Chief Stipe

Unlike the other two cabs off the rank Cambridge were first and would have had to provide some form of business case for the PGF.

Correct me if I'm wrong but.... Surely the business case (if there was one) for Cambridge budgeted on income from trials based on numbers of starters. If they are driving down the road to Matamata surely that is lost revenue? If the AWT is only going to be useful during the winter months doesn't that reduce the potential to earn revenue to cover costs/ROI?

But that logic doesn't bode well if you have replaced a couple of training surfaces for just the AWT. As in you are committed to racing on that surface and nowhere else. I wouldn't be surprised if they are finding the surface too hard and incorrect watering and grooming is occurring. The trial times are all over the place.

Has anyone been doing some analysis on the effects of the Cambridge AWT on horse performance and trainer results? On the 5th of January Cambridge on the AWT had 11 trial heats with about 63 horses going round. On the 12th of January Matamata had 30 trial heats with 232 horses going round. Cambridge trainers Roger James, Murray Baker, Ben Foote and Ralph Manning (1) all had zero runners at Cambridge on the AWT but pitched up at Matamata. Do David Ellis and Lance O'Sullivan make better scones at Matamata?

Take the difference in decision making between say Danielle in the Brando race and that of Lisa Allpress recently in another race. Off the top of my head I can't remember what the race was. Lisa was asked after the win why she chose to come outside when there was a gap on the inside - her response was "I thought about it but then you don't want to get between the rail and Jonathan Riddell!" Now some BOAY commentators would say that was a sign of a lack of aggression. I would say it was experience and smart thinking.

Yes and it takes two to tango.

I don't believe the gap Vinnie went for was tight. Danielle rode her horse to close it. Without that in my opinion Brando would have spent more time staying balanced.

It seriously impairs one of the senses horses use to protect themselves. Just as a horse will try to avoid standing on a fallen Jockey they will try and avoid contact. Trainers use blinkers to stop that behaviour. Compare that to your post about how the English ride in their races. I remember the rugby advice my father gave me - if you are in a contact position or at the bottom of a ruck keep your eyes open at all times. I asked why and he said my body will react to look after itself even if my conscious mind is slow at processing what is happening.

Sorry I'm on a roll. Last video of soft horse porn! But looking at this video you can see trainers don't really do that much except "redirect" a natural instinct.

A few track surface issues in this one.

Come on Freda! It wasn't too long ago on BOAY you were telling us how you and other youngsters used to push each other around in track gallops to win the icecream afterwards at the dairy! We do tend to get a bit precious with our horses and forget that they are a herd animal. If anyone has watched a big paddock with a dozen yearlings in it you can see much more rough and tumble than you'll ever see on a racecourse. Or watch a Stallion being released into its "rest" paddock and seen it run full throttle round the paddock bucking and jumping. In terms of injury during racing my guess is that more horses are injured from being "galloped on" while following or being followed in a straight line than any sideways buffering. "Galloped on" being often an oxymoron as it infers it was by chance when it is often poor riding or lack of control by the Jockey. Getting back to the Vinnie Colgan suspension - he spied a gap proceeded to push through it with the centrifugal force of rounding the bend and the camber helping. Danielle and/or Brando tried hard to shut the door instead of balancing and galloping for home. If you were worried about ligaments and tendons from sudden sideways movements then there would be a heap of horses not winning including Lonhro in the 2004 Australian Cup. Mind you putting those damn blinkers on horses doesn't help prevent injury does it?

Your view of the "incident" is the same as mine. Looks a decent sized gap to me!

Statistically it makes stuff all difference. Someone's good draw is anothers bad draw. Bonham drew 10. Brando drew 5. Avantage drew 10.

The point is that closing the gap affected Danielle's mount's chances far more than than would have been the case if she had kept Brando balanced i.e. moved a half a horse width and avoided the contact. Which appears to be your point when you refer to bumpers and bumpees. Although I disagree as in my opinion either if unbalanced loses ground and momentum. Barrier draws are not as important as many think they are. The statistics show that. I disagree. If you end up wide without cover keeping your horse in a steady energy saving rhythm can often negate the disadvantage. The alternative of using up your horse to charge forward in an often pointless attempt to get in closer is often worse. Lonhro may have had an easy trip for most of the journey. But the reality is he got hammered twice looking for racing room. Had to be pulled nearly to a standstill to get racing room and took time to get balanced in charged. It is a nonsense to suggest that Beadman planned it that way! Only good horses can get knocked down and pick themselves up again and win.

I agree to a point. But Lisa Allpress out thought her earlier in the race.

Yep doesn't matter if you are three wide without cover as long as you have your horse in a rhythm. It is only the really really good horses that can pick themselves up quickly and get back into it. Lonhro!

Hence my comments about the Vinnie Colgan suspension and support for the Judicial Review of Opie's suspension. Hopefully the latter clarifies a few things and signals a need for consistency.

Riding ranks getting a bit thin? Mind you there are Jockey's on this list I haven't even heard of! Updated 8.51am Sunday 17 January Suspended Riders: Sanu Toolooa | From close of racing Thursday 21 January to close of racing Thursday 28 January Rahul Beeharry | From close of racing Saturday 23 January to close of racing Sunday 31 January Darryl Bradley | From close of racing Saturday 16 January to close of racing Wednesday 10 February Vinnie Colgan | From close of racing Saturday 23 January to close of racing Wednesday 10 February Andrew calder | From close of racing Wednesday 20 January to close of racing Thursday 28 January Eilish McCall | From close of racing Sunday 10 January to close of racing Wednesday 20 January Kavish Chowdhoory | From close of racing Saturday 9 January to close of racing Thursday 21 January Rohan Mudhoo | From close of racing Saturday 9 January to close of racing Thursday 21 January Sam Spratt | From the close of racing Thursday 7 January to the close of racing Thursday 21 January Callum Jones | From the close of racing Monday 4 January to the close of racing Thursday 28 January Opie Bosson | From the close of racing Monday 4 January to the close of racing Thursday 28 January Disqualified Riders: Cameron Lammas | Disqualified until 21 August 2021 (Conditions apply) Jason Waddell | Disqualified until 16 July 2022 (Conditions apply) Injured Riders: Chad Ormsby | Out untl further notice from Monday 11 January Jordan Bassett | Out until for at least 3 months from Tuesday 24 November Chelsea Burdan | Out until further notice from Sunday 15 November Jason Laking | Out until further notice after fall at Ashburton Sunday 18 October Rosie Myers | Out until further notice from 6 October Elen Nicholas | Out until further notice from 30 July Robbie Hannam | Out until further notice after breaking his femur Joshua Kam | Out until futher notice from Wednesday 10 June Not currently riding, or overseas: Bailey Rogerson | Riding in England until further notice. Madan Singh | Has returned to New Zealand and will be returning to Fraser Aurets Stable.

You must say that Avantage is class though. 1:06 and change over 1200m. 2:02 for 2000m at Ellerslie of all places!

Let me guess - Copper Belt, Grey Way, Blue Blood.......

Yep I agree. One thing in Danielle's defence, in what was a below average ride for her, I felt Brando contributed. At the end of the day they are still herd animals and a competitive colt often will fight back.

No he pleaded guilty. As I say all the good OZ Jockey's use that G-force on the bend to widen a gap. I'm not sure why Johnson tried to defend the gap as she was on a superior horse.

She still would have won and could have carried half the field on her back given she could win an equine body builder title!

Well you don't have to be a geek with a notebook to pick these things up!