Special Agent

Sounds like sanitised comments are what we are going to get from now on. That's not really the Kiwi way but, with these rules around commenting as licence holders, and jockeys and trainers wanting to retain a living, that will be the new normal.

The rain will not be welcomed so close to Awapuni's return, certainly a test.

TAB Man, have you actually looked at all the nominees for the club awards, and their credentials? Looks like awards for awards sake. I have to agree re the NZTR CEO. That position has certainly provided the industry with some "interesting" bods over the years. An obvious Entain appointment, a hatchet man who is out of his depth even in that role. Shall we run a book on how many weeks he stays in the job? Do you honestly think your question re Riverton was reasonable? You seem to live in some deluded world.

Comments from NZTR are disgraceful. Where's the synthetic tracks report?

Do they test for arsenic?

Only been out of the money 5 times in 35 starts, looks pretty consistent to me. 1/4 million dollars in stakes looks a good kitty too. Comments on this ocassion seem quite harsh to me.

Do the syndicate members have the right to pull out at any time? If they aren't happy, take that action. If the horse needs a stable change Te Akau may put it up on Gavelhouse like they do from time to time which would give syndicate members the chance to regroup.

There were more than one horse and more than one trainer. The situation, procedures and results were most unreasonable. The 2 x Allan Sharrock P positives at Awapuni were treated quite differently, with trainer exonerated. Then look at the environmental greyhound positives. No holds barred in drilling those trainers into the deck, and beyond. What an overhaul of all procedures would do!!

If you owned one of those entrants would you be happy to pay northern training fees and float fares to trial in central? Why would you not send your horse to a central trainer and gallop on a grass whenever you want?

Bar a few, trainers continue to sell their best horses to survive. How many are mortgage free? Jockeys with a New Zealand passport must be doing a starve judging by the names on the TAB sheets. Back in the day an average jockey owned a property or two, a farm, a block of flats or rentals. Is that the case today? Is there a particular era or region you are basing your comparison on?

What does everyone think of NZTR's new CEO so far?

The only phrase that comes to mind is Amateur Hour.

Giving a taste of what is to come. Woo hoo.

No doubt Curious you have checked out the Foxton trial fields. Now isn't it so normal to put a Waikato horse on a float to run in a Central trial on grass.

And the report on all AWT's is ...?

This idea is totally against former preachings with signs on the gate, visitor register, no one including owners who may have foaled and nurtured the horse going anywhere near the animal. We don't want horses trained at country tracks but, let's go and visit a stable set up that trains on such a track. Maybe lay people aren't supposed to see that some horses spend almost 24/7 in a box and don't see a paddock while in work. I find a lot of the ideas that come from NZTR are conflicting and depend on this week's narrative.

It might have finished 4th in an open 3yo but, there were only 6 runners and the horse as a maiden on Saturday raced only okay. It hardly vindicated the rating.

Can anyone explain why Kids Got Gears received 14 points for running 4th of 6 runners? Now sitting with a rating of 60 in the maiden at Trentham.

Rumours are abound regarding Trentham. The halt to the major developing there possibly gave the track a reprieve. I haven't seen a "save our track" campaign yet but, it wouldn't be a surprise. How can the state of the place (track and facilities) be attributed to anything other than bad management? The first mistake was joining RACE. Awapuni have a beautiful new race surface and a new bar. Trentham has little land left to sell, earthquake prone buildings, not enough tie up stalls, box doors that don't safely shut and a patched up course proper. Ask yourself.

Racing lost an enthusiastic racing benefactor with the passing of Kevin Pratt. The starting gates were one of many ventures sporting the Kamada Park logo. I'm sure there will be a North Canterbury equivalent who will save the day.

Can they apply to the Safety fund for starting gates?

Are there a number of thoroughbreds trained there too? Isn't this duplicating an Aussie template?

It looks like supply and demand. Jumpouts are a rule unto themselves in the north. Why can't Rangiora run jumpouts with the distances trainers want? How is Rangiora any different from Waipukurau? Both tracks closed for safety reasons but, one back racing.

Ellerslie and Trentham used to.

Does anyone know who the black arm bands were for early in the programme either Thursday or Friday?