Chief Stipe

I was shoulder to shoulder on the embankment!!!

Awapuni's grass track is nearing a return to racing following a positive set of trials on Tuesday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)https://bitofayarn.com Awapuni grass track passes first test Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk 12 August 2025 A return to racing on Awapuni’s grass track is inching ever closer, and it passed its first test for that return following a successful set of trials on the surface on Tuesday. 30 horses line-up over five heats at the track and RACE’s General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor received positive reports at the conclusion of the trial meeting. “The feedback was very positive from the riders,” he said. “As expected with the surface we have, there was a little bit of the sand kick back, but all-in-all it was very positive today.” Awapuni’s grass track was initially out of commission for 19 months as it underwent an extensive renovation, and it was set to commence racing on ANZAC Day, however, that meeting was abandoned following a slip in the opening race. The track has subsequently undergone further remedial work, and the club has called upon the expertise of Flemington track manager Liam O’Keefe to assist in that process. “We have had Liam O’Keefe, the track manager at Flemington, who has been a big part of the project over the past eight months,” Taylor said. “We have what they would call core and swept the tracks. We have put another sand carpet on top and there has been a lot of verti-draining and a bit more coring. “We had to reseed some of the track because there were a couple of bare patches, which is expected with the works we did. We are now just waiting for the grass to grow.” As part of their return to racing protocol, RACE is set to have one final set of trials on the surface, which will determine whether they can proceed with the planned return to racing on September 6. “It has been a long, slow process and it is just nice to tick that next step off,” Taylor said. “It is tracking in the right direction. At this time of year, the grass growth is minimal and that will only improve as we get into the next month, and further. “We have had just over 100 horses gallop on the course proper over the last four weeks. We had 30 horses trial this morning and then we will have a bigger set of trials of roughly 80-90 horses in a fortnight. We will get that tick of approval and then we will be ready for September 6.” It has been a frustrating process for the club, local trainers, owners and punters, and Taylor is hoping they will be rewarded for their patience in the coming weeks. “A credit to the whole, team, especially the track team, they have put in a lot of hard work to that surface and to see it coming to fruition now is pleasing and exciting for everyone,” he said. “The local trainers have been extremely patient, having to float to every meeting and go elsewhere to trial and gallop. They have done an incredible job and to see the results they have had over that time has been incredible. “It is only going to improve for them over the next wee while and having the course proper back for them on a weekly basis is a positive for everyone.” Mike Breslin was one of the local trainers to utilise the grass trials at Awapuni on Tuesday, and he is looking forward to racing’s return to the surface next month.https://bitofayarn.com “We have all got our fingers crossed to get racing back on the grass at Awapuni, it is essential for our businesses,” he said. “I think the track will be superb, but in my opinion, it is just going to have to be gently-gently until they get some decent spring (grass) growth.”

I suggest you get out more. The Crusaders are still the most successful sporting franchise of the modern era.

Bullshit. Geez you can spin a yarn. When was "a while back"? They didn't import "dozens of great players" either. The did select players that had potential that no one else wanted and turned them into great players. Norm Berryman, Caleb Ralph, Norm Maxwell were the early ones. Auckland and Canterbury both went through periods of being unbeatable - neither held a mortgage on it. Auckland Rugby lost its way when they abandoned club rugby and focussed on senior school rugby. Canterbury focussed on both as well as drawing in the rest of the Crusader franchise. Auckland abandoned their neighbouring Unions as well. Canterbury didn't. I guess in that respect there are parallels with what has happened at Alexandra Park and the ATC. Why bail Auckland out?

I don't know. @Huey tends to write riddles.

I see Erin Leighton rode a couple for Royden Bergerson at the Awapuni trials yesterday. Is she coming back to race riding?

Not sure what you mean "+ or -2"? Perhaps the resident wagering expert @Newmarket can explain for you.

When? What was it last season?

No takers.

Why isn't the "Aus thing" not working? The NZ "thing" is working and the "South Island thing" is working.

Dare I say it harness racing in NZ needs at least two Te Akau's.

Geez keep up. That was posted here at least two days ago. BTW are you matching my bet?

You're a gambling man. I willing to bet $50 that their strike rate will be better this season in NZ than last. Actually we could run a Betfair type exchange. @Huey and yourself put the money up and we'll see if people match it.

Whatever @Newmarket racings Prince of Darkness. I haven't proven anything about the last 10 years. But I know one thing you aren't no professional punter! Really how many NZ punters worry about who is pitching in baseball in the USA?

Suggest you look at a map of the Riccarton Steeplechase course. Te Aroha is hardly tight turning. 1800m track with the longest straight in NZ. Not all. They are inventing new things every day. What recent events? I've already discussed your negative view of jumps racing. Ironically the falls at Te Aroha occurred on the straightest part of the track on the last round! Go figure! Well it is all about inexperienced Jockeys, inexperienced horses and tired horses not being retired. The uneven ground was another one of @Thomass BS anti-racing beat ups. Now you tell me what the differences were at Riccarton! But still know more than yourself.

@Brodie when did HRNZ ever pay its way? Remember we went through the era of Pokie rort payments. Then clipping the Sports income ticket. The industry still relies on imported racing to keep funding. The irony is for the moment it is paying its way because ENTAIN are willing to cover those previous subsidies and more. You benefited more than most from the previous decades of largesse.

So they are giving the money to Owners, Trainers and Drivers. Hardly blowing it. The only connection between the Stakes for a race and the level of punting is that the latter part or in full pays for the former. If Stakes were a dollar it wouldn't change the amount bet BUT very quickly there wouldn't be anyone providing any product to bet on. So the issue is providing a balance. If the windfall profits are going into OTD pockets them just maybe they'll hang in there a bit longer. You also assume that Owners and Trainers haven't had input into the racing programmes.

You'd struggle with only numbers.

Yet they were all North Island horses. The difference was the Jockeys electing to retire their horses when they were tired. Another difference was the size of the fields Nothing to do with the tracks.