not willing to serve their horses up as fodder for the very best ,especially in mobiles. Testing times for the new HRNZ strategy of trying to herd all the good horses into one spot , especially as winter approaches. The NZ Cup carnival still a magnet , ditto the Aussie Group race window but the now poor cousin ATC gets the late April - June spot . What will the Rowe Cup /Auckland Cup night next week look like ! ATC will say it's all HRNZ's fault. HRNZ will say it clearly lies with ATC ..'You got smug and took your eyes off the racing , your main responsibilty'. The recent Board and Administration of ATC , many paid quite nicely , will be sipping cocktails in Fiji !

Obviously working on what is generally the 'norm' with pacers clearly outnumbering the trotters. Plus maybe they hoping that more Pacers will come out of the woodwork or out of the cotton wool. Harness in the North should be keeping a current of list of all horses ready to race to keep any guesswork out of it. If trotting connections want a little handout they could go around in the Group 1 this week at ATC ,with only 4 noms and $100k up for grabs. $3k for just going around , and over $5k if one of the 4 x noms strikes trouble !

Hardly a game changer , more a gimmick or novelty time filler ! I can comment as I was probably the latest 'winner' of this event at the ATC.....it was 21 December 2020. I think there were no corporates to drive the horses so ATC club members were asked. The ownership synd drew my name out ! I had some trouble finding a Doctor to verify my fitness to drive ...physical and mental ...but I trained hard to be in top condition. I named my horse Pasta Post....the main opposition was Puma Pants ! My co-driver and coach was Jay Abernethy...the tactics were to lead out behind mobile ,trail ,then use passing lane. Despite my weight , our horse followed the plan to perfection.....real name was the warhorse Edamfast ! Jay rewarded the horse with a Xmas trip to the South Island. I have the photos and video to prove it...Such was the interest in the race , not one person asked me for a photo or autograph ! In recent months , staff and services at the ATC have been seriously cut back so I assume this novelty event has been placed on back burner. Until recent weeks we were restricted to 'bubbles' with limited movement . Did eljay notice this ? Hello !!!!

You'll find the whole NZ Racing dates to August 1 2023 on HRNZ website. Click on NEWS and a couple of pages back on 5 May there is an article headed....Cromwell gets new dates. Click on that and it will lead to the link..

Congrats to all winners , and this 'say no more' character......what an amazing job he does ! Thanks !