Chief Stipe

Again the irrigation is a symptom of an underlying cause which is a stuffed soil profile and structure. Do you think any course in New Zealand could have run on a Soft 7 after 10 days in which 360mm of rain fell? It was only a few weeks ago that a Metrop track in OZ put nearly an inch of irrigation on their track on the Friday and raced on a G3 perfect surface the next day! Irrigation in NZ is being used to try and fix a problem that it isn't designed to fix and which it can't fix however it is the only tool available to keep the grass growing and to have a reasonable cushion to race on. If you don't irrigate and keep the soil moisture content up and instead roll the dice you risk the chance of a shower of rain turning the track into a skating rink. Here is one for Reefton - how many race meetings have been abandoned due to NOT irrigating, a shower occurring on raceday, a horse slipping and the meeting called off?

So you admit that there is a problem with our track surfaces? Of course you do as you describe Riccarton repeatedly as a "shit hole" and I assume you are not describing the members bar. Your statistics are blatantly WRONG. Your perception doesn't equal reality. However that aside you keep referring to "renovated" tracks inferring that the "renovations" have stuffed them rather than acknowledging that the renovations occurred because there WAS A PROBLEM! I assume that is at least one thing we agree on! Your solution is God, a chisel plough and a dairy farmer. I would say YOU have no idea about track renovation and maintenance after all you leave that up to the local dairy farmers and their chisel ploughs. I have posted numerous times on BOAY the approach undertaken by our Ozzie neighbours particularly Victoria and NSW. Queensland is now facing up to their underlying issues. Victoria and NSW have scheduled regular renovation and upgrade programs for their tracks not every THIRTY years but in 10 to 15 year cycles at most. Interspersed with annual maintenance activity which by comparison makes our "renovation" projects look no more than scratching the surface. I've posted some of those activities on BOAY but you ignore them. The problem at Riccarton is NOT caused by "persistent and inconsistent" irrigation. As I keep saying that is only symptomatic of an underlying problem and that problem is simple - the SOIL IS FUCKED! Again I've shown you the science that proves that. But no a chisel plough will fix it. FFS go have a look at what Melbourne and Sydney have done to their tracks! They focused on soil profile and structure. Oh sorry I thought dry stock and dairy cows both had four legs? No they don't take up two feet of soil to renovate a paddock but they don't use the same paddock day in day out. You'll also find that the best livestock land that is heavily stocked on the West Coast has the same thing in common - a soil profile that has structure. Often that structure has been provided by a high organic content e.g. the Kokatahi valley. To be frank it is quite depressing to thank that two of the South Island's prominent racing stakeholders think the problem is an irrigation problem and you just need a chisel plough to fix it.

Self-interest Pitty pure and simple.

Less stupid than Forbury's attacks? So you just broke even today? Or still behind if you are an each way punter? What was he supposed to do? Try and hold the lead off 4 challengers? When shuffled back to last make a big run round the outside from the 800m? Go wide in the straight or choose the short cut path up the middle? So many things young Hope could have done wrong yet the so called "useless driver" didn't make one mistake? A bit of luck for sure but the majority of lower grade winners need that.

I wonder how good she'll be when she learns to settle.

I was thinking back to then and even further. She has also won on tracks from G2 to H11.

Can anyone think of another horse in recent years that has won Grp 1 races at 1400m, 1600m, 2000m and 2400m? Against some of the best international grade horses? I have no doubt that she could have won the 2020 Melbourne Cup with a better draw and/or a better run in the race. Her last 600m was phenomenal.

So Pitty - you are the Premier Trainer on the Premier Track - what are the plans to fix the turf? You must be privy to that information and surely have been consulted and provided input into it. Or are you just running the irrigation program now?

Ah! Thanks for that. As I said I wasn't sure why. So an uneven surface like Riccarton. Even more similarities. Couldn't they fill in the hole? If you were happy with that surface at Riccarton being fair and safe then as I've already posted earlier trainers expectations have slipped considerably. The Track was a disgrace for a Premier Track and that was visible for all to see. It was worse than your October 3 track. The reports I have had from the track is that the grass is patchy, uneven as is the dirt where the grass isn't. We will all be looking to April 10 with anticipation. With regard to posting shyte I posted the meeting track news verbatim copied from the NZTR website: MEETING NEWS Riccarton Park - Hororata | Saturday 27 March RACE DAY Race Day Weather: Fine Track: Good 3 Rail: True Weather and Track last updated at 6.22am Saturday 27 March Friday Afternoon Weather: Fine Track: Good 3 Rail: True | No Irrigation Will Take Place Today Due To A Burst Water Pipe Weather and Track last updated at 3.52pm Friday 26 March Friday Morning Weather: Fine Track: Good 3 Rail: True | No Irrigation Will Take Place Today Due To A Burst Water Pipe Weather and Track last updated at 9.55am Friday 26 March Thursday Morning Weather: Fine Track: Dead 4 Rail: True | 1mm rain overnight, Irrigating 5mm Today Weather and Track last updated at 9.01am Thursday 25 March CLICK TO ENLARGE Withdrawal Morning Weather: Overcast Track: Good 3 Rail: True | Irrigating 5mm Today Weather and Track last updated at 11.27am Wednesday 24 March Nomination Morning Weather: Fine Track: Dead 4 Rail: True Weather and Track last updated at 9.35am Tuesday 23 March

I disagree. Most Melbourne Cup horses have a turn of foot. Verry Elleegant was really unlucky in last years Cup. 19th at the 800m, 16th at the 400m, 12th at the 200m and finished 7th less than 4 lengths from the winner. She ran the fastest last 600m at 34.89. 200m sectionals of 11.45, 11.52 and 11.92. Watch the last 600m. She ran further than every other horse and had to barge out to get a run.

But they weren't slippery Reefton when hard and when it rained the water soaked evenly into soil and the grass still grew. What you see now is 30-50 years of no track turf renovation and very little maintenance. I bet most of these tracks haven't had new grass sown for over 20 years. Geez even your Dairy Farmers don't put their cows in the same paddock week in week out.

What facts? What proof?

Did you back the wrong horse again Forbury?

Ben must be taking notice of Forb's highly analytical critiques.

Hard to tell but looks like her horse may have slipped just before the turn. 1503542602_Race1FASTTRACKINSURANCER65EQUIVETSNZ1000MatMASTERTONRCon28MAR2021LOVERACINGNZ.mp4

I prefer Francesca......Why would you ban padded whips?

Does anyone know how Danielle is?

I suggest you take it up directly with them. I'd be embarrassed to have the results on public display but on the bright side it is all good for TAB revenue.

Masterton RC @ Tauherenikau abandoned due to unsafe track conditions after a fall in Race 1: FASTTRACK INSURANCE R65/EQUIVETS NZ 1000M.

Got shuffled back along the rails to last at the 600m - didn't panic, thread the needle through the middle of the pack and stormed home! Well driven Ben Hope behind Homebush Lad. Come in Forbury!

Yeah well I understand there have been quite a few threads on that particular site aimed at this one. I think this is the only one so far on BOAY. I'll lock it now as it serves no purpose. Although I gather that the "expert tipsters" are either not sharing their tips or the tips aren't that good! Certainly no box of chocolates!

Definitely an upgrader type of sire given the mares he served for less than $500.

But he has a record for training race horses NOT a record for maintaining race tracks. If he is saying that that track yesterday was a decent one then he is lying or he has different standards to the rest of the industry. You can call that an insult if you wish. The problem is far more fundamental than putting the chisel plough through it which you keep banging on about. "Oh go ask my local dairy farming mates they fixed Omoto and Reefton with the chisel plough!" SO you admit it is a shit hole? But your only solution is a chisel plough to "get some aeration into the shit hole". This is your solution: They will work as long is there is sufficient structure remaining in the soil. I doubt that the will work at Riccarton because there obviously isn't any left. If there was the grass wouldn't be dying off as quickly as it is. The chisel plough is used to break a hard pan (sub soil) at 20cm to 40cm below the surface while minimising the impact on the top layer of soil. Notice how the tines are thinner at the top than at the bottom? Yes there may well be a compacted sub-soil issue BUT the main problem lies in the top soil. A chisel plough will not fix that.

Doesn't that tell you how tough Zed is?

Wasn't there no fee at one stage?