Chief Stipe

STEWARDS REPORT: After 2nd race: Following this race comment was made by some riders that their mounts were shifting in the ground. Films from Race 2 were also further reviewed with there being no apparent movement. Stewards convened a meeting with riders along with club officials and after viewing available film footage it was agreed that the meeting should continue. After race 3: Following the running of this race, a number of riders expressed concern regarding the safety of the track, in particular the footing rounding the bends near the 450 metres and near the crossing. A Track Safety Review Panel consisting of Stipendiary Stewards, Club Officials, Jockeys, and a NZTR Representative was convened. Following a track inspection and subsequent meeting with all riders, the remainder of the race meeting was abandoned due to the unsafe nature of the track.

Exactly the same conditions as Karaka Millions night except not as much money up for grabs today!

Since I posted originally about the track I learnt that there is 300mm of straight sand as the top layer. The grass was sown directly into it. When I last walked it on Sistema Stakes Day it wasn't in good condition. There was a couple of smooth lanes and a lot of very rough ones. In my opinion they've spent a lot of money rebuilding the exact same old track. It dismayed me that the didn't even fix the contours and turns because they wanted to retain the iconic look and feel of Ellerslie. Well they certainly achieved that better than they hoped!

Come on @TAB For Ever

MEETING NEWS 10 April 2024 Ellerslie Races Abandoned Races 4-7 at Ellerslie have been abandoned due to the state of the track. More information to follow.

If your horse is fit, healthy, has no pain, happy and wants to race then you don't need any psychological tricks.

Just because a top stable uses them doesn't mean it is proof. I've learnt over the years that a lot of what Trainers do is based on superstition rather than any conclusive proof/evidence. When I was a young 8 year old I got to see the fastest horse in the country in his home stable in Hinds. The horse being Wag. We had a horse stabled there as well on its way to a number of meetings in the canterbury area. Its next race was to be at Ashburton and I was given a snip of Wag's tail for good luck. We tied a few strands to our horses harness. The horse duly won and the Trainer and my father had an enormous collect off the tote. The story was written up in the Ashburton Times. From that time on every now and then in a little envelope with an old fashioned stamp on it we received a little piece of Wag's tail. It worked a few times. Bit like blinkers - they work once and then a Trainer keeps with them until the form drops off and then they try without them and often the horse wins agains. In my opinion it is to do with how the horse is trained and how it feels rather than any head gear it wears. In my opinion the more a horse can see, if it is a true competitor, the better.

MAY help. MAY help. Not exactly conclusive but then these subtleties have always escaped you.

More a horseman than you'll ever be. But then that's not hard is it.

He's riding in the Oaks next Saturday.

Thought so. But what are the advantages of not wearing them?

What Kepitis actually pays for filly www.racing.com Debbie Kepitis won't quite have to fork out an eight-figure sum when it comes to settling her account with Inglis after her purchase of Winx's $10 million yearling at Monday's Easter Yearling Sale. Kepitis was one of three part-owners of Winx during her racing career and, along with Peter Tighe and the family of the late Richard Treweeke, she retains a 33.3 per cent share of the champion mare. That one-third share is also what she owned of the Pierro filly prior to Monday's sale, in which she essentially bought out her other part-owners at a valuation of $10m. Kepitis told media on Monday that she didn't originally intend to buy the filly back when connections made the decision to catalogue her at the Easter Sale, but her bond with the youngster grew in the weeks and days leading up the electric few minutes in the Riverside Stables auction ring. Kepitis' Woppitt Bloodstock will now essentially have to part with $6.6m - two thirds of the total sale price - to complete the purchase of the filly, who will be trained by Chris Waller. It remains unclear whether Kepitis will race the filly with any other partners.

So what % improvement do blinkers offer? Asking on behalf of horse 2.

Wrong answer to wrong question. Regardless where is the cite and the 10%?

Prove it? Please explain how a horse can go 10% faster when it's vision is restricted? How many times did Melody Belle get nutted late?

Yes a good question. Where is the research showing that blinkers make horses go 10% faster @Thomass ?

You may have noticed (actually you wouldn't have) that Te Akau's current trainer doesn't use head gear as much as the previous. They do use ear covers in the parade ring and around to the start but that is to keep their younger horses calmer.

My understanding was his intention was to not be there long as with a couple of Board Members. If he has cut his time short it may be because of frustration at not being able to implement change particularly with regard to personnel. I note Godbar is still lurking.

Or scared shitless because it couldn't see what was running up behind it.

Two obvious reasons. 1. it dissolves an ownership partnership and 2. Sets a market value for taxation purposes.

You are assuming there were equal shares. I thought she was a majority shareholder?

But she didn't pay $10m did she.

The dots are an ellipse. Which you have no idea what they are used for.

Then you get the point. If you don't like racing horses then go find another forum to put up with your repetitive dribble.

So better to scare the shyte out of horse by blinding jt!!! You're so cruel to horses @Thomass.