We're Doomed

They obviously have a cunning plan.

I'm wondering if they should do the decent thing and hand back their race club of the year award.

Next she will be pointing out you have spelt fuck wrong.

Yes, not a good look. Only 55 starters at Cambridge and no interest at all at Awapuni. They will have to follow the SI example and just give trainers no option but to race on the AWT. It does show a total pig-headed arrogance on the part of NZTR. Does the trainers assoc ever suggest to NZTR that their members are slightly displeased? Obviously NZTR won't come to that realisation without someone pointing it out to them.

Yes, never a chance the Kiwi, only passed the tired ones in the straight. I presume Entain funded Waitak to go over so they had something to promote. Interestingly I never saw a single mention of the race on any NZ Racing forum other than this thread, so not a lot of interest really given the hype trackside and the TAB tried to build up.

I did think it was a strange thing to promote to the extent they did. I even heard it advertised on the radio during the week. I don't imagine the average joe public would have the faintest idea what the Quokka was and wouldn't care less. It would be interesting to compare the turnover on that race with any of the races from Riccarton.

I was lucky enough to see him win the St George Stakes at Caulfield back in 2004. Magnificent looking horse, very compact. Being black possibly helped. Did he stamp his progeny with that compact look?

To be based in Wgtn I see, which seems strange when everything else is moving north.

I think he does get a bit confused. He was quoted as saying he was displeased with the whole situation. Which I thought was a strange use of words as he was the one responsible. Perhaps disappointed might have been more accurate. 3,000 tonnes would be about 120 truck and trailer loads, which wouldn't be cheap.

You are suggesting that NZTR should be a shining light, inspiration and source of all knowledge for the Racing industry?

If more sand was the answer to the problem it does make you wonder why they didn't follow the Te Rapa model in the first place. I'm sure Te Rapa didn't cost $55m. Now that NZTR has discovered the magic of sand, Foxton must be thinking they are sitting on a gold mine and just waiting for the call up.

I don't get any kickbacks and perks. They just keep offering me an incentive to top up my depleted account.

I thought he was very good, No magic men, no dressed up with nowhere to go, just called it as he saw it. And didn't try to mention that stupid passing lane name 6 times.

I was staggered at that race track of the year thing that Ellerslie won. Te Rapa has carried racing in the north for the last couple of years. Without Te Rapa northern racing would have had to close down. And to think they want to get rid of Te Rapa as well.

You obviously know her well. The rest of us just know her as Imperatrix. Will she be going straight to a broodmare sale?

I note Wilcox "expresses his displeasure in what happened." I wonder who he is displeased with? I presumed the buck stops with him.

That's why you got paid out 10 times. You got a tiny percentage of $97. If the fav had won the last you would have got a tiny percentage of about $20. You did quite well.

Not sure what you expected. You had $1.20, $1.70 and $3 winners and only had a tiny percentage of it.. You actually benefited from the last leg being abandoned. If the red hot had won that you would have got a couple of dollars back.

Locals probably don't realise there is a meeting at Trentham. Probably not used to Trentham racing with blue skies and sunshine either.

Yes I did wonder about that. So with less than 60 they can't run at Cambridge, but any numbers will do at Riccarton? And this is an actual regulation?

I have always liked Australia's best maiden, Cap Ferrat. Looked like he was building up nicely to the Derby distance, but I'm not sure about the wet track.

Next time. It certainly looks like a boom place.

Interestingly, I drove through Rangiora yesterday. It is quite a booming area. Might be a good place to consider building a new racecourse. The AWT funding might have been better spent around there. It's even in the provinces.

Five trials with 26 starters on the AWT at Riccarton tomorrow.

I agree. I kept switching over to trackside 2 last saturday to watch the Australian provincial meetings and they were busy previewing low grade races from Addington. Totally ignored the Aussie races even when there wasn't a clash with a NZ race. I have no idea if they recorded them and played them later or not because by then I had switched back to the Flemington and Rosehill races.