RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.

John Clydesdale

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Everything posted by John Clydesdale

  1. I understand there is a fair amount of angst agin NZB with regard the recommendation of NZB for the future of Sth Island Sales. What is the feeling of breeders? Does this reflect the cold realities of the industry today?
  2. Isn't it interesting when specialist businesses try to become experts at other things? The Racing Board are now publishers, a commercial betting organisation, developers of our industry infrastructure and enlargers of administration costs. Strikes me, they have succeeded at just one thing, increased costs, and non performers at everything else. They can run the betting process as there is no other alternative, but if there was, what would that comparison reveal?
  3. Congratulations to the Baker family and partner for setting a new benchmark of breeding Champion 2YO and Champion 3YO in the same year, and wouldn't you know it, fillies. Terrific effort that has been publicly recognised and it will be an extremely hard feat to be equalled in the future. Well done to all concerned.
  4. So zzz, the peanuts and monkeys theory at work then. What have we seen that makes the man worth $900k ??????
  5. I think Dodgey may misunderstand the role of the Board and its Directors. The most common understanding of roles is that the Chairman heads the Board with visionary leadership. The Board Directors set policy, develop strategic and business outlines, micro govern certain elements of the business, review process and performance of the business and in general the Board instruct the CEO as to the policy and direction of the company. The CEO manages the company, develops the plans outlined by the Board, manages the upper level divisional/departmental heads, approves budgets etc etc The Board tasks are regarded as part of the governance both of and within the company because such leadership should be provided by the Chair. In my view the key is the Chairman. I like our existing Chair on a personal level, but there is a major problem. When you have an employee, albeit in senior management, expanding his views in the public medium, then to me, that clearly indicates a significant problem within the culture of the management team, the CEO and therefore the Board and lastly the Chairman. In my view again, it signifies a lack of respect by the employee for his CEO, his Board and, to my way of thinking, earmarks a breakdown and fragmentation of the management unit under the CEO. In the commerial world he would be asked to pack his things and shown the door. But clearly that type of governance does not exist at NZTR!?
  6. There is a Board meeting prior to the Awards on Friday and perhaps there could something to announce as a result of the meeting??!!
  7. Nerula, I wasn't referring directly to what you had written in the previous comment. My comment is an observation I have made for some time. But unfortunately I hold a different methodology to you. As I believe you cannot effectively create change until you identify the problems confronting you. In my view, systemic problems have been with NZTR for many years, and they are still there. Governance is one of them. This has been acknowledged, but has it changed?? I don't think so, because if it had been, then the employee who has a job to do under the Board's direction should not be making public comments of any description about the state of the industry and the tracks being used. I am not trying to malign people as individuals, I know a fair few of them and they are generally good people, it is just that they are under-equipped in some instances for the seat they fill. I want each Board member to review there own performance, if that means, in your view, that I am part of the problem, then quite clearly you and I are on a different wavelength and I will quite happily let you go down your road alone.
  8. Good discussion points raised in this thread. What I get from the discussion is that; a) The departing CEO is clearly incompetent for that role...who appointed him and checked his credentials? The Chairman should retire at the AGM and... c) The Board members are required to have a conscious hard look at themselves individually and ask how they can contribute to that Board....and perhaps re-consider their positions...and d) Also ask why an employee suddenly becomes the spokesperson for the Board......the answer lay in point These are some of the reasons why we are going in the wrong direction at a rapid rate!
  9. It was a great thrill to win whether black type or not. Hopefully that will happen in the future with her. She loves to compete and tries and goes hard which you just have to enjoy. Going to make a good broodmare!
  10. Can you explain as to why you think such a plan is unimaginative and negative? All breeders can expect 50% fillies annually as any potential foal crop. They cost the same to raise, feed and prep for sale. But the returns for fillies in a sale ring are demonstrably(?) shorter in a sale ring. Put them into training and very few fillies generate much of a return in the RTR sale ring. So you race them, and unless you have the extreme good fortune to get something special, then there isn't much of a market for the filly or mare unless they are successful in black type terms. Jess, I believe you need to open your eyes and look at what breeders are telling you........worldwide! So please explain to me how the fillies discount can be negative?
  11. Alan Jackson was the nominee of the three codes for the NZRB Board member, instead Carter chose Liz Dawson who had been there previously for a term and effectively witnessed the slide of the industry without addressing the problem. Unfortunately Carter appears compromised with the truth. He says one thing, and indicates he will act on behalf of the industry when consensus is provided, yet he selected Liz Dawson on a unilateral basis. Consensus.....yeah right. A puppet of the present Chairman I'd say. I agree with the early thoughts of Scotchmist, the chairmen of each industry representative body need to get together and address the issue TOGETHER and formulate the appropriate strategy. Now would be the appropriate time to have the owners and breeders come together as one organisation, perhaps that is what is also needed at this time!!
  12. A good mare form one of our families, she raced in Group races, won a Group 2 from memory. Honest and reliable mare.
  13. Dear Tbred62 I was providing a recourse option for D Ha, but if you are so sure of your facts why don't you name the names and what they supposedly did. Stand proud in the knowledge that the info you hold is deadly accurate and true. For me sledging a whole host of people, who could fall into as wide a group as described earlier, is outright insulting to those good people who operate in that same area that have the appropriate integrity and business standards and honesty you ridicule. Name yourself and those you believe you know.
  14. I can imagine the added improvements and drama that goes into stories as they get passed on from one to another, but hang on, get a grip! I am not wishing to defend anyone in particular, but there is recourse if anyone feels that an illegal act or similar has taken place against them in any transaction. Anyone can use that channel, all you need is patience and money. A man by the name of Jess Jackson has created some clarity in the horse business about certain criteria that is acceptable in transactions involving sale and purchase. Whether that applies in NZ can be put to the test by someone like Mr Ha if he does genuinely feel there is substance to his concerns. The horse business is a very tough business as we all know, any person entering it has to become well aware that to be the case within a very short time. If they believe it is easy, then the falls come soon enough, and the higher up the mountain you participate, then the further you have to fall. Pretty simple really.
  15. Thanks John for indicating your thoughts on the article by Boock, but it is very unfortunate to read something that has such a strong bias attached to it, without any research. It would tend to suggest that he is like so many other journalists, and I don't mean just sports journos, they are press, radio and TV journos who don't get out of their chairs and do the legwork and investigate a little deeper. Still the media in general have been lowering their own bars for so many years now, that is to be expected I guess.
  16. Racing in NZ will continue to shrink under the current NZTR Board management policy. There is not enough product to race as often as we are at present, and they (NZRB via NZTR Board) are unwilling to look at any initiatives to preserve the level of production we have at the moment. Downstream effect, less stakes because of niave management at NZTR Board level, and then less horse production lead to a reduction in races staged. My immediate solution is run 8 races maximum per day, the 20% of stakes saved by running 2 less races should go into the other 8 races. Better stakes generate better fields which generate better betting participation. This isn't the answer to the long term problem, not at all. But it will improve the present situation of declining stakes and fewer horses contesting the races. The NZRB do have a moral responsibility, outside the terms of the Racing Act, to ensure the participants of the industry have an ability to earn an average income for their efforts. At present that is under severe pressure and the NZRB do not appear in the least bit concerned about it. Does make them sound like finance companies doesn't it??!
  17. there ain't too much to work with there.
  18. Leggy, I was reliant on memory, and now you mention it I agree. As I read about him so many years ago, and the work he was doing I followed his progress, but my recall on his relocation was obviously a bit hazey. Contrary to some thoughts that the vertically challenged hold, I have a strong and enquiring interest in things that do improve and benefit racing. We have seen examples, too many in my view, of where particular non turf substitutes have failed because of various reasons. When spending significant capital sums to implement such non turf surfaces, the selection of the surface is critical. Therefore I hold a view that waiting for others to improve the performance of a surface is a more prudent management process. By the way John, thanks for your support and kind words. I am just pleased to see the subject is getting a good airing. Objective accomplished, thanks zzz.
  19. Breeders must be heartened to see new blood arriving in the form of the stallion announcements of late. Studs reinvesting in the industry is our lifeblood for the future. Keep them coming.
  20. the Tapeta surface was developed by Michael Dickenson when he relocated to Canada from the UK many moons ago. He was a very successfull trainer in the UK but had an aversion to the dirt surface as being too hard on horses "joints". Chip Woolley is a died in the wool US trainer, with a Kentucky Derby last year to his credit, and he views "tapeta" more like a grass surface that creates "soft tissue" problems. Training tracks with synthetic surfaces are Ok by me, but please leave the racing surfaces in grass.
  21. zzz, thanks for the invite to the departure lounge, but I am not interested in leaving just now. You enjoy your perspective on the industry, I enjoy a differing view. Your view does not make me fell I need to leave the industry, just shows me how gullible people can be.
  22. to property with available grass if possible. Four weeks should be enough to avoid problems later. Otherwise the outcome could be very problematic for you if the paddocks cannot recover well enough in the early Autumn. As when you get to late July - mid August, you wil just have mud without any grass with roots, so you end up with a very expensive feed bill and still insufficient grass that can spring into life in late September. Tough times at the moment.
  23. Dem fillies can be very sly at times. What's she by?
  24. Yes, heat four and that was an education run. Look forward to her when she gets to the races. I'll go and buy a Lotto ticket as I would love to own her.