Chief Stipe

Ok I can't imagine farmers in South Canterbury would apply manganese fertiliser as unlike some soils it isn't deficient there. Manganese would be more efficiently given as a feed supplement at those times in the dairy cycle that cows needed it most. Contrary to some environmental activists views farmers don't throw fertiliser and chemicals in gay abandon on their paddocks. That approach is costly and inefficient.

Congrats on the Gore Guineas win against some useful types. I hope the horse is OK. Any one have any idea why the Jockey bailed after the finish? Wasn't exactly tossed off - more like slipped off.

Ok I'll just make my answers up in the future. They give it to cows via a feed supplement - certainly not by the truck load. Which river? The biggest source is rocks that are also heavy in iron.

Unfortunately she didn't age well and passed in 2015. Perhaps that could be an epitaph for NZ Racing and Trentham.

What can you expect when no major track renovations have been done since your day. At least Jed's car had an oil change!

Prevents milk fever and grass staggers. A couple of glasses of tap water when leaving the Timaru local might make for a straighter walk or drive home. The Timaru townwater source won't be dairy farming. Probably coming from the ground water and rock formations. Might be happening now because drawing water from deeper wells or something. Problem elsewhere in NZ too. Three Waters won't eliminate those issues. More than likely make them worse and increase the cost of water.

Have you noticed that those places you are visiting with your special passport always end up being places of interest for contact tracing. Mmmm frequented by the privileged double and boosted vaxxed yet sources of infection. You say @Brodie is the idiot?

Where did I say to "blood test every month to see how the horses are going"? I said it was a very useful tool in the kit for maximising performance at the top level. A situation where modern science can play a practical proactive benefit using the same technology used to catch the cheats.

I guess everyone just wants universal pre-race testing. Just let the Feds sort out what to do and how to pay for it.

The 1981 Lincoln College Halls of Residence Refectory food fight was an all time classic. Careers both rugby and academic were stalled as a post fight investigation ensued. Luckily no CCTV in those days although I imagine if it happened today they would have been taken out first. As the song says "It all started with a 💋..." in this infamous incident it started with a pea launched from a teaspoon. It covered some distance bouncing off someone's noggin onto their table still intact. Of course return fire was mandatory but as no one knew who was the intended target or who fired the first shot a small exploratory barrage of pea tracers were launched speculatively in a number of directions. Accompanied by some sliced carrots launched in a side motion by the same versatile teaspoon launcher. The Halls of Residence tutor sitting at the same table as me was heard to utter "Uh oh, this is going to be a big one..." Escalation rapidly ensued - teaspoons were upgraded to tablespoons and then ladles. Peas became roast spuds..... When the artillery graduated to hard boiled eggs still in their shells 🥚 defensive manoeuvres emerged and fire returned from under the cover of table tops. The sports teams came into their own during this phase intercepting the egg missiles in mid flight, returning fire while willing to take the odd pea hit. Pinex partitions suffered serious damage due to the penetrative attributes of the hardened egg shells (pun intended). The fight entered a softer phase as the main course supplies were deplenished. However boiled fruit and custard were hopeless projectiles with friendly fire and self harm occurring. After nearly an hour of intense battle munitions supplies were diminished, Bob's (the local pub) was calling and word was circulating that a counter attack led by the College Principal was imminent with the real threat that prisoners would be taken. Rapid retreat ensued via all exits except the main door. ......it all started with a pea.....

I heard that there were promises made to address the issue but as with most things nothing has happened. No word on the whip rules either.

@Joe Bloggs apparently has "never pulled blood".

Yet you want more "blood pulled" more frequently to find the cheats that you know exist but for which there is no circumstantial evidence?

You might find that Professor Tobin has adjusted his thinking. But speaking of Professor Tobin his view and mine are very similar with regard to race testing which are at odds with many who post here. To quote Tobin: Finally, given the very high sensitivity and specificity of this testing procedure, it can be used to detect parts per trillion or picograms per ML of drug in relatively small sample volumes, such as a one milliliter plasma sample, as set forth in Reference 9 below. This very high and continually increasing sensitivity of drug testing techniques and instrumentation brings with it the problem of detecting more and more minute traces of drugs, including therapeutic medications used legitimately and appropriately to protect the health and welfare of the horse, traces that are clearly pharmacologically and forensically irrelevant. As such, the extremely high sensitivity of current analytical techniques has created significant problems, and perhaps has made the so called “zero-tolerance” concept or approach to equine drug testing irrational and irrelevant when applied to therapeutic medications and dietary and environmental substances.

Reading books worked for Rick Hore-Lacy. Mind you he may have only read two.

Who posted that some Trainers take bloods before every race? How often does your Doctor do blood tests on you? Annual check up? When you pitch up with something wrong? Blood tests are part of the tool kit of modern trainers. All good if some don't use then. I guess the win records are the final judge.

Yep but there has to be a level playing field. No one does anything for nothing.

They do bloods to baseline lots of things. Not all horses have the same blood profile believe it or not. They'll also adjust a horses feed and supplements based on blood results. All to get that 1 to 2% more that makes a difference in top level competitive racing in OZ. It isn't because they don't have the time to spend with each horse. It is applying new science to horse training. The same approach is done with a new All Black such is how times have moved forward. Liken it to the way any good GP will get your bloods done on a regular basis not on a reactive way but to proactively identify a problem before it manifests itself as disease. That doesn't require Google to understand they whys. Just like most people know you don't take aspirin if you have a stomach ulcer as it causes bleeding. Lasix is a diuretic and reduces blood pressure by reducing fluid.

Really Shu. I take it you don't have any views or opinions but just want to snipe on the sidelines. Or views or opinions you do have are not strong enough to stand debate. No wonder the racing industry is fucked - it isn't healthy enough to have solid opinions. Instead we have split stakeholders talking conspiracies, cartels, cutting down tall poppies and reminiscing about the good old days. Meanwhile nothing, absolutely nothing changes.

Well don't you find it boring like some do that the "expert trainers" keep rolling out the same old stuff from 30 years ago. If you think the techniques of training racehorses haven't changed as has so much else then you are mistaken. I get tired of hearing "when I did this" or "I've done this" when the fact is you and I have been part of the problem that has seen the demise of racing. Doing the same old same old isn't working!!!! You believe you are right because of the virtue of your experience and expertise and there is no way that there can be any different.

Auckland RC 22 January 2022 – R 6 (Heard at Waikato RC on 19 January 2022) – Request for a Ruling – Shaun Clotworthy ID: RIB7040 Respondent(s): Grant Cooksley - Trainer Applicant: Mr Shaun Clotworthy Adjudicators: Mr G R Jones Persons Present: Mr M Hashizume – Apprentice Rider, Mr G Cooksley (via telephone) – Co Trainer of YES WE KHAN and employer of Mr Hashizume, Mr Clotworthy – Co Trainer of SEVEN TWENTY, Mr Clotworthy (junior) – as an observer Information Number: A16331 Decision Type: Request for Ruling Rule(s): r330 (1) and (2) - Riding Engagement Disputed Request for Ruling: To determine whether Jockey M Hashizume had an engagement to ride SEVEN TWENTY Stewards Report Results Animal Name: SEVEN TWENTY Code: Thoroughbred Race Date: 22/01/2022 Race Club: Auckland Racing Club Race Location: Ellerslie Racecourse - 100 Ascot Ave, Ellerslie, Auckland, 1050 Race Number: R6 Hearing Date: 19/01/2022 Hearing Location: Te Rapa racecourse Outcome: Not Proved Penalty: Under the provisions of Rule 330(1) and (2) the Adjudicative Committee is unable to confirm whether Apprentice Rider M Hashizume had a confirmed engagement to ride SEVEN TWENTY in the Karaka Million Classic on 22 January 2022. Evidence This Request for a Ruling was heard at the Waikato RC meeting on 19 January 2022. The Applicant Mr S Clotworthy sought a Ruling pursuant to r330(2) as to whether Apprentice Jockey M Hashizume had an engagement to ride SEVEN TWENTY in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Race 6) at the Auckland RC on 22 January 2022. All parties except Mr Cooksley were present at the hearing. Mr Cooksley presented his submission via phone and was in phone contact throughout the hearing. The Rules The Rules relevant to this Request for a Ruling are as follows: Rule 330 (1) provides: “An Apprentice Jockey may only be engaged to ride a horse at a Race Meeting with the prior permission of his employer or his employer’s Rider’s Agent”. Rule 330(2) provides: “Any dispute with reference to the engagement or engagements of a Rider to ride at a particular Race Meeting or Race Meetings shall be determined by a Judicial Committee at the request of a Stipendiary Steward or any of the parties to the dispute.” Rule 330 (3) provides: A Rider shall not: (a) wilfully or without reasonable cause break a riding engagement; or (b) permit himself to be engaged for more than one horse accepted or deemed to have been accepted for the same Race; (5) The provisions of sub-Rule (2), (3) and (4) of this Rule shall extend and apply to Apprentice Jockeys engaged as is authorised pursuant to Rule 336 and to sub-Rule (1) of this Rule. Rule 330 (6) provides: An employer of an Apprentice Jockey (or that employer’s Rider’s Agent, in the case of an Apprentice Jockey), and every Rider’s Agent, shall not: (a) permit the Apprentice Jockey or Rider to be engaged to ride more than one horse accepted or deemed to have been accepted for the same Race; or (b) without reasonable cause, break an engagement for his Apprentice Jockey or Rider to ride a horse in a Race. Rule 336 provides: A Rider’s Agent may only engage, or assist in engaging, a Rider to ride a horse in a Race if he has first obtained written approval from NZTR to represent that Rider or, in the case of an Apprentice Jockey, that Apprentice Jockey’s employer. At the commencement of the hearing Mr Williamson read aloud the provisions of Rules 330(1) and 330(2). Note: In circumstances where there is a riding engagement dispute the Adjudicative Committee’s Finding and Ruling is limited to which engagement holds precedence, as opposed to making an Order that a Rider shall ride any particular horse. This was conveyed to the participants at the commencement of the hearing. Submissions for Decision Mr Clotworthy submitted that his horse, SEVEN TWENTY, raced at Ellerslie two weeks ago (9 January 2022), and after the race its Rider Mr Hashizume confirmed he would ride the horse in the Karaka Million Classic. He said that he spoke to Mr Cooksley the following Wednesday (12 January 2022) about another matter involving a riding engagement and advised him that he had booked Mr Hashizume to ride his horse and it was said by Mr Cooksley that he had stood down Mr Hashizume’s because of recent behaviour issues and ‘his attitude was bad’. Mr Clotworthy said he reiterated to Mr Cooksley that he had engaged Mr Hashizume to ride his horse in the Karaka Million and that Mr Cooksley is said to have replied – that would be fine if his attitude improved. It was on that basis that Mr Clotworthy believed that the engagement was confirmed – i.e., ‘if his attitude improved’. Mr Clotworthy said that he later contacted Mr Hashizume who told him that he had been released from the stand down. Mr Clotworthy said that he had further grounds to believe the engagement was confirmed following a TXT message he received from Mr Hashizume on the following Monday (Mr Clotworthy read the contents of the message – which was a communication between Mr Hashizume and Mr Cooksley). Mr Clotworthy said no mention was made in the message suggesting Mr Hashizume would not be able to fulfil the riding engagement. Mr Clotworthy added that Mr Cooksley scratched his horse (YES WE KHAN) from today’s meeting, a rating 65 Race, and accepted for the Karaka Million Classic, and has engaged Mr Hashizume. He said there are three matters he believes supports his claim that he engaged Mr Hashizume. First, the conversation he had with Mr Hashizume after the horse raced on 9 January 2022. Second, his conversation with Mr Cooksley; and third the text message which made no mention of the fact that Mr Hashizume could not ride his horse in the Karaka Million race. Mr Clotworthy concluded his submission by stating that Mr Hashizume is in fact indentured to Mr B Wallace, not Mr Cooksley, notwithstanding they are a training partnership. Mr Cooksley submitted that he did speak with Mr Clotworthy (on Friday 14 January 2022) who asked him about Mr Hashizume riding his horse. Mr Cooksley said he told Mr Clotworthy that he knew nothing about the proposed engagement. He said that Mr Clotworthy told him that he had asked Mr Hashizume to ride his horse. Mr Cooksley said that he had told Mr Hashizume that he was to ride his horse (YES WE KHAN) if he made the field for the Karaka Million race. Mr Cooksley concluded his submission by stating that “under the Rule Mr Clotworthy did not contact him to confirm the riding engagement” and any suggestion that he did was “total rubbish”. Following Mr Cooksley’s submission, the Adjudicative Committee asked him to confirm whether or not he gave permission for Mr Hashizume to accept the mount and he replied “I never gave permission – not one iota”. Via the Adjudicative Committee Mr Clotworthy was permitted to ask Mr Cooksley why his horse was nominated to race today at Te Rapa if it was always his intention to race in the Karaka Million. In response Mr Cooksley said that Trainers often nominate for several races, but in this case YES WE KHAN was nominated and accepted to race today (and scratched) in case it did not make the field for the Karaka Million race. Mr Hashizume submitted that he rode SEVEN TWENTY on 9 January 2022 at Ellerslie and after the race asked Mr Clotworthy (and the Bloodstock Agent representing the connections) if he could ride the horse in the Karaka Million. He said that he then told Mr Cooksley that he had been asked to ride Mr Clotworthy’s horse in the Karaka Million race (Mr Cooksley disputed this). He said that he was subsequently ‘stood down’ by his employer (Mr Cooksley – apparently for disciplinary reasons). He said that Mr Cooksley told him he was going to scratch YES WE KHAN from today’s meeting and instead race in the Karaka Million on Saturday and would have to ride his horse. Mr Hashizume said that he told Mr Cooksley that he would prefer to ride Mr Clotworthy’s horse. In response to a further question from the Adjudicative Committee Mr Cooksley said that he approved all Mr Hashizume’s riding engagements. Mr Williamson was invited to make a submission from the Stewards’ perspective. He said matters of this nature are never easy and he would leave it to the Adjudicative Committee to decide. Reasons for Decision The Adjudicative Committee gave careful consideration to all of the evidence and submissions presented. The matters to be decided were two-fold, firstly did Mr Clotworthy engage Apprentice Jockey Mr Hashizume to ride SEVEN TWENTY in the Karaka Million Classic. Secondly, if so, due to Mr Hashizume’s status as an Apprentice Jockey were the requirements of r330 (1) met; i.e., was the prior permission of his employer or his employer’s Rider’s Agent sought or given at the time the engagement was confirmed. There is a direct conflict between the evidence of Mr Clotworthy and Mr Cooksley as to whether there was a firm riding engagement. Mr Clotworthy is adamant that Mr Cooksley gave permission for his Apprentice to ride SEVEN TWENTY, whereas Mr Cooksley was equally adamant there was no confirmation of an engagement. On the evidence it is understandable that Mr Clotworthy had a reasonable expectation that he had secured the riding services of Mr Hashizume to ride his horse in the Karaka Million Classic. On the other hand, Mr Cooksley believes he did not give the required permission. On balance it appears, at best, that Mr Cooksley may have given his ‘provisional conditional approval’ based on the comment that Mr Hashizume may be engaged to ride SEVEN TWENTY if his attitude changed (according to Mr Clotworthy). The evidence of Mr Hashizume is treated as being neutral in that he gives some weight to the assertions of both Mr Clotworthy and Mr Cooksley, although it was said by Mr Hashizume that he told Mr Cooksley that he had been engaged to ride SEVEN TWENTY. Ultimately the relevant Rule [330(1)] requires that Mr Cooksley’s prior permission be given and whether he previously did give such permission and has now recanted cannot be confirmed or negated. On that basis the Adjudicative Committee has to Rule that the requirements of r330 (1) have not been sufficiently satisfied, despite the various claims, therefore it cannot be established to the requisite standard that Mr Cooksley gave his prior permission for Mr Hashizume to ride SEVEN TWENTY. It is noted that Rider declarations for racing at Ellerslie closed at 1 pm on today’s date and Apprentice Rider M Hashizume is the declared Rider for the Wallace and Cooksley runner YES WE KHAN. Decision Under the provisions of Rule 330(1) and (2) the Adjudicative Committee is unable to confirm whether Apprentice Rider M Hashizume had a confirmed engagement to ride SEVEN TWENTY in the Karaka Million Classic on 22 January 2022.

I didn't say he was. But he is likely to be using it as a preventative for hard workouts. That's not correct. Research shows that EIPH progressively becomes worse in many horses. Well before it appears in the nostrils there performance is impaired. Blood doesn't have to appear in the nostrils for a high grade EIPH to have occurred. If blood has been seen in the nostrils then yes a high grade EIPH has occurred and the administrators must be seen to do something in response when it visibly manifests itself. Unlike most top trainers who will inevitably scope all their runners. That's not correct. It slows the progression to higher grade EIPH episodes. Subsequently there is less scaring and the horse is able to perform at peak longer. It extends their careers and competiveness often without any visible or physical manifestation of EIPH. So Lasix doesn't mask the disease it slows it's progression. BTW aspirin would be the last thing you give a horse with EIPH.

2009 the first case of EPO in OZ - testing caught him. How many since? Wasn't the last case in 1985? 37 years ago. A morphine type derivative which is easily detectable. What's wrong with DMSO? An approved anti-inflammatory for out of competition use. Easy detected.

Are you talking the PGA Tour? Or PGA of America? The PGA Tour run their tournaments as non-profit charitable organisations. This offers a tax advantage to donors. The volunteers are rewarded by the channeling of donations back into local communities. Also the PGA revenue is primarily from very large company sponsorship and the selling of media broadcast rights. This revenue is channelled towards financing the Corporate activities and player prize money.

One of my favourite cartoons of the current pandemic (attached) has caused me to think of the practicalities and cost of pre-race testing. Questions% 1. Do you pre sample ALL races and trials? Given the alleged cheating examples posted by @Joe Bloggs then you would have to test ALL races and ALL trials. 2. Having pre sampled a race do you only test the first four placings or do you test ALL starters? 3. Do you take the samples and randomly test a subset? 4. What are the costs of a full blood analysis? 5. Can the industry afford a Rolls-Royce testing regime? The money would have to come from Stakes. 6. What is the animal welfare impact on continual blood sampling? 7. Would it actually return any more positives than are returned currently? 8. Would the industry be blindsided by unplaced horses returning positives and potentially more environmental cross contamination positives? 9. If the testing regime was broadened so widely would the ZERO Tolerance policy need to be revisited I.e. if the levels detected of a therapeutic wasn't at a level that did anything was it still a positive?