Mr Spyro

Oh no it isn't, well according to e - mail from secretary. Would think long legal battles ahead and if there was a change of government ( not likely though ) all bets are of.

Can imagine the chaos on Melbourne Cup Day or Derby day with the once a year race goers. I'm still of the old maxim " Keep it simple stupid " I'm fine with computers but don't own a cell phone let alone a smart phone, Would be a nightmare to """" it up or have it jam with hundreds of frustrated punters behind you, Tote Rage not Road Rage ! I will either put on bets at home before leaving or most likely stay home altogether when this comes in. What other business is so hell bent on alienating their core base ? It is like they all went to the Mad Hatter''s School Of Business.

So sorry to hear that about the obviously much loved Mrs Cubes. Always enjoyed the witty style of writing about her and yourself. My parents met at 15 and were one week short of 68 years when my dad dies. I know the stronger the love , the harder it becomes. May these messages at least bring a very small amount of comfort.

And a great gentlemen off course as well. One of life's true characters.

What puzzles me is hearing from impeccable source that the same people being very vocal in public about fighting to the death are saying in private that it is virtually all over and no proposals towards a future are even worth considering. In other words, just accept it is over. Something is not making sense, the public attitude and the private one are polar opposites.

Wonder if anyone else is hearing similar, that deals have been done and all over red rover for Avondale ?

Maybe they should just simplify it to the Te Akau Benefit.

Don't know about investing it wisely. They would hand over their assets to be sold and trust the benefactors to give them best deal. Going by their past record it would be like handing your cash flow card to a bloke with 50 burglary convictions. Basically, would you hand over anything to this wobegotten bunch of weasels ? Would be very few here before who have had one complimentary thing to say about the way they have run the circus , now they can be trusted to do handle the acquisition faithfully and with a morality, previously not on display ? Within a few years Avondale would be swallowed under ARC or be run by the dictates of these bushwhackers who couldn't organise a egg and spoon race.

It will be up to the club's members to make a decision prior to change of Racing Act. I assume it will be a lengthy battle and could drag on beyond the election. Just forget about it being Avondale for a minute and think of principles involved and who they might have their greedy little eyes on next. This will give them the right to come and seize carte blanch any land they fancy. If you belonged to any club, that had built up assets over a century or more , would you all complete honesty trust this bunch of dipshits and just hand it over thinking they would do the right thing ? This is Winston we're talking about........ They have have left a trail of stuff ups behind them, just my personal opinion but I'd rather trust my assets with Bonnie and Clyde, than this woeful bunch of Tom Noddy's.

They got them when Avondale shut down for 2 years . The Auckland Racing Club kindly offered them back to Avondale but the God's on high vetoed the races going back there,

To be fair apart from the few ARC big days , Magic Millions etc, some of their weekend crowds don't look much bigger than Avondale midweek. One friend said in a rather black way " David Berokwitz could fire into the crowd there and not hit a soul " Fancy getting beaten by Wairoa for turnover. I always thought rightly or wrongly that Avondale's off course figures were among the higher for clubs. The reasons why the merger was turned down are too extensive to detail here.

I would have thought so but doesn't look like that chance will arise. One thing we haven't touched on , is how long the legal thing could drag this out. It won't happen overnight and we have an election. There is no guarantee if National won any of this would go ahead, or the Racing Act if law by then, wouldn't get overturned. Just more uncertainty for the industry.

I'm thinking of one of the clubs on the list and just discussing a few things with a trainer there. They have a very hard working committee and local track is sort of social meeting point for trainers. all enjoy each other's company and good blokes, Many of them are part timers who fit training with other commitments of work , mixed with some long standing trainers. If the course shut down, the part timers wouldn't want to travel and spend extra 1 to 2 hours a day travelling horse to nearest venue for training, as would cut into work day, so you lose them from the game, then the older guys would probably just pack it in rather than relocate. So all those people are just lost from the game. Surely the idea can't be to force all that experience out of the game, what good at all does that do the industry ?