Chief Stipe

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)JUDICIAL COMMITTEE RACEDAY DECISION Informant: Mr M Williamson, Stipendiary Steward Respondent: Mr R Elliot, Jockey (Class A) Information No: A14559 Meeting: ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

WHERE IS THE BUSINESS CASE? WHEN WILL THE RICCARTON TURF TRACK BE COMPLETELY RENOVATED?

Good luck with filing criminal charges against Turnwald for the Greyhound positive. They would have to identify who administered the methamphetamine to lay a charge against someone and there is no evidence that Turnwald did it. The Alford case is different but I doubt that you could lay a criminal charge for the administration of bicarbonate of soda as it is commonly used as a therapeutic treatment. The formalin administration may be a possibility for a criminal charge but I doubt if it would stick (excuse the pun). The investigation would have to prove that the administration of the formalin in the concentration it was administered was harmful to the horse's welfare. Now that would hinge on what the concentration of formalin was. Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring chemical in all mammals performing and important biochemical function. If I recall correctly it is produced naturally by the liver.

Tubing is NOT an illegal process!!!! It is a common veterinary technique to administer therapeutic substances to a horse. FFS if it isn't obvious to you all now what the true agenda of these two journalists is then you deserve what you get.

MPI launches investigations into drugging of horses and greyhound Sam Sherwood and Martin Van Beynen12:32, May 14 2021 SUPPLIED Horse Jimmy Cannon had eight podium finishes in 36 starts. The horse has since been put down. Separate Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) investigations have been launched into a trainer who injected two horses with a banned substance, as well as a greyhound that won a premier race on methamphetamine. On Friday an MPI spokeswoman confirmed to Stuff investigations were under way into two high-profile drugging cases. One is in relation to disgraced harness racing trainer Jesse Alford, recently banned for seven years after he was caught in a covert sting operation injecting two horses with a prohibited substance on race day. The other involves Foxton greyhound trainer Angela Turnwald, who was fined $3500 and disqualified for four months after her dog Zipping Sarah tested positive for methamphetamine after a race on November 12 in Christchurch. It was the third doping case in the greyhound racing industry in six months. Alford’s charges come after animal rights advocacy group SAFE called for MPI to pursue criminal charges under the Animal Welfare Act. CHRIS SKELTON/STUFF Jesse Alford injected horses he trained with formalin, a banned substance. “MPI should not be leaving the racing industry to police themselves. The mistreatment of animals is a serious offence under the Animal Welfare Act, and MPI should be pursuing criminal charges in cases like this,” a SAFE spokesman said. Alford was caught red-handed on February 25 as he injected two horses, Johnny Nevits and Jimmy Cannon, with a substance and tried to tube one of them – two hours before they were due to race at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club meet at Addington Raceway. Tubing is an illegal process that allows a chemical solution to be administered to a horse to improve its stamina. 123RF Animal welfare in greyhound racing is under review in New Zealand. (Stock image) MPI compliance director Gary Orr earlier said because the case was not reported to the ministry at the time of the incident, it was appropriate for it to be dealt with by the Judicial Control Authority – the primary body for investigating substance misuse. “MPI is engaging an independent expert to provide additional advice regarding the application of methamphetamine to a greyhound as well as formalin/formaldehyde and bicarbonate of soda to a horse.” In its decision on the Zipping Sarah case, the JCA said it could not establish who administered the drug or how it was administered, but it had to impose a sentence to ensure trainers were vigilant and took precautions to ensure their greyhounds did not consume prohibited substances before a race. The authority heard Zipping Sarah was driven to Christchurch by Turnwald’s partner, a licensed kennel hand, who stopped for a few hours at a friend’s house in Kaiapoi where the dog got some exercise. Turnwald initially claimed the meth could have come from syndicate members who patted the dog after the race, but abandoned the defence after the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) brought scientific evidence to show Zipping Sarah must have ingested the meth before the race. Racing Minister Grant Robertson has launched a review into greyhound racing, warning he was not satisfied with the industry's work on animal welfare.

Yep doing my best to influence opinion, get answers and action on the big problems that still face NZ Racing. Why? Because I still have some passion for the industry. Meanwhile those that can actually get some action are busily working in their own self interest banging the tambourines and blithely turning a blind eye away from the big picture. I've seen the tambourine marketing bullshit for decades now and nothing has changed. WHERE IS THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THE AWT? WHEN WILL THE RICCARTON TURF TRACK BE RENOVATED? PS: I noticed last week that the grass leading up to the Steeplechase hedges hasn't grown yet. Bugger when you let it die for lack of irrigation.

WOW look at the improvement in UDR in a week. @the galah will be rapidly refreshing his analytics spreadsheet! Gone from 0.4060 to 0.4198 in a week. Statistics are funny things aren't they Galah?

If you were a Harness enthusiast and an expert race driver who actually liked the race day thrill of winning why wouldn't you pitch up for some drives on the best horses in circulation? Plus not have the responsibility of training, gearing or dunging out? I'm sure the Driver's fees and stakes % more than compensates them. Natalie last night picked up $680 in drivers fees and 5% of $130,000 in stakes which is $6,500 for a grand total of: $7,200. Not a bad night at the office - not as good as your punting Brodie but geez I'd put on an extra merino vest and another pair of gloves to go round in the cold for $7,200.

FFS what is it with you and @the galah regarding losing and gaining legs? Purdon and Rasmussen always said they would be around to drive on the money days. Not coincidental that the horses are also trained to the minute for those days. Seems ideal to me. Sleep in, don't have to work any horses, no gear to clean and then a leisurely drive to the races. Then do a Maurie Holmes putting on the gloves and being handed the reins in the birdcage. Hell don't even have to get wet hosing them down after the race or have to take the gear off Bliss!

As Freda has eluded to it will suck the life out of some provinces. Why would you have a satellite training stable in Canterbury?

Don't forget that there will need to be a lot more revenue generated by the AWT'S to cover ongoing maintenance costs They are a higher cost model of operation than the local turf course on which racing is held sporadically. So not only extra revenue to maintain themselves but even more revenue to renovate the Turf Tracks at the Premier locations. NZ Thoroughbred Racing has thrown all its chips on the success of these high cost AWT'S. In my opinion a high risk strategy especially when you are permanently closing down perfectly good tracks so you can rape and pillage their capital.

They may well do due to an improvement in the quality of the racing. What the ARC needs to do though is cultivate inclusion of the surrounding clubs. The resurgence in OZ racing seems to coming from country racing.

What is the relevance of that statement? I have a 100% winning owning and breeding record I.e. every horse I've owned or bred has won a race. The last horse I selected to have a share in was On The Bubbles but I pulled out. Why? My last horse was a reality check for a lot of reasons. When a good gelding can return a stakes cheque every start, win five races and it still costs the owner money then the grinning stops pretty quickly. Then when you see the colossal waste of money in the NZ industry and capital investment based on no apparent business case along with the closing down of perfectly good racing tracks while nothing is done to fix the Premier Turf tracks..... well you spend your Saturday's doing other stuff while waiting for the great racing from OZ to kick in mid-afternoon. Pitty I'm sick of seeing clouds of dust and dirt clods at our Premier tracks and river of mud when it is wet. As an owner I made a point of walking the tracks that my horses raced on and quite frankly I was shocked to see their condition. I know enough about turf culture having studied it at Lincoln College to know the problem isn't caused by irrigation. AWT racing does not interest me - it is boring and asethically an insult to those of us who love watching horses gallop across a green paddock. Until the issues that I see are addressed I won't be racing another horse in NZ.

Yes even if it is only 1 in 9 times. But the grin stops when the the bill arrives AFTER stakes have been deducted.

Well maybe some Trainers have higher standards regarding what constitutes a consistent and safe racing surface.

It's nothing to do with "how soon it's happening"! Where is the business case? Where is the revenue coming from to maintain these new expensive assets? FFS Riccarton doesn't make enough money to maintain and renovate its main turf track as it is! What's the point of Flash shiny new assets if you have a shit turf track to race on? Now you are either delusional or worse if you believe you have a great turf track.

Just don't have a decent Premier turf track to race on.

Not if you produce another shit track like you did last October. Or are going to lobby for the Guineas to be moved to the AWT? Actually when was the last time Riccarton produced a decent turf surface?

You're a dreamer Pitty.

Yes it's turning into a nice little private training establishment for you. No angst here but when is your main turf track going to be renovated? Fix it or lose those Guineas races.

Just ask Tim.

I'll start. If weight stops horses why don't riderless horses always win?

There are some riddles in racing that can't be explained by the theorists. Do you have any?

Why would you bother? Great Stakes, great surface at Ellerslie (when built) and Metro Tracks in OZ are closer than Riccarton. Winter turf training and racing at Ruakaka.

I await with bated breath an announcement from Tim Mills, CEO Riccarton Park, regarding the timeline to renovate the main turf surface. Followed by a media statement from Mr Michael Pitman saying that such renovation was long overdue and it is positive news for the future of premier racing in the South Island.