Chief Stipe

Luck and benign weather conditions. Perhaps Trentham should be left as an Autumn tracks only as at least then the track is irrigated correctly. I see they broke 1:09 for 1200m and I note there is no mention of the times being hand timed in the Stipes report.

Well we all turned a blind eye for decades to problem. "Just turning up and competing" - that is the nub of the problem. I've never understood how the most important aspect of racing or riding a horse is treated with a "she'll be right attitude" "or I hope it'll be alright on the day" by the very people who are affected the most!!! Over the decades and considering all the tracks I have walked I would say at most 5% of trainers or jockey's even bother to inspect the track before they or their charges race on it. I would say though that there is a difference between those tracks that have a flourishing training centre and those that don't. You wonder why trainers are not consulted on track changes! But I guess most trainers are more worried about where the next bale of hay is coming from. WRONG! The immediate problem is making the decision where the limited capital available is going to be spent. The choice is clear - Hastings or Trentham. One option is cheaper than the other and has more chance of success.

Fake news. But I guess 12 meetings in 12 months is a bit taxing for Trentham i.e. once every FOUR weeks. It isn't about setting dates it is about setting a pattern/programme that allows horses to progress through the grades and distances as required. I realise that concept might be beyond you but then you are in good company given it seems NZTR aren't much better. LOL idea of what?

Only a matter of time. Have you started baking cakes yet for the cake stall fundraising? Or organised a raffle? To help fund bringing Trentham up to some degree of respectability in the racing world.

Wrong. @Trojan has been a member in her own right for a very long time. Wrong. I've never picked apples in my life. I did run the then largest apple packhouse in the Southern Hemisphere for a time. Everything is above board from my perspective however not so with some others players in the market so to speak. BTW try posting your comment under your other alias on the Comic Dog site. I'm not so paranoid or as thin skinned as other so called administrators - actually I might post some of the email correspondence at some stage. Do fill ya boots @Dark Beau

Nope.

Last week everyone was complaining about transport costs i.e. Otaki vs Hawera. Either way the Owner pays.

Well @mikeynz I'm sure you would like a day out at the race. But Owners would have to subsidise your enjoyment by paying the extra transport fees.

Didn't look to be going good enough when it needed to improve.

Why reinstate Blenheim when you have Rangiora or Motukarrara?

I haven't seen penetrometer readings published for NZ Tracks for a long time. Are they still taken? If so why aren't they published? I noticed for the first time yesterday that ENTAIN is publishing penetrometer readings for OZ tracks on the TAB when they are available. Probably been doing it for a while but only just noticed. LOL so used to not seeing them.

I can't fathom any reason why they wouldn't fix the issue both the distance measurement AND the electronic timing if they were serious about being a professional racing organisation. Unless... Do they have no funds? Is there a major redevelopment of the track scheduled? Or have they decided to close Trentham down as uneconomic to renovate and move to Awapuni? Or do false times make the track look better than it is?

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1049-the-leighton-smith-podcas-30246213/episode/leighton-smith-podcast-272-february-19th-2025-muriel-newman-and-michael-connett-268475735/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false

Opie had a smaller one than that basically they are just something to attach the stirrups to. I wonder if they are harder or easier to slip?

Official - hand timed.

How frigging hard is it to get one of those wheelie thingis and measure the distance? It's not as if the move the rail in the shute.

If the times are incorrect and are adjusted later off the video why bother posting them in the first place? At least they've worked out how to not broadcast the drone shot for the first 600m. Must make it easier for the commentator as well as the Trackside viewer.

The whole case was a bit of a stitch up was it not? 8 dogs out of hundreds over how many years? Incurring a $10k fine. The irony being that the hearing was heard the same month as Winston Peters told the Greyhiund industry that they were out of buskness The reality is there are a lot of good racing dogs that are going to be down and or a lot of money being paid to people to take the dogs and picked up by not scrupulous people. In light of the circumstances one section of the decision is particularly amusing given the so called "social license" has already been crossed out legislatively. 34. Mr Dow emphasises that breaches of this nature threaten the greyhound racing industry’s social licence and sustainability, requiring penalties that deter similar conduct and uphold public confidence.

But it isn't ENTAIN that declare the official results it is the raceday stewards and the judge. ENTAIN is doing a service by paying out immediately when they see clear placings. I suspect the delay is between the Judge and the system that supplies the full results to ENTAIN.

I think you miss my point. Tartan Tights was trained in Southland. Raced and won between Gore and Auckland in an era where it was a damn sight harder to get around. EA Winsloe. Nothing to do with money but a willingness to travel with a decent horse.

Won a bit of money off Tartan Tights when she flew home under a Chris Johnson well timed(?) ride to win the 1994 1000 Guineas. In those days horses didn't mind travelling all over the country...well their trainers and owners didn't mind!

I can't work out where they are getting their form from. But definitely misleading. I didn't realise it was so bad until I did a cross check today on Karman Line. A mare I've followed a bit. I couldn't remember her winning on Heavy track let alone starting twice on one.

Definitely hand timed.