Chief Stipe

Which is what it should be not straight sand! I would have thought that you wouldn't need mesh in the very top layer but the next layer down. That way it gives you some room to move with mechanical cultivation in the top layer from time to time. But definitely having peat in that top layer with sand makes sense as it provides a buffer and lessens the need to irrigate constantly. The grass roots also grow through it better.

Where did you see that?

@curious the mesh layer is BELOW the 300mm sand layer in which the grass is growing.

Run by amateurs.

Anyway the sand is the problem and putting more on doesn't help. $55m stuff up. They might be able to race on it in the winter...oh that's right Ellerslie isn't doing that anymore.

https://au.scootboots.com/

Sometimes you just have to love the irony of Google Ads. Just been dished up this. They look ideal for Ellerslie! All Terrain Hoof Boots! Scoot Boot Scoot Boots All Terrain Hoof Boots Shop Now Ride Anywhere With Scoot Boots Scoot Boots are designed by a farrier for the barefoot horse to allow free and natural movement across all terrain. Our boots are perfect for all riding disciplines and a dependable rehab and transition boot. Open Toe and Side Vents Open Toe and Side Vents For drainage, ventilation and open toe for optimum break over Scoot Tread Scoot Tread For secure grip and great traction over all terrain. Secure & Easy to put on Secure & Easy to put on No cables or velcro. Precise fit to the hoof wall. Flexible, Shock Absorbing Sole Flexible, Shock Absorbing Sole Provides comfort for joints and soles when on harsh terrain. Lightweight & Low Profile Lightweight & Low Profile Sleek and light design ideal for competition. Removable Straps Removable Straps Fun coloured options available to make your boots stand out. Depend On Scoot Boots For The Trails Ride Anywhere You Choose Scoot Boots protect you over all types of terrain.

We should all have some sympathy for @Brodie. Gone are the days where he had a new Bentley every two years, 4 overseas trips a year to warmer climes - Brisbane, the Maldives, Monaco and any number of other places, a 30 day penthouse cruise and a few shopping trips to Melbourne with the bride coinciding with major sporting events. All funded through his TAB place betting. Thankfully his children managed to get through university without student loans before the mongrels at the TAB put the restrictions on his betting. But it isn't too bad he isn't means tested for his Super and he managed to coset a tidy sum from one big collect into his Kiwi Saver account at Milford. Personally I think the TAB should do what the Casinos do with big winners and ply @Brodie with 100yr old single malt whiskey delivered by young ladies and free penthouse room. Get him addled and get all his money back before the grandchildren put their hooks in.

So if they do become hugely successful will the individuals that bought syndicate $1.01 tickets be restricted as individuals because they are winning heaps? Just asking for a friend @Brodie.

If you want to have a squiz inside: https://www.bayleys.co.nz/listings/commercial/waikato/waipa/18-dick-street-cambridge-2314589 3.4 km to Cambridge Racecourse 27.6 km to Te Rapa 36.9 km to Matamata 385 km to Foxton

mmm Google Search brings up this building:

NZTR Head Office | Change of Address NZTR is excited to announce a significant milestone with the relocation of our head office from Petone, Wellington to Cambridge. This move marks a new chapter in our commitment to excellence and innovation within the racing industry. Our new headquarters in Cambridge signifies more than just a change of address, it represents a strategic decision to centralise our operations in a vibrant hub that is deeply connected to the heart of New Zealand's racing community. Cambridge's rich history in breeding and racing makes it the perfect setting for NZTR to further its mission of promoting and advancing the sport we all love. Effective immediately, NZTR's Head Office Address will be as follows: 18 Dick Street, Cambridge 3434 All post can be sent to the following: PO Box 357, Cambridge Box Lobby, Cambridge 3450 Please make sure your records are updated. If you have any questions regarding the address change you can reach out to Sam.Fursdon@nztr.co.nz. Thank you for your continued support. Corporate Communications New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Contact: Catlyn Calder +64 27 263 0276 nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

It is a shyte load of sand on a track that already has 300mm in the top layer! This fixation with sand has me completely baffled. Did they get a good deal on it when doing the AWT's? Please don't tell me it is imported as well!!!

Apparently the CEO said they were putting another 3000 tonnes of sand on the track? Has anyone else heard that? That is about 50mm covering 3.6 hectares. Or 2 inches over 9 acres.

I always found it a bit of a joke that all punters are limited to $500k in winnings a day! Is it more now? All the weird and wonderful losing $1 multi's that punters have to adjust to just tick in under $500k.

Nup. Willo made the mistake. Should have stuck on her arse.

Which raises an interesting question who were the best at judging time and pace?

Well it's enlightening that the top jocks can't assess time and pace.

So when you said in an earlier post YOU could sell me a building you were talking shyte?

It seems they've copied what Elwick did but forgot the learnings. So essentially ARC have spent $55m to have exactly the same track as they had before. How iconic - I mean ironic.

Dan O'Sullivan's view. 🏇Unpacking the Queen Elizabeth Stakes ⏱️⚖️📊 ⏱️In the run: *⃣ Pride Of Jenni went at a similar speed to the 800m and 600m mark as she did in the Australian Cup. Her extreme leading margin was hugely contributed to by the incredibly casual nature of the chasing pack. *⃣ As an example, Mr Brightside (2nd in run) ran about -14L slower to the 600m than is typical for a Randwick 2000m race, not even factoring in that, on average, G1 quality horses should run faster in the early stages than the overall T&D standard. *⃣ In other words, the pack could have been at least 14L closer at the 600m mark and not have been unduly taxing their horses. They would have travelled no faster than the typical early speed for the Randwick 2000m trip. *⃣ Pride Of Jenni was running her race like she typically does. The others were running their race like she wasn't there, taking part in something typical of a jog & sprint weight-for-age race. *⃣ Jockeys don't have the benefit of seeing sectionals during the run to know exactly how fast they are going, but they must have known they were travelling well and truly within their comfort zones. I think psychology was a big factor after the first 400m or so and through the middle stages, with jockeys afraid of busting their horse by chasing Pride Of Jenni and trying to close the gap. In essence, they were psyched out of the race by the reputation of Pride Of Jenni, and the result was an over-correction where they went far slower than they should have. 📊The overall race: *⃣ On the objective measures of the clock, on a day where times were typical of a Good 4 track, Pride Of Jenni's overall time of 122.02 was certainly not as remarkable as a 6.5L winning margin over Via Sistina and 8.4L over Mr Brightside would suggest, based on what we know of the talent of those horses. *⃣ In a rating sense, if you take some type of line through the ratings of those behind, you'd have Pride Of Jenni at an elite world-class level... think of Might & Power or Sunline with a similar running style, but the clock doesn't warrant that. The chasing pack, with the start they gave by going so slowly for so long, essentially didn't take part in the "race", so none of them can get credit for running anywhere near their typical form. *⃣ Pride Of Jenni has gone very well at a 105 rating (vs 102.6 in the Australian Cup), but I don't think she has suddenly turned into Might & Power or Sunline. *⃣ I've never seen anything like this race where it was literally two separate events. Pride Of Jenni in her own race and the pack in a jog & sprint WFA race. It presents a unique scenario in which to rate performances and view the form going forward. *⃣ If we look at the pack in their own race and assess its quality based on that, it was in line with what we would expect. Via Sistina was particularly good in a theoretically very slow run race to sprint past Mr Brightside (who went well). Cascadian was also terrific

Am I reading this correctly but Elwick in Tasmania had the exact same problem as Ellerslie? Perhaps we need an approach like they have in the aviation industry.

The plot thickens. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/37v59bJ5UdiTq41x/?mibextid=w8EBqM

Mmmm I wonder if Elwick is a customised StrathAyr? Track guru gives Elwick green light Roger Oldridge@roger_oldridge8 January, 2021 Flemington track manager Liam O'Keeffe Racing will soon return to Tasmania’s Elwick Racecourse with the troubled surface set to be back near peak condition in time for next month’s Hobart Cup. Moonee Valley track manager, Marty Synan, and his Flemington counterpart, Liam O’Keeffe, this week answered a SOS from Tas Racing CEO, Paul Eriksson, to assist with the recovery of the track after it was deemed unsafe for racing, in turn forcing the abandonment of the Tasmanian Guineas meeting a fortnight ago. Works done in early December damaged some sections of the track which were then not suitably repaired. “Since then they have done sufficient remedial works to those areas, cutting out big, deep square turf blocks that take very quickly in the track,” O’Keeffe said. “That has covered up the damaged areas and they are now recovering, and they’ll be fit to race on January 24.” The Elwick racecourse re-opened less than 12 months ago after a $12.5 million track redevelopment in which a 28 -metre StrathAyr grass track was laid, the same surface as Moonee Valley. Whilst most of the track was and is in perfect condition, it was, according to O’Keeffe, the attempted removal of thatch grass which ultimately cause the potentially catastrophic issues. “They’ve tried to do some works to the track to pull some thatch (grass) out of the track and they’ve probably done it in a little too short a timeframe given the equipment they used,” O’Keeffe said. “Moving forward we’ll recommend they use a different type of machine which will pull the thatch out but not damage the grass cover. “There are certainly a few different things they’ll need to change moving forward but that will make the track better over the next few years.” O’Keeffe and Synan will continue to assist and consult with Tasmanian Racing to make sure issues akin to this don’t happen again. “We’ll be more than happy to do that; help them with programs, rail movement, fertilizers and general maintenance.”