Chief Stipe

Discussion on Project Stamina Tayler Strong An assurance that Project Stamina was not a "land grab" was conveyed to administrators of thoroughbred racing in Otago and Southland at a gathering at Wingatui today. "We have no agenda and are trying to be collaborative," said Martin Butler, of RCP, the independent consultant appointed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, NZ Harness Racing and the TAB on the future of NZ's racing infrastructure. He was addressing 26 administrators from the Otago, Southland, Riverton, Central Otago, Kurow, Oamaru, Beaumont, Gore, Tapanui, Waikouaiti, Winton, Wyndham and Wairio clubs. "There is a perception that nothing has been done over past decades to address the issues affecting racings position in a progressive manner," said Murray Acklin a long time racing administrator and former president of the NZ Racing Conference (now NZTR) "This couldn't be further from reality and Otago and Southland have, in many respects led the way regarding many of the issues up for discussion. "Nationally thirty-five years ago, there were 96 racing clubs racing at 59 venues, today there are 50 clubs racing at approximately 40 venues. "Rationalization and consolidation have been Club led through evolution, not revolution with great success. "For example, in Otago four racing venues have closed, Waikouaiti, Central Otago (Omakau), Beaumont and Tapanui. "Waikouaiti and Beaumont Racing Clubs race at Wingatui, Central Otago Racing Club join forces with Otago Racing Club for the two-day carnival at Cromwell and Tapanui race at Gore. "Otago province race at four venues, Wingatui, owned and operated by the Otago Racing Club, hosting 15 race days across three individual racing clubs and one harness club [Forbury Park] "Oamaru racecourse is owned by the government on lease in perpetuity for equine activity and administered by local Trustees. It is the home of the Oamaru Jockey Club who host three meetings over the winter months. Oamaru Trotting Club race several times on the grass and all-weather track along with Kurow and Waikouaiti Trotting Clubs. "The Kurow Jockey Club race annually on 30th December at Kurow. This extremely popular meeting draws on a holiday crowd from more than 35,000 who holiday in the Waitaki Valley each year. The venue is owned and administered by a local trust. "The Cromwell racetrack is owned by the local council and forms part of a sporting and recreational complex. Both horse codes race there over the busy holiday period, literally taking 'racing to the people' which would not be replicated to the same extent if moved to say, Wingatui. "Waikouaiti racecourse is owned by the Waikouaiti Racing Club and has been closed for racing purposes for 5 years. The Club are keen to instigate a sale and are working with NZTR to affect a positive outcome for both parties. "Beaumont Racing Club's venue at Beaumont was leased to the Club by local farmers and racing in 1986. In summary, all four active venues are important to ensure racing has exposure all year round and three venues cater for both codes. "The only active venue that could be sold is Wingatui and in doing so would effectively devastate racing in Otago and Southland and be problematic to Canterbury racing. Wingatui is the main training centre in Otago. "Racing in Southland has experienced similar consolidation in recent times and has only three thoroughbred racing venues. "Gore racetrack is owned by the Gore Racing Club and is host to Wyndham Racing Club, Tapanui Racing Club and Gore Trotting Club. "Gore is less than 2 hours from Wingatui and 45 minutes from Invercargill making it easily accessible within Otago and Southland. "The Invercargill track at Ascot Park is home to all three codes and whilst owned by the Southland Racing Club, very long-term leases exist between the two horse codes. "The venue is host to the Southland Racing Club, Wairio Jockey Club and Winton Jockey Club. Harness and Greyhound race there in number. Ascot Park is the main training centre in Southland. "The Riverton Racing Club own their own venue and provide excellent racing and training facilities on a large roomy track often described as one of the best in the country. "The Easter Carnival is extremely popular with on and off course turnover exceeding that of major North Island Clubs. Their New Years Day meeting is gaining in popularity catering for many holiday makers at the seaside resort "There are 13 individual thoroughbred clubs racing 36 days per year in Otago & Southland at 7 venues. "Gallop South administers 16 race days by 10 clubs at 4 venues in Otago & Southland. "Otago Racing Club administers 15 race days by two clubs at two venues [plus one joint venue with Gallop South at Cromwell] "The Southland Racing Club administers their five meetings from Ascot Park. 13 Clubs racing 36 days per annum at seven venues administered by three entities who work collaboratively for the betterment of racing optimises rationalisation and consolidation of a very large area of NZ. "All 13 Clubs are in a sound financial position, cash and assets wise, are debt free and not a drain on resources from NZTR or TAB NZ. "All Clubs conduct successful meetings [weather permitting] and contribute to the nation wellbeing of the thoroughbred racing industry. "Club led rationalization will continue to evolve in the region. Any forced closures or downsizing will erode involvement at all levels," concluded Acklin.

Every Club did that I had to own a horse to get to the trough.

Looking at the Racing Calendar - February programming seems to be all over the place. Tough if you have a mid-grade or Open horse looking for a 1400m race!

True. But they can test before they gallop on it.

Well it looks like they are taking a step by step process to get to racing and then no racing in June and July until late August. The jumpout, then trial then race seems sensible with the pin being able to be pulled at any stage. The galloping will consolidate but also encourage new root growth as the turf responds to damage during the autumn when grass grows best.

The difference is they say they used "soil" not sand and they relaid existing turf that was 50mm in depth already. So the grass had a head start rather than being sown as seed directly or as new turf laid.

Racing expected back on the Hastings course this season: John Jenkinshttps://bitofayarn.com Opinion by Hawkes Bay Today 14 Feb, 2026 06:00 AM9 mins to read Hastings-trained Gohugo stretches his neck out to score a brave win in a Rating 75 race over 1300m at Tauherenikau on Friday last week. John Jenkins is a longtime racing journalist based in Hawke’s Bayhttps://bitofayarn.com Racing is likely to resume on the Hastings racecourse before winter, providing protocols set down by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, the Racing Integrity Board and the New Zealand Jockeys Association are met. The re-cambering work on the course proper has been completed. Initially it was planned that two bends would be re-cambered, the one going out of the home straight and the one at the 1400m mark. But, with that work completed under schedule and under budget, it was also decided to improve the camber of the home bend entering the straight. The re-cambering work involved using a special machine that cut out slices of turf on the course proper at a depth of 50 millimetres.https://bitofayarn.com The machine rolled up these slices and they were then stored on wooden pallets. Where the sections of turf were removed the underneath soil was sloped and additional soil added to establish a camber that measured as much as 1.5 metres on the outside of the track. The strips of grass were then re-laid on top of the soil and the ground has been extensively watered so that the grass beads in well and to encourage root growth. The whole process has gone smoothly up to this point, with a lush sole of grass presently covering the course proper. With the original plastic running rail at the Hastings racecourse now being used by the Waipukurau Jockey Club, two new rails have had to be purchased for the Hastings track.https://bitofayarn.com There is a necessity to have two rails erected, one on the inside and one on the outside, as there is now a significant drop down in certain outside areas due to the extra height caused by the re-cambering. Darin Balcombe, the interim chief executive of Hawke’s Bay Racing, said this week that the two running rails are Australian-made and have been on order for some time. “They will be shipped to New Zealand and should arrive either by the end of this month or early next month,” Balcombe said. Once the running rails are erected, horses should be able to gallop on the course proper by early April and then jumpouts or trials will be conducted after that. Providing there are no problems, an official race meeting will then be planned before the winter sets in. There will then be no racing on the Hastings track in June and July but it is hoped that another race meeting will be held in late August ahead of the traditional three-day spring carnival in September and October.

Ask @nomates to sort it. He seems to be NZ's leading Lazyboy trainer.

Didn't stop it winning. PS: I put the following game in the post for you.

Maybe there wasn't enough of them. Or even a committment from enough trainers.

I imagine the some of the top stables informed them. Might be a KiwiB candidate looking for a last chance.

No new scratchings yet though.

The 7am rating was a Soft 7. 8am - Heavy 8. 8:40am - Heavy 9. 16 mm of rain in an hour and a half. Still raining. Washout? None of the horses going around today need a bottomless 10 in their prep.

Meeting News Open 1400m Added to Taupo – 22 Februaryhttps://bitofayarn.com https://bitofayarn.com An Open 1400m ($25,000) has been added to the Taupo meeting on Sunday 22 February as an 8th race. It has been identified that, aside from black-type races, there are no Open 1400m races in either North Island region during February.

Geez @bono you are sounding more like @Thomass every post you make!!!