Mikie 326 Report post Posted May 17, 2020 In my father’s fathers time there was 1 Raceday in the District. Everyone went to the day, it was an occasion not to be missed Then the number of days was increased to 2. Everyone was joyous, twice the occasion Then the number of days increased to 4. More joy, 4 reasons to get dressed up and enjoy a day at the races Fast forward, 77 racedays at Addington. How many will go on the 77th day? The 76th? The 75th? Racing, apart from the Group days, will become a made for TV walk to wall product. Perhaps there’s nothing wrong with that? But increasing participation as a result of attendance won’t be happening will it? Mikie john legend and eljay 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jape 344 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 No. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 Should have those sundays at other venue or two,it needs variety 2Piper 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelli 434 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 Sad to see grass track racing finished in the North Island. Those were the family days that brought racing to communities and built good will amongst the general public. Cambridge at least has grass and used to make a reasonable effort for Christmas Eve - but now has lost that date (23rd just doesn't muster as most people still at work). So harness racing will be just focused on the off course punter and those that are against racing will have more fertile ground to sow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelli 434 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 post above submitted before finished - meant Cambridge had grass to picnic on. Last sentence was around that without seeing racing up close, numbers will increase of naysayers who think we are cruel to our horses and entice people to be problem gamblers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stables 577 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 There's no doubting that grass track meetings are popular for family days out, but unfortunately they don't put a hell of a lot through the tote. The extra costs to the TAB, of running these meetings and the costs to owners of transporting their horses to these meetings, make them no longer viable Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toblerone 242 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 Mikie. shut up you niller. cheers baz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toblerone 242 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 Excuse the above Mikie.... left my phone on the page at the pub when I went to the loo and a “mate” thought it would be funny to post something. Apologies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig 150 Report post Posted May 24, 2020 77. The same number that went around in the trials yesterday at Oamaru. Move some of those Addington meetings back this way. 2Piper 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micktap 15 Report post Posted May 24, 2020 Stables.No one is twisting your arm to make you go to these meetings.Stick to the ones in your district.The extra costs to the TAB would be minimal or are you suggesting that betting will be higher at a low grade Thursday meeting at Addington than if that meeting was at say Forbury. Ludwig 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stables 577 Report post Posted May 24, 2020 I'm sure it would be. You say TAB costs would be minimal for racing at say Forbury Park, that in fact is not true. Costs can only be minimised if the number of tracks are minimised tasman man 11 and JJ Flash 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig 150 Report post Posted May 24, 2020 1 hour ago, micktap said: Stables.No one is twisting your arm to make you go to these meetings.Stick to the ones in your district.The extra costs to the TAB would be minimal or are you suggesting that betting will be higher at a low grade Thursday meeting at Addington than if that meeting was at say Forbury. He just wants to bury the legacy of harness racing at grassroots level. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurnyTom 1,540 Report post Posted May 26, 2020 77 days for Addington, for 85% of them there will be 200 on course, just the involved Addington have to have a strong marketing plan or it will be same old, same old. Don't wanna be negative but one hell of a job for Addington to be succesful here with a public that has become anti racing, or certainly not pro racing Ludwig 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,135 Report post Posted May 28, 2020 On 5/27/2020 at 7:40 AM, TurnyTom said: Don't wanna be negative but one hell of a job for Addington to be succesful here with a public that has become anti racing, or certainly not pro racing Your not being negative, just stating the obvious which is why the RITA knife has had to come out so seriously. Years of non performance at HRNZ and NZRB living beyond their means has left those currently at the top with no easy options.. Racing ,especially harness has been in decline for decades as witnessed by its lack of activity and popularity in many provinces. Compare that to TB's which are popular in all regions and even they are struggling. Greg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 28, 2020 39 minutes ago, JJ Flash said: Your not being negative, just stating the obvious which is why the RITA knife has had to come out so seriously. Years of non performance at HRNZ and NZRB living beyond their means has left those currently at the top with no easy options.. Racing ,especially harness has been in decline for decades as witnessed by its lack of activity and popularity in many provinces. Compare that to TB's which are popular in all regions and even they are struggling. Greg Harness in decline? look at size of fields wait till the gallops get going a lot of galloping tracks wont survive without the trot clubs,even forbury had bigger fields than most of the gallops,the reason they slipped was purely poor days and poor fields but numbers mostly were still ok. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,135 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 23 hours ago, mikenz said: Harness in decline? look at size of fields wait till the gallops get going a lot of galloping tracks wont survive without the trot clubs,even forbury had bigger fields than most of the gallops,the reason they slipped was purely poor days and poor fields but numbers mostly were still ok. Oh so Harness is flourishing?? Could have fooled us, A few decent sets of fields after months off is hardly conclusive. Feel free to bury your head in the sand and while your at it explain how many harness horses are trained in Otago, Central Districts, Taranaki. Marlborough and Wellington to name a few. Greg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 Didn't say it was flourishing but it is doing better than the galloping guys not that I am anti them in anyway just wait till the gallops start probably get a field of 6 or 7 and then with a shower of rain trainers will pull the pin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,135 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 2 hours ago, mikenz said: Didn't say it was flourishing but it is doing better than the galloping guys not that I am anti them in anyway just wait till the gallops start probably get a field of 6 or 7 and then with a shower of rain trainers will pull the pin. Historically TB's turnover are way above Harness and the Hounds. Once they are underway again post Covid the same pattern will return. If you want a more recent example of my point compare a meeting at Randwick and Menagle to see where Kiwis put their money.I'd say 10 to 1 in fav of TBs and i'm being conservative Heres some numbers as to code distributions The annual report showed that the following distribution for each as a percentage was Thoroughbred 54.3% Harness 29.6% Greyhound 16.1% 100.0% Greg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 Aussie gallops is a high class product, Aussie harness , not so, probably our harness beats theirs but not in all cases, the top stuff from there is good too, one must remember their is usually 6 or 7 meetings from oz a day so what would you expect Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
napier 339 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 8 hours ago, mikenz said: Didn't say it was flourishing but it is doing better than the galloping guys not that I am anti them in anyway just wait till the gallops start probably get a field of 6 or 7 and then with a shower of rain trainers will pull the pin. With a shower of rain trainers will pull the pin - Where the fuck have you come from cock ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 well it is kind of true, lots of meetings get put off , if they dont then half the fields get scratched, its just a observation, guess the new all weather tracks may help, anyway this thread is about addington and its 77 action packed and eagerly awaited racedays. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Piper 408 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 On 5/24/2020 at 2:07 PM, Ludwig said: 77. The same number that went around in the trials yesterday at Oamaru. Move some of those Addington meetings back this way. To Forbury Ludwig 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Piper 408 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 12 minutes ago, 2Piper said: To Forbury Speedy Cheval won the Open Class race 15th October 1988. The race was worth $26000 back then. Whats that now with inflation, good stake , and a really good field for lead up to the Cup. I was on course that night , and a Uni student . That year Popsicle and Honkin Vision battled out for 2yo supremacy down south. Blue Innocence was the star 4yo Southern graduate with Rimesaut, Debbies Boy etc. Alert Fulla folowed the following year. Defoe emerged as a force as well and competed well against the likes of Inky Lord. We're Doomed 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 15 minutes ago, 2Piper said: Speedy Cheval won the Open Class race 15th October 1988. The race was worth $26000 back then. Whats that now with inflation, good stake , and a really good field for lead up to the Cup. I was on course that night , and a Uni student . That year Popsicle and Honkin Vision battled out for 2yo supremacy down south. Blue Innocence was the star 4yo Southern graduate with Rimesaut, Debbies Boy etc. Alert Fulla folowed the following year. Defoe emerged as a force as well and competed well against the likes of Inky Lord. And go back through the results of the last season or two at the standard of the fields and one wonders why they meetings were poor betting, gee cant understand it all can you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,090 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 1 hour ago, napier said: With a shower of rain trainers will pull the pin - Where the fuck have you come from cock ? Dont get me wrong i like the gallops too,at the peak of summer our racings pretty good too, the numbers stack up well in the south,in the north they are sometimes light, just maybe a few less meetings might help but harness racing just seems to be able to keep the numbers up in the main areas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...