Breeding & Racing Magazine

Kiwi Punters Out in the Cold from Thursday

Harsh times call for harsh measures, however the dearth of in-depth information that will greet New Zealand's racing industry income base – the punters – could backfire badly on racing authorities who have been forced to take a knife to the TAB's costs. According to racenet.com.au, as of 4 June (NZ racing's resumption), below are the traditional betting support mechanisms about to disappear, leaving a hollow shell of what existed before following the loss of 230 jobs (30 percent of the NZ TAB's staff):

• No newspaper formguide any more
• AM Racing radio channel Trackside gone, with commentary only available via the TAB App or website
• No phone operators available to take bets, with punters forced to use the TAB App or the touchtone computer-based betting service