curious

Bloody good guess ng!

Bohemian Grove ran in a claimer at his last start in the US. Who rode him?

I fail to see how the quality of the video feed can be the problem, when what is presumably the same feed is working fine on DUKE. I had the Namibia Italy game on and it seemed fine but round the time I got the above email it just froze up. I'll take the 15% refund in the mean time anyway!

You may have experienced some disruption while watching last night’s RWC 2019™ match between New Zealand and South Africa. This happened because of fluctuations in the quality of the video feed from our overseas partners and as a result, we decided to switch live play over to TVNZ DUKE. Here’s some important information about how to watch RWC 2019 tonight and how to go about getting a refund if you were unhappy with your viewing experience last night. What happens for tonight’s matches? While our team has been working hard to fix things, in order to provide all our customers with the best viewing experience we will show all RWC 2019 matches this evening on both Spark Sport and free-to-air on TVNZ DUKE - channel 13 on your TV or Sky channel 23. Please note, no matches will be available through the TVNZ website, TVNZ OnDemand app or Freeview Smart VU. If you were unhappy with your viewing experience on Spark Sport for last night’s match between New Zealand and South Africa, then Spark Sport is offering the choice of either a partial refund or alternatively, a full refund if you wish to cancel your Tournament Pass. If you wish to take up one of these options, please complete this form by 11:59pm on Sunday 29th September. All customers are always welcome to contact Spark Sport about any other issues they are experiencing on the service in relation to other matches and we will work through their options on a case by case basis. The team at Spark Sport

It's bizarre. Just tried the highlight clip. Now in places the audio is ahead of the video. Referees whistle awarding Bridge's try goes while he is still a step away from the try line. I think they have some problems alright. See what happens tonight.

Bart?

Comic Court 1950

You too? Thought it was just our slow rural broadband. We had the audio delayed about 10 secs from the video in the second half. Not that I wasn't tempted to mute the commentary anyway. Ended up switching to Duke though.

Yep, I actually spotted that a couple of days ago when I was setting up Spark Sport and Chromecast for the Cup games. No mention of racing in the drop down sports menu. No announcement I've seen from the TAB. Weird.

Here's a brief crack at that Hesi. Recommendations 1. Change the governance structure, so the NZRB becomes Wagering NZ with racing responsibilities devolving to the individual Codes. This will sharpen the commercial focus of TAB operations and improve the decision-making and accountability of the Codes. Something along these lines possibly a good idea. Worth more detailed development. 2. Establish Racing NZ as a consultative forum for the three Codes to agree on issues such as entering into commercial agreements with Wagering NZ, approving betting rules and budgets for the integrity bodies, equine health & research, etc. Same as 1. 3. Change the composition and qualifications for directors of regulatory bodies. Yes, definitely needs sorting. Again, the devil is in the detail. 4. Request that a Performance and Efficiency Audit of the NZRB be initiated under section 14 of the Racing Act 2003, with particular emphasis on the operating costs of the NZRB. Absolutely. Required under current legislation anyway and overdue. The right reviewer and terms of reference to address some of the matters in this report is critical. 5. Amend the Section 16 distribution formula of the Racing Act 2003 to a more equitable basis for fixed 10-year terms. Don’t think the report makes a sensible case for this. Should remain proportionally based on domestic revenue generated. 6. Initiate a special review of the structure and efficacy of the RIU and allied integrity bodies, to be conducted by an independent qualified person. Yep. Probably should be devolved back to the codes. Has been a disaster as currently structured. Critical ingredient for increasing wagering revenue that integrity system is much more robust and reliable and seen to be so by punters. 7. Begin negotiations for the outsourcing of the TAB’s commercial activities to an international wagering operator, to gain the significant advantages of scale. Worth considering but detailed business case needs to be made alongside alternatives. In particular, retaining the tote business and making it globally competitive and licensing fixed odds operators in NZ (with a restriction on tote derivative products) should be considered. 8. Seek approval for a suite of new wagering products to increase funding for the industry. OK. But not likely to improve revenue. Adds to costs and unlikely to increase overall punter spend. 9. Confirm the assignment of Intellectual Property (IP) by the Clubs to the Codes. Don’t see the point in this. Clubs may be better to retain and control this themselves. Needs work and a better case made. Can club and community assets be co-opted legislatively or lawfully? 10. Introduce Race Field and Point Of Consumption Tax legislation expeditiously. These two measures will bring New Zealand’s racing industry into line with its Australian counterparts and provide much needed additional revenue. Race fields, yes of course. But legislation not required for arrangements with corporate bookmakers to be put in place as already demonstrated. RB estimates wildly out of kilter with the reliable research. DIA estimates more robust. I’d say might get to $3-5m net across all codes. PoC tax, nope. See DIA estimates that administrative costs may exceed revenue. Providers already paying a consumption tax in the form of GST. If implemented any net revenue should go to taxpayer not racing anyway. 11. Repeal the existing betting levy of approximately $13 million per annum paid by the NZRB, given that the thoroughbred Code is a loss maker overall, with the net owners’ losses outweighing the NZRB’s net profit. Nice if you can get it. Note that some $50m of duty relief previously granted has been wasted on stakes and operating costs. Industry didn’t do what they said they would with that so why should the taxpayer gift more to a declining industry, or any industry for that matter. Also, an equity matter with casinos betting duty. Probably politically unpalatable. 12. Clarify legislation to vest Race Club property and assets to the Code regulatory bodies for the benefit of the industry as a whole. Big NO. Can’t legislate to colonise community and club assets. Needs to occur voluntarily at the discretion of club members where clubs will no longer have raceday licences. They should decide whether assets are put to other uses in the community. Any reinvestment in racing will also mostly have to be in the same region. 13. Reduce the number of thoroughbred race tracks from 48 to 28 tracks under a scheduled program. This does not require the closure of any Club Yep. No brainer but the redevelopment of remaining tracks needs to occur first in order to have an infrastructure in place that can cope with the racing required. 14. Upgrade the facilities and tracks of the remaining racecourses with funds generated from the sale of surplus property resulting from track closures to provide a streamlined, modern and competitive thoroughbred racing sector capable of marketing itself globally. Yep to the upgrades but the business case for that needs to be funded from current and future revenue and be sustainable. 15. Construct three synthetic all-weather tracks at Cambridge, Awapuni & Riccarton with assistance from the New Zealand Government’s Provincial Growth Fund. Support the development of the Waikato Greenfields Project. Yep in principle. Again, the initial cost and ongoing maintenance needs to be funded from current and future revenue increases. The business case is not made in the report. Needs more detailed work. That should include comparison of synthetics with Strathayr for these AWTs. 16. Introduce robust processes to establish traceability from birth and the re-homing of the entire thoroughbred herd, as the foundation stone of the industry’s ongoing animal welfare program. Fine. 17. Increase thoroughbred prizemoney gradually to over $100 million per annum through a simplified three-tier racing model, with payments extended to tenth place in all races. Great but it is not clear where the revenue or cost savings to do that will come from other than some from the restructuring perhaps. Recommended changes as above will not on their own make the NZ racing product competitive or attract more wagering spend. That also requires, among other things, aligning the prizemoney structure more closely to revenue generated and having a fair and competitive handicapping system for starters. No problem hesi

They are limited alright! But not in the way I think you mean. Completely hopeless would be a better description. I think Saundry's best hopes were another $8-9m by 2021? That's if the TAB performance doesn't deteriorate in the meantime which again the strategy seems to be to sit and hope for. This was repeated several times. So, maybe a 10% increase in stakes in the next couple of years and 2 or 3 mil for other expenses. Sounds promising.

Oh dear. Just watched this. Does anyone else get the impression that the key thrust of NZTR policy is to continue to sit on their hands while they wait for the magical 3 pillars/levers/revenue streams (2 of which appear to be grossly over-estimated) to fall into place?

Strolled in. No slouch indeed. Did Stivers run?

de Lore is an idiot. Doesn't have the foggiest clue and is somehow sucked in to believing the same shit that has been promoted by Messara, Peters, RITA and their cronies for at least a decade. Time has not suddenly become an issue. It has been an issue for at least that long but continuing to suggest that doing more of what has long since failed is just pie in the sky and saying we must hurry up and do that is quite ridiculous. He's got this all completely wrong and the DIA and Treasury are much closer to the mark but have been ignored. I was talking with a Treasury data scientist last night about this but as he said, we can only crunch the numbers and report what they say. What the politicians do with that is another thing. Doesn't really matter whether they do it faster or slower. The result will be the same. Things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get better if they ever do. Meanwhile, the likes of NZTR who have the potential to make the necessary changes to improve things continue to sit on their hands awaiting some knight in shining armor to rescue them from their own stupidity.

Is there possibly an alternative quarantine arrangement in the works?

I doubt there's anyone at NZTR that can read that fast.

Really? I think it's caveat emptor like all the rest of punting on horses.

Date 29 August 2019 RITA RACING REFORM PROGRAMME UPDATE #2 Good evening, It’s been just sixty days since the establishment of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) and a timely opportunity to update you on progress against the Reform Programme the Board are advancing on behalf of the Minister for Racing. Our strategic focus is set out very clearly in the letter of expectation from the Minister for Racing - we must work to secure the long-term success of the New Zealand racing industry. We must reform the industry into a more sustainable structure, and support them as it goes through this change. You will know that there are 17 recommendations from the Review of the New Zealand Racing Industry by John Messara that we are working through. Many of these need policy, legislation and comprehensive regulations for the proposed changes to take effect. Much of this work is complex and requires significant focus from RITA Board and management, as well as the Department of Internal Affairs. As we come into the important period of Spring racing we are encouraged by the progress made to give effect to this ambition. Bill One The first Racing Reform Bill came into effect on July 1 and addresses the industry’s need for additional revenue. This included the totalisator (betting) duty paid to the Crown being phased out and the introduction of two new charges on overseas betting operators (offshore charges) to help ensure they contribute to the New Zealand racing and sports codes from which they benefit. The money available as a consequence of the reduction in Betting Duty is being held by RITA while the final details of its distribution between Harm Minimisation Initiatives, and the Racing Codes and Sports NZ is finalised. From mid 2021, we would expect the returns will be in excess of $14m, with approximately $4m available this year. The distribution amounts need to be set by a specific regulation and we will update the industry prior to Christmas on the outcome. The Offshore Charges will be able to be set and collected following the implementation of regulations. It is expected that this process will be completed and collection commenced from the beginning of the 2020 calendar year. While overseas betting operators will be required to pay product fees in due course, a number of these have already committed to voluntary charges, most recently Sportsbet. This is in addition to the arrangement secured with Betfair earlier this year, and discussions with other operators in the Australian market are ongoing. The first Bill also permits RITA to offer betting on a wider range of sports where an agreement is reached with Sport NZ. We are hopeful of new sports being made available to TAB customers before the end of the year. Bill Two Work is now well advanced on preparing the second Bill which we anticipate being introduced into Parliament at the end of this year. This will include provisions designed to give effect to the establishment of TAB NZ in order to maximise revenue and profit for racing and to the transfer to the individual Codes of a range of racing and industry responsibilities previously undertaken by RITA. We have sought feedback from the Codes on this with a view to policy decisions being taken for inclusion in the draft policy papers for the Bill. Provisions to facilitate discussion between Codes and Clubs in relation to the future of New Zealand’s racing venues, as part of the Future Venue Plan work started last year, are expected to be included in the new Bill. The Messara recommendations in relation to the racing Integrity bodies and animal welfare have been advanced in an independent review undertaken by Malcolm Burgess. His Report has been circulated for consultation with the various views currently being analysed, including from the JCA and RIU who presented to the Board at our last meeting. The decisions on a new Governance structure for integrity bodies will likely be made by the Board at our next meeting on September 25, and could result in specific legislative considerations in the Bill. Messara also recommended an independent performance and efficiency audit on the NZRB and we expect a final version in mid September. This has been slightly delayed to ensure the scope of the report brief was fully met. Once complete it will be sent to the Minister. In addition, we've had an independent report on the Distribution Model under section 16 of the Act developed and which will be discussed with the Codes within the next few weeks with regulations developed next year. Harm Minimisation As the Board work through the various recommendations we remain acutely aware of our responsibility to minimise the harm that gambling can lead to for some people. RITA management has reviewed its work in this area and developed a comprehensive strategy to add further weight to activities already underway. This will include utilising technology, improving communications and building stronger partnerships with the sector. Industry Engagement Over the past few weeks we have met with the Boards of the three Codes to update them on the process and our progress. We will also keep the industry up to speed on our progress where we can. Good progress is being made but to meet the timelines required for the legislative process the momentum must be sustained. We will provide a further RITA operational update in September. Yours sincerely, Dean McKenzie Chair

That's incredible. Pity you didn't post that last night when I could have got on @ 100! I bet Thommo was on. Did it have blinkers and a claim?

Took him out I see.

Promoting the horse and his stable in the Winx case is probably part his obligation to owners but as mardi says it's not an essential skill for all trainers. I had a funny moment some years back when I was training a couple. My employer issued a memo saying that under the code of conduct staff could not talk to the media on any topic without management approval. At the track the next morning, hop off after a gallop and the clocker walks up and says "that was a nice piece of work, where are you lining him up ?" I said sorry, I can't talk to you about that!

What punting prowess? You mean posting his Saturday selections the following Monday? That's definitely wildly successful.

Yes. Bernard at least, appears to have used some poetic licence!

It does say from "next month" not the 1st of the month. Benefit of the doubt? Or have they kicked off with a porkie? Watch this space. TAB Trackside joins Spark Sport Stable 18 July 2019 The TAB is pleased to announce it has partnered with Spark Sport to show Trackside 1 and 2 on its digital platform. From next month coverage of all live racing, along with pre and post-race analysis, live odds and feature shows will be shown to a new mainstream audience alongside tennis, football and later this year the Rugby World Cup. “This agreement provides a great opportunity for showcasing domestic racing through broadening the access to, and the audience of TAB Trackside,” says TAB General Manager of Media and International Andy Kydd. The sports rights market in New Zealand has changed significantly over the past five years, and earlier this year the TAB entered into a non-exclusive agreement with SKY NZ, providing the TAB and the racing codes greater opportunity to grow audience and get content to new viewers. “It also provides the basis for a partnership opportunity for us to explore other non Trackside content residing on this platform, such as a pop-up destination for extended coverage of our feature racedays,” says Kydd. The TAB’s core wagering customers will continue to be serviced in retail via SKY NZ.

From Spark Sport: Ragu Y: Spark Sport has partnered with the Racing Industry Transition Agency (formerly the New Zealand Racing Board) to show TAB Trackside on Spark Sport Ragu Y: However, we do not have a start date yet!