Doomed

I imagine they drew straws. Poor old Rodders got the short straw and the lucky chap who drew Ashburton didn't want to rub it in by bragging about it.

The sad thing is they probably don't really think they are doing anything wrong. Racing is just something that happens, a diversion, the real work is done by the RIB, they are the important ones. I am quite out of touch these days, but does anyone know if the chairman and CEO of the RIB have an extensive racing background? I'm not even really sure why they need a chair.

Grey Way will be turning in his grave.

Nature Strip "Should find this a bit easier" Lost and Running "Down in class" Masked Crusader 'Class drop helps" Shades of Rose "Back in easier class" I know we all treat it as a joke, but wouldn't you think they could at least say to the tea boy before he starts his rounds on a Thursday morning "could you just quickly run your eyes over the form comments for this weekend, just in case any of them sound really silly." This is a multiple million dollar industry, but sometimes you do wonder.

I haven't seen the field, but I assume several if it is important enough to send someone over especially in these cash strapped times.

I don't actually mind Flash. He often holds slightly different views to many on here, but he sounds intelligent and knowledgeable about the industry, and doesn't attack others for their views, so I usually welcome his input. We should embrace alternative viewpoints and constructive comments. After all we are mostly operating with very little information so have to make assumptions based on what little information we can glean.

They will keep selling off tracks, and parts of tracks, and any other assets, until only one or two tracks remain, and then they will admit defeat.

I was amazed that they irrigated leading into the last Riccarton meeting when it was predicted to rain for several days that week. They are just so scared that a horse might slip on race-day so aim for a wet track. I thought the Timaru track looked great last week. No one cares though, a decent racing surface doesn't fit in with the grand scheme. Ironic when you think about it, with on course attendance no longer considered important, you would think they would focus racing on the best racing surfaces, wherever they may be, within reason.

I imagine he is going over because there are several NZ trained horses in the race? Surely that would be the only reason. And if they are going to that much trouble to cover a mud meeting in Sydney just imagine what they will unleash for Ashburton.

The one positive is because our group 1s are so weak we do at least get decent sized fields. Aussie has had several 6 horse fields going around in group 1s recently.

It was pretty smart, was going to win easily on straightening, was going to run 3rd 50m out and stuck its neck out very bravely in the end.

The main bit I disagree with is that "few in the industry seem aware or bothered about it". Most of us on here have been aware and bothered about the decline for quite some time.

This may be of interest to some. http://www.theoptimist.co.nz/

It was probably the Captain Cook that was called the Marlboro and Brutus may have won it. I think the SI won it several times in the early 80s.

The Dennis Bros got the March one with either The Twinkle or The Dimple and Pitman got the January one with Just Tommy from memory.

The Thorndon mile has had a lot of names over the years, as has their other mile the Captain Cook, which used to be the big race at the March meeting. I think the Thorndon was previously the George Adams. The southerners have won both miles a few times.

Brutus and Scotch Mist went to Avondale, which used to be early Dec if I recall correctly, so they would have been using Auckland as a lead up to Reefton.

Dead set quinella of the year in the minor 3yo race I think, that didn't turn out too well. You are on a thrashing to nothing when you hand out $1.80 shots as certainties. The Aussies are no better of course. I thought that $2 shot in the Toorak was incredibly short.

That would be the decent thing to do.

Yes, I think its just a matter of turning up and getting pissed. Is it really $50 to get in? There are virtually no decent facilities and not much atmosphere. I hadn't been for many years (27 years or more) but ended up going a couple of times a few years ago, cost about $30 I think. It was really depressing for someone who attended about 12 Wgtn Cups in a row in and around the 80s, early 90s. It's quite a sad and depressing day out really when you think what it used to be like. Much worse than NZ Cup Day even.

True, but as Aces said five red-hots from one stable all well and truly down the track is quite noteworthy, and they weren't just favs they were red hots, mostly around the $1.80 mark, and pretty much all gone by the turn. I think there were a couple of other favs at Matamata as well. Handy winners of the two features I thought, might help them retain their status for a little longer.

It would certainly be unusual to have a group 1 mile and listed mile on the same card, and a group two 3yo 1,400m and another 3yo 1,400m. Should be easy pickings for the 2nd tier horses who don't want to go for the big money. You would imagine they will have to drop the two races already on the card that clash. That's probably why its taking them a while.

Obviously they can't run the Matamata Cup and the Group 1 on the same programme. Although never say "obviously" when it comes to NZTR.

Yes I see the group races are going to next weekend, but no mention of where exactly. May be going to Timaru, probably the only place you could get a firm track. On that subject you do wonder whether Riccarton really needed to do several days of irrigating prior to today's meeting. I'm not a fan of this obsession for boosting stakes of supporting races for a following meeting when a meeting gets abandoned. They think everything is about the money. It doesn't seem to occur to them there are 10 less races for jockeys to win and 10 less for trainers. And if next week's stakes get boosted presumably the horses that were going to race today front up for them and some of the horses that were going to race for reasonable stakes next week miss out altogether.

I imagine all the group and listed races will go north, which is the usual solution. Probably have to be Ruakaka I suppose as Auckland doesn't have a useable track.