Chief Stipe

Mmmmm not sure what type of track they are putting in at Cambridge. The Annual Report says Pro-Ride yet news reports say Polytrack. https://www.polytrack.com.au/surfaces/polytrack/

I hope they have their Environmental Consents sorted BEFORE they begin installation. Pro-Ride Synthetic track composition: 6 inches of footing (sand, nylon fibres, Spandex fibres coated in a polymeric binder) on top of a 4-inch IMC layer (sand & nylon fibres) on top of a drainage system. Interesting Pro-ride Australia's website doesn't seem to be operating! prorideracing.com

Mike Dillon: Expensive synthetic surface has poor track record worldwide 9 Jul, 2012 9:30am 3 minutes to read NZ Herald You have to wonder if a consensus will ever eventuate on synthetic racetrack surfaces. They've been mucking around with them in a multimillion-dollar playground for more than two decades. New Zealand racing is looking at developing one, two or three of them to supposedly assist with winter racing, to allow a meeting to be transferred if the original venue becomes unraceable. But a word of warning - there has barely been one long-term successful synthetic track worldwide. And it's not for the want of trying - or development money. Several Californian racetracks introduced one of the many synthetics available a few years ago at a cost of around US$20 million each. Almost exclusively those tracks have gone back to racing on dirt - one dispatching a boat to Argentina to obtain the "right" dirt. Don't ask. Midweek in Sydney, racing's New South Wales boss Peter V'landys gave a resounding "no" to the introduction of synthetic racetracks in his state like those in use in Victoria and Queensland. Bart Cummings is firmly on the side of V'landys. "I agree entirely," he says. "Follow American racing and you'll end up like Wall Street - broke. US tracks were bought by accountants, they introduced dirt, could only run on grass 30 times a year but they wanted to race 90 times a year." "They couldn't give a toss about the horse. In America they race on bute, anabolics, all types of drugs, synthetic tracks aren't worth two bob, they break horses down." Cummings is no fan of synthetic training tracks either and believes the Strathayr grass surface, which is in place at Moonee Valley, has stood the test of time "Coarse river sand is the best training surface," Cummings said. "When it rains it expands, other sand doesn't, it turns into slop, washes away and won't expand." V'landys said there wasn't a synthetic track that "ticks all the boxes" and it wasn't worth risking an investment of tens of millions of dollars. "We won't invest in synthetic tracks until they are proven and punters like them. "Studies in international jurisdictions show horses suffer more injuries and we want to look at all the data. We have had submissions from jockeys that have said they do not want to ride on synthetic tracks in races" Geelong's Pro-Ride synthetic track was ripped up a couple of years back because pebbles and small rocks were continually surfacing. The replacement seems an improvement, but now there are complaints about horses being unable to handle the kick-back. The problem with transferring a meeting from a track that is too heavy is that you put winter horses looking for rain-affected footing onto a synthetic surface that is close enough to very firm. The form doesn't stand up and punters won't bet. Caloundra's "inside" synthetic track has its followers, but punters overall are shy about betting in the same denominations as on the grass. Even if there is no proof the synthetic form is not as good as the grass, if punters refuse to totally embrace synthetic then perception becomes reality. Watch this space. Quote of the week has to go to 82-year-old motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss. Speaking to the Guardian, Sir Stirling opined: "Formula one's not a sport, it's a business now. If Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to go speak to Vodafone. If I won I'd try and chase a bit of crumpet."

Correct accounts now attached for Cambridge Jockey Club. BC10065250658.PDF

Well Cambridge the first track to be up and running doesn't have any public facilities - does it? Do they have the "must have" HD High-speed fibre connection? I've heard that the one at Riccarton all that is happening is it is replacing the plough track. Awapuni - who knows? But given RACE Inc.'s financial situation how are they going to maintain the track?

But most of those clubs that have money in the bank didn't accumulate cash from their raceday's. They acquired it through other activities. What's wrong in having cash in the bank or short term investments in the event of the rainy day scenario? What's more if anyone is owed the accumulated funds it is the tax payer. As Incorporated Societies the clubs haven't had to pay income tax on what are normally taxable. You make the incorrect assumption that ALL harness owners live in Christchurch. They don't. For the smaller clubs they are. Some actually return more than their allocation. That extra goes into the "Consolidated Fund." Aside from the poor stakes (which is subjective) name one club that uses 40% of its distribution to run its operation? If you look at the accounts posted on BOAY so far you will find that that isn't the case at all.

Hardly his past - his latest effort only happened last friday!

There are no plans to race on them. It's been stated that "they may be used as back up for Industry Day's."

They've created three more cash sink holes. There seems to be no plan for the synthetic tracks to generate extra revenue for the industry.

View the full article

Cambridge Jockey Club I assume will acquire the asset of the new synthetic track. I've attached their annual report below. From my reading of that report the Cambridge Jockey Club could have financed their own Synthetic track. However they have been funded out of the Provincial Growth Fund (Peter's and Jones's lolly bag) - how does the building of the Synthetic Track add to Provincial Growth? Over 1,000 horses a month are trained on the track - how could they fit anymore in? BC10065250658.PDF

Out of interest I've taken a snapshot from Google Maps showing where the Cambridge Synthetic track is going. Note - no public facilities as yet. Heaps of stables but they are already taken by the Waikato elite. The red marker is Tony Pike's Racing Stables. I thought they were going to save money by being Tri-code?

Not according to JJ Flash - he thinks he is Messiah 2 (Mesara was Messiah 1).

Won't bother Brodie he was cut off the elite list ages ago. You'll find that the clubs probably bore most of the hosting costs. The key costs are the rebates. Are they going to cut those? Seems a bit cosmetic to me.

If I was any club that isn't amongst the chosen few I'd be sitting tight - mothball what you don't need to keep the track as a training facility. Keep the cash in the bank and wait. RITA is still insolvent even with the handout. Eventually they will be needing you more than they need you.

I think you will find that a majority of galloping people don't agree with it. You'll find it only benefits the chosen few.' Below is a google maps view of where the synthetic track is going in Cambridge. Note - no grandstands or much on-course facilities. The stables nearby are all owned by the Waikato Racing Elite. The red marker on the map is where Pike Racing operates from. I'm sure if you ask nicely they'll let you train your pacer on the synthetic track.

I understood your question. I didn't understand his answer. ?

Rusty can you translate please.

I go to the HRNZ site. Find the exact name of the club. Then go to the incorporated societies website and do a search. Normally the first two words are enough. You'll find the annual accounts under filings.

Sitting on a shyte load of assets. They only have to look at the outcome to date of RACE Inc. in the Central Districts. Get out of that after joining is akin to Brexit.

He said in his latest hand out speech "That there will remain at least one race track in each province"

You didn't answer my question why did Dunedin/Otago get shafted? Southland didn't.

But Avondale going isn't going to make any difference to racing in Auckland. Unless a law is passed that acquires their assets or the club decides to sell and hands over the proceeds. If either of those happen then that money will go into the RITA black hole.

I don't think even this Govenrment will be able to pass a law acquiring Avondales assets.

Is the new synthetic track in Cambridge going to have a new grandstand?