RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
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There is only one disappointment John Allen...

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and it doesn't have anything to do with race field fees.

A lot of things in the racing Industry would be a surprise to the CEO unfortunately and as for not understanding you don't have to explain yourself most know why you have trouble like that with matters pertaining to the Racing Industry. Its not hard to work out why the Legislation was pulled in its current form if you think about it. You made one bad mistake you listened to advice from the wrong people and that's been your problem from early on.    

"I did not know that before (Peters) said it," said Allen in response to a question from the floor. "It is a surprise and a disappointment. We've been waiting now for a year for that. That legislation has been in front of Parliament for that period of time."And while I understood the minister's enthusiasm to do a whole lot of other things, I simply can't understand why that legislation hasn't progressed to being passed and put in place. It would benefit us by about a million dollars a month.

You are quoted saying the CFO will have to revise his figures now, he should be an  expert at doing that now having to revise the cost of the betting platform every month.  

"It's a surprise, it's a disappointment, and I don't doubt Shaun Brooks here, our CFO, is now thinking about our targets for this year because obviously we are not going to see any race fields money for this period."

We are not seeing any money from the betting platform that was supposed to be up and running Aug 1 so 5 months of extra cost and 5 months of no additional income generated from it. How about showing us your revised figures from that.

The Racing Minister doesn't communicate with you and he has a report done on the state of the Industry and the Racing Boards structure and performance. Maybe you couldn't see the race fee legislation getting pulled but surely you can see whats going to get pulled very soon. 

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There is no tougher marker than the racing industry!

But this guy has shown more aptitude than any of the other CEOs in the past(admittedly there have been some shockers but that's not his fault) to get something done, he has shown a lot enthusiasm , passion and general openness to the industry in that he hasn't hidden from responsibility or blamed mistakes,delays etc on others.

It's a pity he may not get the chance to see at least some of the fruits of his labour come about, I'm just startled sometimes that people put all the poor management of the industry over the last 30 years on the shoulders of some poor guy who has been in a job for 2-3 years, yet there are a magnitude of personnel in this industry who haven't achieved diddly squat exempt from any criticism.

Getting IT projects done on time and budget is a very difficult thing to do particularly given the scope of that this project entails. 

At the very least at least Mr Allens talk turned into a walk , that's not happened a lot in many other parts of the industry.

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I kinda agree...up to a point...no,  he hasn't cut the mustard and yes,  he has listened to some very ill-informed advisers....but getting it wrong - again -  was never going to be an option I'm afraid.

You are right inasmuch as the previous mismanagement isn't his fault, but that is scant praise.

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Not sure about the walk from the talk Huey. That would need to be demonstrated by some results.

And I fail to see how JA could claim to be surprised at the Amendment Bill being pulled when  Peters was quoted as below back in May. The DIA itself, along with academic research, the MoH research and the IRD figures all agreed the Infometrics figures supporting the legislation were likely substantially high. You could say that was wrong advice but surely the RB had someone with the nous to figure this out. I don't think the betting platform concept was ever a good idea and cost overruns won't help that but like their estimates for the consumption tax there was never any transparency about the analysis behind any of these things and they wouldn't supply them to stakeholders on their roadshows. Just kept delivering the same spiel and then succumbed to industry pressure and started making distributions based on what are clearly now poor projections of future earnings. Not a great look for mine.

Peters slammed the current racing Act before warning that its amendment, under which tax overseas bookmakers would be taxed for using New Zealand racing products, may not be fit for purpose.

``The 2003 legislation was written by bureaucrats and politicians, for bureaucrats and politicians, not for the racing industry,'' he said.

The Racing Amendment Act was sitting in front of the parliamentary select committee at the moment, stalled. It might not be fit for purpose, he said.

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3 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

I kinda agree...up to a point...no,  he hasn't cut the mustard and yes,  he has listened to some very ill-informed advisers....but getting it wrong - again -  was never going to be an option I'm afraid.

You are right inasmuch as the previous mismanagement isn't his fault, but that is scant praise.

I must admit, I find Pam to be probably the most sensible person who comments on here. I would love to see someone like her on the Racing Board.

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12 hours ago, Leggy said:

Not sure about the walk from the talk Huey. That would need to be demonstrated by some results.

And I fail to see how JA could claim to be surprised at the Amendment Bill being pulled when  Peters was quoted as below back in May. The DIA itself, along with academic research, the MoH research and the IRD figures all agreed the Infometrics figures supporting the legislation were likely substantially high. You could say that was wrong advice but surely the RB had someone with the nous to figure this out. I don't think the betting platform concept was ever a good idea and cost overruns won't help that but like their estimates for the consumption tax there was never any transparency about the analysis behind any of these things and they wouldn't supply them to stakeholders on their roadshows. Just kept delivering the same spiel and then succumbed to industry pressure and started making distributions based on what are clearly now poor projections of future earnings. Not a great look for mine.

Peters slammed the current racing Act before warning that its amendment, under which tax overseas bookmakers would be taxed for using New Zealand racing products, may not be fit for purpose.

``The 2003 legislation was written by bureaucrats and politicians, for bureaucrats and politicians, not for the racing industry,'' he said.

The Racing Amendment Act was sitting in front of the parliamentary select committee at the moment, stalled. It might not be fit for purpose, he said.

What are you expecting Leggy? the problems of the industry are not going to be fixed in any short period of time, I'm not sure there is anyone who can meet with the demands of the industry its in a total mess lets be honest. It's like a good sports side a manager needs time to get his philosophy and style across , I'm not saying he is the saviour but at the least he is trying and putting some things into action, that hasn' happened for some time and there are as I have already said several parts of the industry who haven't even done that and have just talked talked talked and continue to do so and many who are just hiding behind the Messara Report as the saviour of the industry which is somewhat despicable imho.

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13 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

I kinda agree...up to a point...no,  he hasn't cut the mustard and yes,  he has listened to some very ill-informed advisers....but getting it wrong - again -  was never going to be an option I'm afraid.

You are right inasmuch as the previous mismanagement isn't his fault, but that is scant praise.

Where are the well informed advisers Pam? There is a lot of advise out there but not a lot of doers with this advice.

Any sensible advice in this industry impacts upon the status quo and therefore isn't allowed to see the light of day and that's why we have the Messara Report because it hardly impacts upon the status quo in fact it just benefits the status quo.

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If massive changes aren't implemented and quickly I can see a lot more Kiwi's coming to Oz to work with horses and owners either leaving the industry or sending their horses to Oz. It won't be long until the feed costs in NZ start to go north big time. The drought over here and the cost of your fuel is cutting deeply, as many of you use Oz feed the cost will cause grief, we are seeing feed/hay going through the roof, so the importer will soon start to pass on the rises to the consumer in NZ.......training fees have to rise, they have to,,,,,,,,and if the prize money drops to 7K again, for 'industry' days...God don't you love that phrase.......Economy Day I call it........or SOS DAY.....Petone's .......Save Our Salaries Day.........well, not many owners will cop 70/80 bucks a day fee for that kind of reward/punishment. IMO.

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19 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

Ironically some people are doing quite well out of the current mess. There are some very ordinary horses going around in small ordinary fields for $35,000 and $30,000 that would never get such opportunities if the industry was doing better.

And that's a sad look for a sad industry, a small minority benefit while the vast majority suffer.....God help us all.

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3 hours ago, Huey said:

Where are the well informed advisers Pam? There is a lot of advise out there but not a lot of doers with this advice.

Any sensible advice in this industry impacts upon the status quo and therefore isn't allowed to see the light of day and that's why we have the Messara Report because it hardly impacts upon the status quo in fact it just benefits the status quo.

Yes,  true...but - if you were placed into a management situation,  of an industry or business with which you were not familiar,  would you not, first of all,  make yourself aware of similar industries/businesses that were doing well and how they were structured?  

I know I would...and I'd surround myself with the best brains I could find to make up for my own shortcomings.

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2 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

Yes,  true...but - if you were placed into a management situation,  of an industry or business with which you were not familiar,  would you not, first of all,  make yourself aware of similar industries/businesses that were doing well and how they were structured?  

I know I would...and I'd surround myself with the best brains I could find to make up for my own shortcomings.

Thats all well and good Pam but the CEO operates at the behest of the board. In this respect Glenda should be the first to be shown the door, IMHO was never qualified for the job and results back that up. Political appointments at CEO and Board level will often end in tears but good payouts, will this be any different, only time will tell.

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As revealed in today’s Informant John Allen isn’t even on speaking terms with Racing Minister Winston Peters! The dysfunction of the NZRB knows no bounds. RITA - the Racing Industry Transitional Authority cannot come soon enough. Meanwhile the proven failure Allen continues to draw his obscene salary. If he had any leadership qualities he would resign. Sadly he hasn’t.

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34 minutes ago, gubellini said:

As revealed in today’s Informant John Allen isn’t even on speaking terms with Racing Minister Winston Peters! The dysfunction of the NZRB knows no bounds. RITA - the Racing Industry Transitional Authority cannot come soon enough. Meanwhile the proven failure Allen continues to draw his obscene salary. If he had any leadership qualities he would resign. Sadly he hasn’t.

What about Saundry, Hughes andJackson? would we miss them/will we miss them when they are punted? but when, that's the haunting question, please Mr Peters, just pull the trigger, please....you've got the ammunition, so just do it.

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Its just a bloody mess. I know nothing about Allen, he is just a figure head really. I get the impression he is not getting good advice, as Pam has suggested. I agree Glenda contributes nothing: I was going to say a lightweight, but that seems inappropriate. The place has been going down-hill for so many years; there is no easy answer, possibly no answer at all.

In many ways we are dealing with two quite different things: trying to run an efficient racing industry from a purely racing point of view, and trying to make that industry profitable. The frustration is that we can't even get close to getting either of them right, and there is no excuse for that. It is indisputable that the people running the industry at most levels are totally out of their depth. 

I don't agree with Peters approach and the Messara report is in many ways inadequate, but at least Peters is doing something; at least he has got people considering some options.

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I agree WD. Peters has at least initiated some action and conversation despite the lack of robustness to much of the Messara report recommendations. The subsequent RITA idea means we wouldn't be keeping on doing what's already not working and may, as a matter of urgency and interim arrangement, allow things to happen that will otherwise take years to even legislate.

All probably beyond an answer at this stage as you say. Pretty sure something will eventually arise from the ashes but I doubt I will be around to see that and the ashes are already looming.

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One thing that occurs to me is that the individual clubs have had the stuffing knocked out of them. Gone are the days of innovative club secretaries like Ian McEwan at Tauranga and a few others around the countryside. Probably the only club that tries anything these days is Taranaki. Most club secretaries these days are purely office managers. We are unlikely to see anything like the Bayer Classic happen in this environment. There is no incentive for clubs to attract sponsors or to boost stakes or develop new races. When is the last time Te Rapa or Trentham or Riccarton did anything exciting?  Other than the sweep-stake thing at Ellerslie, what other races have been introduced in recent years?

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11 hours ago, We're Doomed said:

 It is indisputable that the people running the industry at most levels are totally out of their depth. 

and these same people are now greasing up to the Messara report and giving it full backing - just so they get on the RITA panel.

Just drain the swamp Mr. Peters.

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10 hours ago, We're Doomed said:

One thing that occurs to me is that the individual clubs have had the stuffing knocked out of them. Gone are the days of innovative club secretaries like Ian McEwan at Tauranga and a few others around the countryside. Probably the only club that tries anything these days is Taranaki. Most club secretaries these days are purely office managers. We are unlikely to see anything like the Bayer Classic happen in this environment. There is no incentive for clubs to attract sponsors or to boost stakes or develop new races. When is the last time Te Rapa or Trentham or Riccarton did anything exciting?  Other than the sweep-stake thing at Ellerslie, what other races have been introduced in recent years?

I believe the whole club situation went south when they started having some clubs race just once a year, obviously to do that they had to take dates away from them. But this is where the rot set in, clubs simply cannot maintain facilities,enthusiasm and the operative side of the club on just one licence a year. A club needs 3 or 4 licences a year to maintain itself.

Now I know this is never going to be rectified as there will likely be less racing at less venues in the future, but this type of strategy has done nothing but harm to racing in this country, all in the name of optimising the calendar the beginning of the end perhaps.

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On 10/3/2018 at 2:22 AM, Leggy said:

Not sure about the walk from the talk Huey. That would need to be demonstrated by some results.

And I fail to see how JA could claim to be surprised at the Amendment Bill being pulled when  Peters was quoted as below back in May. The DIA itself, along with academic research, the MoH research and the IRD figures all agreed the Infometrics figures supporting the legislation were likely substantially high. You could say that was wrong advice but surely the RB had someone with the nous to figure this out. I don't think the betting platform concept was ever a good idea and cost overruns won't help that but like their estimates for the consumption tax there was never any transparency about the analysis behind any of these things and they wouldn't supply them to stakeholders on their roadshows. Just kept delivering the same spiel and then succumbed to industry pressure and started making distributions based on what are clearly now poor projections of future earnings. Not a great look for mine.

Peters slammed the current racing Act before warning that its amendment, under which tax overseas bookmakers would be taxed for using New Zealand racing products, may not be fit for purpose.

``The 2003 legislation was written by bureaucrats and politicians, for bureaucrats and politicians, not for the racing industry,'' he said.

The Racing Amendment Act was sitting in front of the parliamentary select committee at the moment, stalled. It might not be fit for purpose, he said.

I hold the view that the Racing Act should be amalgamated with the Gaming Act instead of being isolated legislation by itself. Racing has to come into the 21st century gaming scene

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4 hours ago, WOODBINE said:

I hold the view that the Racing Act should be amalgamated with the Gaming Act instead of being isolated legislation by itself. Racing has to come into the 21st century gaming scene

I hadn't thought of that Woodbine but not a bad idea.

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Some interesting comments from V'Landys in his recent interview.

BD: Are you surprised some people have a problem with the Opera House being used as a sporting billboard, like it has been before for cricket Tests and rugby union Tests?

PVL:  I have been on record that The Everest is a disruptive event.  It needs to be promoted in ways that racing has never been marketed before. Naturally, traditionalists don’t understand this concept and I’m not being critical, just factual. The Opera House promotion has now gone to a much wider audience. However, it was not our first choice. We sought the Sydney Harbour Bridge and had been working with Government to carry out this promotion for 12 months. When the Harbour Bridge was not given the final approval, the Government offered the sails of the Opera House, as other sporting events had been promoted in this way, including rugby union and cricket.  It was also used for a promotion for Samsung.  So, I was surprised at the reaction it has caused considering it has been used for similar promotions previously.  It was always going to receive Government support as it had offered its use when the Harbour Bridge concept was not going to proceed.

BD:  You've taken on The Pope, bookies, parity, equine influenza and now the Opera House and won them all - I can’t remember any or many losses, how do you do it?

PVL:  I said back in 2004 that you should be prepared to lose blood when going into bat for your industry.  You should give it everything you’ve got and never leave anything behind. Also, if you believe you are doing the right thing then you ignore the negative people and the ones that you will never satisfy no matter what you do. My first challenge was the advent of new wagering operators.  Unfortunately, these new operators were not paying the industry for putting on the show.  It started by receiving a 200 page opinion to enforce racing’s copyright.  This eventually turned into the Race Field legislation.  However, the biggest battle was to defend that legislation. This took us all the way to the High Court. The most important aspect was that the High Court found that racing had the right to charge for the use of its product. It gave us certainty. Last year alone, $260 million per-annum was generated from Race Fields schemes Australia-wide. After that battle, during which I was personally attacked relentlessly, my other battles were much easier to deal with. All these challenges have generated over a billion dollars for the industry, so I can safely say that I have given it my all, and left nothing behind.

BD: You have become a powerbroker not only in racing but in rugby league and you clearly have influence in the political sphere. Do you have any future political ambitions and if so, which side attracts you?

PVL: None at all. This will be my last fulltime role. The above battles have taken their toll. I only have a few battles left in me.

BD: What’s the biggest challenge facing racing?

PVL: The biggest challenge facing racing is to attract the next generation. There is now significantly more competition. We need to find ways to take on this competition and have the next generation engaged in racing. It’s not simple but we have to make every effort otherwise we may become an industry of the past.  Racing has to continue to evolve to remain relevant. 

 

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