Special Agent

Wiremu and Madan are not stupid people. These exceptions are confusing. As the NZJA head, and consulted by NZTR, how did Andy ensure all jockeys understood the changes to the whip rule? If they have been in place since June 2023 why have they taken 16 months to be enforced? What jurisdiction has rules and then adds two exceptions?

Why?

Every jockey is entitled to defend themselves, whether they be innocent or guilty. There are jockeys who seem to count okay. NZTR do tend to over complicate everything.

That's the thing isn't it. The track was safe last week when others around NZ over previous weeks have not been. I think it is more a case of not wanting to create maintenance work leading into more important meetings.

I wonder what all the overseas riders think about our track safety and protocols.

Exactly. No point to not have follow through.

The debrief will be awaited with interest by many.

We should all be embarrassed for being a part of this industry. Is it rocket science? I don't think so. We can't just keep saying it will be better next time, because it never is. These stringent protocols are not stringent enough.

Fate is a funny thing. Lucky he put the reserve on her. What faith.

As stupid as that sounds, you may have nailed it. Poor owners paying training fees for nought. Poor trainers with disrupted plans. Poor jockeys getting to the races and not getting to ride. Everyone is out of pocket.

Maybe they could if despised tracks (the safe ones) were reinstated as raceday venues. The Waipukurau trials will be watched with interest, a track that spent many years off limits as deemed unsafe. It seems that it is now acceptable if the track is a certain degree of unsafeness.

Why is it acceptable to provide an unsafe surface? It is not once in a while. It's now common place.

In any other industry a groundsman who failed to present a perfect pitch would be dismissed.

Maybe to conceal an underlying problem. Why are horses slipping on all sorts of tracks around the country? Is it because the standard protocols are flawed?

Trentham track proved safe with a lot of rain and a reasonable length of grass.

You'd have to check with whoever is sponsoring it.

The thing that gets me though is they will still pat each other on the back for the jobs poorly done.

Surely it matters not if the comments on here are positive or negative. With the amount of money and supposed expertise thrown at Ellerslie you'd expect a safe track surface near to perfection. I don't find any excuses cut the mustard.

Does anyone know anything any more?

A top example of how professional and presentation standards are going to improve. Who the hell cannot proof read 10 words??!!

- Relentlessly improve ??? - Presentation and preparation of all facets of our industry ??? - Enhancing the welfare of our people and horses ??? - Enhance track surface, public relations, club accountability and sustain revenue growth ??? HOW, WHICH AND WHEN? Without the current Entain and projected Avondale funding, I can't see what "robust strategies" are in place to produce this mythical golden answer. If you are going to relentlessly improve something you should have at least started the improvements. Does presentation and preparation only apply to what can be shown on Trackside? Horse facilities at Trentham are still poor. People and horse welfare must depend on who's looking. Last week's tragedy had given out plenty of warning bells. As far as horse welfare goes the wrong aspects are being concentrated on at who knows what cost. The war on safe track surfaces is ongoing. Some clubs will never be held accountable. It just goes on and on.

NZTR put out that recent report on them. I think that will be all we get.

That doesn't address the maintenance costs not being able to be met.

What dirty tactics. This is not a game. There are horse and human lives at stake. Professionalism and transparency, my arse!! Admit mistakes were made, write the synthetics off, and move on.

Absolute FACT. RACE have local trainers who rent facilities over a barrel. These trainers are reluctant to speak out or even ask questions in case they do a "Gary Vile" on them.