tomorrow at 8 pm??

[trakdap 390]

Well I can only say that most of us are pro the tricode model (you'll never find me seeking the repeal of S16) but there needs to be balance and equity.

Under the current NZRB/Racing Act model the dogs, gypsies, and blue bloods have one vote each but as you know they generate 16%/30% & 55% (approx) of revenue each.

That is not fair and it allows the minor codes to obstruct the progress of ours.

I think the 6 member independent board option circumvents all these problems.

You cant have say 2 codes having equal voting rights , it then gives the balance of power to the 3rd code. so you must have equal voting rights.

[Guest Editor]

I don't care how many race clubs this country has but what I do want to see is the number of actual tracks reduced. The number of tracks around the country are a relic from a bygone era. Whilst on the reduction theme there are just far too many group and listed races run here. Quite simply in my opinion the quality of horse is just not there to warrent the races we have at present.

Isn't it funny though how all want to make the game more profitable and efficient...as long as it doesn't involve 'their club'!!

The ultimate act of benevolent altruism would be for the ARC to say "we'll sell Ellerslie if Avondale and Counties sell up too, and then we'll join forces, invest our combined proceeds and build a contemporary three code facility with all manner of peripheral facilties, education type facilites, plus quarantine, reciprocal Hong Kong and Singapore options for training and education, and schools for farriers, jockeys, trainers, administrators, turf experts..but will that ever happen??

[eton 0]

Less races better prizemoney would be a start.

does nz have a structure like australia eg metro, provincial, country

[threeman 0]

I am in a number of syndicates that race horses in both the North and South Island. We have horses that have won up to 6 races (up to R85) and still struggle to break even once training / travel etc are taken into account. It would be great to see a more reasonable levle of stakes for the lower grades, even if it was restricted to horses that had cleared maidens (eg. $10k min stakes for 1+ win horses)

$250 - 300k is a big stake for any race and while I love to see the fields that a $1m + stake attracts we can't make NZ racing internationally competitive from the top down. We need to focus on the viability of the whole game from the bottom up.

I believe that if more people could race a horse and reasonably expect to break even then ownership would be a much easier sell to the public.

[Rumbird 3]

Close some tracks...Agree.

What are the chance's of 8 instead of 10 races a day?? If the 8 race card was introduced would that not mean stakes would rise??. You have spoken the word Dictatorship in past post's, is this the plan of Onerace?. Do you know if NZRB are in contact with Bob(the builder) Bentley re his way of making Onerace happen(you do seem close to those running the industry). Thanks.

[Turnip. 0]

Isn't it funny though how all want to make the game more profitable and efficient...as long as it doesn't involve 'their club'!!

The ultimate act of benevolent altruism would be for the ARC to say "we'll sell Ellerslie if Avondale and Counties sell up too, and then we'll join forces, invest our combined proceeds and build a contemporary three code facility with all manner of peripheral facilties, education type facilites, plus quarantine, reciprocal Hong Kong and Singapore options for training and education, and schools for farriers, jockeys, trainers, administrators, turf experts..but will that ever happen??

And where would this wonder track be situated???

[trakdap 390]

And where would this wonder track be situated???

Not one track Turnip. One in each region.

[scooby3051 10,979]

Seriously though why could a breeders type scheme like Vobis not get going, pay from when the foal is born similar to Vobis, the stallion owners pay as well, as alot of money leaves our shores with little coming back in, think how much Coolmore and the like take out of NZ every year, why not make them put some back in to help things along. To me the best racing in the world, or racing model is Victoria, so why not do some of the same??

[Rumbird 3]

And where would this wonder track be situated???

Karaka..Makes sence..Close to airport, sales, good land.

[scooby3051 10,979]

And where would this wonder track be situated???

Needs at least 2 or 3 tracks per region, a bit like Perth a winter and a summer racing center, look how WA racing has grown over the past 3 years.

[Guest Editor]

And where would this wonder track be situated???

Somewhere that can sustain racing 12 months of the year.

Maybe peat + sand + Strathayr + whatever dogs and gypsies need.

Ardmore rings a bell.

The point is Bob that we're broke, well nearly broke, but we have billions of dolllars bound up in non-productive real estate that returns nothing to the industry, redundant real estate, but the bleating trainers have their hands and tongues out begging for Government help!!

Why would the Government bother to help when we have the opportunity to help ourselves by using our assets more constructively...but we won't.

It's like an unemployed family that lives in a house worth a million begging the Governement to help them with a benefit...the Government is not Mother Teresa...they will always say "well sell your house, live somewhere more modest..invest wisely, live off the proceeds, get a job..." understand Bob?

[threeman 0]

does nz have a structure like australia eg metro, provincial, country

Don't think so, but it seems like a good idea.

If we could have metro racing (Akld/Wgtn/Chch?) with better stakes, tracks and facilities then we would have a better product for punters and to sell overseas. It would also give owners something to aim for with their horses.

Outside of this you could have provincial racing that runs much like it does now. Clubs and racecourses can continue to run their programmes (incl feature days) and provide options for horses not good enough to race in the city and also for horses looking to step up to metro grade.

The industry would most likely need to fund the development of the metro tracks, but it would be done on the basis that the increased revenue from punting and selling the product would make it a worthwhile investment. Maybe start with one track (as much as it pains me to say it would most likely be Ellerslie!) and then expand?

[scooby3051 10,979]

Karaka..Makes sence..Close to airport, sales, good land.

That makes no sense, here we are struggling to find ways to increase the falling stakes and to suggest spending millions on a new facility to makes little sense, there are any number of tracks that could be done up just fine....for far less

[Rumbird 3]

Seriously though why could a breeders type scheme like Vobis not get going, pay from when the foal is born similar to Vobis, the stallion owners pay as well, as alot of money leaves our shores with little coming back in, think how much Coolmore and the like take out of NZ every year, why not make them put some back in to help things along. To me the best racing in the world, or racing model is Victoria, so why not do some of the same??

Fully agree..In aus there is bonus scheme's not only in victoria but also queensland that are working. If you race for 5k why not have a 2.5k upwards bonus to winners.

[Rumbird 3]

That makes no sense, here we are struggling to find ways to increase the falling stakes and to suggest spending millions on a new facility to makes little sense, there are any number of tracks that could be done up just fine....for far less

How much would there be in the kitty with the sale of Ellerslie, Avondale and Counties??

[eton 0]

Somewhere that can sustain racing 12 months of the year.

Maybe peat + sand + Strathayr + whatever dogs and gypsies need.

Ardmore rings a bell.

The point is Bob that we're broke, well nearly broke, but we have billions of dolllars bound up in non-productive real estate that returns nothing to the industry, redundant real estate, but the bleating trainers have their hands and tongues out begging for Government help!!

Why would the Government bother to help when we have the opportunity to help ourselves by using our assets more constructively...but we won't.

It's like an unemployed family that lives in a house worth a million begging the Governement to help them with a benefit...the Government is not Mother Teresa...they will always say "well sell your house, live somewhere more modest..invest wisely, live off the proceeds, get a job..." understand Bob?

is this idea just for auckland??????

[trakdap 390]

If we want to sell our product to the world we have to have Quality "everything" ie stakes, tracks, facilities, promotion, etc. Tracks with entertainment, exciting interviews on course and on tv. Punters clubs . plus many many more.

[Guest Editor]

How much would there be in the kitty with the sale of Ellerslie, Avondale and Counties??

Guess, Avondale they say 30+, Counties, what's left? maybe 8 or so, and Ellerslie, well that's 100 mill+ all day every day surely.

Say 150 total, and the new facility costs 75 million across 3 codes, and you have 75 in the bank and race for what you earn from your dates, plus the interest you get on your 75 million.

If interest is 5% that's 3.75 mill a year or 80 grand a week, plus your year on year earnings of the same, plus your meetings that are scheduled to meet the needs of Singapore or Hong Kong/China....it's all too east to see a meeting every week with about 300 grand in stakes and the odd meeting with 3 million.

[trakdap 390]

Somewhere that can sustain racing 12 months of the year.

Maybe peat + sand + Strathayr + whatever dogs and gypsies need.

Ardmore rings a bell.

The point is Bob that we're broke, well nearly broke, but we have billions of dolllars bound up in non-productive real estate that returns nothing to the industry, redundant real estate, but the bleating trainers have their hands and tongues out begging for Government help!!

Why would the Government bother to help when we have the opportunity to help ourselves by using our assets more constructively...but we won't.

It's like an unemployed family that lives in a house worth a million begging the Governement to help them with a benefit...the Government is not Mother Teresa...they will always say "well sell your house, live somewhere more modest..invest wisely, live off the proceeds, get a job..." understand Bob?

Have been saying this for ages. I cannot understand the need for so much land when it could be made use of elsewhere.

[Guest Editor]

is this idea just for auckland??????

not at all, I think any club can be bold and show initiative, lead by example, do what is right for the collective good of the industry.

One should bear in mind that most clubs were initially built on the outskirts of their respective cities on low value land, but time has meant they now occupy high value land which is unnecessary and a waste.

Why not go back to the periphery, back to good low value land, back to where the horses actually are??

[Rumbird 3]

Guess, Avondale they say 30+, Counties, what's left? maybe 8 or so, and Ellerslie, well that's 100 mill+ all day every day surely.

Say 150 total, and the new facility costs 75 million across 3 codes, and you have 75 in the bank and race for what you earn from your dates, plus the interest you get on your 75 million.

If interest is 5% that's 3.75 mill a year or 80 grand a week, plus your year on year earnings of the same, plus your meetings that are scheduled to meet the needs of Singapore or Hong Kong/China....it's all too east to see a meeting every week with about 300 grand in stakes and the odd meeting with 3 million.

So it is worth a thought. If NZ is going to sell a product to the world it must be the best available or others will tire of it and no longer want it. Where will that leave NZ??. They threw the same idea around in queensland re gold coast. The idea was good but location was a swamp.

[trakdap 390]

I would keep Ellerslie, Trentham and Riccarton.

[Turnip. 0]

I would keep Ellerslie, Trentham and Riccarton.

Pick the odd one OUT!!!

[scooby3051 10,979]

I would keep Ellerslie, Trentham and Riccarton.

Trentham is a hole, and worse in the winter.. But it is in the city, however it would be better used in summer..if at all

[Guest wayne larsen]

Be realistic zzz 150 million will get very little NSW Govt are about to spend 150 million upgrading Randwick facilities