How is Victoria travelling?

[Messenger]

Does anybody know how HRV is travelling at present. I was told by one of Racing's icons that one of Harness Racing's icons told him HRV was not travelling too well and suggested it was due to the CEO not knowing what he was doing.

[A BIT DUSTY]

Does anybody know how HRV is travelling at present. I was told by one of Racing's icons that one of Harness Racing's icons told him HRV was not travelling too well and suggested it was due to the CEO not knowing what he was doing.

Mate I think you might have to ask an Icon for an answer.

[aussiebreno]

Last financial year income went up marginally, investment in infrastructure went up by around 15% and debts were paid off yet the bank balance still went up.

The racing sides still great.

Vic is doing fine I think.

[Starship Captain]

You are funny Messenger

[Messenger]

Mate I think you might have to ask an Icon for an answer.


You are funny Messenger

I was asking seriously men. I had to be vague about sources and I now realize that I should not have brought it up as I cannot name the icons (for want of a better word). It is just that the opinion expressed shocked me and wondered if anyone knew anything

Thanks for the serious reply Brendan - I wonder whether the statement was referring to this year? How long has JA been in power. I might PM you

[A BIT DUSTY]

I was asking seriously men. I had to be vague about sources and I now realize that I should not have brought it up as I cannot name the icons (for want of a better word). It is just that the opinion expressed shocked me and wondered if anyone knew anything

Thanks for the serious reply Brendan - I wonder whether the statement was referring to this year? How long has JA been in power. I might PM you

HI KEVIN Mate I knew you were being serious , but couldn't help myself , you must agree you heard from one Icon from another Icon sounds funny .

Cheers Denny

[Itisi]

I was asking seriously men. I had to be vague about sources and I now realize that I should not have brought it up as I cannot name the icons (for want of a better word). It is just that the opinion expressed shocked me and wondered if anyone knew anything

Thanks for the serious reply Brendan - I wonder whether the statement was referring to this year? How long has JA been in power. I might PM youAlso heard that the Melton situation is getting worse by the week. Very low attendances crap food for functions ect, poorly run in general just hope the gaming keeps them going.

[Starship Captain]

Harness racing people need to get it into their head's that race track attendance is not in the future of the sport.
Shit food at the trots is all part of the experience:)

[triplev123]

I'm still waiting for them to let the Moths out of their purse and spring for a roof for the Melton Grandstand.

[Itisi]

Harness racing people need to get it into their head's that race track attendance is not in the future of the sport.
Shit food at the trots is all part of the experience:)
Your right there, but when they serve up that frozen lasagna shit to there major sponsors do this is not good.

[triplev123]

Frozen Lasagna? Geeze. That's awful. I take it the food at Melton hasn't improved much over the vomitous muck they used to regularly insult the patrons with at Moonee Valley?
In the year that MV closed I went down there with my Dad & my Brother and made our way to this upstairs dining room. I can vividly recall Dad ordering a piece of fish and it was just dreadful. I'd be prepared to bet that it was caught back when Gough Whitlam was PM.
I went against my best judgement that day, having been completely traumatised by them at primary school canteen level all those years ago, and would you believe I was foolish enough to order a Pie?
Someone made the obligatory joke about it being a Rat's Coffin. Upon returning to the table and taking a chop at it, they were right on the money. To add insult to injury I suspect that it wasn't even a young rat. It was an old grissled one. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.
I think my brother ordered a roast pork & veges or something like that. It came out as a kind of conglomerate of steamed pig fat covered in bad gravy with those apalling diced up 3 veges mix for colour and some powdered mashed potato to cover up the marks on the plate. Mmmmmm. Nourishing stuff that.
Please pass the Soylent Green.
http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/Life/Comic_Strips/BorsToon_GAS_loRes_378.jpg

[Itisi]

Frozen Lasagna? Geeze. That's awful. I take it the food at Melton hasn't improved much over the vomitous muck they used to regularly insult the patrons with at Moonee Valley?
In the year that MV closed I went down there with my Dad & my Brother and made our way to this upstairs dining room. I can vividly recall Dad ordering a piece of fish and it was just dreadful. I'd be prepared to bet that it was caught back when Gough Whitlam was PM.
I went against my best judgement that day, having been completely traumatised by them at primary school canteen level all those years ago, and would you believe I was foolish enough to order a Pie?
Someone made the obligatory joke about it being a Rat's Coffin. Upon returning to the table and taking a chop at it, they were right on the money. To add insult to injury I suspect that it wasn't even a young rat. It was an old grissled one. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.
I think my brother ordered a roast pork & veges or something like that. It came out as a kind of conglomerate of steamed pig fat covered in bad gravy with those apalling diced up 3 veges mix for colour and some powdered mashed potato to cover up the marks on the plate. Mmmmmm. Nourishing stuff that.
Please pass the Soylent Green.
http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/Life/Comic_Strips/BorsToon_GAS_loRes_378.jpgClassic

[David Summers]

Anyone remember the food at Harold Park? I still have a stomach ache after a pie and later a hot dog at one of the meetings.

It's a long time back , Shakamaker won that night if I remember right , but how I felt the next day still haunts me :-(

[strong persuader]

You folks need to get out west then, Bathurst has to be one of the best places to eat that I have encountered in my travels around the trotting venues.

[Greg Hando]

Will second that Phil bloody good feed at Bathurst.

[David Summers]

Thanks both. Never been to a Bathurst meeting but will keep it in mind if I am out that way next year. Naturally the racing comes first but it's always a bonus to have a decent meal too.

I'm older and wiser these days and pies and hotdogs are not on my menu.

[triplev123]

Anyone remember the food at Harold Park? I still have a stomach ache after a pie and later a hot dog at one of the meetings.

It's a long time back , Shakamaker won that night if I remember right , but how I felt the next day still haunts me :-(

[VVV] I vividly remember those formerly frozen then overtly deep fried and irrespectively thoroughly dreadful Prawn Bat thingos they used to serve at HP.
One Friday night I went on a reconnaissance mission whilst the counter staff were looking the other way and located a crate of them in the freezer out back.
It was stamped best before December 15th, 1967, which was 2 days before that fateful day when Harold Holt disappeared at Cheviot Beach.

[triplev123]

The best breakfast to be had in Bathurst is at that Cafe which is virtually next door to the Knickerbocker Hotel.
E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T.

[ringman]

Elle's Cafe that is

[Itisi]

I believe that all tracks with a Pokie venue are traveling ok with the gaming profits helping them out, but heard on weekend that Geelong and Bendigo are really struggling to survive. The cost of maintaining them for trainers is hurting them badly. An ex board member whom I was talking to said the panic button was about to be pushed.

[triplev123]

I understand Neil Busse has organised a Lamington Drive fundraiser.

[gutwagon]

As a regular at Melton I have only heard good things about the food there. Can't say that I have ever had a bad meal there. As for the crowd numbers I don't know the official figures but it seems to have about as many as it can comfortably fit most weeks. It does desperately need some undercover outdoor seating . And it would be nice to be able to walk from the stables to the track without getting drenched.

[David Summers]

Yeah, and would be nice to sit in the Melton "grandstand" (huh!!) , the one with no roof , without having to try and see the racing action through all the umbrellas on wet nights. The thinking that went into the planning of the facilities for on-course patrons at Melton ........ there is nothing I can say , there was no actual "thinking" involved.

[Lucky Camilla"s Lovechild]

Yeah, and would be nice to sit in the Melton "grandstand" (huh!!) , the one with no roof , without having to try and see the racing action through all the umbrellas on wet nights. The thinking that went into the planning of the facilities for on-course patrons at Melton ........ there is nothing I can say , there was no actual "thinking" involved.
Yeah so you've mentioned once or twice!

[gutwagon]

Have to agree with you David. And it's not improving either, that ramp at the entrance of the new Legends Cafe is a joke, and the doors face the wrong way when you get up the bloody ramp ! And they forgot to put a viewing area in the other end of it for viewing the parade ring.

[Toohard]

We regulars every week at Melton and the food in the Legends bistro is great!

There's never umbrellas in the grandstand on wet nights (harden up princess!) as can stand behind the glass inside and watch if don't want to risk getting wet for 2 or 3 minutes.

Check out atherstone.com.au. Don't know details of deal done with Lend Lease but all land owned by HRV I believe. Travelling Ok if that's the case...

[David Summers]

Yeah so you've mentioned once or twice!

LCL, sorry to seemingly bore you with my comments on this so-called state of the art Harness complex. I will say again ( LCL you can now move onto another more interesting thread ) , the whole thinking behind the Melton complex is flawed , a 1000 metre track ........ pleeeasse!!!!

[Lucky Camilla"s Lovechild]

LCL, sorry to seemingly bore you with my comments on this so-called state of the art Harness complex. I will say again ( LCL you can now move onto another more interesting thread ) , the whole thinking behind the Melton complex is flawed , a 1000 metre track ........ pleeeasse!!!!
You know what David? I'm yet to hear one trainer or driver complain about the Melton track.

[Danno]

You know what David? I'm yet to hear one trainer or driver complain about the Melton track.

Leigh/David,
for what it's worth..... personal horseman's experience ( from Hunter Valley NSW) Newcastle installed a new 960 metre a little over twenty years ago, we had two "half mile" tracks ( Cessnock and Maitland) plus the old Newcastle (500 metre) track saucer before this.
Our horses "grew a leg" every time they worked/trialed/raced on the new 960 metre circuit!!
It was a massive transformation in our area.

The Cessnock 800m circuit, which is still used as a training facility today, is as well built a half mile track as you will get, but these days the horses feel the turns.

The Newcastle 960 metre track, when it was first opened over twenty years ago... the horses didn't feel the turns, now, however they do! They are just going that little bit quicker than they were back then.

The first horse I took to menangle a couple of years ago, had trialled beautifully the week before at Newcastle, but given we are going a bit quicker these days he was feeling the turns. At menagle a week later at his first official start the horse felt like he was running in a straight line the whole way.

Honestly guys every improvement is a great thing but the difference between Menangle and Newcastle ( which, don't get me wrong is a great track) is very noticable to the horse.

And in closing can I balance those statements with.. we should never forget the public the spectacle at Menangle is pretty poor unless it's supported by the big screens.

[Itisi]

You know what David? I'm yet to hear one trainer or driver complain about the Melton track.
Cant believe you would say that, Kylie Sugars along with others have a problem with it, the lost meeting not long back was a problem and of course we all know when it's wet the inside is rooted, they say very little these days as it is old news.

[Lucky Camilla"s Lovechild]

Cant believe you would say that, Kylie Sugars along with others have a problem with it, the lost meeting not long back was a problem and of course we all know when it's wet the inside is rooted, they say very little these days as it is old news.
Kylie Sugars and others is certainly a long list of drivers isn't it?

[Itisi]

You know what David? I'm yet to hear one trainer or driver complain about the Melton track.Well all I can say you must work in the hamburger stand and don't get a chance to talk only time you do is to ask if you want sauce or not.

[triplev123]

Mick...why exactly was it that they went with a 1000m track at Melton?

[Lucky Camilla"s Lovechild]

Well all I can say you must work in the hamburger stand and don't get a chance to talk only time you do is to ask if you want sauce or not.
Ha ha ha thats funny. Call me old fashioned, but I like my trots without having to use binoculars. I had the privelige of going to a couple of Miracle Miles at Harold Park and they were the best Harness experiences of my life. Melbourne Showgrounds were apparently much the same but I was too young to remember the experience. I dont know why HRV went with a 1000m track. Maybe they wanted the crowd close to the action so the newcomers could get hooked like myself and no doubt lots of others. I don't know. But wev'e now got a track and facility that WE own. No more being Moonee Valley Racing Clubs bitch. I respect your opinion of Melton. A lot of the old boys i've spoken to over the years didn't like Moonee Valley when we first moved there. I must admit though, the one thing that annoys me about Melton, is the quality of the sound on the race replays on the net.

[Itisi]

Mick...why exactly was it that they went with a 1000m track at Melton?
There ignorance that's why, so much so that G Lang stand ain't there. Work it out yourself he wanted 1200 metre track.

[Big Max]

Give me 1200 mtrs with good bends anyday,good for the horses and good for the spectacle.

[Itisi]

Ha ha ha thats funny. Call me old fashioned, but I like my trots without having to use binoculars. I had the privelige of going to a couple of Miracle Miles at Harold Park and they were the best Harness experiences of my life. Melbourne Showgrounds were apparently much the same but I was too young to remember the experience. I dont know why HRV went with a 1000m track. Maybe they wanted the crowd close to the action so the newcomers could get hooked like myself and no doubt lots of others. I don't know. But wev'e now got a track and facility that WE own. No more being Moonee Valley Racing Clubs bitch. I respect your opinion of Melton. A lot of the old boys i've spoken to over the years didn't like Moonee Valley when we first moved there. I must admit though, the one thing that annoys me about Melton, is the quality of the sound on the race replays on the net.don't know who told you that we own that facility but that rubbish, we got given the land but borrowed shiploads to build all stands ,track, barn, ect then they do deal with tattersall to get all clubs to sign up, well Horsham and Kilmore tell them to f.... Off we do our own negotiations . That CEO could not run a chook raffle and the faster they piss him off the better.

[Itisi]

Mick...why exactly was it that they went with a 1000m track at Melton?
Dont know everyone wanted it but Mr Anderson convinced the board not to. Let's face it it's all about turnover now not crowds, and the best racing is on the bigger tracks and I have been saying for years now we race over to far a distance, in our every day race for the punter to maintain interest in investing on it. Let's look at most races and 400 to 600 metres in the middle of most races nothing happens.Must be honest I love the racing at Menangle and I have trained horses in Vic for thirty years.

[barney]

Change the subject back to original .Anyone see race 6 at Albury on new years eve.(before some smartie says it i know its Nsw) but the stable concerned is Victorian.Stewards enquiry in the drive of the 1 Leda Mcnally gave lead up to stablemate then didnt take opportunity to make ground sounds like team driving to me if so needs to be stamped out big time.
Stablemate didnt win but was the stable elect.

[Messenger]

I have never seen a track screaming out for Pokies like my old town of Yarra Glen. Large grandstand never fully utilized. No pokies in the town - a popular tourist destination close to Melbourne