Rex, welcome aboard.
The purpose of this tread was to highlight the support or lack of it to Owners and Trainers.
They are the ones putting their money into the sport. Without them there is no sport.
Mix with these people on a social basis and you get the feeling they think they are being shafted and could leave the sport in NSW.
Gone are the days of being able to determine where and when to race their horses in grades they consider to their advantage to get a return on their investment, this is now determined in NSW by the "Professional Handicappers" as you put it.
The recent Monifieth selection would put a doubt on that title.
Here's your Pub Talk, 2 races series were advertised, a MO with heat and final plus the next week a M1-M2 heat with final with NO CONDITIONS.
The handicappers added the conditions after nominations closed to include higher graded horses...comments: How could they do that! They're killing the sport! Would not have nominated!
Would it surprise you to know that of the finalists in the M1-M2 event, none had recorded prior to the heats a personal best time better than 1.52.1. Their times ranged from 1.52.1 to 1.54.2 and that's lifetime.
Then we have Monifieth. a M9, a winner of over $148,000 last season which finished weeks prior, his last 7 starts, as you indicate is taken into account for selection by the "Professional Handicappers" include 6 Group3 races and a listed Classic, he won the Golden Mile, he had 3 starts over the 1609 with personal times of 1.51.7 twice and a 1.52.1 with prizemoney of $42,300. The "Professional Handicappers" stuffed up and upset a lot of Owners and Trainers.
Secondly, all the changes being made are directed to the turnover, this is evident in your response with turnover figures, plus increased field sizes, adding sprint lanes and a new financial cost to withdraw a horse after nomination released. I wonder why that happens.
Rex, your efforts to create the "Best" track in Australia and the fairest (all runners off the front) has now been prostituted and the reason given, to increase turnover not to help the Owners or Trainers.....as I said before, without Owners and Trainers there is no sport.
Under the current handicapping system of C2 or better and M2 or better it has become a lottery every week, all in the hands of your "Professional Handicappers".