Insider

Bugger, because the first night is usually the best and last night was pretty good racing wise and the coverage superb.

That’s a very good question but by legislation I think that they are there to “overseer” or are in-fact “responsible” for the overall outcome. You will all remember the Racing Industry Board that oversaw the TAB, Racing Clubs etc and got their income from the TAB and distributed money to clubs to fund their day to day expenses and for major infrastructure improvements, facilities etc. Examples the Public Grandstand at Ellerslie that they partly funded and then underwrote the rest only for it all to come undone and then they had to write off 20 million although I stand to be corrected on the exact figure. The same “Ammenities Fund” about 30 years ago funded the upgrade to the Wellington Racing Club and if my memory serves me correctly that was their last major investment. (5 Million) Then some “wise boys” decided that it was stupid to have two separate Boards so they merged them - RIB & TAB. I was completely against it because my argument was; who is going to oversee the TAB moving forward? I would allow them to do whatever they wanted to do. I don’t think that I need to say anymore as since that decision it’s all been downhill. Summary: I believe that they do have the power to intervene/oversee etc. Liz

1. Eagle Farm R1 2, 5, 11 2. Eagle Farm R2 1, 3, 11 3. Eagle Farm R3 1, 7, 11 4. Eagle Farm R4 2, 6, 7 5. Eagle Farm R5 4, 6, 18 6. Eagle Farm R6 5, 9, 12 7. Eagle Farm R7 1, 4, 8 BB 8. Eagle Farm R8 7, 16, 18 BB 9. Rosehill R6 6, 7, 10 10. Rosehill R9 2, 14, 17 Love the concept this week. Thanks as always Scooby and John.

Things happen and have always been happening. I had a horse that we thought could win one of those Ada Parnwell bonus (20 years ago or thereabouts) Anyway we sent it down to Riccarton (from Cambridge) but due to a waterlogged track, the races were called off so we waited for a week and headed to Timaru. (The bonus was transferred there) We were all saddled up ready to go and it was announced that there would be a delay. That went on for over an hour and a half or more. Then it was announced that the day was being called off owing to no electricity. It turned that a car had hit a power pole up the road and it was going to take quite a while (probably the next day) to restore the power, so again we headed home, back to Riccarton. Enough was enough (two attempts two failures) so the horse returned to Cambridge. The next race scheduled was Tauranga only two weeks later and again the horse was on course and once again the races were called off. Exactly why I can't remember as I didn't bother going up as I had already wasted enough money. Three times in a row we were on course and three times they were called off for one reason or another! P.S. The did win one of those bonus (at Rotorua) his name was Leningrad Cowboy if anyone remembers him

I think that I will head over there and annoy him. He hates it

They can't. Well most anyway. Maybe Auckland with all their "hand ups" yes! RACE are already out aren't they, and if not why not? Why would Riccarton put a cent into the concept when all Auckland want is the 1000/2000 Guineas? The mind bogles doesn't it or am I completely wrong?

It was a lot easier to get there then with direct flights. That doesn't happen any longer. Cost and distance makes it an arduous journey.

So what? Where have they, and don't quote Ellerslie as that's a different story for another day.

1. Eagle Farm R1 1/15 2. Eagle Farm R2 9/10 3. Flemington R2 7/19 4. Eagle Farm R3 8/11 5. Flemington R3 1/3 6. Eagle Farm R5 10/16 7. Eagle Farm R6 1/2 Best Bet 8. Flemington R6 5/9 9. Eagle Farm R7 12/14 10. Flemington R7 2/15 11. Eagle Farm R8 4/8 Best Bet 12. Flemington R8 2/16 Thank you John and Scooby as always. Today is going to be real fun!

I wonder why they (Te Akau) don’t do it, that is allow a horse to continue its racing career. I can’t see a problem with it, as a change of environment sometimes works wonders and could well help NZ Racing too, by keeping the numbers up Can anyone who’s been a member of a T A syndicate tell me where or how the geldings get placed, and the slower mares. How long after their last race is it before the paying stops? We all know about the successful mares, which we saw a few weeks ago but not the slower ones P.S. Two horses this year that I was in partnership with, were retired. They both needed a reasonable period of time before homes were found and we had to pay their keep in the interim. Not a lot, probably about a quarter of the daily training rate.

The first few words or something to this effect “Racing needs to be presented as a ‘Sport’ first, not as a ‘betting’ median. I couldn’t agree more. Make it all about the ‘horse, their beauty, and us as fans etc’, a bit like Japan does or the way it was when I started out. Now all we get from the TV commentators is the odds etc, their droning voice that goes on and on and their useless picks. Liz P.S. Race Form cones out today and I start my picks for Saturday’s competition so I hope that my early morning grizzle doesn’t upset my pickiing!

Thanks, I see the Lad the same way and he is to be congratulated in my humble opinion as we need excellent posters here from all sides of the spectrum.

Doomed, while I agree with most [the majority] of your posting your last sentence makes me sad, frustrated and disappointed.

Sorry, not nice!

Unfair, not nice!