Turf Digest / Best Bets improvements continue

24 June 2011

Feedback from customers has led the New Zealand Racing Board to make changes to Turf Digest / Best Bets that will significantly enhance the publication.

Turf Digest / Best Bets will continue to be produced twice-weekly, but the Sunday edition will now be on sale on Mondays from July 4. The Thursday edition continues and will include information on Sunday race meetings.

NZ Racing Board General Manager Wagering, Racing and Sport Martin Saunders said the end result for customers would be a far better publication.

"When we learned the delivery network for the traditional Sunday book would no longer be available, necessitating the shift to Mondays, we decided it was also a great opportunity to give Turf Digest / Best Bets an overhaul based on feedback from customers

"This means improved content and far more comprehensive information for punters, making Turf Digest / Best Bets better than ever before.

"However, the changes to our distribution arrangement, the greater size of the book and the addition of full colour have resulted in the need to increase the cover price of each edition to $5 from Thursday, July 7. The book remains great value and the increase is in response to the rise in production and distribution costs, as well as the GST increase that we did not pass on to our customers last year."

Mr Saunders said the revamped Turf Digest / Best Bets would be a hit with punters.

The Monday edition will provide racing form for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for:

• all domestic thoroughbred and harness racing
• all greyhound racing (in an extended format)
• a wide selection of Australian racing

The Thursday edition will now provide domestic racing form for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as international racing as space allows.

"Most importantly we've listened to what our customers want by introducing a number of enhancements they have told us is valuable to them," said Mr Saunders.

"In addition to the already comprehensive form information, there'll be full colour silks, more breeding information, owners' details, more jockey and driver information and current and historical ratings.

"We aim to make Turf Digest / Best Bets the complete racing publication supporting New Zealand racing."

ENDS

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