Mainland Rookie

Lets discuss reality.
If you are interested in the racing game and you want to go to to a Metro Premier meeting you would expect to pay dollars wouldnt you? if you went to another Premier sport like a Rugby test what would a seat cost?
If music is your thing and you want to go and see a top artist thats not cheap. It comes back to the discretionary spend and where you want to spend your dollars
The alternative is to watch on Tv from an easy chair or go to a sports bar.
And Nomates I dont do bitter my runway is short so I live in the positive world.
Theres an element on here that wants to take digs at Ellerslie and that indicates the tall poppy situation..
I will be at KM night hopefully to watch the horses. I will ignore the excesses and loud music will send us home.
Oh and HAPPY New Year to all!!!!!!!!

This subject is boring to most, but I find it fascinating. I have been observing five races recently, all very similar types of races, all handicaps between 1,600m and 2,400m, but with four very widely spread status levels.
As I have previously mentioned, the Timaru Cup, just a humble race with no black type whatsoever. 5 horses rated 90 and above, the highest rating 100. Won by a very promising 77 rater.
The Queen Elizabeth, a group 3, 2 horses rated 90 and above, highest rater 97, 2nd to top weight carrying 53.5 because the field was so poor. Winner a 73 rater.
Rich Hill mile, a group 2, so the highest rating of all these races, 3 horses rated 90 and above, top rater 95. Favourite a 73 rater, won by an 87 rater.
And to come up tomorrow, the Marton Cup, a listed race, 3 horses rated 90 and above, top rater 99.
And the Phar Lap trophy, I have no idea what it used to be called as CD races move all over the place and change their names all the time, anyhow, a Group 3, 2 horses rated 90 and above, top rater 96.
I checked the latest discussion by the pattern committee and the only one of these races that was discussed was the Timaru Cup. The club asked if there was any chance of it being returned to its previous listed status, and the response was "Yeah Nah, no show, don't bother us again."
None of those other four races are of any real concern to the pattern committee at all. I can only assume this season is a total aberration, with them all striking poor fields at once totally out of the blue whereas they traditionally have stunning fields.
Anyhow, just an observation, boring to most I know.

The owners can do as they please, a horse being sold is completely normal practice. He was 14 with years ahead of him, just an unfortunate ending that may or may not of happened otherwise.
Personally I’m disappointed to lose Jon Snow cause I think his stock are pretty bloody good but to see him and Ghibellines go is possibly a sign of other problems in the SI. 

Jane’s definitely good for an opinion and re: Sprint race program definitely needs to be sorted otherwise Trentham will continue to to lose out. 
 
But the comment that had “Masa got on the back of Tuxedo ,Smart Love would’ve won the race” is bollocks. 
 

vlc-record-2025-12-07-15h13m19s-Video player NZRacing_2025 12 07_15 11 42_1_429.mp4-.mp4    

What’re you on about,  Justin called it as Provence live.

What’re you on about,  Justin called it as Provence live.

What’re you on about,  Justin called it as Provence live.

What’re you on about,  Justin called it as Provence live.

Tidbit to be aware of from the 27th Oct-4th Nov all bonus cash will expire after 24hours rather than the standard week. Due to the generosity shown by the TAB in this busy week. 

Lucy was simply incredible, in a race where the tempo wasn't great her finish was lethal, closed off super strong. She had the fastest last 400m and 200m splits of the entire meeting when there were several 1100m-1200m sprints. Looks to have returned well. 

Thats if they are still with him...horses change from trainer to trainer very fast and often there.

I’m surprised there hasn’t been more made of this ownership model. Great value!!
One NZ company is currently advertising:
Ace High filly, priv purchase $95,000 of which this company took 45% ($43,000). 
Then selling 2250 shares @$206 per share. 
Values their 45% for 2 years investment at $463,500. 
By my reading 48% goes to the admin side of things. 

The only thing I’m disappointed about is I didn’t come up with the idea myself ! 
 

If Waller trains a horse in Sydney, ships it to Melbourne on a Thursday and it wins on a Saturday, that counts towards his placing in the VIC Premiership.
If Waller trains a horse in Sydney, ships it to Flemington and it wins three races in five months from the Flemington base, those count towards the VIC premiership.
It's possible for a trainer based outside of VIC to win the VIC trainers' premiership.
 
The rules for the South Island premiership are tighter; only winners based at a SI stable count towards the premiership. Even with these tighter rules meaning a number of their wins in SI races (those with Matamata-registered horses) didn't count, Te Akau trained more winners in the south (from just their Riccarton-registered horses) than any other stable.
 
Those are the rules. The question is, should the rules be what they are? Or should the "South Island Trainers' Premiership" only be open to "South Island Trainers"? Mark Walker isn't a SI trainer; he's based at Cranbourne. Sam Bergerson isn't a SI trainer; he's based at Matamata. Hunter Durrant isn't a SI trainer; he's not a registered trainer with horses running in his name.
If we want the South Island Trainers' Premiership to go to the best SI trainer, a rule change is needed so that only SI trainers are eligible.

I agree. I think anyone who wants to have a SI training base should be in the contest, whether they have one somewhere else or not. 
TA are also on the Vic trainers prem list via their Cranbourne base and likely to be higher up next season.

Is this any different to say Chris Waller being included in the Melbourne Trainers prem (9th) , stating he wants to improve on it next season. This happens everywhere.
TA looks to of won and that’s it. Also do the North Island recognise a NI premiership? 

Yes they should.
The lack of South Island-trained horses is largely irrelevant.
For the 20 years before jumps racing ceased in the South (except National week), southern trainers, for the most part failed to support it.
The Cogitation Steeplechase ended in 2004 with just four runners. The Great Western and the entire Riverton carnival had tiny fields, usually propped up by Kevin Myers or Canterbury visitors.
Sure, there were trainers that were consistent supporters, like Kelly Thompson, John and Karen Parsons, Kevin and Pam Hughes, Brian and Shane Anderton and Jack and Jo-Ann Gordon.
But despite the huge number of horses in the South - many of which struggle to get races due to the apparent shortage of meetings - the fields continued to dwindle.
There were other factors - a shortage of people to school them and what not - but I just don't think the appetite is there like it is in the north and especially the CD.
That doesn't mean the Nationals, Koral and Sydenham can't still be run at Riccarton - it's a wonderful course steeped in history. 
This year's Hurdles will be stacked with classy horses and the Steeples has a real humdinger match race.
All things come to an end and this will soon enough but moving it for the sake of moving it because of a lack of locally-trained horses doesn't make sense to me.
PS: There is one southern horse nominated - Hidalgo. It only recently went north from Southland to get its ticket and start jumping.
Mr Fahrenheit is also a Southland horse it could be argued.

Well Frac club would get say $900,000 then the manager gets 10% of that cause they’ve worked so hard $90,000. So you might get $360?
I get the idea but I don’t get how it’s a thrill when you could just back the horse each start and actually make money. If you look around there is value options in ownership that can leave you with the potential to get a return and actually get a ticket to the races. 

Well Frac club would get say $900,000 then the manager gets 10% of that cause they’ve worked so hard $90,000. So you might get $360?
I get the idea but I don’t get how it’s a thrill when you could just back the horse each start and actually make money. If you look around there is value options in ownership that can leave you with the potential to get a return and actually get a ticket to the races. 

Well Frac club would get say $900,000 then the manager gets 10% of that cause they’ve worked so hard $90,000. So you might get $360?
I get the idea but I don’t get how it’s a thrill when you could just back the horse each start and actually make money. If you look around there is value options in ownership that can leave you with the potential to get a return and actually get a ticket to the races. 

I’m surprised there hasn’t been more made of this ownership model. Great value!!
One NZ company is currently advertising:
Ace High filly, priv purchase $95,000 of which this company took 45% ($43,000). 
Then selling 2250 shares @$206 per share. 
Values their 45% for 2 years investment at $463,500. 
By my reading 48% goes to the admin side of things. 

The only thing I’m disappointed about is I didn’t come up with the idea myself ! 
 

Well Frac club would get say $900,000 then the manager gets 10% of that cause they’ve worked so hard $90,000. So you might get $360?
I get the idea but I don’t get how it’s a thrill when you could just back the horse each start and actually make money. If you look around there is value options in ownership that can leave you with the potential to get a return and actually get a ticket to the races. 

Geez some people complain about one stable but their fees pale in comparison to this FRAC Club.  They whip out 10% of the net stakes AFTER Trainer and Jockey percentages so that leaves 74% of the stake for the FRAC and majority shareholders.  Then they take 10% of the sale price at the end of racing AND if applicable a breeding right.  The trainer doesn't seem to get anything from the sale.
 The FRAC club only owns 40% of the horse and if you multiply the 2,250 x $260 =$463,000 for 2 years (or less).  Wow I'd say the 60% owners are getting a free ride!

Well Frac club would get say $900,000 then the manager gets 10% of that cause they’ve worked so hard $90,000. So you might get $360?
I get the idea but I don’t get how it’s a thrill when you could just back the horse each start and actually make money. If you look around there is value options in ownership that can leave you with the potential to get a return and actually get a ticket to the races. 

Based on what I have just read - ie the facts and the terminology, Max wouldn't touch this with a barge pole.