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Thejanitor

Jewels to Addington 2019

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Addington wins Harness Jewels for 2019

  • Sat, 28 Apr 2018
  •  
  • Garrick Knight 

After 12 years alternating between Ashburton and Cambridge, the Harness Jewels will undergo a location change for the first time in 2019.

Harness Racing New Zealand’s board voted in favour of a shift to Addington Raceway in Christchurch for next year’s edition at an executive meeting in Invercargill today (Saturday).

The Ashburton Trotting Club, which hosted the first Harness Jewels in 2007 and has done so every second year since, did lodge a submission to retain the rights.

It is understood the decision is only for 2019’s edition and is not a permanent move.

Harness Racing New Zealand Chairman Ken Spicer, nor Chief Executive Edward Renell were available for comment late afternoon.

  • NZ Harness News

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4 hours ago, Thejanitor said:

Addington wins Harness Jewels for 2019

  • Sat, 28 Apr 2018
  •  
  • Garrick Knight 

After 12 years alternating between Ashburton and Cambridge, the Harness Jewels will undergo a location change for the first time in 2019.

Harness Racing New Zealand’s board voted in favour of a shift to Addington Raceway in Christchurch for next year’s edition at an executive meeting in Invercargill today (Saturday).

The Ashburton Trotting Club, which hosted the first Harness Jewels in 2007 and has done so every second year since, did lodge a submission to retain the rights.

It is understood the decision is only for 2019’s edition and is not a permanent move.

Harness Racing New Zealand Chairman Ken Spicer, nor Chief Executive Edward Renell were available for comment late afternoon.

  • NZ Harness News

They just lost everything that sets them apart from any other premier meeting. 

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15 minutes ago, JackSprat said:

God forbid they retain the mile distance at Addington!

They wouldn't be that stupid surely .... or would they?

I am a big fan of the Jewels being run over a mile but running them over a mile at Addington would turn them into a joke. I doubt even they are stupid enough to to that. 

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2 hours ago, lamour said:

I am a big fan of the Jewels being run over a mile but running them over a mile at Addington would turn them into a joke. I doubt even they are stupid enough to to that. 

I do not doubt it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they did. Let's hope not. 

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Another kick in the guts for my home club.Last year we lost boxing day and now we have lost the Jewels.

It was actually Ashburton that came up with the idea of the Jewels,it was initially mentioned by one of the committee back in the very early part of of 2003  as being something that the club could look at introducing, a day of Mile racing for the top mares and fillys but wasn't really brought up again for a few years.Then once it started gaining momentum and more people got wind of the idea it spread to HRNZ who were happy to run with the idea but with a few subtle,and not so subtle changes.Back then Ashburton had the most forward thinking committee in NZ and I believe while they still have some good people there they don't seem to have the right people to battle the higher powers.,

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I honestly think the jewels concept needs an overhaul.  1950 metre mobiles at Addington sounds good to me!  Let's face it ashvegas isn't a good viewing track on course.  Last years jewels atmosphere was pretty ordinary i thought.  I will never forgot T. Lee calling the first ever jewels day, for mine the best race day experience i've seen, but the last couple haven't been as good.

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You gotta laugh at the clowns not making themselves available for comment after taking this move. Run away and hide stuff which shows how poor the leaders of HRNZ really are. Mr Ed was woeful on the Straight Talk, he has been in the same job for a long time and looks stale and devoid of new ideas IMHO

Why not try something really different like tendering the day out each year. Every club can have a shot at the big time that way and it potentially spreads it around as well as introducing the sport to a new crowd

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I love jewels day, really enjoy mile racing on the day { but not everyday} the expectation of a world record, but that is not going to happen at Addington they will run over 1950, most trainers will tell you that 1950 racing is brutal especially on young horses . I have been lucky enough to have owned and trained horses to win at Addington but there is no real atmosphere there nowadays, and unless I have a horse that qualifies to participate I and my mates and wives wont be there, it will be a day sitting around the TV at home.

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The only trouble Farty is that the big clubs will tender and win because they have the voting numbers so each year it would end up as a fight between NZM & Auckland and the small clubs would be able kiss it goodbye forever.    Not that they haven't already.    The head man who always gets what he wants through bullying is no doubt scheming that the following year Cambridge will be a gonner and it will be a waste of time for Auckland to apply because Christchurch will get it for every edition from now on.   I hope I am wrong and wish Cambridge well but you can guarantee they already "have a plan" - the Ashburton decision (which the clubs had no say in whatsoever - a decision of the "Board") was not just worked out with just next year in mind!

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They call it progress, it will now alternate between NZM and ALEX ,the rich get richer and all the support, and the poor get poorer and no support, that's the way the system works. Great system if you are one of the rich clubs.

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1 hour ago, eljay said:

The only trouble Farty is that the big clubs will tender and win because they have the voting numbers so each year it would end up as a fight between NZM & Auckland and the small clubs would be able kiss it goodbye forever.    Not that they haven't already.    The head man who always gets what he wants through bullying is no doubt scheming that the following year Cambridge will be a gonner and it will be a waste of time for Auckland to apply because Christchurch will get it for every edition from now on.   I hope I am wrong and wish Cambridge well but you can guarantee they already "have a plan" - the Ashburton decision (which the clubs had no say in whatsoever - a decision of the "Board") was not just worked out with just next year in mind!

If your correct the powers at be may well have wanted the big clubs to get the Jewels but those clubs with smart CEO's/ Boards probably did the numbers and went no thanks on a cost benefit basis.

The Tender process is open transparent and gives all clubs a chance to participate.I was thinking in terms of paying HRNZ for the rights to hold them not via the club voting system Eljay. Given Harness Racing's  support down south im sure one of the clubs would tender and surely their Trusts would come to the party

Just thinking outside of the norm with my observations- dont see much of that from HQ these days

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3 hours ago, badger said:

I love jewels day, really enjoy mile racing on the day { but not everyday} the expectation of a world record, but that is not going to happen at Addington they will run over 1950, most trainers will tell you that 1950 racing is brutal especially on young horses . I have been lucky enough to have owned and trained horses to win at Addington but there is no real atmosphere there nowadays, and unless I have a horse that qualifies to participate I and my mates and wives wont be there, it will be a day sitting around the TV at home.

Agree Badger.  They took out the birdcage at Addington so you can't see the horses parade before the race up close.  For me this is one of the main contributors to lack of atmosphere.

The Jewels need to progress, but less atmosphere and the 1950m distance, that we see all the time, adds up to a significant step backwards for the whole concept. As you say, no chance now of exciting mile times.

I went to Ashburton last year and thought there was a good buzz on course.

Unless Addington can boost the Jewels stakes substantially (and I bet they don't) I would struggle to see what possible benefit will come from shifting to The Met. .

IF THEY THINK THEY WILL GET BIGGER CROWDS ON COURSE THEY ARE DELUDED.

If they went to a bidding system it would be dominated by the ATC as no other clubs will be able to compete with their deep pockets.

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20 hours ago, Fartoomuch said:

You gotta laugh at the clowns not making themselves available for comment after taking this move. Run away and hide stuff which shows how poor the leaders of HRNZ really are. Mr Ed was woeful on the Straight Talk, he has been in the same job for a long time and looks stale and devoid of new ideas IMHO

Why not try something really different like tendering the day out each year. Every club can have a shot at the big time that way and it potentially spreads it around as well as introducing the sport to a new crowd

the exccecutive spent the day at invercargill trots,ken spicer was presented with the invercargill cup which his horse won in february but he wasnt on course for,otherwise threy were unseen spending their time in the free food and water entertainment section (practising for jewels day)

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Hard to get a handle on this really - they talk about Ashburton losing personnel and not being able to run it. Well that is fixable and they are 14 months away from the event.

So last time had a few problems it seems. I get the impression one of them was the facilities weren't up to normal corporate quality  (ie reference to gas heaters etc etc).

I went last year and paid to get into one of the marquees with a bunch of people - yeah it was all temporary, etc etc - but I knew I was going to Ashburton not Ellerslie and it added to the day rather than detracted. Mind you I wasn't wearing a suit and was drinking cans of beer so perhaps I'm not the segment of the market complaining or expecting more.

And the racing was bloody good all day - which is kind of the point isnt it.

I love Addington - BUT 1950m as others have mentioned lacks the uniqueness of the mile. And for your ordinary punter/racegoer Addington can be a pretty average place as well in terms of where you can access etc...

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On 4/29/2018 at 9:30 AM, richie said:

Another kick in the guts for my home club.Last year we lost boxing day and now we have lost the Jewels.

It was actually Ashburton that came up with the idea of the Jewels,it was initially mentioned by one of the committee back in the very early part of of 2003  as being something that the club could look at introducing, a day of Mile racing for the top mares and fillys but wasn't really brought up again for a few years.Then once it started gaining momentum and more people got wind of the idea it spread to HRNZ who were happy to run with the idea but with a few subtle,and not so subtle changes.Back then Ashburton had the most forward thinking committee in NZ and I believe while they still have some good people there they don't seem to have the right people to battle the higher powers.,

HRNZ have never had an original or creative idea Richie, and won't have while Rennell and his "family" stays there. It does say this is only for a year, so maybe not all is lost, but that could probably go either way. I'd be getting the people there to put some sort of plan together, with supporting stats re betting, new initiatives etc to highlight the positives of staying with Ashburton. I'd also keep a very close watch on the success or otherwise of the Addington move ( particularly comparing betting turnover ) as it might prove significant.

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37 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

HRNZ have never had an original or creative idea Richie, and won't have while Rennell and his "family" stays there. It does say this is only for a year, so maybe not all is lost, but that could probably go either way. I'd be getting the people there to put some sort of plan together, with supporting stats re betting, new initiatives etc to highlight the positives of staying with Ashburton. I'd also keep a very close watch on the success or otherwise of the Addington move ( particularly comparing betting turnover ) as it might prove significant.

Im fully with you on that Ohoka. Stale and pale and job for life comes to mind.

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if alexandra park were to close and you would think land values just about make that a cert,cambridge would become the home of trotting in the north,all it needs is covered stables and perhaps a temp stand added onto main one,its already got the atmosphere.re ashburton its very hard to create atmosphere with a grass track,perhaps again temp stand on the galloping track but you can,t do much about looking into the low winter sun haze

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Interesting theories gazza - but I feel off the mark.    The main thing Cambridge need is 1) attendance and 2) flood of corporates.    David doing a great job but to turn it into the "Premier Harness Venue in the Southern Hemisphere" as Auckland say they are would be stretching the imagination way too far!      

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Guest Hunterthenutter
On ‎29‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 11:54 AM, Booby Bec said:

I honestly think the jewels concept needs an overhaul.  1950 metre mobiles at Addington sounds good to me!  Let's face it ashvegas isn't a good viewing track on course.  Last years jewels atmosphere was pretty ordinary i thought.  I will never forgot T. Lee calling the first ever jewels day, for mine the best race day experience i've seen, but the last couple haven't been as good.

I agree with you booby time for an overhaul of the jewels viewing is not good at ashvagas and who wonts to sit in the old stand there that has bird shit on all the seats lol

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