Chief Stipe

Used to be the Geraldine Challenge Stakes run at Geraldine. Moved to Riccarton around the mid 80's when Geraldine closed down.

Riccarton were lucky to get through the Grand National with the way they had maintained the Steeplechase Track!!!!

We wouldn't gain anything in my opinion. NZ can only be a follower on this aspect of racing. If NZ was really focused on horse welfare AND punter revenue it would be putting all its efforts into providing and fair tracks. Anything else is just virtue signalling grandstanding hypocrisy.

Correct me if I'm wrong but....were Victoria or NSW Jockey numbers hit this hard by Covid?

MEETING NEWS Riders Not available at Matamata 16-03 Wiremu Pinn, Sam Weatherley, Chelsea Burdan, Courtney Barnes, Jonathan Riddell and Trudy Thornton will not be riding at Matamata 16-03 Replacements to follow: W Pinn: Race 2: #7 STAR TRAIL – Now A Goindasamy Race 5: #5 SIDE HUSTLE – Now A Goindasamy Race 7: #2 PAISLEY PARK - Now R Elliot C Burdan: Race 5 #1 DAVONE GEORGIA- Now K Asano S Weatherley: Race 1 #5 CANNY MAN- ENow R Elliot Race 3 #4 THE RACKETEER- Now T Yanigida Race 4 #4 HIGHLIGHTER- Now R Elliot Race 5 #6 PRINCIPESSA- Now R Elliot Race 6 #2 CLASSIC BEETHOVEN- Now T Newman Race 8 #8 STOCKTON - Now S McKay C Barnes: Race 2 #10 TELERIN- Now C Grylls Race 4 #9 JOEY'S GIFT- Now A Calder Race 8 #7 SUPER SIX- Now T Newman J Riddell: Race 3 #6 BELAFONTE- Now A Goindasamy Race 7 #1 TIME TO CELEBRATE- Now A Calder Race 8 #1 BAGERINGDAWITNESS- Now A Goindasamy T Thornton: Race 1#12 EL COOLIO- Now L Satherley Race 8 #3 SMUG- Now T Yanagida

I thought this would have happened a week ago and affected the Derby meeting. This doesn't help either: MEETING NEWS Suspended & Injured Riders Updated at 4.00pm Tuesday 15 March Suspended Riders: Mathew Cameron | From close of racing Saturday 19 March to close of racing Saturday 26 March Elen Nicholas | From close of racing Wednesday 23 March to close of racing Wednesday 6 April Chris Johnson | From close of racing Monday 21 March to close of racing Saturday 2 April Tina Comignaghi | From close of racing Thursday 17 March until close of racing Friday 25 March Shankar Muniandy | From close of racingMonday 21 March to close of racing Saturday 2 April Courtney Barnes | From close of racing Saturday 19 March to close of racing Saturday 26 March Kavish Chowdhoory | From close of racing Friday 11 March to close of racing Wednesday 23 March Leith Innes | From close of racing Sunday 13 March to close of racing Sunday 27 March Joe Kamaruddin | From close of racing Sunday 13 March to close of racing Saturay 26 March Samantha Spratt | From the close of racing Thursday 10 March to the close of racing Saturday 19 March Corey Campbell | From the close of racing Saturday 5 March to close of racing Wednesday 16 March BB Hong | From the close of racing Friday 25 February to close of racing Wednesday 16 March Niranjan Parmar | From close of racing Saturday 5 March to close of racing Friday 25 March Injured Riders: Vinnie Colgan | Out until further notice from Friday 11 March Leah Hemi | Out until further notice from Monday 7 March Erin Leighton | Out for 2 weeks from Thursday 3 February Liam Kauri | Out until further notice after a fall at Awapuni 11 December Chad Ormsby | Out until further notice from Monday 11 January Not Currently Riding: Bailey Rogerson Wiremu Pinn Leith Innes Opie Bosson Sam Weatherley Courtney Barnes Chelsea Burdan Jonathan Riddell Sanu Toolooa

He was English wasn't he? He lived two doors down from the first house I lived in as a child in Hokitika in Davie Steet. Worked for the Council I think. Had a bloody knack for training horses. Mind you he spent more time training horses than he did at work and home. Same era as Cathy Wildbore, Johnny Hurren and the Coleman's. Hokitika was a busy little training centre! Rod would have had a winning strike rate right up there with the best.

Is it possible that shifting these meetings will negatively affect TAB revenue?

What Waitangi Day thread?

Yes my memory is a bit vague but I'm pretty sure she was trained by a neighbour of mine in Hokitika. Rod....his last name escapes me. Also had a good horse called Godspell.

You missed the other part of my statement or are you Australian? Getting out of step with the Ozzie market would be detrimental to revenue.

It puts pressure on other tracks that are also stuffed. But what other options are there? Doesn't seem to be a coordinated industry plan.

Ellerslie farewells racing for 18 months NZ Racing Desk 14 March 2022 Horses will be an absent sight from Ellerslie racecourse for at least the next 18 months. A StrathAyr track will be put in at the Auckland venue as part of several measures agreed after the amalgamation of Auckland Racing Club and Counties Racing Club into Auckland Thoroughbred Racing last year. While the club has given the industry the estimated timeframe, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Paul Wilcox said it may take longer if needed. “Our plan at this stage is 18 months but one thing I have been vocal about is that we won’t be back to race unless the track is signed off that it is ready to race,” Wilcox said. “We will go through a period of working with senior jockeys and the trainers and make sure the track is ready for racing - doing jumpouts and moving into trials. “We will have smaller cards to start off with before we build into a 10-race card.” The curtain was pulled down on racing with the Auckland Cup meeting on Sunday, while Monday’s trials marked the last day of the current track’s operation. Construction of the StrathAyr track is set to get underway in the next few weeks. “Towards the end of March – early April, the track will start to be dug up,” Wilcox said. “Our first priority is the track, but we are putting in a new underground entrance down by the 600m mark. That will be the entry and exit for anyone coming to Ellerslie. We want to remove the crossing. “We have got the underpass already at the 150m on the home-straight where people come into the track. All our parking will be on the inside of the track. “There is a lot going on, but our priority is to get that track right. We will then start to be looking at increasing stakes, which is incredibly important for our industry.” The club is currently working with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing to decide where the club’s feature meetings are held over the next two years. “We are still working out where individual races will move to,” he said. “Counties will be taking some of our bigger days, as well as Te Rapa and Te Aroha, when that is back. “We will also be looking further afield and what is best for the distances of those races and making sure it is close to the proximity of trainers and owners. “But Boxing Day will be at Pukekohe and New Year’s Day will be at Te Rapa.” Wilcox said the club will take a phased approach to return to racing. “Right at the start we won’t be having a full schedule of meetings like we normally would,” he said. “You still have to give the track the time to bed in, and that is making sure the grass is rooted properly so you get the structure and strength of that grass. “We have seen examples of tracks coming back too soon, so my priority is to make sure it is done properly.” The sale of the Ellerslie Hill has been a controversial topic, but Wilcox said the industry will see the benefits of the sale, particularly with increased stakes. “The Ellerslie Hill is a part of our history that is no longer here,” Wilcox said. “I love our history, I support our history, I respect our history, but my thought process is you don’t live your history, you live your future. “It (sale) is a decision we made that I knew wasn’t going to make me popular. Unfortunately, you have got to make changes to have a sustained long-term success in this game and what we have done is going to do that. “Now it is on my, the board, and the team here’s shoulders to make sure it is done properly. “While people are upset about it, when they are winning those races when we are back here on a really good track for decent money, hopefully that will help heal some of those wounds.” It has been a tough few years for the club as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions and Wilcox said it is nice to finally get underway in investing in the club and industry’s future. “It has been a hell of a two years here and we have been restricted more than most clubs around New Zealand in the fact that we only had a New Year’s Day and Karaka Million and the rest have been pretty restricted,” he said. “It has been tough, but after the trials (on Monday) it is a matter of working with civil guys and girls (engineers) and we will start going from there.”

Is there a video? He landed on his feet holding the reins. They're still chasing your last ride!

Been. You should move your highchair closer to the TV or get someone to sit you on the bar. 😉

You'd know about being dropped but at least he got more than 50m from the birdcage! 😉 In my opinion he gracefully dismounted and had the gumption to hold onto the horse unlike some apprentices who panic and let go. But that aside - it would be a bit churlish of Harry to have an issue unless he has short memory of his own early career!

Full credit to Wiremu Pinn and those that have helped get him back in the saddle. A natural horseman and I already rate him above Michael Walker. I too noticed how he dismounted from the mare who is known as being cantankerous. Didn't let her go and took her tongue tie off. Good thinking. I also like how well he spoke after the race saying his focus was on being a better person first and then a Jockey. I also like his quip about it being a shame the Auckland Cup was no longer a Group 1.

My theory is it all starts with the breakers and pre-trainers I.e. the unlicensed part of the chain. There should be warranties. We sent a horse back the breakers once to iron out a problem. How many do that now?

Otaki-Maori RC 9 March 2022 – R3 – Keil Collins ID: RIB7976 Respondent(s): Keil Collins - Starter Applicant: Keith Coppins - Stipendiary Steward Adjudicators: Tom Castles Persons Present: Neil Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward, Gary Phillips - Starter Information Number: A14520 Decision Type: Adjudicative Decision Charge: Misconduct Rule(s): 340 Plea: Admitted Stewards Report Results Animal Name: ROCKET SCIENCE Code: Thoroughbred Race Date: 09/03/2022 Race Club: Otaki-Maori Racing Club Race Location: Otaki Racecourse - Te Roto Road, Otaki, 5512 Race Number: R3 Hearing Date: 09/03/2022 Hearing Location: Otaki Outcome: Proved Penalty: Assistant Starter Keil Collins was fined $300 Summary of Facts The film of the incident was shown and commented on by Stipendiary Steward Mr Coppins. The only film available (not the Trackside film as the incident was not relayed on Trackside) was of poor quality and hard to obtain a clear impression of the incident. However it did show that the horse concerned, Rocket Science, was proving very difficult to load. Starter Keil Collins, using a long Buddy whip, was seen to strike the horse a number of times on the rump. The guide ropes were up and the horse was not responding to the urgings. It backed out when just about in on two occasions and the same whip was used to prod the horse to no avail. Finally after another use of the whip and a concentrated effort by the Starter’s assistance, the horse was loaded. Stipendiary Steward Mr Coppins did comment the horse was difficult to load and had been ordered back to trials to remedy its bad habits on at least two occasions. This was confirmed by Stipendiary Steward Mr Goodwin adding the horse was a bit of a rogue. Assistant Starter Mr Collins agreed that perhaps he was a little excessive in his whip use, however he had, on a number of occasions, difficulty loading the horse on race days and at trials. The horse did not lash out but was particularly stubborn. Starter Gary Phillips agreed with the comments and stated while the horse had no vices it was extremally frustrating. Submissions on Penalty It was pointed out that this was an unusual charge. Jockey J Lowry was fined $500 for breaching this Rule while attempting to get his mount into the stalls on 18 November 2020. This was Assistant Starter Mr Collins’ first charge and comment was made by both Stipendiary Stewards that he was annoyed with himself for this happening, being brought on by frustration and it certainly could be classed as a one off. However with animal welfare being paramount it is important that incidents such as this are held to account. Assistant Starter Mr Collins, in his submission, reiterated how hard the horse was to load and that his frustration was born out by his actions. The whip was used in a flicking action on the rump. He concurred with the comments made on the importance of animal welfare. Reason for Penalty In arriving at a decision to impose a monetary penalty for this breach, the Adjudicative Committee took into account the admittance of the breach and the obvious remorse shown by Keil Collins. While it was fortunate that the incident was not shown on Trackside, it was possibly viewed by those at the track. The horse is obviously a hard horse to load and after this latest incident has been ordered to have remedial work done. A starting point of a $500 fine was deemed appropriate and then reduced to reflect the comments made in the submissions. Conclusions A fine of $300 was imposed. Decision Date: 09/03/2022 Publish Date: 10/03/2022

No. I only wrote what I was told from some sources.

Are you saying the three Jockeys stood down are disabled?

Are you saying this comment is incorrect? Refer your comment above. You know as well as I do that what is said in public is often different to what people are experiencing. "The best crop of yearlings I've ever seen" and "This horse is a champion and the best I've had". Or "There's nothing wrong with the Riccarton track it just doesn't get irrigated properly".

Not before the Ozzie's do. Punters will leave in droves otherwise.

So that reflects the market. Vendors will make decisions accordingly although there are still options left. Although less than previous years due to the lateness of the 2022 sale. The question is will they adjust their breeding decisions come September 2022 and thus a lower number of yearlings will be catalogued in 2024?

But that can't be a factor of the water on the AWT but a negative factor of the alternative wet turf tracks?