Doomed

Bloody good field for the Cup as well. Better than many black types races in the north. And a deserved winner, a classy 1,600m specialist. They will almost certainly be too arrogant to ever promote it back to listed status regardless of the quality of the fields.

I note after acceptances the Rich Hill has an 89 rated top weight. How on earth does that race hold Group 2 status? The Timaru Cup a 96 topweight and three rated in the 90s. Even the Kurow Cup has a rating 100 top weight that has won $2.5m.

I am aware of that, without knowing the man at all, but it is still no reason to knock his horse. There have been some pretty dubious characters who have owned successful horses over the years. It actually looks like a nice type of horse. I bet the ORC were delighted those two quinellaed the race, it they hadn't the race was likely to be gone-burger when black type was next assessed.

And speaking of inconsistencies we are about to see the same aberration we see every year at this time. The group two Rich Hill mile will only have one starter rated in the 90s, whereas the non black type Timaru Cup will have 3 starters rated over 90. The rating 69 nominated will have no trouble getting a start in the Rich Hill, whereas the rating 69 in the Timaru Cup is third ballet. There seems to be a problem somewhere. I don't have the answer, but at least I recognise there is a problem.

I don't see any need for that attitude. I'm sure anyone on here would be delighted to own a filly that won a listed race. The field was no worse than a lot of NI Group races, just look to the 5 horse 2yo race at Trentham a couple of weeks ago. I'm not saying it was a great field. I thought the programming was really strange, verging on incompetent, but that is another story.

Look at the ballots at Kurow, about 27 on a 10 race card. Still 15 or 16 waiting to get a start at Timaru. Riverton will have ballots as well. Contrast that with the rubbish at Taranaki today. 4, 5 and 6 horse fields. Two meetings at Taranaki, as well as Otaki and Wanganui all jammed in together. They are only a few hours drive apart. Some Canty horses must have been balloted and eliminated several times, even when they have been reluctantly willing to drive several hours to get a start. The poor bloody Southland 2yo had to go all the way to Ellerslie to get a start, because there is only one 2yo race all season in Southland. This after the Canty 2yo had to go to Trentham for a run because no 2yo racing anywhere in the SI for 9 weeks. I haven't seen a single mention from NZTR that they have even noticed there might be a problem. And it is hardly a new problem.

It was a dead-heat. Places were changed after an inquiry

Why does it matter whether they take 2 in Aussie? It is the NZ TAB, we are NZers and the races are in NZ. They are $12,000 races, why on earth would Aussies be interested in them?

What's wrong with it being on 2? It's just a number. One has gallops on a Saturday and public holiday, everyone knows that. The shocker today was allowing less than 2 minutes to preview a listed race at Wingatui while they babbled on about a hack race at Ellerslie.

And I'm pretty sure one of the extras ended up winning the race.

It was an open race before the top acceptor was an 82. They do that so a lower grade horse isn't severely rerated for placing in or winning an open race. That race shows up the incompetence of the programming. There have been no open stayers races in Canty since Cup week. Not everyone can train a stayer to go first up over 2,200m on a heavy track.

They don't always scratch. The $50,000 stayers race at Wingatui had only 4 noms, the top 4 in the weights. The other 4 jumped in when noms were left open.

Bugger. Did they invent the sweepstakes? Perhaps they sat back and relaxed too soon.

One of the big problems is that they are told they can only programme 7 or 8 races. How the hell do you create a pattern of age group races if you are allowed 8 races max.

I think NZTR is a bit like God. On the sixth day they invented the slot race, on the seventh day they said "that's us, we have done all we can do, we can sit back and relax now."

I do wonder about the whole funding model. If it is uneconomical to add an extra 9th race with 14 starters for $18,500 at a SI meeting, but acceptable to continually run 5 and 6 horse fields in the NI for $40,000 then obviously turnover is only a minor component of the funding model.

Surely a bit harsh Huey. We have a 3rd placegetter from the Guineas and a maiden winner locked in so far. I can't remember their actual names, but you can feel the excitement building by the minute. It wouldn't surprise me if there's a big announcement in a few days that a maiden winner from Taranaki is next to be confirmed.

I think it went from good to heavy in about two days. Bloody tough on the poor Southern trainers and jockeys. They get hardly any opportunities. I think all the ballots had to scratch out of several races. I had a look this morning and noticed hardly any scratchings from horses safely in the fields, which was amazing considering they accepted on a good track and were prepared to race on a heavy track. Compare that with Te Rapa yesterday. 10 scratchings and 7 starters in a maiden race on a track that was perfectly ok. I think there's a Taranaki meeting next week with average field sizes of about 6. There is a real imbalance in opportunities. Today doesn't help.

We effectively now seem to have split the 2yos and 3yos into two tiers each. Based on this year's results so far the better ones work through the traditional pattern and aim for Australian targets eventually, while those who are eligible for the sweepstakes and slot races take a different path and just aim to pick up a maiden race somewhere without having to travel far. Actually, they don't even need to pick up a maiden race really. Nothing to stop a slot holder starting a maiden in the kiwi thing. Certainly a whole new world. Some people think it's wonderful so who am I to disagree.

Hasn't the race been moved around a lot in recent years? Never used to be a Manawatu race either. Surely can't stay as group 2. Terrible field for $175,000. 2yo racing is so badly organised in the CD. Meanwhile the poor bloody South Island gets no 2yo racing for two months mid summer. Still, I suppose we must be doing well, stakes look ok. I suppose if you judge how well we are going based on stakes rather than the quality and quantity of fields, then things have never been better.

Are you suggesting all a bit of a cock up so far? I'm sure we will see a very positive press release soon though. Although a bit hard to promote the fact they are pleased to see 2nd and 3rd tier horses being given a chance at the big money while at the same pushing to get these obscure races promoted to black type status.

It also looks like the Derby might be in trouble. Group 1 status must surely be in question if it is contested by a bunch of battlers.

It might have been nice if the CJC had waited until late Feb and selected the top SI 3yo at that time, but as you say they seem to have narrowed their choices to the guineas placegetters which has left them with very few options.

I did think it strange that a severely restricted entry race on its first running could be listed, but as you say Rogie was excited about black type so I assumed it must have had some special dispensation. Strange that a press release issued by NZTR should be so inaccurate.

So it sounds like the top half doz or so 3yos in NZ won't be in the kiwi. Must be a bit of a disappointment. I presume it will be a listed race but certainly shouldn't even be that.