NZB Kiwi slot race

[uncleremus 14]

Interested to know what others are thinking but it seems that the remaining 6 slot holders may be struggling to fill their slots for the race.  We have only 4 weeks to go until the race on Sat 8th March.  The two big 3 yo races this week are both over 2000m and may be unsuitable for those looking to race over 1500m in a month's time, so there are very few opportunities for new contenders to emerge at this late stage.  So, if you held one of the 6 remaining slots, which horse would you be trying to lock in?

[say no more 3,404]

Tuxedo, 2nd in the KM and earlier won the Wellington Stakes

Bjorn Baker's Sydney based Perfumist well in the TAB market

[Zakhu 599]

6 hours ago, uncleremus said:

So, if you held one of the 6 remaining slots, which horse would you be trying to lock in?

Is Hitabell underrated and a chance of getting a slot? She finished 2 lengths of Alabama Lass, went onto win O'Leary's Stakes at 1340m, then stepped up in distance and won over 1600m in Eight Carrat beating one of the chances in the race. She has won at Ellerslie, she has got speed to put herself in the race, in form, and by a Savabeel stallion in Embellish who has done some decent things here in NZ without being spectacular. Currently $21 in futures betting.

[Zakhu 599]

I still think Hankee Alpha is a good horse, lightly raced horse who was excellent beating a horse who smashed them next start, still don't know how she won at Te Aroha taking small gaps and was working home well in Almanzor Trophy, bred to enjoy the step up in distance of 1500m, out of right 3yo stable and any tempo on she will be booming home late with a wicked turn of foot. Currently $16.

 

[Zakhu 599]

6 hours ago, say no more said:

Bjorn Baker's Sydney based Perfumist well in the TAB market

She has the best figures of all 3yo's, rating around a 98 I believe. Love to see her here. 

Linebacker another smart Aussie horse who might come over for John O'Shea - by Super Seth. 

[voice of reason 197]

Dont understand the over the top frothing for an invitation race ,for a select few who can afford 700,000 to purchase a slot.Then in most cases having a horse that they have absolutely no connection with running for them..Looks like a big wank for a few of the privileged to me...

[BackPoonDrinkGoon 118]

Just now, voice of reason said:

Dont understand the over the top frothing for an invitation race ,for a select few who can afford 700,000 to purchase a slot.Then in most cases having a horse that they have absolutely no connection with running for them..Looks like a big wank for a few of the privileged to me...

Agreed, slot races are farcical. 

[nomates 5,422]

Their actually not , they are great for building interest and hype . They work great in Sydney because the rest of their racing is balanced and well financed .

Bloody stupid when you have horses racing for 18.5k .

Just looks like a rich mans game when most in NZ are battling .

[BackPoonDrinkGoon 118]

42 minutes ago, nomates said:

Their actually not , they are great for building interest and hype . They work great in Sydney because the rest of their racing is balanced and well financed .

Bloody stupid when you have horses racing for 18.5k .

Just looks like a rich mans game when most in NZ are battling .

Are they? What is the particular interest and hype about? It’s about the horses isn’t it ? The rest of it is rather boring and garners no interest. The Everest is fine, it’s a scam designed for the rich breeders and slot holders. I’ve never heard someone say

“ Wow entain have a slot in the NZB, how exciting”

 

 

[nomates 5,422]

2 minutes ago, BackPoonDrinkGoon said:

Are they? What is the particular interest and hype about? It’s about the horses isn’t it ? The rest of it is rather boring and garners no interest. The Everest is fine, it’s a scam designed for the rich breeders and slot holders. I’ve never heard someone say

“ Wow entain have a slot in the NZB, how exciting”

 

 

Well give it a chance . 

The particular interest is from trying get racing more profile hence bringing more prospective people into the game . Will it work ? who knows ? but if you don't try then you'll never know .

Do I think it's the perfect way to spend that much money , no , but the industry is struggling away from the higher profile end ,no matter how much it is talked up we have some major issues that need addressing , pwners , staffing are two that this might help draw people in . 

As I said it looks a silly when others are battling it out for 18.5k .

That's the true reality of our racing . 

[We're Doomed 5,792]

Isn't there an extra million or so in extra bonuses if you win selected other races? That's why some articles say it is worth $4.5m or more. Doesn't really seem to have encouraged many slot holders to find a horse early enough to qualify for the bonuses.

No one ever seems to discuss how much the slot holders get and how much the horses connections get. If it is done on a 50/50 basis the winning stake only works out about the same as winning the Derby. And the Derby for now still has group 1 status and a bit of prestige.

[BackPoonDrinkGoon 118]

2 hours ago, We're Doomed said:

Isn't there an extra million or so in extra bonuses if you win selected other races? That's why some articles say it is worth $4.5m or more. Doesn't really seem to have encouraged many slot holders to find a horse early enough to qualify for the bonuses.

No one ever seems to discuss how much the slot holders get and how much the horses connections get. If it is done on a 50/50 basis the winning stake only works out about the same as winning the Derby. And the Derby for now still has group 1 status and a bit of prestige.

Exactly. Just like vlandy’s saying the Everest is a 20 mill race when it’s a can’t lose method for his breeding / owner buddies to print some money. And the Everest field is pretty much the same horses running against each other regardless of a $2 mill traditionalist sprint or the Everest. 
 

I love racing, love watching the good horses, but I’ve never really thought this slot stuff was interesting for a high % of punters. 

[We're Doomed 5,792]

17 minutes ago, BackPoonDrinkGoon said:

Exactly. Just like vlandy’s saying the Everest is a 20 mill race when it’s a can’t lose method for his breeding / owner buddies to print some money. And the Everest field is pretty much the same horses running against each other regardless of a $2 mill traditionalist sprint or the Everest. 
 

I love racing, love watching the good horses, but I’ve never really thought this slot stuff was interesting for a high % of punters. 

Very much each to their own. I know a lot of people have really bought into the hype surrounding the slot races, and good on them, but personally I have zero interest in them.

It all seems very much emperors new clothes to me and I doubt they will be around in 5 or 6 years. But who knows, I might be totally wrong, it has happened before, often. They could turn out to be a great innovation. The novelty has certainly worn off though. There must be 15 or 16 of them here and in Aussie currently.

[uncleremus 14]

Update post the Waikato Guineas meeting.

Tuxedo is likely out of contention as he heads to the Derby, as will Bourbon Proof and Hinekaha.  The Derby now has only 5 horses rated 70 or higher after the Guineas, with Tuxedo on 77 and Willydoit on 75.  As an aside, Jimmy Choux went straight from Te Rapa to the Derby on a similar 4 week gap but he went into the Derby on a rating of 94.

Is Prosegur the next slot horse?  She was scratched from Te Rapa and also now withdrawn from the Oaks.  

The Aussie raider, Evaporate, resumed in a Group 2 at Caulfield and ran an unlucky 3rd.  The NZTR site shows him with a rating of 83 but his Aussie rating appears to be 94.  Can anyone confirm that?  If so, he looks by far the strongest contender announced so far.

[Insider 5,097]

What I don’t understand is the difference between the Australian ratings of the 3 year olds and ours. Can anyone explain. 
The above posting highlights a good example. 
The two three years olds in Saturday’s Group 1 - 1400m another one. 

[Pak Star 1,148]

How the hell do they plan on getting FOUR quality fields of 3 year olds to fill the card that day.

[blackcaviar56 99]

Yeah there's not enough quality horses to make up that many 3yo fields even varying distances, the Windsor park 1500m will probably have in form.maidens (great If you own one for 100k) to make up that race, its a learning kerb for them so will wait and see.

 

[uncleremus 14]

44 minutes ago, Pak Star said:

How the hell do they plan on getting FOUR quality fields of 3 year olds to fill the card that day.

Very good question.

1. They won't have the horses heading to Australia (Savaglee)  or those who have already gone: Captured By Love, Real Class, Bella Montagna, Costae and So Naive;

2. The Derby takes out Willydoit, Tuxedo, He's Lucid, Bourbon Proof and Hinekaha;

3. The Oaks lead up in the North will be the same day (Top Shelf and Myakkabelle) and the Lowland the week before (Leica Lucy and Connello);

4. The sprinter Alabama Lass will be in the Kings Plate.

Then they have to fill the 14 places in the slot race and then fill the consolation race!

And remember, the last placed horse in the slot race still gets a stake of $100,000!

[We're Doomed 5,792]

2 hours ago, Pak Star said:

How the hell do they plan on getting FOUR quality fields of 3 year olds to fill the card that day.

There are actually 7 viable options for 3yos on the day if you include the WFA 1,200m, WFA 2,000m and WFA 1,600m Fillies and Mares. I have no idea where they are all going to come from. The depth in lead up races has hardly been flash. I imagine the slot holders will be making a beeline for this weekend's Southland Guineas winner. or possibly a maiden winner from Orange.

[mckenzie 653]

It's about the World Pool. That's a reason why the Railway was moved to Karaka Millions night and so many major features are on Champions Day (March 8). They're the only two NZ racedays that are World Pool meetings that bring in more international betting and to get that presumably required stacking the card with big races. One of the G1's is even called the "HKJC World Pool NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes".

[meomy 1,026]

1 hour ago, mckenzie said:

It's about the World Pool. That's a reason why the Railway was moved to Karaka Millions night and so many major features are on Champions Day (March 8). They're the only two NZ racedays that are World Pool meetings that bring in more international betting and to get that presumably required stacking the card with big races. One of the G1's is even called the "HKJC World Pool NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes".

World Pools are a ticking timebomb for Transnational crime.

Is that the path way a country like NZ should be heading down?

 

We all know how many online scams there are and there will be those involved in Money Laundering unfortunately.

What steps is Entain undertaking to ensure they are complying to Anti Money Laundering regulations in light of the fact it's still unlawful to request Biometrics ?

TChina have also recently been in hot water again in relation to there use of Biometric Payments.

Has Hong Kong been included as part of World Pools bc it's perceived to be a lucrative market?

[Canterbury Man 135]

7 hours ago, meomy said:

Has Hong Kong been included as part of World Pools bc it's perceived to be a lucrative market?

Uh? The Hong Kong Jockey Club runs the World Pool.

[Griffin 65]

On 2/4/2025 at 10:15 PM, We're Doomed said:

Very much each to their own. I know a lot of people have really bought into the hype surrounding the slot races, and good on them, but personally I have zero interest in them.

It all seems very much emperors new clothes to me and I doubt they will be around in 5 or 6 years. But who knows, I might be totally wrong, it has happened before, often. They could turn out to be a great innovation. The novelty has certainly worn off though. There must be 15 or 16 of them here and in Aussie currently.

You seem to be showing a bit of interest in this slot race now, Entain will be happy about that, can imagine them sitting around the table at conception saying "if only we could get We're Doomed interested"

[We're Doomed 5,792]

12 minutes ago, Griffin said:

You seem to be showing a bit of interest in this slot race now, Entain will be happy about that, can imagine them sitting around the table at conception saying "if only we could get We're Doomed interested"

Commenting on the concept doesn't mean I have any interest in the race itself. It is highly unlikely I will have a bet on the race. I have only heard of two of the horses currently confirmed. I am more likely to bet on this week's Southland Guineas. I don't bet on a race because it is hyped up, it is more likely to have the opposite affect on me. But as I have said, I'm not the target market for these hyped races. I bet much less than I used to so the TAB can easily survive without me, and me them.

I do worry about this big day. I think of all the eggs in one basket if it pours with rain. And I have never seen 7 high staked races for 3yos on one programme before. I doubt even Australia could get away with that.

[Pure Steel 1,877]

11 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

Commenting on the concept doesn't mean I have any interest in the race itself. It is highly unlikely I will have a bet on the race. I have only heard of two of the horses currently confirmed. I am more likely to bet on this week's Southland Guineas. I don't bet on a race because it is hyped up, it is more likely to have the opposite affect on me. But as I have said, I'm not the target market for these hyped races. I bet much less than I used to so the TAB can easily survive without me, and me them.

I do worry about this big day. I think of all the eggs in one basket if it pours with rain. And I have never seen 7 high staked races for 3yos on one programme before. I doubt even Australia could get away with that.

You'll be tuned in though, even if not having a bet is a priority for you. And enjoy the new Concept.

A great effort by the organisers to get some interest going again in NZ racing to have a great racing day like the EVerest Day in Sydney. (that sells out , and the crowd have a great old time (singing Sweet Caroline of all things ) and 10's of 1000's at the races like the older days. 

The NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club put on not one , but 2  x  three year old slot races last Nov on Show Day , for the first time, and was a great success. Bringing international interest to the sport , and much more Public interest. 

Well done to these clubs moving with the times and getting Racing Interest back out into the public ( even International ) arena again. Kiwi Ingenuity .