curious

I wonder how they get on at Cranbourne then. I think there's only one grass galloping track there?

Cambridge is much better equipped for that with both LH and RH galloping tracks plus a yearling and 2yo grass, if I remember correctly?

https://www.ft.com/content/34411293-2dc0-40a9-9907-73ea4262d602

Do you know the reasoning for that @Chief Stipe if they deem it ok for older horses? Not sure what they train their 2yos on?

They trial on it too don't they?

Meeting News Ōtaki-Māori RC Meeting Cancelled Following a track inspection this morning, a decision has been made to cancel the Ōtaki-Māori meeting scheduled for Thursday 16 October. The track is currently waterlogged following recent heavy rain, and with further showers forecast, the decision has been made early in the interests of safety and to provide certainty for participants. Further information will be provided in due course.

Dead right.

They have also gained support for their courses from a number of credible organisations, e.g., https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/2025/02/the-jockey-club-backs-enhanced-equine-welfare-education-programme-for-racing-staff-in-first-programme-of-its-kind-in-britain/

I wonder how much of that is due to the so called experts claiming to be more expert than they really are, and how much is that their prospective customers have become less informed and less discerning?

A rort on what basis? I'm obviously missing something here too like @hesi

That's not my experience in a number of professional fields. While courses may have to be accredited for CPD credits, anyone can generally apply to be a CPD provider. Providers do not always need formal qualifications in the field. For example, lawyers must complete 10 hours of CPD annually and maintain a CPD Plan and record (CPDPR), but the Law Society does not accredit specific courses—it’s up to the lawyer to ensure the activity is relevant. The same applies for psychologists. The NZ Psychologists Board does not require CPD activities to be delivered exclusively by formally qualified psychologists. Instead, the focus is on the relevance, quality, and impact of the learning activity.

I think you are missing Hesi's point aren't you? Why would reasonably intelligent and discerning people such as vets and students, choose to go and watch and learn from her then, and pay good money to do so?

This post is a pretty good example of the moaning it talks about.

You'd have to ask NZSTI but I'd guess 25-50mm.

Awapuni track redevelopment project These works are underway at present. The reconstruction work consists of the following main steps (in order of works): Killing off and removing the existing turf cover on the entire track. Earthworks to reshape parts of the surface where required (mainly in the back straight) to give consistent cross falls and level transitions. Decompaction of the soil profile following earthworks. Realigning the inside running rail to give a consistent track width (approx. 26m). Installing a new stormwater drainage system to collect and remove water from surface run-off from the track and from the new lateral / slit drain system to be installed. Installing a new automatic pop-up irrigation system with sprinklers located under the inside and outside rails (both sides of the track). Installing 110mm diameter perforated lateral drains in the entire track at 5m centres. Sand topdressing the whole track with sand to be applied prior to grassing. Planting and establishing the whole track with a pure ryegrass turf sward. Installing slit drains in the entire track at 1.0m centres following part way through the grass establishment. Additional sand top dressing. Replacement of track perimeter fencing. Return to racing following NZTR protocols. All the while that this work is underway the complex has to be kept open as a training venue for the local horse trainers with all the inside training tracks available. Perhaps the biggest impact of this is that daily construction works can’t start until after 9.30am which is when daily track work (horse training) finishes. Dust management is critical on what is a big site (5.0ha) with some very close neighbours in the path of the wind.

As far as I am aware Awapuni is not a sand based track? I thought it was slit drained and had a sand top-dressing? Where did you see that?

Heat 1 was reported as a H8.

It was reported as a heavy 8 wasn't it?

Asfoora had a bit of the same problem in the race but that was no problem either! Great day's racing. Love to be there for it again.

Quite a story!

But to date, there's no sign of much if any gain from geoblocking is there? My point at the beginning of this thread.

The relative distribution of the net profit between racing and sports didn't change with the Entain deal. I'm really not quite clear what you are talking about. The Entain deal was done for the benefit of both.

Yes but it's net to TABNZ without the operating expenses and by my estimates, in 2029, will be about 2/3 - 3/5 what the guaranteed payments are now, though still more than what their net was before the Entain deal, without the risk.