fitzy

I think Sir T and Zabeel both sired Gt Northern winners. Do you judge their stud careers on that fact alone ..............

Reading these comments I cant help wondering if some of you are missing the point. Punting pays for racing - no betting = no income = low stakes.
Unfortunately for clubs like Waimate as a result of only having 1 or 2 days a year its hard to punt with confidence when you dont have a good understanding of track conditions. Yesterday was rated as a Good 3 but they were running close to 1.13 + for 1200 m - really ? Even allowing for the class of horse going around that seems off.
If we want to grow turnover then we need to provide punters with racing surfaces they can bet on with confidence. Clubs like Waimate will always struggle in that regard. Inconsistent racing surfaces when you cant follow the form must end up being a turnoff for punters. Eventually they give up and spend their money on something else. This is a major issue with the problems of NZ racing, and in my view is the major factor which suggests racecourse rationalisation is essential.
That said the big clubs are not exactly showing the way forward on this issue, and need to improve dramatically. 

Reading these comments I cant help wondering if some of you are missing the point. Punting pays for racing - no betting = no income = low stakes.
Unfortunately for clubs like Waimate as a result of only having 1 or 2 days a year its hard to punt with confidence when you dont have a good understanding of track conditions. Yesterday was rated as a Good 3 but they were running close to 1.13 + for 1200 m - really ? Even allowing for the class of horse going around that seems off.
If we want to grow turnover then we need to provide punters with racing surfaces they can bet on with confidence. Clubs like Waimate will always struggle in that regard. Inconsistent racing surfaces when you cant follow the form must end up being a turnoff for punters. Eventually they give up and spend their money on something else. This is a major issue with the problems of NZ racing, and in my view is the major factor which suggests racecourse rationalisation is essential.
That said the big clubs are not exactly showing the way forward on this issue, and need to improve dramatically. 

Reading these comments I cant help wondering if some of you are missing the point. Punting pays for racing - no betting = no income = low stakes.
Unfortunately for clubs like Waimate as a result of only having 1 or 2 days a year its hard to punt with confidence when you dont have a good understanding of track conditions. Yesterday was rated as a Good 3 but they were running close to 1.13 + for 1200 m - really ? Even allowing for the class of horse going around that seems off.
If we want to grow turnover then we need to provide punters with racing surfaces they can bet on with confidence. Clubs like Waimate will always struggle in that regard. Inconsistent racing surfaces when you cant follow the form must end up being a turnoff for punters. Eventually they give up and spend their money on something else. This is a major issue with the problems of NZ racing, and in my view is the major factor which suggests racecourse rationalisation is essential.
That said the big clubs are not exactly showing the way forward on this issue, and need to improve dramatically. 

Great to see Ocean Park with a very good G2 winner yesterday. Looks a potential top horse.

Except of course in the case of Sacred Falls who although won the 2000 Gns and was unbeated in 7 NZ starts was not eligible for HOTY as when he won the Doncaster at 3 had been transferred to Waller. Go figure !! 

Except of course in the case of Sacred Falls who although won the 2000 Gns and was unbeated in 7 NZ starts was not eligible for HOTY as when he won the Doncaster at 3 had been transferred to Waller. Go figure !! 

Savabeel’s figures are outstanding must be very close to Zabeel’s.
Re Zed in the “old days” some jumps races received black type. On that basis Zed would have another 6 SW’s which would be 8% SW’s to runners.

Just hearing Pitman there saying onward and upwards to Ascot , he’s nominated for the Kingsstand and King George mid June.

The Lion confirmed Berri.
Outstanding opportunity from a branch of the Sadlers Wells line that works everywhere.
Well done Cambridge Stud.
Cheers
John

Set weights and penalties make this race a total farce. There is zero point in racing a stayer in NZ especially geldings.

Set weights and penalties make this race a total farce. There is zero point in racing a stayer in NZ especially geldings.

No doesn't look like a Verry Flash day at all....

Set weights and penalties make this race a total farce. There is zero point in racing a stayer in NZ especially geldings.

I think only 61 horses at last 8 race meeting. Market forces speaking maybe?

Tell you what - there's a group of people that hang out on these sites and say that the racing game is dying. They bemoan everything new that comes, bag the shit out of people who are trying to add interest to the game and create new ways and initiatives for people to get involved. Largely they are bitter keyboard warriors. They make little to no contribution in most instances other than to sit back and moan and bitch about absolutely nothing.
Yet, they are the same people that when a something like BGP comes along, look for the negatives in it. Bag the people behind it, through wild accusations around and can't see past the end of their own crooked and bent noses. Here's a new flash, it's because of people with mindsets like this that the industry is struggling in some corners. The negativity is ridiculous. Yes, there are things that can be done and things that need improved - show me a sector of life where there isn't some struggles. 
I joined Boys Get Paid back when there was less then 100 members. It was a group of lads who threw the odd tip around in the hope of making a quick buck. Largely it was pretty successful, there was some good heat and some big bets landed. Over the past two years I've sat back and watched that page morph into something quite remarkable. I grew up in a township of non racing people. I could reel off a list of about 50 people from my small town who are now frequent racing punters because of BGP - they got a taste, and they liked it. 
It's nontraditional in the sense that there is banter, noise and a new way of looking at punting - but you can't deny that it's a real positive for our industry. They're pumping money across the tote, not just on the big days but even days like today. This morning a tip was posted for a horse at Manawatu. In an hour that horse had moved from it's $31 quote into $11 and it's still dropping. There are countless examples of weights on money being placed on horses because of the BGP input. 
One person throws a tip up and you can almost guarantee that a good percentage of the wagering on that particular runner will be held by members of BGP. 
Luke Kemeys is a bloody genius. The foresight that man has and the ideas him and his mates have come up with for the future are exciting. 
The establishment of the foundation is only another positive step forward, they want to bring people back to the races, encourage the industry to be better and challenge those who have had it good for far too long. And they're doing it in a way which may just ensure that the missing generation of punters are slowly but surely returning to the game. How anyone can bemoan a request that will only be beneficial for the industry going forward is beyond me. 
Like anything, it's not yet perfect and it probably never will be. But it's heading in the right direction and being driven by a group of enthusiastic racing fans who have some pretty smart business acumen behind them. And from what I can see it's only going to get better. 

I think a lot of you people have rocks in your head. You have an industry struggling to maintain relevance and attract younger participants then when you are given exposure to 13000 of the next generation all you can do is moan about the deal they are trying to negotiate  I would also note that they want the deal to pump money back into the industry and keep attracting new  participation which is much needed  
Buying power normally gets you a better deal and I don’t see this as being any different  
 
 

Karaka on Tv.  Huge congratulations to the director of the broadcasts.  He would have had a bank of Tv's in front of him and had to pick which camera to use.  That choice was attended to brilliantly.  The camera operators were their usual good selves, but to pick which camera is exceedingly difficult.  Also, they were able to locate the bidder who in many cases uses a bid indicator that only serious bid spotters can identify.  That was very skilful editing.  As I watched it I wondered if this is the only part of the New Zealand Racing Board that knows what it is doing.

Interesting to see Flight Stks winner ALIZEE is 3x3 to Danehill via son & daughter. The Mission is also 3x3 through 2 sons.

Exactly!.....and quickly!!! This is our last chance at Government level to make positive change whatever we decide as a group for the better of all in this industry.  Ive not seen any politician in the past 50 years give this much attention to the racing game as Sir Winston Peters. Expect it to be another 100 years before this happens again. Not that any of us will be here to worry but will the racing industry?.....your choice!

Is that you Pauline?
 

About time this guy was run out of the business. Trail of unpaid bills wherever he goes.

Hedley, the costs of operation of the Racing Board have tipped the industry into the position it now finds itself. I believe the Messara Report needs to be implemented in the most part, but there will be flexibility along the way to get the desired outcome.
However, when you hear John Allen stating that a consideration of using an offshore supplier for betting is worthy of consideration (on National radio news at 11am) you have complete confirmation that the Govt employee he was and will always be, has absolutely no idea what he is doing. He wouldn’t be able to empty his boot appropriately at the local recycling centre.
The industry has to adopt change to move forward, the assumptions of the report will be put to the test, as they should, but, and it is a huge but, we have to accept the inevitable, change is required. Clubs need to merge, but the tier system will work, as it does around the world.
Get on with it.

To keep Avondale you would need to blow up the stands and pour 50 million into building new facilities.  I would rather sell it and take the $200million.  Its called business.  Its thinking like yours that got us into this predicament

After reading the largely ill informed and negative comments in this section about the Messara report i can only conclude that the industry is stuffed and we might as well close it down now and save ourselves another 10 years of stress and pointless arguments.
Yes the report may not be correct in every aspect (what business plans are??) but the overall direction is spot on.
i can only conclude that those of you who choose to bag it either have vested interests which colour your opinions or have no idea.