RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
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Trainers in Canterbury revolt!

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I actually googled harness xpress and this thread popped up,as for being a serial poster,you can spend a bit more time than you set out to,that' just happens sometime.

I note many of the posters on this thread ain't been here for a long time,I've been here less than a year posting,its wearing a bit thin now,as for posting rubbish,often i see the lighter side of life,somedays not so much but it seems to me the same old issues will still be being discussed here in another 4 years.

Dates,stakes,courses the TAB,the website,probably nothing much will change much, as for Auckland,does anybody actually consider the fact that it cost so much to exist there,might have something to do with it.

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3 hours ago, Varro said:

auckland is on a hiding regardless of changes. with a limited pool of trainers, and little interest in harness in auckland, as time goes on its going to become an ever increasing challenge to maintain decent fields, despite auckland offering good stakes.

 

maybe this is were innovation comes to the fold. new incentives e.g. whats hrnz doing to attract more trainers to auckland. could an idea like, HRNZ subsiding costs to a new start up for the first year in auckland help pave the way forward for more people to take up training in auckland? for auckland i dont think numbers will be affected by stakes, or new internal rule changes, history has shown us this thus far.

id say the north island in articular needs some new ideas, outside the box thinking to make it a force again

Has been a dying sport in North Island for 4 decades. Who remembers Hutt Park which for the last decade survived on the generosity of Sir Roy. 

Given very few go on course at Alex Park or Cambridge the logical thing to do would be to sell up and  set up new course with reduced grandstand facilities like Menangle

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I disagree with your comments JJFlash 

I have followed Harness Racing most of my life and in fact had a horse win at Hutt Park. 

The facilities have improved on track unbelievably at Auckland and Cambridge since those days. 

The racing is much the same, perhaps Auckland field sizes could be better. At both tracks the people are now inside rather than outside so from your TV it maybe looks a bit like no punters. 

Have you been at Cambridge on course in the last few years? 

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16 hours ago, Womby said:

I disagree with your comments JJFlash 

I have followed Harness Racing most of my life and in fact had a horse win at Hutt Park. 

The facilities have improved on track unbelievably at Auckland and Cambridge since those days. 

The racing is much the same, perhaps Auckland field sizes could be better. At both tracks the people are now inside rather than outside so from your TV it maybe looks a bit like no punters. 

Have you been at Cambridge on course in the last few years? 

So im saying harness in Nth Island is a dying sport and is reflected in field sizes at northern meetings. As with ALL racing fewer and fewer are attending on a regular basis and i believe that will continue for all the codes. Trackside coverage is so good that there  is no incentive to go on course for the majority of followers

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2 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

So im saying harness in Nth Island is a dying sport and is reflected in field sizes at northern meetings. As with ALL racing fewer and fewer are attending on a regular basis and i believe that will continue for all the codes. Trackside coverage is so good that there  is no incentive to go on course for the majority of followers

Agree with this.

The issues look insurmountable.

Horse numbers ,especially in Auckland seem to be declining , despite great efforts by a few to keep racing numbers up.....and little opportunity for the 'not quite there ' and slow horses ie most horses.

Sales abroad continue and costs continue to rise.

ATC's efforts to futureproof the sport with a sizeable nest egg , tho good in theory ,turned to custard and cashing up their city venue and moving into wilderness would only delay the inevitable IMO.

Punting figures in the North would appear to be far less than in South where Harness remains strong.

Peoples appetite for Harness in North appears low and as ATC sell off more land their earning capacity on their great venue will be limited...

A few grass track meetings in summer wont help.

Waikato is the booming horse centre as far as thoroughbreds concerned...surely Harness can survive there !

 

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3 hours ago, Iraklis said:

Yeh JJ, guess it's down to the diehards, but for all that there's nothin like seein the guns racin in the flesh up close an personal, it's a whole different ball game when you're right there 😀 oh yes....

 

Cheers Iraklis

Yeah boy,

Yet fewer and fewer people seem to see the beauty in a horse...only the diehards , or those raised among them.

And its hard to have one as a pet , whereas everyperson and his/ her need to have a dog and ditto with cats.

Racing in NZ comes down to the 'punt' to survive.

You admit to not betting yourself , which means the rest of NZ has to pitch in for you ....but too many of these find horse racing as boring as batshit and need to walk the dog !

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Harness racin, oh man there's nothin like it, when they turn for home and they give it full bore woooeee tiz a sight to behold 😀 far from borin, yuh just gotta understand what your're lookin at; from the time they hit the ground, begin to grow, to their first time away to a stables, then their first race night, months/years of slog (and bills) and then, here it is 'race night' they're tuned and tweaked to give their best if allowed, and when they do, it's magic mate bloody magic....their effort, power and sheer beauty as the awesome athletes they are is second to none, I love em.....nah I don't bet mate, only as a weapon I might chuck in 😀 I reckon they're doin enough to entertain with sheer effort, without carryin me and my $20 too......hell, I even cheer like crazy when I'm watchin em at home, specially if we're racin the aussies or americans etc.....

Mate if we have an aussie in the same race as me fav, and I'm thinkin whew we could have probs with this one, I will bet the aussie! and trust me he will loose LOL

 

Cheers Iraklis

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