Chief Stipe

Interesting - it was safe enough to run 7 races and only races 8 and 9 were abandoned. GENERAL The 1400 metre starts were reduced to approximately 1330 metres due to overnight rain making the 1400 metre start water-logged and it was established during the track inspection prior to race 1 that it was unsafe to jump away from the barriers. Stewards convened a meeting with senior riders who after inspecting the track, were satisfied the 1200 and 1330 metre races could be run safely. Stewards agreed to review the track on a race-by-race basis. Following the running of Race 4, a number of riders expressed concern regarding the safety of the track, in particular the footing near the 1400 metres. A track safety review panel consisting of Stipendiary Stewards, Club Officials, Jockeys and an NZTR Representative was convened and following a further inspection, Races 8 and 9 which were scheduled to be run over 2100 metres were abandoned due to the unsafe nature of the track from the crossing leaving the home straight to the 1400 metres.

Avondale JC | Wednesday 6 September RACE DAY Race Day Weather: Overcast Track: Heavy 10 Moisture Meter: 50.2% Rail: Out 4m Rainfall: 6.5mm Rain Last 24 Hours | 49.5mm Rain Last 7 days Irrigation: Nil Weather and Track updated at 6.49am Wednesday 6 September Tuesday Afternoon Weather: Cloudy/Fine Track: Heavy 10 Moisture Meter: 48% Rail: Out 4m Rainfall: 26.5mm Rain Last 24 Hours | 44.5mm Rain Last 7 days Irrigation: Nil Weather and Track updated at 4.00pm Tuesday 5 September Tuesday Morning Weather: Fine Track: Heavy 10 Moisture Meter: 46% Rail: Out 4m Rainfall: 26mm Rain Last 24 Hours | 44mm Rain Last 7 days Irrigation: Nil Weather and Track updated at 9.15am Tuesday 5 September Monday Afternoon Weather: Showery Track: Heavy 10 Moisture Meter: 44.8% Rail: Out 4m Rainfall: 15mm Rain Last 24 Hours | 22mm Rain Last 7 days Irrigation: Nil Weather and Track updated at 3.55pm Monday 4 September

MEETING NEWS Avondale/Northern Race Additions NZTR are continuing to work through the “return to racing” protocols at Avondale. As a consequence the meeting scheduled for that venue on Friday 13 October has been removed from the calendar. NZTR have added the following races to meetings and will divide other races where possible. R65 1400m added to Taupo 11 October - $18.5k Mdn F@M 1215m added to Rotorua 15 October - $25k Mdn 2100m added to Tauranga 18 October - $18.5k Mdn 3YO 1400m added to Tauranga 18 October - $18.5k

Coincidence: MEETING NEWS Completion of Return to Racing Policy at Te Aroha NZTR is pleased to announce the successful completion of the last phase of the 'Return to Racing' Policy for Te Aroha Racecourse. This was achieved after a successful running of trials on the surface yesterday (Thursday 12 October). All feedback received regarding the track surface on that day has been overwhelmingly positive and participants can now look forward to a long-awaited raceday at the venue, scheduled for Wednesday 1 November. Racing Integrity Board senior Steward, Brady Jones, reported the track was in good condition and ready for a return. Comments from senior Trainers present on the day also noted the track was in great condition and the consensus is that they are all looking forward to racing back there in the near future. Senior Jockeys Bridget Grylls, Ryan Elliot, and Vinnie Colgan all agreed that the Te Aroha track was beautiful to ride on, with no negatives about the surface. NZTR appreciates its participants' ongoing support regarding Te Aroha. For questions or more information, please do not hesitate to contact NZTR COO, Darin Balcombe, or Head of Tracks and Infrastructure, Tim Lambert.

How can it be a "partial sweepstake race"? It either is or it isn't. It isn't open to all comers based on merit.

Says who? If it does it is only because of the World Betting Pool. It can't because it isn't open to all comers. It is a sweepstake race basically a glorified calcutta. In my opinion it does nothing for the longevity of horse racing. Sends all the wrong signals.

Well do you agree with it or not? @holy ravioli reckons it does. I think the Caulfield Guineas with 13 colts running today has more upside for a stallion!

LOL - you've got to be kidding!!! Did you forget the sarcasm font? LOL......yep Coolmore are good at marketing!!!!

Doesn't matter what GRNZ do or don't do. Greyhounds are an easy target then the so called animal activists will go for harness then thoroughbreds. The other factor with Greyhounds is that many more people have owned a pet dog than a pet horse.

Yes Yes Yes didn't win a Group 1. I think his best Group win was the Grp 2 Todman.

Geez you have really drunk the Everest Coolaid.

Must be hard to place a horse as a Trainer. But what do you expect when NZTR is run by a sports manager. Same old same old. Those with real skin in the game are either too scared to rock the boat or they've bought into the hype of nirvana is coming.

Take a lucky dip.

https://www.racing.com/from-the-vault Racing.com has cracked open its video vault to allow punters to relive some of the best Melbourne Cups, Caulfield Cups and Cox Plates throughout history. On Wednesday Racing.com made its first release from The Vault, featuring every single Caulfield Cup run since 1980. In the coming weeks it will continue to release video content with Melbourne Cups from the 1960s and Cox Plates from the 1970s all set to feature. The Vault is the biggest release of race footage on Racing.com's digital platform ever, housing some of our greatest ever races in one location and on demand, giving punters unrivalled access to our great races. "The Vault is the ultimate archive for any racing fan. You can relive some of the best moments in racing history on demand and in one spot," Racing.com's editor-in-chief & GM - Content Paul Tatnell said. "From black and white Melbourne Cups to Winx's incredible Cox Plate domination, The Vault gives unprecedented access to decades of incredible racing. “We are about to embark on a massive spring carnival, starting this weekend with the Caulfield Cup Carnival. It’s the perfect time to sit back and watch some champions of the turf win the Caulfield Cup." CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VAULT CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CAULFIELD CUP VAULT VAULT RELEASE DATES Cox Plate: Wednesday, October 18 Melbourne Cup: Wednesday, October 25

479,001,600 different combinations.

She is worth $3.4m but Alcohol Free isn't in the same ball park as Montefilia.

Can't wait for the movie!

Can someone explain why you would pay $10m for this mare?

Mitch Cohen's Blackbook: Yulong reveal ‘likely' Everest runner Alcohol Free is favourite to run in Yulong’s Everest slot. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts By Mitch Cohen 09:03am • 09 October 2023 0 Comments Yulong are set to wait until the eleventh hour to lock in their $20m TAB Everest runner with connections poised to confirm as late as Tuesday if $10m mare Alcohol Free will run in the Royal Randwick showpiece this Saturday. While every other Everest slot has been filled, Yulong have been in no rush to declare a runner for their slot however Alcohol Free is the ‘likely' candidate. Alcohol Free has been considered a potential Everest contender since the high-priced mare was purchased for an eight figure sum and given to trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott last December. The daughter of No Nay Never ran a creditable fourth in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes first up from a spell with Bott declaring Alcohol Free was ready to take on Australia‘s best sprinters in The Everest. Tulloch Lodge has been sending details of Alcohol Free's subsequent work to Yulong and believe the mare has improved since her Premiere Stakes run. But Yulong, owned by mining magnate Yuesheng Zhang, have weighed up their options and won't be rushed into a decision. "Mr Zhang wants to leave it until the last minute so it probably won‘t be decided until Tuesday morning to make a final decision, so that's the plan," Yulong's chief operating officer Sam Fairgray said. "Alcohol Free is right up there and has worked really well. It was a nice effort first-up so she is a likely candidate at this stage but we won‘t finalise anything." Alcohol Free is a $34 chance in The Everest betting with TAB where Waterhouse and Bott currently already have Hawaii Five Oh ($13) ready to run in the Aquis slot. There has been speculation that top Kiwi mare Imperatriz, still $4.40 second elect for The Everest, could run in the richest race on turf but her owners Te Akau Racing have been adamant the Moir Stakes winner will remain in Melbourne for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes. Yulong had a successful weekend with their relatively new addition Montefilia justifying her $3.4m purchase with a terrific win in the $2m Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens. "It was good to see Montefilia win and it is great for Mr Zhang, who has invested so much in the industry so to get a result like that is great," Fairgray said. "We will talk to Chris (Waller) to see if he heads to Melbourne or stays in Sydney but there‘s plenty of options."

Was that around the time Phar Lap was shot at?

Not that it seems to help much. I saw a photo of them dressed up before an INCA raid. They were wearing Poilice clothing, flak jackets and radios. All that evidence has worked out well for them.....NOT! Basically the culture created by hiring ex-Cops is that they believe the racing industry is a cesspit of crime.

I think the worst I've seen is someone called an RIB Investigator a "F...ing idiot".

What do you find wrong with it?

Why not just use your smart phone app?

They do. Every terminal has a camera.