Trouble at the track

There's increased scrutiny on thoroughbred racing after an industry crisis meeting last month sparked by a spate of weather related race abandonments, the resulting financial pressures and calls for change. The New Zealand Trainers' Association wants to see a complete overhaul of way the billion dollar thoroughbred business is run, including a new strategic plan, a governance overhaul and a look at rationalising some of the smaller, underused and poorly maintained tracks that the industry's struggling to maintain. Meanwhile, the Racing Minister Winston Peters has identified investment in all weather tracks as a possible way forward, but has also reiterated the need for serious changes within industry structures. Kathryn Ryan talks to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing CEO, Bernard Saundry, New Zealand Racing Board Chief Executive John Allen, the New Zealand Trainers' Association president Tony Pike and Tony Lepper the President of the Central Otago Racing Club.