Auckland trots only 8 races???

[what a post 811]

18 hours ago, Toblerone said:

. 

As an aside, please name for me the several North Island Trainers lost this year?

 

 

Don't follow Auckland races much, only the Tuesday type races or the grass tracks.   Auckland with their dominant stables and small fields just too boring.      But  to name just a handful did I not read where T Grayling,S Hunt,S Argue and G Rogerson were not about this season. Could be wrong and they may still be going. Sure there would be a lot more who had not made the  papers.         Don't think anyone is knocking the atc attempts to run races.  Just some appear to lament the lack of importance some at the atc put on the racing side of things. Others know more about it than me.                           Hsvman has hit the nail on the head when he questions why the horses you mentioned should run for lower stakes. I'm guessing it is because those horses have owners,trainers who have little voice,despite being the life blood of the sport.    Still cant understand why they would trial a points system somewhere where they have cut back the number of meetings due to  lack of horse numbers . Do they want it to fail?

[Ohokaman 5,831]

Apparently Smith and Morris are giving every horse a point score and HRNZ will post the result on their website.

[what a post 811]

 Hope the points system is implemented elsewhere soon as it should encourage greater participation  One thing that I wonder about Auckland is are there  training facilities that are easily accessable at reasonable rates should you want to train.

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, what a post said:

Don't follow Auckland races much, only the Tuesday type races or the grass tracks.   Auckland with their dominant stables and small fields just too boring.      But  to name just a handful did I not read where T Grayling,S Hunt,S Argue and G Rogerson were not about this season. Could be wrong and they may still be going. Sure there would be a lot more who had not made the  papers.         Don't think anyone is knocking the atc attempts to run races.  Just some appear to lament the lack of importance some at the atc put on the racing side of things. Others know more about it than me.                           Hsvman has hit the nail on the head when he questions why the horses you mentioned should run for lower stakes. I'm guessing it is because those horses have owners,trainers who have little voice,despite being the life blood of the sport.    Still cant understand why they would trial a points system somewhere where they have cut back the number of meetings due to  lack of horse numbers . Do they want it to fail?

The so called grass trackers are racing for less at Auckland.

In Canterbury the aged horse races i.e six years and older or later in the season 5 year olds were racing for only $5,000 I think only last year, and the clubs were wondering why there weren't so many nominations.

The races weren't penalty free either, so you would win under 3k which was barely a months training and having to step up a grade.

Has been increased a wee bit this year, but wouldn't it be far better for racing that there was a system that made them penalty free to a certain level?

The Australian system although perhaps complicated enables horses to be competitive for far longer.

There just isn't enough horses left in NZ after say c2 as they are being sold overseas as it is so uneconomic to race for the average horse.

Clubs are having to amalgamate several classes to get sufficient numbers to race

Even the above average horse it is marginal with all costs that you can break even.

 

 

[harewood 477]

I often wonder if any of you blokes have any idea what your talking about. Going off this thread, not likely !

[tim vince 985]

probably not but it has cost me a  million plus to try and figure  it out

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, harewood said:

I often wonder if any of you blokes have any idea what your talking about. Going off this thread, not likely !

What are you meaning Harewood by that comment?

To be fair, the comment is a bit rich coming from an Australian!

[what a post 811]

Tim, Sure you  must have had some great fun times, thats why your still going is it not.  Think about it, you would  have only spent it on wine,women and fast cars anyway.   Actually don't think about that too much.   Nah,you probably had enough $ for both.                                       Brodie the workings of this new points system can be viewed on the hrnz website somewhere.  some key points were more points for higher stakes,unplaced lose points,Races currently with no penalties to receive half points(races such as junior drivers, lower stake 2yo and each 2nd win of 3yo),fillies and mares only get half points if in lower stake female races.

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, what a post said:

Tim, Sure you  must have had some great fun times, thats why your still going is it not.  Think about it, you would  have only spent it on wine,women and fast cars anyway.   Actually don't think about that too much.   Nah,you probably had enough $ for both.                                       Brodie the workings of this new points system can be viewed on the hrnz website somewhere.  some key points were more points for higher stakes,unplaced lose points,Races currently with no penalties to receive half points(races such as junior drivers, lower stake 2yo and each 2nd win of 3yo),fillies and mares only get half points if in lower stake female races.

At the end of the day, we need a system that is fair and can keep more horses in NZ.

If there are no horses and no racing we have nothing to invest on and there are many unemployed.

would have to find something else to do with my time and and there would be no Race Cafe either.

Great if it works as the current system that is in at the moment is not satisfactory, hence the continued loss of horses overseas.

 

 

[Taku Umanga 194]

8 hours ago, what a post said:

 Hope the points system is implemented elsewhere soon as it should encourage greater participation  One thing that I wonder about Auckland is are there  training facilities that are easily accessable at reasonable rates should you want to train.

The points system will apply to Cambridge and Manawatu (and presumably the grass tracks) in the North also .....

[Jon Trum 56]

Alex park during winter has ALWAYS had small fields, EVERY trainer races Cambridge ahead of Alex Park as it is considered EASIER to win a race at Cambridge regardless of stakes! this will not change anytime soon. Good on ATC paying appearance money, EVERY club should do it no exception. Owners need a better deal, more communication not just website access and ACTUAL participation this is where Harness has it over the Gallops.

[Diver Dan 187]

18 hours ago, tim vince said:

hard to fault the programming at Auckland- those with lesser horses are given good lets ups by way of conditions which I for one appreciate- the racing department are not to blame- hsvman is right 100 percent.  re stake . why not have all 10k and feature   20.

 

 boys the glory days are over - they aint coming back. ive been to American tracks  15k plus  races because of pokies-  100 spectators. 1 or 2 tote windows-..whatever the reasons there is no way back except for events such as NZ cup.  less owners because the sport has no profile.

 

 

I have mates who live in mt eden and Epsom who have never been to the park.

darts has managed to reinvent itself but harness racing except for the faithful and the passionate is gawn-

the average age of people who say attend 80 percent of the meetings is going up.

none or hardly any  of the young people who come for a night out will become owners and many will never return.  it is quite similar to golf clubs in many ways- the average age of members at say Remuera golf club is I would  guess high 50's. look at bowling clubs etc etc I would guess the same.

 

maybe load the price of the apartment  up another 5k and give  them share in horses..pity they knocked over  the stables there- apartment owners could have an interest and watch their horses work and mingle with their trainers.100 stables would have meant a ready supply of horses. of course it was health and safety issues!!!!!- ever been to happy valley or shatin hardly out in the middle of the desert. we have had nonracing people tell us how to run the sport.

 

 I think  management tried to tell us that the community would interact with the blues when they started training there- ive yet to see it. we have sold our souls.

 

my prediction harness racing at alex park  will be over in the next 20 and we will be running at Pukekohe or somewhere else.

 

stake money aint everything - if it was Auckland would have full fields.

 

if I had one wish it would be to bring back the people who ran the joint in the 90's  terry Quinn brian meale  etc etc -

as I said I am now an interested spectator but its fun watching the downhill slide- bit like watching an unfolding tragedy on cnn.

I really think Tim isn't far off the mark with this synopsis.

Recently went to Alex Park and took the kids along(11 and 13yold). We watched a race and my boy turns around and says "why are they hitting the horses" - I replied that they were just encouraging the horses to run faster and it doesn't really hurt them, I could see he wasn't convinced. OK lets go and see the horse and ask the trainer the same question - boy perked up (girl big smile). We walked over to the stabling area only to be told we couldn't enter WTF - explained the situation which was ignored with the patter "OSH regulations". 

Wow how times have changed - my kids will most likely never connect with this sport.

It didn't seem too long ago that I was patting STORMY MORN and having a great chat with Tony Perucich - we always went to see our favourite trainers and horses, NO RESPONSE R Brosnan, Newburys - CAL BRYDON. I clearly remember seeing LOCARNO and LORD MODULE - never went close to either(both stallions i think) as they'd have you for dinner, we knew this and kept our distance.

I work across from the Park and venture in every so often - the TAB is mostly empty and doubt there is a better setup. However the pokies, of which they have 18(maximum allowed) is constantly pinging along with action, even at 9.30am in the morning. They now even have a full time cashier. I'm pretty sure without them ATC would be in a very different position.

As far as the racing is concerned there is little soul left.

 

[harewood 477]

12 hours ago, Brodie said:

What are you meaning Harewood by that comment?

To be fair, the comment is a bit rich coming from an Australian!

This is not my comment and was not put up by me so I dont know how it appeared under my user name. By the way Im not an Australian a one eyed cantabrian if you must know.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, harewood said:

This is not my comment and was not put up by me so I dont know how it appeared under my user name. By the way Im not an Australian a one eyed cantabrian if you must know.

Apologies Harewood, didn't seem to be your normal.

Wonder how it got on with your name.?

[ivanthegreat 1,123]

It's hard to put your finger on it really but no matter how long I think about it , it always comes back to the product............. the product is not what it used to be.

I am thinking of the early 70's as the epitome.

With all due respect ( and I mean that sincerely ) to the old administrative regimes , they would have been lucky to be looking after the birdcage gates in today's world ,but they knew their racing and the product was so good it simply sold itself. The pattern of racing was set decades ago and there was a gap in the racing about 3 months between July and October. the start of the new season couldn't come soon enough. Thoughts then were directed toward the xmas holidays you just didn;t leave for the beach until the Alex Park/ Ellerslie carnival finished !!

In both respects Ellerslie has suffered the same fate.............. will it come back ? Wish it would.

It's a bit like a burnt out marriage.  

  

[tim vince 985]

you are right mr what a post no one makes me  do it.  as George best    said ive spent 80 percent of my money on gambling - owning- training horses- the rest I have wasted.

 

 

[harewood 477]

4 hours ago, Brodie said:

Apologies Harewood, didn't seem to be your normal.

Wonder how it got on with your name.?

Have sussed it out. My 25 year old son who stays with us when he is home on FIFO hijacked my computer while I was walking the dog. He seemed to think it was funny to do so as young males do these days. I was not impressed. Yes I would not slag comments like that. Cheers. 

[tim vince 985]

diver dan when I have one racing come and see me- I will give your kids a look around and introduce them to  the likes of herlihy, mckendry etc  and even shout you a beer.a give the boys 10 ew on what I have racing. not much chance with my things but a bit of fun.

 

my pleasure

[Hermione 77]

One night at Alex Park I asked Tim for a winner for my visiting sister.  He said he was no good at picking winners, he picked the Germans to win WW2

[rangi 73]

the industry is survived by people like Tim Vince, People higher up need to take notice and listen to the man

admire your attitude and dedication Tim,,the sport need more like you

[beef 74]

Tim can you stop your family from coming on the site and writing nice comments about you!

[Alittlebitofknowledge 69]

11 hours ago, Hermione said:

One night at Alex Park I asked Tim for a winner for my visiting sister.  He said he was no good at picking winners, he picked the Germans to win WW2

Classic Tim

His other favourite is 'tarzans brother drowned in a bath' when people talk about horses being well related. 

 

[Diver Dan 187]

13 hours ago, tim vince said:

diver dan when I have one racing come and see me- I will give your kids a look around and introduce them to  the likes of herlihy, mckendry etc  and even shout you a beer.a give the boys 10 ew on what I have racing. not much chance with my things but a bit of fun.

 

my pleasure

You're a legend!

Will keep an eye next time you have a couple in and I'll shout YOU a beer.

 

[tim vince 985]

beef u are my brother- u must be warned though being seen with me is dangerous to your health- some board  members and management seem to dislike me a tad- no idea why of course.