Chief Stipe

Yes and groomed. The watering is to do with the wax and fibre and is dependent on local conditions. The maintenance work varies with regard to prevailing conditions. My biggest concern about the synthetic track is the day to day maintenance being done and done properly. Plus the cost!

But what type of synthetic surface? What is the track grooming protocol?

I can guess who and I've been consistently critical of the committee members. But then the defenders pipe in and get all parochial and defensive. I'm over that BS. Why can't there be open debate?

Thinking about your statemen @Huey a bit more - how is it a problem? Remove Te Akau and then probably the second stable if you are in tall poppy slaying mode from NZ and what does the industry have? Would you prefer that they operated only in OZ in order to let the mediocre rise another level? @holy ravioli would probably agree with you on that.

Yes I do blame the administrators particularly those planning the pattern and doing the programming. How can it be Te Akau's fault because they have a very successful model of operation. @Wingman offered a simple change to attract more to the Wellesley - why not hold it a week earlier so the winner could aim for the Karaka?

But those horses are not eligible for the Karaka Millions. The AUD$1.3m colt just purchased will race out of Cranbourne. All said and done there is nothing stopping any other stable spending similar amounts.

First trial. Early days.

https://racing.hkjc.com/racing/video/play.asp?type=brts&date=20240109&rc=st&no=01&lang=eng&isMobile=true&newPlayer=true

Why would it be a problem?

Te Akau, Coolmore splash $1.3m www.racing.com Two racing powerhouses combined at Tuesday’s opening session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when Te Akau Racing and Coolmore Stud paid $1.3 million for an I Am Invincible colt. Te Akau’s David Ellis, who bought sprint queen Imperatriz at the iconic sale in 2020, did the bidding for the partnership and went to $1.3 million to secure Lot 19, out of Street Cry mare Palace Talk. The colt is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Shuffle Dancer, as well as Stakes performers Never Talk and Forbidden City. Ellis said Te Akau’s recent expansion into Australia had prompted the support from Coolmore. “We thought he was a beautiful colt and we bought him for Coolmore Stud and we’re just delighted that we can train these sort of horses at our Cranbourne stable for them,” Ellis said. “Tom and MV and their father have been supportive for a long time and they want to take that to the next level now that we’re in Australia full time. “We thought that he’d make a Christmas, autumn two-year-old and train on and be a very good three-year-old.” Minutes earlier, local trainer Tony Gollan parted with $1.2 million to buy Lot 16, a daughter of I Am Invincible and the first foal out of his speedy Stakes winner Outback Barbie.

Don't forget @Forbury was a huge critic of Ben Hope. Now he's a fan!

Why are they overpriced? Isn't the price decided by the market by auction?

We did have. But that said Cambridge has run only two trial days in the last 4 months. But it's summer. They seemed to do alright in the past...until they stopped investing in their turf track.

The Brodster undercover doubling his bets.

The Wellesley Stakes (L) has only 6 nominations.

Although this situation is more frustrating for a multitude of reasons:

Obviously they didn't do it in the past.

Nope. In horseracing lameness is graded on a standard scale recognised internationally.

Times 3. No one at Awpuni wanted theirs!

He probably gets pissed off with all the inane commentary from Big Bevan.

But what are the injuries? What caused them? They are now Vetting ALL dogs now that suffered interference. Did they do that in the past? You say that there is more dog interference to each other on some tracks and not others? Are you saying the Auckland track is unsafe?

So you agree then that many of the injuries are due to a precautionary approach as opposed to severe and life threatening?

So you are not bothering to grade the "injuries" now? The differences could simply be a change in Vet check policy. Or are you suggesting that shouldn't be a Track Manager or a Health & Welfare Committee? Perhaps it is the latter that has tightened the definition of an "injury" and has gone overboard on precaution to appease the woke?

MEETING NEWS Taupo to Trial 23 January – Cambridge Trials Cancelled A set of trials has been added to Taupo on Tuesday 23 January, while the Cambridge trials scheduled for Tuesday 30 January have been cancelled.