Max has been thinkin'

[Maximus 722]

In his secret life as a roving lunatic, Max happened to drive t'other day up Ken Browne Drive to Te Rapa Racecourse (don't tell anyone, let alone Max that he wuz LOST!).

Anyway, to avoid the manic laughter of the two drivers behind him, Max progressed sensibly and sedately to the area behind the Grandstand of one of New Zealand's premier racing facilities, home to decades and decades of fantastic horse, races, owners, trainers, breeders..and all their stories ... and the general public who make this great 'game'/industry part of the DNA of Noo Zeelan' as we know it

...and the attached is wot he saw!

And Max thought - to his-self, cos he was unaccompanied - "This view is a microcosm of NZ Racing in 2024."
Disgraceful. Pathetic. Substandard. Appalling...Shabby. Unloved...just some of the words that came to mind.

If that's the way you look after the people who love the game enough to be on-course ...I doubt that I'll be risking your $10 (?) pies or $15 (?) small Chardonnays.

Seriously,, invest in infrastructure NOW...or face the consequences.

What's that? You're going to set up a NEW racetrack/facility somewhere else? That's your excuse for all this deferred maintenance? What were you doing at Waikato RC these last 30 years? I can hazard a guess...sitting back, watching the money roll in and piddling it up against a wall somewhere.

 

 

[Peter R S 500]

The new “state of the art” “green fields” facility won’t need a greyhound track now.

[Idolmite 3,246]

And it looks like it's just had a wash in the rain too. It would have looked worse the day before 

[Pete Lane 1,247]

The title of this post sent shivers up my spine.

[Insider 4,938]

38 minutes ago, Peter R S said:

The new “state of the art” “green fields” facility won’t need a greyhound track now.

Peter, It [the green  fields dream] wont ever happen, not in my lifetime anyway.

If thoroughbred racing doesn't immediately lift it"s game, racing is finished. 

Don't blame the lefties and greens again, the decision this week was a right wing coalition one, made up of National, ACT and NZ First.

Gee whiz, times are scary.

P.S. If I had my way I would ban the whip tomorrow, but I have been saying that for 10 years and no one listens.

2nd P.S. Great post MAXIMUS

3rd P.S. Peter R S, you must be gutted, having partaken at one stage in the Greyhounds.

[nomates 5,273]

1 hour ago, Maximus said:

In his secret life as a roving lunatic, Max happened to drive t'other day up Ken Browne Drive to Te Rapa Racecourse (don't tell anyone, let alone Max that he wuz LOST!).

Anyway, to avoid the manic laughter of the two drivers behind him, Max progressed sensibly and sedately to the area behind the Grandstand of one of New Zealand's premier racing facilities, home to decades and decades of fantastic horse, races, owners, trainers, breeders..and all their stories ... and the general public who make this great 'game'/industry part of the DNA of Noo Zeelan' as we know it

...and the attached is wot he saw!

And Max thought - to his-self, cos he was unaccompanied - "This view is a microcosm of NZ Racing in 2024."
Disgraceful. Pathetic. Substandard. Appalling...Shabby. Unloved...just some of the words that came to mind.

If that's the way you look after the people who love the game enough to be on-course ...I doubt that I'll be risking your $10 (?) pies or $15 (?) small Chardonnays.

Seriously,, invest in infrastructure NOW...or face the consequences.

What's that? You're going to set up a NEW racetrack/facility somewhere else? That's your excuse for all this deferred maintenance? What were you doing at Waikato RC these last 30 years? I can hazard a guess...sitting back, watching the money roll in and piddling it up against a wall somewhere.

 

 

It looks exactly the same as it did nearly 40 years ago when I lived 5 mins up the road and went to nearly every raceday . Racing is flying .

[racingoutsider 300]

34 minutes ago, Insider said:

P.S. If I had my way I would ban the whip tomorrow, but I have been saying that for 10 years and no one listens.

They listen maybe but don't think there is a problem. The last correspondence I had from NZTR on this was:

“We are comfortable with the current Whip Rules and where they sit on an international scale” , and also that ”We have not seen a considerable negative impact from the current Rules”

[Insider 4,938]

1 minute ago, racingoutsider said:

They listen maybe but don't think there is a problem. The last correspondence I had from NZTR on this was:

“We are comfortable with the current Whip Rules and where they sit on an international scale” , and also that ”We have not seen a considerable negative impact from the current Rules”

Says it all. That’s why I despair. 

[racingoutsider 300]

1 minute ago, Insider said:

Says it all. That’s why I despair. 

Yet subsequently the jumps review panel said:

"Even those who
supported the continuation of jumps identified a concern
about use of the whip during the races, especially at the end
of the races after the last jump"

You might be right that they are deaf but the alternative possibility of dumb surely has to be considered.

[Maximus 722]

1 hour ago, Pete Lane said:

The title of this post sent shivers up my spine.

as intended ...

[Peter R S 500]

1 hour ago, Insider said:

3rd P.S. Peter R S, you must be gutted, having partaken at one stage in the Greyhounds.

I no longer have any involvement, but I have friends for whom greyhound racing is their livelihood and I despair for them, especially based on the manner and process around the announcement.

[Houlahan's Dream 646]

Look how empty that main stand is. 

Members though - full. NZ racing runs a closed shop. Backscratchers with zero vision. 

And that is why I am home watching and not on course. 

Expensive average food. 

Vile toilets. Poor view of track. Incessant noise. Drunken smokers in the stand. Etc. 

All backed up by fawning media. 

[nomates 5,273]

10 minutes ago, Houlahan's Dream said:

Look how empty that main stand is. 

Members though - full. NZ racing runs a closed shop. Backscratchers with zero vision. 

And that is why I am home watching and not on course. 

Expensive average food. 

Vile toilets. Poor view of track. Incessant noise. Drunken smokers in the stand. Etc. 

All backed up by fawning media. 

I was gobsmacked when I seen those pictures , but , but , but , isn't NZ racing flying . 

If you don't look , listen or ask the hard question then of course all is tracking good .

[Maximus 722]

9 minutes ago, Houlahan's Dream said:

Look how empty that main stand is. 

Members though - full. NZ racing runs a closed shop. Backscratchers with zero vision. 

And that is why I am home watching and not on course. 

Expensive average food. 

Vile toilets. Poor view of track. Incessant noise. Drunken smokers in the stand. Etc. 

All backed up by fawning media. 

the fawning media includes Brendan Popplewell ...(unless what Max saw at a quick glance this mornin' was a replay) of BP in his Thunderously bad white hoodie lookin like he's about to join the mosh pit at a rap concert...

[Pam Robson 1,844]

Invercargill,  on the other hand, looks to be set for a for a great day.

[nomates 5,273]

Just now, Pam Robson said:

Invercargill,  on the other hand, looks to be set for a for a great day.

Shows you what can be achieved when a club actually cares and tries .

[We're Doomed 5,720]

7 minutes ago, nomates said:

I was gobsmacked when I seen those pictures , but , but , but , isn't NZ racing flying . 

If you don't look , listen or ask the hard question then of course all is tracking good .

I can't understand why they keep showing the empty grandstands.  It's as if the drone operator has a new toy and wants to show how clever he is, but has zero awareness of the image he is showing. You would think the person running the coverage would tell the camera people to try and make it look as if there are people there and there is some atmosphere. It is hardly going to convince the casual observer to attend next time.

[RacingJackReacher 11]

16 hours ago, racingoutsider said:

We are comfortable with the current Whip Rules and where they sit on an international scale” , and also that ”We have not seen a considerable negative impact from the current Rules

Substitute whip with video hire and that is exactly how the owners of the Video Ezy Franchise reacted when Reed Hastings decided streaming was the future and started Netflix. We all know what happened next.

 

[mikenz 1,255]

Talking of crowds for a game that apparently is sold out for day 1 at Seddon Park there is a lot of empty spaces, a game that NZ again are starting to lose their way in again.

Same things happens at Warriers and Auckland FC games.

Maybe racing could improve its visual image by having lots of cardboard cutouts in the stand., at least they won't smoke or leave tote tickets laying around.

[Insider 4,938]

4 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

Invercargill,  on the other hand, looks to be set for a for a great day.

But Pam, the Waikato is the centre of NZ Thoroughbred Racing, that’s why the offices of NZTR moved there. 1 + 1 isn’t making 2 is it?

Liz

[Insider 4,938]

4 hours ago, nomates said:

Shows you what can be achieved when a club actually cares and tries .

But ‘The Butcher’ tells us that he is the best of them all. 
Well that’s what he told me! 
In fact he went on to say that he wouldn’t work with me (when I was in an official position at a major Racing Club) These days I am in the position of simply sitting back, racing plenty, and watching the mess unfold.

See what happens when one isn’t good enough ?

 

 

 

[racingoutsider 300]

2 minutes ago, Insider said:

These days I am in the position of simply sitting back, racing plenty, and watching the mess unfold.

See what happens when one isn’t good enough ?

[nomates 5,273]

14 minutes ago, Insider said:

But ‘The Butcher’ tells us that he is the best of them all. 
Well that’s what he told me! 
In fact he went on to say that he wouldn’t work with me (when I was in an official position at a major Racing Club) These days I am in the position of simply sitting back, racing plenty, and watching the mess unfold.

See what happens when one isn’t good enough ?

 

 

 

I've dealt with him plenty when he was at Otaki , back when club secretaries dealt with noms and acceptances , played favorites regularly , highly inflated opinion of himself , then and now .

But that's good because with such people in charge racing is well positioned , the question is for WHAT !!!

[nomates 5,273]

13 minutes ago, racingoutsider said:

Plenty have tried to help prevent the wreck , but got kicked off the train .

[barryb 2,142]

Te Rapa was a sell out today, there was no walk up sales other than the kids whom were there for the music rather than the racing.

There was a very large crowd there, lets be honest many are not there for the races anymore on days like this.