Levin Classic ??

[fasthorse 57]

Clearly stake money doesn't matter (240k) , only 12 noms , the highest rating is recite 84.

Very hard to understand , perhaps if the stake was 60k the field would be better.

 

[racingsouthdude 38]

Clearly stake money doesn't matter (240k) , only 12 noms , the highest rating is recite 84.

Very hard to understand , perhaps if the stake was 60k the field would be better.

That is New Zealand racing for you.

[Leggy 4,096]

There is no evidence that stakemoney matters.

 

What matters is good consistent tracks, accurately reported, and close to the available horse population.

[Guest 2Admin2]

Clearly stake money doesn't matter (240k) , only 12 noms , the highest rating is recite 84.

Very hard to understand , perhaps if the stake was 60k the field would be better.

 

At the top end it doesn't matter if the stake is $180k or $240k hence why I can't understand NZTR increasing stakes in the higher grades while in real terms dropping them in lower grades.

 

If you think the Levin Stakes is bad look at the Trentham Stakes - a Grp 3 Race worth $70k - only 7 nominated with an average rating of 86!  Perhaps if they had offered $100k they might have got more starters?

 

There are not the horses coming through the grades in my opinion due to the lack of stakes at the lower end and the higher costs.  As some of us have been saying for months there are clear signs that the horse in work population is on a steep decline in the CD.

[Centrofold 147]

12 Nominations is enough for the Levin Classic, only one horse can win it.    It should be an interesting race, especially as there are potential Derby winners running in it. 

[Peter Jenkins 2,120]

I see a downgrade on the horizon for the once great Levin Classic......

[Henri Jooste 40]

Waverley Trials canned today, not enough nominations - not enough horses in work in CD ??

[fasthorse 57]

NZ racing is getting what it deserves......I hate to say "I told you so"....but.....

 

That's a bit hasty sheriff,

The classic has been on a downward spiral for several years , I thought the move to trentham was a winner and expected a full field, they may be quality horses , only time will tell.

 

Perhaps it's time for some of the clubs to review the entry fees , Riccarton also had disappointing fields for their 3 y old races.

 

The all up cost for a northern 3yold to race in the classic will be around $7000 (travel, accommodation etc )

on top of this the owners will still be paying to stay in the derby , no surprise then that owners are being selective in the races they are paying up for, the days of random entering are gone.

 

[Turny 1,224]

Fasthorse, wake up and address the facts - your spin fools no-one

[navar26 3]

I have been down to the telegraph last 2 years , have never seen such a weak card for this meeting . Thank You Mr Handicapper for help spoil a good meeting . Racing is on a down hill spiral , yet what is happening , nothing.

[crustyngrizzly 1,702]

Ithink racing in the North Island is lacking a major track like RANDWICK,ROSEHILL,FLEMINGTON OR CAUFIELD where you not only get your horse trained but also race them on the same track.How many horses are trained at Ellerslie,Te Rapa and Trentham,very few .The floating of horses to meetings is a major cost to owners and added on to the normal training costs makes it just about prohibitive.

[fasthorse 57]

Ithink racing in the North Island is lacking a major track like RANDWICK,ROSEHILL,FLEMINGTON OR CAUFIELD where you not only get your horse trained but also race them on the same track.How many horses are trained at Ellerslie,Te Rapa and Trentham,very few .The floating of horses to meetings is a major cost to owners and added on to the normal training costs makes it just about prohibitive.

 

So centralisation is the answer crusty ,isn't that what administrators have been advocating for 30 years ? .

 

Many years ago a real effort was made to establish a viable training centre at Trentham, it failed.

 

Perhaps it's time to have another go at Otaki ,this track could be the jewel in the crown for the CD.

Otaki is at the end of the soon to be  constructed  motorway which will link every town between Wellington central and Otaki , it's estimated the travel time from Otaki to the Wellington airport will be 45 minutes. 

Attracting crowds with good promotions and a quick convenient travel time must be helpful.

 

 

 

[Guest 2Admin2]

So centralisation is the answer crusty ,isn't that what administrators have been advocating for 30 years ? .

 

Many years ago a real effort was made to establish a viable training centre at Trentham, it failed.

 

Perhaps it's time to have another go at Otaki ,this track could be the jewel in the crown for the CD.

Otaki is at the end of the soon to be  constructed  motorway which will link every town between Wellington central and Otaki , it's estimated the travel time from Otaki to the Wellington airport will be 45 minutes. 

Attracting crowds with good promotions and a quick convenient travel time must be helpful.

 

Wouldn't be your home track would it Fasthorse?  You know the one you didn't attend the recent race meeting because of the traffic? 

 

Why not Awapuni?  More Central to the CD as a whole and has room for expansion.

[fasthorse 57]

Wouldn't be your home track would it Fasthorse?  You know the one you didn't attend the recent race meeting because of the traffic? 

 

Why not Awapuni?  More Central to the CD as a whole and has room for expansion.

 

Geez 2Admin2 ,

That's the point , the traffic problem is being solved , the new motorway ends next to the track, 45 minutes travel time , Otaki to central Wellington.

 

The population from Otaki and south is far bigger than the Palmerston North and surrounding districts  ,   at least 10 times bigger.

[Guest 2Admin2]

Geez 2Admin2 ,

That's the point , the traffic problem is being solved , the new motorway ends next to the track, 45 minutes travel time , Otaki to central Wellington.

 

The population from Otaki and south is far bigger than the Palmerston North and surrounding districts  ,   at least 10 times bigger.

 

True however you have nowhere to expand in terms of a training centre.

[von Smallhaussen 3,226]

In what year will this motorway be completed and ready to use fasthorse?

[fasthorse 57]

True however you have nowhere to expand in terms of a training centre.

 

Plenty of room especially for barns ,that's not a problem and if more land was required for development the neighbouring property is on the market.

The track could easily handle the same as Awapuni and will have a far bigger pool of people to attract new owners from.

 

The motorway is expected to be open in just under four years.

[Guest 2Admin2]

Plenty of room especially for barns ,that's not a problem and if more land was required for development the neighbouring property is on the market.

The track could easily handle the same as Awapuni and will have a far bigger pool of people to attract new owners from.

 

The motorway is expected to be open in just under four years.

 

You surprise me Fasthorse - you are now thinking strategically!  :-)  I wish our industry leaders could!

[Leggy 4,096]

Everyone was obviously waiting for the lower stakes on Monday.

[bestbets 206]

Maybe it is the owners and trainers that are responsible for the demise of racing, when ever a horse shows anything there gone, sold. We are now as the punting public are left with lower rating horses (Rubbish) to bet on so when the product that is available to bet on is of such a poor quality we tend to spend less hence the amount that can be returned to the industry and its well been.

 

You can't grow any business if you don't have something that has appeal for the customer for example if I run a retail shop selling good quality clothing then slowly introduce cheaper clothing from China after a while I start to wonder why I not getting the returns I should because my clients have decided that I have cheapen the quality and that there is no value so have left me before I know it I can't turn my business around and I am closing the doors.

 

Maybe the future is NZ is a nursery for the world or are we already their.

[fasthorse 57]

NZ racing is getting what it deserves......I hate to say "I told you so"....but.....

 

Let's be fair sheriff , the plan is to boost Saturday premier racing and looking at the excellent fields at Trentham on Saturday  it's working.

The Levin classic could have had a few more runners , that's not saying it's weak ,  all of the races have plenty of form runners .

Minimum stake on the day ,$30000 , not bad.

 

Owners and trainers are responding to the bigger stakes.

 

[hedley 1,900]

..this Trentham meeting is a calender pinnacle meeting..Always going to attract the "excellent fields" as you call them. (of what we have left of the national racing stock)

[scooby3051 10,978]

From what I can see…. as someone being in the industry my whole life…. is that the industry is being run by people who have little knowledge of it, and are sending it down at a fast rate of knots.. and seem to care little, except for their fat cat salaries...

I and may I suggest many others will not be attending the NZ yearling sales.. or racing more horses in NZ until I can see this trend reversed… there are many good people in racing, who could be having far more say and making the right decisions for the betterment of the industry… rather than the so called overpaid,under achieving group now sitting in Petone, who seem to be able to have no input whatsoever, and when they do it is simply ignored...… just my humble opinion.

[fasthorse 57]

WTF is a R57 horse doing in a G3 stakes race

 

At least they are having a go , it's 6th on the ballot earlier in the day.

 

It might run in the money which means it's black type for breeding and here's the gem, they pay $1000 back to tenth, the cost of the entry fee.

 If they get a couple of scratching's its  guaranteed  a free run.

 

Not so silly after all.

[Dazzer 68]

The Aussies wouldn't let a maiden start in say the Cox Plate now would they!