WOODBINE

Woodbine Farm is presenting the only Domesday yearling to be offered for sale at a major 2011 Yearling Sale - Magic Millions, Karaka and Sydney Easter - a cracking filly (Lot 995) from a 1/2 sister to the Champion raceman Tycoon Lil. This young Red Ransom stallion's oldest runners are 3 year olds and his progeny racing results are outstanding. On Saturday he sired the unbeaten 2 year old filly "Abstract" who won in Sydney. His 3 year olds results this month (January 2011) include: Exchanges - a winner at Caulfield and a last start 2nd in the Tasmanian 1000 Guineas; Have One on Me - a winner at Randwick Domesman - a maiden winner His is also the sire of three individual 3 year old stakes winners (Pressday G2, Divorces G3 and Backgammon LR) during the 2010 Victorian Spring Carnival and one stakesplaced horse (Domesky - 2nd to Backgammon). He also sired Giresun - 2nd in a G3 3 year old race at Newcastle. This young Darley stallion has not served big books and quality mares off a $10,000 service fee so his results to date are sensational. We are proud to be offering this Domesday filly as our first yearling as consignor to sell at Karaka.

Dopey - I can lend you one

This is a good thread. There are too many people in racing and breeding who are perpetually angry and negative - behaviours that get us no where. I don't believe that our racing models work effectively and many people involved in racing leadership positions are past their use by date. Breeders and racing owners are departing this industry fast, and smart owners are sending their horses to South Island trainers where trainers fees are 50% of their northern colleagues and often race stakes are better. The best racing facility I have seen in recent years is in Toronto, Canada called Woodbine where thoroughbreds and standardbreds race alongside each other at the same track. Woodbine was also in the process of developing a mini city called "Woodbine Live" on its spare land. NZ could best model its facilities on the Woodbine example. I don't subscribe to the slash and burn policy NZTR has towards owners ( a cost accountants's approach) - adding more costs on to them and reducing stakes - easy answers to their funding woes with envitable result that owners will leave this industry fast. I would like to see a study of owner numbers say at 1 August 2010 and at the end of the current season - 31 July 2011. I predict that the drop in owners will be substantial. Gaming trusts that previously advanced grants to clubs for stakes are now being reconstituted into gaming companies - hopefully with the cooperation of the Department of Internal Afairs (DIA). These new entities should have the authority to approve grants for stakes. NZTR and other racing bodies should be directly involved promoting such changes with the DIA. The DIA should also be publicly brought to task for taking a very weak case against a gaming trust official when the quality of the evidence they put forward was based on fraudulent gaming grant applications and invoices. A great result for the racing industry.

If Andrew Brown has mislead NZRB with his career credentials he should be asked to explain himself. There have been too many overseas recruited CEOs to NZ organisations that have fabricated their CVs. I also believe that there is some public expectation that the racing leaders that were publicly admonished by Judge Harvey in a recent Court case would be reviewing their positions.

Could be enlarged to take over the Informant publication as they employ journalists in theri team

I dont fully understand the legal issues of Bill Wilson's case but my sources advised me that Bill Wilson's shareholder current account was significantly less than Allan Galbraith's shareholder current account. In such a scenario to suggest that Bill Wilson owes Allan Galbraith money is incorrect. In accounting terms if parity is required by the company for shareholder current account balances, then Bill Wilson owes the company money. To suggest otherwise is hogwash

John Malcolm would be very proud of his prodigy's achievements - just like the Summertime days.

This is an excellent result in difficult times. The NZRB caters for all types of betting not only for racing, and the racing codes should be very happy with this result. The NZRB has a monopoly on sports betting and with the Rugby World Cup approaching it should be in a position to capitalise on this keystone event. The racing codes are the ultimate recipients of this profit pool and they should be congratulating the NZRB on this result. I also applaud NZRB in undertaking surveys on the public's perception of racing. These results now produce a challenge for the racing governing codes to get their house in order to attract people back to the track. Hopefully the new Integrity Unit will ensure that all the potheads and drugtakers involved in racing are severely punished if caught. Hong Kong is a good jurisdiction to emulate in respect of penalties for offenders. Once again well done NZRB

This stallion looks the goods at a fair service fee

You cant teach an old dog new tricks. PYT many of the points you raise have merit. I can recall Mr Chittick when Chairman of NZRB calling for the doing away of the Minister for Racing portfolio which didnt make much sense to me. The biggest mistake racing made was when the TAB Board in their wisdom decided not to become involved in the setting up of Lotto when invited to by the Government. It was seen as competition and racing has suffered ever since. One positive thing TAB agencies should consider is setting up Lotto agencies within their premises. At least we would attract young Lotto patrons into TAB premises and have an opportunity to educate them on all things racing... and also improve the profitability of TABs at the same time.

At present broodmare owners are taking all the risks of breeding filly foals, not the stallion owners. Ask the owners of the 60+ weanling fillies who sold their foals for less than the sales entry and freight costs. Many of these fillies were physically correct and good racing prospects. I appreciate that stud masters stand their stallions at service fees that must cover the capital cost etc of the horse. The issue that is not addressed when setting service fees is what is the market value of such stallion's progeny in the auction ring. This in my view is the correct method to value a stallion's service fee. Many breeders are not sending mares to stud this season which is a great shame as the racing industry will be the loser.

I would ban these drug takers from racing for life. If they were caught with drugs in their possession in countries like Singapore or Malaysia they would be executed.

I have always been puzzled by the strange scattergun marketing approachs studs have to promoting their stallions. Every year is a new year and last year's clients are not vigorously followed up to entice them to return their mares. There is an old adage in business that your existing customers are your best customers. It doesnt exist in this business. So I put forward some ideas: 1 Why not offer a free foaling service to the broodmare owner who returns the mare to the stallion? 2 This year is going to be one of the toughest years in living memory. People are very cautious with their spending and there is very little discretionary money to spend on items such as racehorses etc. 3 Consider taking an incentive scheme for new season stallions so that breeders of say a Group I race at 2 or 3 receives a large bonus. This bonus scheme can be covered by a small insuarance premium. 4 Consider placing the stallion service fees at their correct value. Grangewilliam recently undertook this initiative and good on them. 5 Stallions with similar bloodlines & race records can be poles apart in their stud fees. Consider Nom de Jeu at $6,000 compared to other sons of Montjeu at up to $12,500. The first horse will be very well patronised (including by myself). 6 Cambridge Stud has a recent open day with the added attraction of a free service to three stallions offered to attendees. Could our other major studs consider such an initiative? 7 The value of filly foals has not been comprehensively addressed by studmasters. Perhaps a free or significantly discounted service for the following season could be offered as some compensation for the unfortunate mare owners. Some of our lesser stallions do have such an initiative but it should be more widely spread. 8 The cost of agisting mares and vet fees are getting out of control. When I commenced breeding these costs were free or all inclusive with the stallion fee. I would love to see it return.

I own a Theatrical daughter of Matamata Breeders Stakes winner - Scotch & Dry. This mare has left some good racehorses and my mare is the dam of the current good HK horse - Tremendous Add. How did Scotch & Dry perform on the US turf?

David - Your criticisms are noted. I suggest that you inspect the kiosks and then provide a commentary on your issues. The RHOF has established itself as a quality body honouring elite NZers and the bi annual event is hardly a Piss up as you describe it. Please view the quality video on Balmerino which is available on the website which is the principal medium used by the HOF to honour its inductees.

This young stallion is the best value 1st season stallion in NZ this season. As an AJC Derby GI winner he offers great value when compared to the likes of Tavistock (at $12,500). Stallion service fees must meet the current market, not be based on the capital cost or lease cost of the horse. Perhaps we have too many stallions standing at stud at fees that are not sustainable in the sales ring. Horses bred must be sold at either KI of KII Yearling sales to have a chance of making a profit for breeders. So we are looking at approximately 700 to 800 horses of which say 20% are sourced from Australia for these sales. So about 550 NZ bred horses will make these sales. When you add up the mares serviced by stallions standing at $10,000 and over there is probably 1200 to 1500 mares in this group. As only 1/3rd of these mares are likely to have foals that make KI or KII sales most of these mares will not produce a profit for their owners. I therefore believe that the costs of breeding starting with service fees have to reduce drastically. Otherwise this proud industry will continue its decline. So after the results of the last weanling sale I challenge studmasters to review and perhaps revise their 2010 service fees - you will be noticed if you do so.

This freshman sire left a quality 2 yr old GII winner today - Pressday in Brisbane to go with his many other stakes performers this season. I bred two 2009 foals by this stallion and will be presenting them at the 2011 yearling sales. He is standing the 2010 season at $10,000 and is the value sire in Australia.

Pat was a magnificent contributor to the selection of inductees to the NZRHF and his great knowledge of the elite achievers in our sport will be greatly missed. A fine Southern gentleman

Congratulations Henri. This is a race that Dance Floor won some years ago and he was placed 3rd in the Kentucky Derby.

The young stallion Castledale is off to a good start last week with 3 trial winners from 3 starters. Also yesterday at Otaki his daughter - Queen of the Castle ran 2nd at her first start. This horse will be a serious stallion prospect and we will be hearing more about him shortly.

I met Ivan on several occasions in the UK. He was a master horseman and one of the very best trainers to come out of Asia.

This is a pleasing placement for this outstanding stallion prospect. It is good to see that he will not be a breeding commodity thrown into the Coolmore or Darley systems.

The Phantom is a bay and his full brother The Phantom Chance is a chestnut

I have the Champion racehorse and Cox Plate winner - The Phantom Chance at home and 6 years ago he lost an eye to cancer. I recently learned that his full brother and Champion racehorse - The Phantom has also lost an eye to cancer, and last week Ray Dennis informed me that their mother - The Fantasy also contracted cancer in one eye. She was also a very good racemare. Are there any other such stories?