Chief Stipe

I don't think anyone has personally insulted the track managers. As I've posted I believe they have a near impossible job given what they have to work with. If I was going to insult anyone it is those higher up the food chain who seem to be missing in action. For example is Saundry actually alive? Or is he too busy editing the 3 business consultants reports regarding the acquisition of club assets? Where's the plan to address the turf track issues? Where are the financials for the AWT'S?

Just wondering how they decided the track was off by just walking it. "Before the running of Race 6 concerns were raised after rain had fallen on a track that had been described as a Good 2 and was firm. A delegation of Club Officials, Trainers, Jockeys and Stipendiary Stewards then inspected the track with a unanimous view that conditions were not suitable to continue racing."

Not rocket science is it? Do people realise that an AWT has a 4 lane asphalt highway as its base?

Inside the running rail at Ruakaka. Now that Pukekohe and Avondale are stuffed maybe a few more race meetings there.

To be fair to the current track managers those in the past had the best of the soil. They also had less use as there was a plethora of tracks around to train and race on. Centralisation is going to be a self defeating option. More use on tracks that are stuffed. I've argued before why not use your assets and have a rotation cycle. Like modern farmers do. Every 5 or so years the turf at a track is renovated and the club races somewhere else for the season.

No. Grass roots physically can't get through soil that has no structure. Hard to grow turf on concrete.

But that's when you are dealing with a suboptimal situation. Given the soil structure is stuffed irrigation in small amounts needs to happen often to keep the grass alive because as you say the roots are near the surface. To counter that you need to swamp the turf with water to get it down deep. That costs and is hard to control. If you have good soil structure be it through organic/inorganic or artificial means you don't need to do that. Good farmers will plough, sow an organic crop, plough it in and resow grass to get optimal pasture. The artificial alternative is Strathayr.

Certainly won't fix this issue which most of our premier tracks are facing. The only way they could is if they earnt more revenue than they cost to maintain after stakes. Then that extra could be reinvested into fixing the turf tracks.

No money to pay for the water charges or council restrictions? There are still council restrictions on water use in Auckland. They would have been using the Groundhog the break the surface up as they saw the forecast for rain. Riccarton did the same and then applied irrigation. A good soil structure and you don't need to use mechanical means to get water absorption.

Yeah I wondered about that. The cones wouldn't be allowed on a racday so why for official trials?

The incident was minor but the outcome wasn't. These types of "incidents" happen every week in and around horses. Thankfully the vast majority dont have a serious outcome.

I hear what you are saying but that didn't stop Moonee Valley the other night. Also there is no need to shut down for a Workplace investigation. Unlike a road accident there were many witnesses even possibly a video of the incident. The track conditions weren't the issue. Don't think I'm being callous as I'm quite concerned about one of my favourite jockey's. However it is a professional sport.

Same problem Riccarton has. The Groundhog didn't work for Avondale. However a conspiracy theorist would say that Avondale are not going to get cut any slack compared to the favoured few!

MEETING NEWS Avondale Races 7 October – Abandoned The Avondale races today have been abandoned following Race 5. There are concerns around the state of the track following showers on the Good2 surface. NZTR will consider options for horses that have not been able to get a run today.

About 70 scratchings. I guess at least it has been graded a G2! No irrigation - Auckland water restrictions? Been using a Groundhog for the last two days - that doesn't sound promising. Shame Avondale was once a top racing surface. I wonder how their rich neighbour is coping. MEETING NEWS Avondale JC | Wednesday 7 October RACE DAY Race Day Weather: Fine Track: Good 2 Rail: Out 4m | Groundhog is being used on track Weather and Track updated at 7.03am Wednesday 7 October Tuesday Afternoon Weather: Fine Track: Good 3 Rail: Out 4m | Groundhog is being used on track Weather and Track updated at 3.41pm Tuesday 6 October Tuesday Morning Weather: Overcast Track: Good 3 Rail: Out 4m Weather and Track updated at 8.47am Tuesday 6 October Monday Afternoon Weather: Fine Track: Good 3 Rail: Out 4m | No Rain Weather and Track updated at 3.42pm Monday 5 October Withdrawal Morning Weather: Fine Track: Dead 4 Rail: Out 4m Weather and Track updated at 8.45am Saturday 3 October Nomination Morning Weather: Fine Track: Dead 4 Rail: Out 4m | 20mm Rain Last 7 days | No Rain Last 24hrs Weather and Track updated at 9.08am Friday 2 October

Rule Number(s): 638 (1)(d)This charge arises from the running of Race 4, the Veterinary Associates 2100. Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr Oatham filed an Information pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d) alleging the rider of CAUTIOUS APPROACH (L Innes), allowed his mount to shift in when not clear of RELIABLE HUNTER (S Weatherley) which was ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638 (1)(d)This charge arises from the running of Race 4, the Veterinary Associates 2100. Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr Oatham filed an Information pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d) alleging the rider of COLOSSAL (M Hashizume), permitted his mount to shift out when not clear of CAUTIOUS APPROACH (L Innes) which was crowded ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 638(2)Following the running of Race 6, the CLC Pakuranga Hunt Cup, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638(2). The Informant, Mr Oatham, alleged that Class D Rider, Mr Donoghue made a celebratory gesture prior to passing the winning post when riding MAGIC WONDER. Mr Donoghue acknowledged that he now ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 330(3)(c)The Informant, Mr Oatham filed an Information pursuant to Rule 330(3)(c) alleging that Class D rider Mr Downs failed to make the weight for a number of runners, specifically in Races 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Mr Downs was present at the hearing and confirmed his admission of the breach and he advised that he ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 649(1)(a)Prior to the running of Race 2, the Pakuranga Hunt Landowners Hurdle, the Informant, Mr Oatham filed an Information pursuant to Rule 649 (1)(a) alleging that Class D rider Ms Moki attempted to weigh out without her body protector. Ms Moki was present at the hearing and she confirmed her admission of ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

MEETING NEWS Foxton Trials Abandoned following an incident The Foxton trials have been abandoned due to an incident following heat 11. Jockey Rosie Myers has been airlifted to hospital and further updates will be provided as information comes to hand.

I have a great deal of sympathy for the track managers. Most are up against it regardless of what they do. Riccarton is in that category. What ever happened go the National Track Manager from Head Office? Further where is the NZTR Strategic Plan to address our Turf Track issues?

Oh and Reefton your nomination test in the short term isn't going to tell us much given the calendar for the next 5 weeks. Obviously your 2 yr old will have 3 wks off as the next meeting at Riccarton is not until 24 October - a Pearl Series Bonus as well but I don't think you bought into that sweepstake. So the calendar for the South Island in the next 5 weeks: 9 October Phar Lap Raceway, Timaru - $93,000 stakes 16 October Wingatui - $96,000 stakes 18 October Ashburton - $255,000 stakes 24 October Riccarton - $325,000 stakes 29 October Ashburton - $96,000 stakes 3 November Wingatui - $190,000 stakes 7 November Riccarton - $835,000 stakes

A question for some of those local Trainers - has the Track Manager flooded the track with water since the meeting? No significant rain forecast for the next 10 days at least.

I haven't said "horses are on the verge of breakdown due to its hardness" - I've detailed in list points my issues with the track. Come on Reefton - you're an accountant you know that there are many variables and it isn't that simple. Trainers have limited choices. The Stakes are unfairly skewed towards Riccarton. They have more race meetings. You don't know how many horses are waiting to fill the gaps left by those that fall away. How many new horses are nominated. Using a "number of horses nominated" as a measure is spurious! A better measure would be days between starts and average number of starts per campaign. Would it be fair to say that Pitty won't start your 2yr old or the 3yr old champ for another 5 weeks? Who knows - afterall it is his call and no-one else's business. BUT I doubt you would want to give any horse 3 starts in 6 weeks on that condition of a track.