THE TORCH

The people running our industry are an absolute joke..

More interviews with a range of participants is what is needed. What they can stop doing is saying what a great job theyre doing and how every weekend is bigger and better than the last. That is cringe. Bring in Peter Earley for an improved product. And where is Jane Ivil??!!?? Let me guess theyre waiting for the HB Carnival to introduce her.

Listen to this dribble. Cliches and catch phrases that make you squirm. Hilarious to think some thought he would make a change.

So true. Ive got nothing against Erin, but another untrained media presenter is not what the channel needs. It actually needs culling. One in the studio, two maximum on course. Let the pictures tell the story. What happened to the interviews out on the course like Tommy Hazlett used to do? Those were excellent. Where has Jane Ivil gone? Did one meeting on her return to NZ and has now gone AWOL. Perhaps she couldnt cope with those around her.

4. Do you share the view of NZTR that doing nothing is not an option? The two options contradict what this question poses. They aren't doing a thing. They're either leaving it "as it is" (and they've painted a false picture with their stats) or are going to shut it down. That is doing nothing!

How did she get to join the team? I thought she offered zilch.

So we are going to see more money thrown at R65 or less races in the middle of winter? Tell me how those types of races compare to the two epic races this Saturday....West Coast vs The Cossack, and Berry The Cash vs Nedwin. These are the best match-ups we have seen all winter and going by the Bruce and Co. twisted and manipulated figures we wont see them ever again in the near future. Have they thought about the ripple effect it will have on their flat racing? I mean how many of those amateur riders work for jumping trainers? Theyll be gone from the game. How does an owner look to make money when his/her horse is too slow for a maiden race at New Plymouth in June or July? Theyll be losing out. They should have put in a clause when they sold the Ellerslie hill.....1% of that should have gone back into the jumping game around NZ. After all every top jumper went there for decades and made Ellerslie world famous.

The stats hes provided are ridiculous. Stats are like matches - put them in the hands of the wrong person and they're dangerous. So reducing the number of tracks will see the quality of racing improve (apparently!!!!!...and anyone who thought Messara's report was 100% his view actually needs their head read), but reducing jumping numbers wont??!! The top 5 races this winter have all been jumps races - fact. The quality has been great even with a reduction in runners. The trainers and owners have taken things into their own hands and resurrected jumps racing. You cant tell me the jocks we got from the UK were scouted by Bruce and Co. And there are more heading out here next year. If they'd put a few more penny's into jumping races there would be more horses being prepped for it because not every owner has a Crocetti or Orchestral.

A ridiculous marketing move. Splattering exaggerated comments and bold graphics at us doesnt make me want to bet more - it does the opposite. Its fake, its cheap, and it actually cheapens the product. How can every single Saturday be made out to be the greatest day of the season??!! Tacky stuff. If they want to boost the game start pouring more time and attention into the jumping game - that has been outstanding this winter. But what happens? Bruce Sharrock sends out a document lambasting our jumpers, jumping trainers, and jocks! Two options apparently: 1. keep the current system in progress, or 2. slow things down until they cease to exist. So sticking to option 1 (whereby theyre not putting more resources into stakes, incentives, or facilities for our jumpers and jumping owners/trainers/jocks) will naturally allow them to achieve option 2, which is what they are truly after. I wonder if these strategies would be operating if brother Allan was still training jumpers.

Which highlights the hypocrisy of the Opunake RC. Happy to go to NP when and how it suits them (financial reasons??) yet have no hesitation to go back to a club that bent over backwards for them over a long period of time and basically got s&%$ on!

Typical NP Racing - always blaming others. Sort out your track or sell the land. Oh thats right its not yours to start with. But thats another story eh. Good ol name change put the frighteners up them. What I cant believe is Hawera accepting the Opunake meeting - theyre the ones who shafted ERC a few years ago when they pulled up stumps and went with NP. Talk about squirming back with cap in hand! You reap what you sow.

What a crop of crap. Talk about papering over the cracks...."Phase 2"......please!!!!!!! Just say they stuffed up and had to go back and fix it - a $50M balls up! Honestly these Auckland pricks will never admit theyre in the wrong.

Some awesome displays of jumping today.

Great numbers today at Trentham with regards to the jumpers. And the standard in the first two events has been excellent. But where are the flat numbers??!! Very scarce in comparison - take out a couple of trainers and they would have struggled to have some of the flat events. Bloody poor.

Well thatll do me regardng NZ racing! The one intelligent guy on telly and Entain give him the heave-ho. Reminds me of how he got shafted the first time with Trackside because a fellow "presenter" (more like clown) felt inferior and got the powers that be to edge him out. Luke should take both incidents as a sign of excellence on his behalf. Sometimes you need to be proud of what youre doing if the losers out there dont like you.