jess

- Rumpole "my dear" - although I am an eager and most able student - I don't seek to learn from the likes of you. :flower: Jess

Stop being so bloody bossy Rumpole

... but did read the article about Don Ha. What did you guys think of that piece?

Yes - and I guess I'm no better Bazzag - as I don't claim to have the answers either. But there are some ppl paid lots of money at the top of this outfit whom I'd have hoped would have some valuable and innovative ideas as to how to improve things. On the filly thing - I have lately heard talk of breeders who claim they will put down filly foals born from their average mares as it is not worth keeping them (my response to that was that is they shouldn't have had the mare served in the first place). And I see another stud has announced a 50% refund on their stallion's 2010 fee if the resulting foal is a filly. The move may encourage more ppl to support their sire - and hence provide a short-term benefit for the stud - but I suspect this is a retrograde move for the industry. Surely it only serves to further devalue the commodity which is the TB filly??

When you do the maths - it's just becoming a VERY expensive interest - this racing of TBs. If you take a round figure of $2,000 per month to train one (less when it's agisting - bit more when it's in full work/racing). That's $24,000 a year, approx (disregarding any purchase/breeding price of the animal). Tell me what percentage of horses annually put more than that amount in the owners' pockets - anyone for an idea?? In any case, it takes a fair bit of winning to reach that figure - esp as the stakes diminish for the maidens and journeyman horses. I don't enter into racing them as an investment EXPECTING to profit from the exercise - but it is gettiing to the stage where quite well performed horses leave you out of pocket - and poor to averagely performed ones simply bleed you dry. So it gets harder to justify being an owner in terms of how you spend your hard-earned. It will become less and less attractive and less and less sustainable for all but the very well-heeled. I find it quite sad and a little alarming in regard to the future of the sport.

I'm not too bothered. I think it's more important for the industry and 99% of owners, what the stakes are up and down the country in maidens, R70s and the like. Put up massive stakes for a few Group 1 races and all that happens is the dirty Aussies come over and raid the cash and the black type anyway!

Yes you are both right. The stud/s that do it are just laughing. They probably happily pay the commission to NZB and look on that as a relatively cheap ad campaign - promoting their stallion/s and mare/s and increasing the profile of their operation as a whole. It's got to a stage that one stud I know of - I just laugh when I see their sales results. How much do those prices say nothing about the quality of the horses they have bred? You can decide. It's especially obvious when you see the tv sales coverage for their stock - cos the same old suspects are doing the bidding! The camera operators know who to zoom in on even before the first bid is made.

Thanks for taking the trouble with yr reply Nod. I guess I am a little jaded about the smoke and mirrors you see at sales. The thing that really gets me is all the huge prices at the yearling sales which turn out to be buy-backs - and then the stud/s in question have the audacity to use the false prices the stock fetched in marketing their operation and the future progeny of various horses. Certain parties are named as purchasers at the time - it's only later when you look into it that you see that barring a quick trip to Karaka - the horses never really left home or changed ownership. I find that a little too close to fraud for my liking. And if you find that too strong - at best - it's a long way short of transparent and is certainly disingenuous. I know this technique is feathering some ppl's nests but I would take no pride in doing business that way.

Hi Nod - well it would be nice to know that was true. I have in the past seen lots from such sales tho, which are passed in at a certain price - where does that price come from, if you see what I mean, if there was no reserve? I would have thought that either it would get passed in for zero (ie no bids) or sold (maybe to the dog tucker man) for $50. ???? I can't help thinking it is a marketing ploy and there is some sort of safety net or invisible reserve at play ...how do you know it's not the case? Cheers J

I have doubts about these non-reserved sales. Is there really no reserve? These lots still seem to get their fair share of passings - but I'm sure sceptics like me would be told that's because the only bids received were those of the auctioneer.... But hang on - if there is no reserve - what price does the auctioneer bid up to, in an effort to kick start things?? Happy to be enlightened by someone more knowing and less cynical than I ....

Possibly Bruce, Lisa and the kids are enjoying things the way they are now. The disqualification may have seemed like a disaster at the time but maybe (hopefully) things have actually worked out rather well for the family overall. BTW - anyone who has seen Bruce in the last year or so will probably tell you - he looks really well and a heck of a lot healthier than when he was riding.

and S Marsh (last I was aware had stables in Cambridge and Woodville) Garry Barlow, Shane Brown ... (and probably others I haven't remembered ..)

Not mentioned in dispatches for Windsor Park roster now. Pretty early days to abandon the young fella I would have thought - what's the story?

I've heard it said that any publicity is good publicity. But I too saw that clip on TV 3 news ...... and in regard to a certain practitioner of law - I'm not so sure ....

Thx Hermione So is it an Arabic word?

Theysay - do you (or does anyone)happen to know what Iffraaj means? I am wondering also whether it is an Arabic word and how it should be pronounced ...

Yes - commendable sentiments but it is yet another case of loading another tax onto the law-abiding to cater for the ones wo don't pay by the rules. Maybe there should be stronger legal redress in terms of fines - and if these can't be paid - then strip assets of the wrong-doers. Then THESE monies could go to the equine welfare agencies. At least it would be a bit fairer - I mean - aren't we into "user-pays" these days? PS: trouble is, even if youcan get decent laws with teeth - you need a judiary prepared to use them. Now that's gonna be a real struggle when you look at some of the limp efforts from the bench you see around cruelty cases ...

- the service fee now, I wonder ...

PLEASE - it's not funny any more - start a new thread "Berri and zzz slag each other off" - then those of us interested in High Chap can read the High Chap thread and you two can stick to your slanging match - which will be clearly labelled so those of us who find it a bore can avoid it.

Latest word (ex Aussie journo)that he will stand across the Tasman this year ?? Might be time for WP to come out and make an announcement .... set the record straight.

I am also hearing he will be back in NZ this year. The fee I've heard round the traps is substantial (more than your guess, Theysay). Certainly well out of my league now. Will await the official announcement with interest

... beneath this mild exterior, lies a deeply subversive individual with some truly radical ideas

- need help? Everything is a sickness, problem or an addiction these days, for which people should be "treated" or "helped". Even Tiger - the philanderer - seemingly has a sex addiction and has had 2 months of "therapy" and says he needs more. I reckon he just WANTED to have sex with a whole lot of women - he COULD have sex with a whole lot of women - so he DID have sex with a whole lot of women! (and probably thoroughly enjoyed himself until he got sprung!) And what of drug use? Is cannabis REALLY physically and physiologically addictive? I'm not so sure. We all know the risks - we know it's illegal - and jockeys know they aren't allowed it in their systems. Yet some go ahead and use it (or other drugs). I'm not so sure there are as many sicknesses and addictions out there that need "helping". I do think there's a serious lack of self discipline and personal responsibility in some individuals. But perhaps they are unfashionable concepts these days ...

Beaten yesterday by an outsider - that outsider ridden by none other than Lisa Allpress - who employed the same tactics she used on Aintree when he last won - taking the initiative midrace - going to the lead - ensuring a true pace - dictating terms. Not sure if she got put off Aintree or took that option herself - either way - good ride, hope she got a nice sling from that dividend.

I see it appears Ann is now back training on her own - is Hadley going it alone now or has he linked up with someone else? Cheers J