curious

17 December 2021 RACE has made several proactive changes to its operations at the Awapuni and Trentham tracks in the wake of the abandonment at the latter venue on Saturday, 4 December. “While we wait for the final report and outcomes from NZTR’s investigations into the abandonment, we have already implemented a number of internal changes to ensure the interests of clubs and stakeholders are at the forefront of all decision making within the group,” RACE Chair Paul Humphries said. Drainage at Trentham has also already been partially addressed via a full air injection of the track on Tuesday 7 December, and a keenly awaited Verti-Drain machine is due to arrive in the country this month. Once in commission this implement will be able to be utilised at Trentham and Awapuni, to the ongoing benefit of both venues. RACE has also implemented additional processes to assist with team-based decision making in track preparation, with a wider sweep of key stakeholders involved via the distribution of a standard information template. The packaging up of the weekly track operating plan, weather forecasts and subsequent observations or changes has proven to be an immediate benefit and is now being rolled out across both tracks. “We are also committed to implementing any recommendations that come from NZTR’s investigation into the circumstances that arose at Trentham to ensure the chances of a repeat event of this nature are slim to none,” Humphries said. “It is important that the entire industry learns from this situation as we can ill-afford to lose any raceday, let alone a Group 1 premier day on one of the biggest weekends of the year.” A new track supervisor at Trentham will be recruited in the new year, with the reluctant acceptance of the resignation of long time Track Manager Mark Biddle. “We wish to publicly thank Mark for his great work and effort over his 30 years of service at Trentham, and we wish him all the best with his future endeavours,” Humphries said.

If that's the case, I might send them the bill for Monday's airfare as well. Fortunately, I hadn't quite got round to re-booking car and accommodation for that journey.

Stuff all is working in Petone I don't think

What I'm loving is that as an owner with a paid up runner, neither the club nor NZTR have bothered to directly notify me that the meeting has been postponed. I'm not hopeful, when they txt the trainer to say it is postponed to Monday and refer to the website for details which say it is postoned to Tuesday, but guess I can try invoicing the club for my airfare and accommodation and rental car etc which became non-refundable in the interim.

Take the martini with him?

There are a couple of volunteers at Foxton who managed to get new ones up with a few sheets of treated ply and a couple of cans of paint. Easy peasey.

👍

Forecast rain seems to have reduced quite a bit?

Be a good test to see how that is in the morning?

I think Generous was bred by Barronstown Stud from memory but I think Mitch had an ownership interest in him. We agisted mares for him when I was in the US. Had a strong connection with the Coolmore lot.

I actually bought Ravel's Bolero in the US for stud duty down here. Good looking little Nureyev horse. No great racehorse. Might have been stakes placed from memory. Certainly no great shakes as a sire. Still can't remember where he stood though I was there at least once. Retained a share from memory. May have bred one myself. Can't remember.

Why they wouldn't split the 65 at Tapanui is beyond me. Also don't understand why they don't run an R60 and an R65. More competitive races then almost certain to generate better wagering revenue.

It is split. Fields are out.

Btw, where did Ravel's Bolero stand?

Garth definitely trained her for that win and she was raced by Mr. McLeish for that first win. Some memory you have Shad. 1-13 29 May 93 1200m JACK KERIN MAIDEN $4,000 OAMU Dead MDN Handy,led 800,joined 200,fght best, 1.13.6 Chris Johnson $2,600

They did split the Ashburton one.

Horse was leased from a real character, one Mitchell McLeish.

Where is Gunner. Was up in the NT.

Nope. If it wasn't you it was either GA or JE Jackson. Round that time though. Reefton may be able to confirm.

Did you train that winner Freda? Can't remember. If so, it's been a long time between drinks!

Dance On Ice 1-11 21 Feb 95 1200m TALLEYS FISHERIES IMPROVERS $4,000 WEST Good G IMP Got back,powered home thru mid, 1.12.15 Chris O'Brien $2,600

Well I was hoping for a bit of sting out but...

How it got from a Slow 7 yesterday morning to a Dead 6 yesterday afternoon to a Dead 5 this morning with the Met service reporting occasional light drizzle in the interim is beyond me. If they have some kind of moisture suction device down there that can do that, they should share it around. I can think of some tracks that could use it.

Just checking out some of Petone's work. Note the update time and the track condition time. Someone must be psychic ... or maybe psycho! How is anyone supposed to operate professionally in that kind of environment? Ashburton RC @ Ashburton Last updated 13/12/2021 2:01pm Thursday, 16 Dec 2021 Print › Racebooks › Going Dead5 7.42 am 14/12/21 Weather Cloudy Rail Out 2m | Drying Track Left hand 1876m Straight 382 Metres

Just looked it up. We won a race at Westport 21 Feb 95. Ran 3rd the second day 24 Feb. When did it close?