Te Akau Midweek Update

David writes:

When I used to travel around New Zealand I always looked forward to arriving at Auckland Airport and being able to get a copy of the Christchurch Press.

I loved reading that paper when David McCarthy was the Racing Editor - in those times it ws easily the very best racing section in the country, and now it is easily the worst.

It is very sad how New Zealand newspapers have dropped off their coverage of horse racing, a major sport.  The New Zealand Herald used to have five full-time racing reporters, three for the gallops and two for the harness code.

Today they have two part-timers and wonder why people like myself have lost interest in buying the paper.  In Queenstown Karyn and I have been reading the Otago Daily Times - and at least it has some racing news in it - in fact a full page today featuring, amongst other news, jump out results from Wingatui!

Our Assistant trainer Pam Gerard reports that Flaming and Madame Jamai have travelled down brilliantly to Christchurch and both cleaned up their dinner last night and worked freely this morning.  We are again using the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes as a lead up for the NZB Group 1 1000 Guineas so I hope the Ashburton track has some give in it to enable horses to carry on racing through the season.  The Ray Coupland has been a superb race for Te Akau in the past decade with seven winners.

I have just been reading the New Zealand Racing Board's statement of intent.  It wants money for many areas of expenditure but all I say to them is this - if we keep racing for $7000 it won't matter how good Trackside is (by way of example).  There will be no horses left in New Zealand to race.

The NZRB needs to have urgent talks with the government on how to get more investment into an industry that contributes enormously to New Zealand's economy through employment etc.  We need more money for stakes just like NZ Golf has recently received for the upcoming NZ Golf Open at the Michael Hill course.

It should be compulsory for every NZRB Board member to have at least one horse in training so they can see first hand the real cost of having a horse in work.