From one ...
The news this week that Trackside TV is moving off Freeview in April came as a surprise to many, and the feedback has been mixed to say the least.
Cost-cutting and the chance to improve the coverage are two of the reasons put forward by the New Zealand Racing Board for the shift from the Freeview platform to a Sky-only base.
To soften the blow, there is a deal which gives Freeview users free installation of a Sky decoder and access to Trackside and TAB TV until the end of the year, before a monthly fee of $18.70 for the basic Sky package kicks in from 2015.
I'm no maths genius, but that monthly fee works out at less than $5 a week from next year, which sounds largely fair - especially if you're a punter spending $200 a month on your bets.
Don't forget you can now watch the racing channel through the TAB website if you have just 50c in your account, so there are alternatives
.... platform ...
However, I do have concerns about what the improvements might be and whether they'll be value for money.
The email sent to TAB customers (including myself) tells us in bold that there will be ''new and improved content''.
That's great, but let's dig a little deeper. Magazine-style features? If that's the return of some review shows or even the popular Racing Show, that's a bonus - although wouldn't that just be returning the coverage to the days pre-2008 before budget cuts saw us bid farewell to NZ Retro, Lures And Leads and The Box Seat Retro?
The email also promises extended pre and post-race coverage for feature events.
This is something I was hot on during my time with Trackside and I'm glad to see that is a priority although it has certainly improved in the last couple of years.
One thing that has hamstrung the Trackside production team is having to be all things to everyone - as soon as they've tried to add an extra dimension to New Zealand Trotting Cup day, for example, by removing the greyhound meeting from Trackside and placing it on TAB TV only, they've then had to put the TAB TV broadcast on to the Freeview feed to ensure all viewers - be it on Sky or Freeview - were able to watch all New Zealand racing.
And yet the complaints would still come in from Freeview viewers that the coverage of New Zealand Cup day was ruined by the greyhound meeting cutting in on the coverage before and after the big races. That was an ugly compromise and I'm glad that will be a thing of the past
.... to another
The question of value for money may not be answered until later this year - be it the coverage of the Harness Jewels in Cambridge in late May, or when spring thoroughbred racing kicks into gear in August.
I've already had one reader contact me to tell me they're less than impressed with the change, and I would be happy to hear your opinion whether you're for or against the move.
Lazy fiver
Back to that familiar fifth placing for the Lazy Fiver last week with Her To Eternity.
I was going to give Natuzzi the nod this week, but I don't want to jinx the trip for the Richards and the Duells. So it's to Oamaru on Sunday we go, where I give Mach's Gladiator a chance from a second-line draw in race 7.
