Chief Stipe

Yep and they'll bail and start pointing the finger elsewhere when it doesn't work out. Meanwhile they've raped and pillaged other clubs of their assets.

Yep bit premature to say some of that stuff. The more recent facts don't seem to back up what Pike said. He had 1 horse go round at Cambridge on the AWT and then a week later had 8 go round at Matamata! Baker/Forsman went from Zero Cambridge to 14 Matamata!

New Zealand's first ever trial meeting on a synthetic track tomorrow is set to confirm just how popular the new Cambridge surface has become. There will be 13 trials heats on the new track which has been installed at the Cambridge thoroughbred training centre and has already become a regular part of the regime for many trainers there. Leading trainers Tony Pike and Andrew Forsman estimate over half the horses who work at Cambridge each morning now work on the synthetic track. "It has become very popular very quickly," says Pike, head of the NZ Trainer's Association. "The horses like it and it provides a consistent surface all day. "Initially a few trainers were cautious and let other go out and use it for gallops first but now everybody seems to love it." The full benefit of the synthetic surface probably won't be felt until the autumn when the plough and grass tracks at Cambridge get drenched but the quick acceptance of the new surface can only be positive, especially as they don't come cheap. "The horses already like it even though at the moment we have some other good surfaces to gallop on," says Forsman. "But when it gets wet that is when we will see the real benefit of it."There have been organised jumpouts on the synthetic track every Friday this month but that steps up a level today with the 13 heats including group one horses like Sacred Elixir and even juveniles from Te Akau trucked across from Matamata. The first race meeting on the new surface isn't scheduled until May and one of the points of interest out of today's trials will be whether the track clearly favours front runners, which some synthetic tracks can purely because of their smaller size. Today is only one trials meeting and will be by no means a definitive guide and Pike says he doesn't see that being the case. "I am not sure it will be a jump and run track," offers Pike. "So far in the jump outs I have seen the horses seem to get their chance to improve as there is a bit of a false straight before the last bend. "Overall I think the response has only been popular here and eventually I think we will see more trainers coming from other tracks to trial on it firstly because the surface is consistent and secondly because eventually they may end up racing on it."

All outlets that serve alcohol have to serve food of some description. My understanding is that the majority of those TAB locations with pokies also serve alcohol. Very very few TAB agencies left that just have the TAB and Pokies. Do you know how many? I think the reality is they are just serving up this dross so they can milk as much as they can out of some sad punter. Afterall who in their right mind would bet on some of that crap?

How does that work? Doesn't stop other outlets opening who don't have the TAB.

I think you should look at her response more positively - she thinks you don't need another 2 inches!

The reality is that there will still be grass track meeting cancellations and no last minute transfers. Jumps racing will suffer because of the AWT's as well. Some might think that is a good thing but it will end the career (and life?) of some gallopers.

LOL. People from time to time complain about the types of ads they get served up to them on the internet when viewing an unrelated website. I'm not sure why but I was just reading the news site Stuff and got this Ad! PS: Not sure why I read Stuff as the news content is crap! Seriously the following advert was on Stuff! Along with ads supposedly aimed at me - Grammar Checker, Chicken Dog Box (I don't have a dog nor a chicken), an ad for Women's clothing (New Chic) and Instal a Security Door! No doubt Thomass can link all those ads together!

The meetings cancelled "on a regular basis" is a bit of a myth promoted by racing administrators. It was never ever as bad as the spin said it was.

Who knows. I know it is hard to get a line on a trial track due to the unknowns about the horses but the times on the AWT looked all over the place. Did you look at them Curious?

Well Pike might be a bit gun shy now after Khufu went amiss. Although I don't what happened to that horse - does anyone know? It may have been the hard track at Ellerslie rather than the trial outing that caused a problem.

I don't think it will be slow motion. Hell if what is happening with the trial fields in the Waikato then it is happening at quite a momentum.

Well you would have that between Bernie and Alasdair with their Racing Victoria "experience" and "contacts" that they would have been across it! Especially when Racing Victoria has made it very clear that there would be no more than TWO synthetic tracks RACED on in the State of Victoria!

Another thought thinking ahead. A wise contingency would be to make sure that if the polyfill surface doesn't work that you design and install the base so you can put a Strathayr surface over the top in the future. Mind you it would be a problem doing that at Awapuni as if you go too deep there you are below the tide line.

Bart Cummings, David Hayes and John O'Shea were strong opponents of the Toowoomba Track. But who would listen to those average trainers! Where have we heard comments like Bob Bentley's before?! -------------------------------- The Downs and Southwest Trainers and Owners group is warning of tough times ahead because of the synthetic surface. The Trainers and Owners group had proposed an on-site water management plan that could see waste-water from the Watalla facility used to water the current grass surface. The group says it also had the support of high-profile trainers Bart Cummings, David Hayes and John O'Shea in their battle against the installation of the artificial track. Group President John Dann says while he's accepted the decision some trainers have already made up their minds to leave, and have grave fears for the future of racing in the city, "if the cushion track stays in here racing will cease to happen in the next few years...Toowoomba will go to a country status track, they'll lose their TAB coverage...There's trainers here that are leaving". Bob Bentley, Chairman of Queensland Racing doesn't share the pessimism of the Trainers and Owners group, "the members have now spoken, so we'll get on with the job. There was a lot of concern in people's minds because they hadn't read the material, they'd been listening to hearsay and innuendo. There's no proof of some of the scaremongering that went on."

Joe - the Sunshine Coast Turf Club put in the same type of track - branded Cushion Track (essentially the same as Polytrack). Is that still in operation?

I heard a story from up Cambridge way. Not sure if it is true or not but a Dad and his toddler were standing on the new AWT. Dad was talking to someone and as toddler's do they got a bit bored. The toddler started digging and pushing the polyfill round - "Daddy look look - I've found a road!" Only had to go down a few inches. Perhaps they haven't put enough on it or it hasn't been compacted? Just had a thought if trainers don't want to use it during the summer perhaps they could sweep the fill off and use the track as a Go-cart race track? TAB NZ would offer books on that - they do on everything else! Porous Macadam = asphalt = what hard court tennis courts are made of.

Rule Number(s): 869(3)(b)Following the running of Race 9, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr Williams, against Junior Driver, Mr J Morrison alleging that “J Morrison (CHAMPAGNEANDWINE) drove carelessly near the 300 metres when allowing his horse to strike the sulky wheels of PERAKI REACTOR and BOOM which both ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 7 (Dixon & Dunlop Trentham Stakes Group 3) Information A14120 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged by the Informant that Mr Bradley the Rider of HUNTA PENCE allowed his mount to shift in near the 500m when not clear of FISCAL FANTASY which was checked. Mr ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 6 (Devan Plastics Levin Classic) Information A14119 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It alleged that Mr Colgan the Rider of MOANA permitted his mount to shift out near the 400m where there was insufficient room, making contact with BRANDO (D Johnson) which was unbalanced. ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 1 (Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Premier) Information A14118 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged that Mr Calder the Rider of SUPER PURSUIT permitted his mount to shift in near the 1200m when insufficiently clear of LANGKAWI which was checked. Mr Calder ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Thanks. Khufu was an impressive trial winner on it but didn't follow up with that form on grass on race day.

Word is Opie Bosson didn't succeed with Judicial Review. Geez how many does the Viaduct Oracle actually get right?

How do you know Opie is on a retainer? If he is - how much does his Agent retain?