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

CD harness racing to be thrown a lifeline

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The situation at Palmy is a little different than forbury.if they are still gunna have the dogs racing then the track is still in use the trots will only be a success if they get good days and I spose if horses turn up in numbers,recently they have had poor fields and poor dates,same as forbury really Hawera at Easter has a long history so why not them too?

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2 minutes ago, Mikie said:

The CD's 6 full race meetings will be 3 x 2 day meetings

I predict Marlborough will get dates reinstated as well

Mikie

This is where the problem lies though say with blenhiem,do you keep a track open for 2 days a year,Alexandra Park Addington get lots of racing so what do you do then if it's good enough for Westport then is it' good enough for Blenhiem,it is a hard one really.

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13 minutes ago, mikenz said:

This is where the problem lies though say with blenhiem,do you keep a track open for 2 days a year,Alexandra Park Addington get lots of racing so what do you do then if it's good enough for Westport then is it' good enough for Blenhiem,it is a hard one really.

Sometimes I really struggle with your posts mikenz

What do you mean "do you keep a track open for 2 days a year"? (my emphasis)

If the local Committee and Community are bearing the costs of keeping the Track open what is the detriment to the wider racing industry?

The old acorrn about travel doesn't really apply now does it, as with so many race days at Addington those that travel don't have to , they like to

Mikie

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The cost of travel to places like Blenheim and Palmerston North is a negative, but the main attraction to owners and trainers is the chance to take their lesser performing horses to a place where they have a chance of getting some prize money. It is bloody hard to win a race at Addington unless you've got a very good horse.

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1 minute ago, Mikie said:

Sometimes I really struggle with your posts mikenz

What do you mean "do you keep a track open for 2 days a year"? (my emphasis)

If the local Committee and Community are bearing the costs of keeping the Track open what is the detriment to the wider racing industry?

The old acorrn about travel doesn't really apply now does it, as with so many race days at Addington those that travel don't have to , they like to

Mikie

True there is a lot of tradition in these isolated clubs,I guess palmy will be on trial next year,however if all the racing is at Addington,Auckland etc etc from now on will some travel,that what will be determined in the future,time will tell.For some of the out of town clubs to be really successful they really need the weekend they race to be a clear window,will that  or would that happen who knows.

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1 minute ago, mikenz said:

True there is a lot of tradition in these isolated clubs,I guess palmy will be on trial next year,however if all the racing is at Addington,Auckland etc etc from now on will some travel,that what will be determined in the future,time will tell.For some of the out of town clubs to be really successful they really need the weekend they race to be a clear window,will that  or would that happen who knows.

Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz

 

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3 minutes ago, Mikie said:

Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz

 

So you think palmy will get a clear window or just race two days before or after Cambridge,that is the key,in recent times they have been poked in here and there,Forbury Park the same.

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7 minutes ago, Mikie said:

Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz

 

Quality needs to replace quantity,they have in last few years scheduled some pretty poor dates.The greyhounds seem to have heaps of days ,seem they are just a filler sometimes for tv,if race club turnover was as poor as they are they wouldn't race.

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6 minutes ago, mikenz said:

Quality needs to replace quantity,they have in last few years scheduled some pretty poor dates.The greyhounds seem to have heaps of days ,seem they are just a filler sometimes for tv,if race club turnover was as poor as they are they wouldn't race.

Given that On-course T/O's have fallen to $7000 at ATC (no doubt affected by RITA decisions in part) I wouldn't be pointing the finger mikenz

Mikie

 

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2 minutes ago, Mikie said:

Given that On-course T/O's have fallen to $7000 at ATC (no doubt affected by RITA decisions in part) I wouldn't be pointing the finger mikenz

Mikie

 

The stakes they pay for dog races are a reflection of the turnover but then I spose in reality the cost of training feeding and travelling is probably all relevant.

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At least there must be someone who retains some commonsense in the industry. To those who have allowed some compassion for the horsemen/women in the central districts I personally say thankyou.  To those who wanted to wipe out the 100years of central districts harness racing and have failed, I say try some other sport or recreation as you are surplus to requirements. Its not a time for arguments however but a time for making the racing a success for future years. 😂    

 

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On 7/4/2020 at 7:11 AM, eljay said:

Looks like Taranaki is a dirty word.     No Hawera, no Stratford, no New Plymouth.      This area (from a punting perspective) will join the Hawkes Bay

The HB has hardly ever been a hotbed of harness racing. Didn't they once used to set up a temporary track at the Showgrounds? Possibly back in the 80s or 90s.

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2 hours ago, We're Doomed said:

The HB has hardly ever been a hotbed of harness racing. Didn't they once used to set up a temporary track at the Showgrounds? Possibly back in the 80s or 90s.

Yep thats right Hawkes Bay Trotting  Club raced at Tomoana Showgrounds (two day meeting) and set up a race track from scratch each year, from tote facilities to running rail. . On Course only betting and turnover sometimes exceeded 200k. John Butcher, Errol Wallis Eric Ryan, Sam Pluck, Eric Mathews etc etc would send big teams to the Bay.  Under pressure from the Showgrounds Board and NZ Trotting Conference the Club shifted to Hastings racecourse which eventually led to the demise of the Club. 

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Yes and later raced grass at Hastings.   Once the area closed down racingwise the number of trainers in the area diminished to now being non existent and the  Bay punters lost interest in harness.    Many stories can be told of the pilgrimages to the HB 

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As usual people with no understanding that night follows day miss the point. Just come down for great Harness Racing CD. I do feel bad for Hawera .have been attending most Easters there with horses from Auckland in the 70s and up to last year with cd horses. great racing big crowds, special kids carts racing and great country atmosphere.(workouts most sundays)Sadly missed and  yet another bad decision. The Taranaki will go the same as Hawkes Bay. Roll on RITA, HRNZ. eventually the cake will be so small may as well close the canvas.🆘

Quote

 

 

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50 minutes ago, john legend said:

As usual people with no understanding that night follows day miss the point. Just come down for great Harness Racing CD. I do feel bad for Hawera .have been attending most Easters there with horses from Auckland in the 70s and up to last year with cd horses. great racing big crowds, special kids carts racing and great country atmosphere.(workouts most sundays)Sadly missed and  yet another bad decision. The Taranaki will go the same as Hawkes Bay. Roll on RITA, HRNZ. eventually the cake will be so small may as well close the canvas.🆘

 

Sadly John the cake has been shrinking and getting smaller every year......decay and rot in some cases.

Last season betting on Harness was down around 13% , which should equate to less funding.

Something needs to be done ,but Harness folk can't agree exactly what.

The halcyon days of 1970's won't be repeated ,if they were in fact so good..........

What would you do the improve profitablity of Harness and future-proof of the sport  ?

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46 minutes ago, tasman man 11 said:

What would you do the improve profitablity of Harness and future-proof of the sport  ?

Start at the top . HRNZ board and senior management are amateurs trying to run a multi million dollar business with lots of competition. None of them have proven to be up the the job especially at board level. No innovation and almost a jobs for life  attitude which exists no where these days in private sector.

 

Greg

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