RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
Peter Jenkins

Ellerslie today

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Poor George all at sea--My Dakota clearly won but George unsure! Then he said the quinella trained by Stephen McKee--actually Stephen Marsh. Nightmare for the commentator but even worse for the punter/viewer /owner who has no idea where their horse is. Amateurish springs to mind. Mind you there are some who are committed to turning racing into a side-show.

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If anyone needed evidence on the lack of a future for thoroughbred racing in this country they only need to read the comments registered on this topic to date.

The reality is this is an industry struggling for relevance in modern times, clinging to a vision (through rose tinted spectacles) of what was once a thriving entertainment option with little or no competition hoping that doing the same thing over and over again will generate a different outcome.

Ellerslie implement these twilight racing events to attract a new/younger generation to racing (pics on Trackside looks like it works pretty well) and the over 50 brigade on here are bagging the night because of the jockeys colours!! Surely one or two days a year the traditionalists like yourselves can actually sit back, keep your childish invective to yourself and maybe congratulate the people who have tried to look outside the square to something that, god forbid, may have traction in the media, create an atmosphere of positivity and get people thinking about racing as a genuine entertainment opportunity.

No doubt the colours could have been a little more diverse and easier to associate with either the jockey or horse but for FFS do you really think that matters to those who rocked up for the atmospehere and to enjoy themselves who may never have been before. And if you think it will stop them from coming back you are delusional.

I have no problem having a little difficulty following my horse on these rare occasions if it actually benefits the sport I love - whoever got this off the ground, got the corporate sponsors involved, had the foresight to have some of Australasia's best riding talent involved and provided a great night out to benefit the future of the sport deserves congratulations rather than a flaying that you all seem to want to dish out.

Well done Ellerslie - at least you have tried something rarher sat behind a keyboard and offered little but a glimpse of the 1960's.

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Guest 2Admin2
35 minutes ago, Blind Squirrel said:

If anyone needed evidence on the lack of a future for thoroughbred racing in this country they only need to read the comments registered on this topic to date.

The reality is this is an industry struggling for relevance in modern times, clinging to a vision (through rose tinted spectacles) of what was once a thriving entertainment option with little or no competition hoping that doing the same thing over and over again will generate a different outcome.

Ellerslie implement these twilight racing events to attract a new/younger generation to racing (pics on Trackside looks like it works pretty well) and the over 50 brigade on here are bagging the night because of the jockeys colours!! Surely one or two days a year the traditionalists like yourselves can actually sit back, keep your childish invective to yourself and maybe congratulate the people who have tried to look outside the square to something that, god forbid, may have traction in the media, create an atmosphere of positivity and get people thinking about racing as a genuine entertainment opportunity.

No doubt the colours could have been a little more diverse and easier to associate with either the jockey or horse but for FFS do you really think that matters to those who rocked up for the atmospehere and to enjoy themselves who may never have been before. And if you think it will stop them from coming back you are delusional.

I have no problem having a little difficulty following my horse on these rare occasions if it actually benefits the sport I love - whoever got this off the ground, got the corporate sponsors involved, had the foresight to have some of Australasia's best riding talent involved and provided a great night out to benefit the future of the sport deserves congratulations rather than a flaying that you all seem to want to dish out.

Well done Ellerslie - at least you have tried something rarher sat behind a keyboard and offered little but a glimpse of the 1960's.

Is that why you call yourself a blind squirrel?

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20 minutes ago, Blind Squirrel said:

nope but thanks for playing - now pop back to your colouring book and let the grown ups chat

When do they arrive?

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28 minutes ago, Blind Squirrel said:

nope but thanks for playing - now pop back to your colouring book and let the grown ups chat

BS--how appropriate that those initials are your moniker. Just so happens there are thousands of racing purists, who have spent decades investing in this wonderful pursuit, who want the focus to be sound infrastructure, programming, owner/trainer support, rather than a plethora of gimmicks appealing to drunken millennials who will never contribute a dollar to punting or ownership.

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Bit of a tough call that isn't it?  Do you try to attract this younger crew who might in 1% of the cases become a devotee or do you maintain the quality of the racing for the diehards?  And having a commentator confused is not the way to maintain the racing quality.  

I didn't watch or listen to any of it but clearly it is an attempt at a similar attraction to Kumara, Cromwell or NZ Cup day.  5 million young people, many flashly dressed, on the piss with no real interest in racing and the purists getting agitated.

Personally I hate those days but equally I can see Blind Squirrel's point in regards innovation.  I do not think playing about with colours however is going to attract more people to the races just irritate the shiite out of those trying to watch their horse or their punt go around.

 

 

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Some interesting rebuttal - mostly self interested garbage - but none the less debate has been achieved. In no particular order

Chevvy - the logical conclusion to your argument is that you will continue on an ever decreasing downward spiral that will eventually see the entire industry wiped out no matter how many millions have been expended to keep it propped up to appease those who are trying to steer it forward by watching things unfold in the rear view mirror. But by golly you and your like minded cronies will have a good time while it lasted in your insular, protectionist world - your dismissal of the younger generation as punting and/or ownership candidates is breathtakingly shallow, narrow minded and quite simply what I would expect from you.

Gubs - I will ask George next time I see him at the races and have a laugh about it. Perhaps you might like to comment on whether the industry is beholding to the likes/dislikes of one paid employee who is contracted to do a particular job - definitely a skilful job that he does exceptionally well but quite simply a job plain and simple.

Tom - a well thought out argument and I would suggest the answers lie somewhere in between what was on offer tonight and the ideal scenario - however to suggest having the purists pissed off is a bad thing is overly dramatic. Ask the cricket purists how they enjoy a game that was dying on the vine before one day and T20 was brought in and I would expect they will begrudgingly say it has been the lifeblood of their sport's survival - Test matches with less than 2000 in attendance and NO television coverage due to "only the purists" wanting to watch would now be the norm without the innovation (and the same for rugby I might add). 

The rest - a minor point however one worth making - I find it difficult to sympathise with any of your views when you make your points with overwrought emotional language - FFS its not the end of the world but you would think this was the greatest disastaer ever inflicted on mankind. Try using a little perspective for once

Oh and about the inference's about my moniker and making such well disguised digs at it - if you're going to act like 5 year-olds well the best I can say is - you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

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6 minutes ago, Blind Squirrel said:

Some interesting rebuttal - mostly self interested garbage - but none the less debate has been achieved. In no particular order

Chevvy - the logical conclusion to your argument is that you will continue on an ever decreasing downward spiral that will eventually see the entire industry wiped out no matter how many millions have been expended to keep it propped up to appease those who are trying to steer it forward by watching things unfold in the rear view mirror. But by golly you and your like minded cronies will have a good time while it lasted in your insular, protectionist world - your dismissal of the younger generation as punting and/or ownership candidates is breathtakingly shallow, narrow minded and quite simply what I would expect from you.

Gubs - I will ask George next time I see him at the races and have a laugh about it. Perhaps you might like to comment on whether the industry is beholding to the likes/dislikes of one paid employee who is contracted to do a particular job - definitely a skilful job that he does exceptionally well but quite simply a job plain and simple.

Tom - a well thought out argument and I would suggest the answers lie somewhere in between what was on offer tonight and the ideal scenario - however to suggest having the purists pissed off is a bad thing is overly dramatic. Ask the cricket purists how they enjoy a game that was dying on the vine before one day and T20 was brought in and I would expect they will begrudgingly say it has been the lifeblood of their sport's survival - Test matches with less than 2000 in attendance and NO television coverage due to "only the purists" wanting to watch would now be the norm without the innovation (and the same for rugby I might add). 

The rest - a minor point however one worth making - I find it difficult to sympathise with any of your views when you make your points with overwrought emotional language - FFS its not the end of the world but you would think this was the greatest disastaer ever inflicted on mankind. Try using a little perspective for once

Oh and about the inference's about my moniker and making such well disguised digs at it - if you're going to act like 5 year-olds well the best I can say is - you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

Well said.

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I'm with those who say that whoever came up with that idea is not too bright. Confusing the punter is a strange strategy. Try reviewing the races or replaying the videos at a latter date when assessing form for future races and you will just give up. 

A much simpler way to differentiate the teams would have been for the jockeys from each team to wear the same coloured pants. Say yellow,red,blue,green  whatever.   

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10 hours ago, gubellini said:

Blind Squirrel no need for ageism on this site! Flattered you used my surname as an adjective in your contribution though! Contact George Simon for his opinion on the colour situation at Ellerslie this evening.

Im heading into dangerous territory but here goes, isn't GS supposed to be a professional commentator. Might it be his skills are lacking or waning given his performance last night and in recent times. He seems to be making more mistakes recently and not getting any younger  so perhaps its time to look for his replacement .

For accuracy give me Bruce Sherwin anytime

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11 hours ago, Blind Squirrel said:

If anyone needed evidence on the lack of a future for thoroughbred racing in this country they only need to read the comments registered on this topic to date.

The reality is this is an industry struggling for relevance in modern times, clinging to a vision (through rose tinted spectacles) of what was once a thriving entertainment option with little or no competition hoping that doing the same thing over and over again will generate a different outcome.

Ellerslie implement these twilight racing events to attract a new/younger generation to racing (pics on Trackside looks like it works pretty well) and the over 50 brigade on here are bagging the night because of the jockeys colours!! Surely one or two days a year the traditionalists like yourselves can actually sit back, keep your childish invective to yourself and maybe congratulate the people who have tried to look outside the square to something that, god forbid, may have traction in the media, create an atmosphere of positivity and get people thinking about racing as a genuine entertainment opportunity.

No doubt the colours could have been a little more diverse and easier to associate with either the jockey or horse but for FFS do you really think that matters to those who rocked up for the atmospehere and to enjoy themselves who may never have been before. And if you think it will stop them from coming back you are delusional.

I have no problem having a little difficulty following my horse on these rare occasions if it actually benefits the sport I love - whoever got this off the ground, got the corporate sponsors involved, had the foresight to have some of Australasia's best riding talent involved and provided a great night out to benefit the future of the sport deserves congratulations rather than a flaying that you all seem to want to dish out.

Well done Ellerslie - at least you have tried something rarher sat behind a keyboard and offered little but a glimpse of the 1960's.

The concept isnt the issue at all just the choice of the strange patterned colours, good basic contrasting colours would have made tmuch more user friendly, Ellerslie may have tryed to get a bit fancy on it.

 

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Does a high standard of racing get them to the races or does 'the event' get them to the races?  I am not saying last night was not high quality - I didn't see it - but it would be nice to think that a combination of the two could be implemented.  The problem with relying on 'the event' is that the public are fickle and there might be another 'event' down the road that they abandon racing for at the drop of a hat.

And really if you are creating an event then you need the capacity to run it at night if it is going to be regular.

Lights and a strathayr/all weather at Ellerslie anyone?  Though no doubt that would lead to an Eden Park scenario of complaining residents and restricted nights of operation.

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