curious

Btw, where did you hear that they said it was ok? If they did, they must not have been too convincing.

I doubt it will be used again without major reconstruction.

Bruce Sherwin on handicapping might be an exception?

With a bit of help from WTR and the CJC, certainly. But that has always been the case pretty much.

Injury statistics cast shadow over taxpayer-backed synthetic racetracks Kevin Norquay September 29, 2024 Horses in training at Cambridge, which was the first New Zealand track resurfaced.CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF New multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded synthetic racetracks are injuring racehorses more than traditional turf tracks, Massey University research has found. Racing Minister Winston Peters delivered $20 million of funding on three poly tracks (Cambridge, Awapuni in Palmerston North, and Riccarton) as part of racing’s $72.5m Covid emergency support package. The cash was intended to give racing clubs certainty they would not be rained off, and safer footing for valuable race horses. Now Massey University statistics and an investigation by concerned owner Colin Wightman have cast a safety shadow over the technology. Racing Minister Winston Peters helped push for poly tracks.ROBERT KITCHIN / THE POST New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) on Friday released a copy of the university study into the performance and maintenance of synthetic surfaces to the Sunday Star-Times. “As of the end of the 2023/24 racing season, we have now had sufficient starters on synthetics tracks to be able to compare the relative race-day fracture rate between turf and synthetic tracks,” NZTR said. Preliminary data based on official race-day records indicated a higher injury rate on synthetic than turf tracks. Overall, injuries on synthetic tracks are more than 40% higher than for turf tracks at 3.22 per 1000 starts, versus 2.21. Awapuni racecourse in 2023, as work begins on track resurfacing.Warwick Smith / Manawatū Standard ADVERTISEMENT Fatality rates are also higher on synthetic tracks, off a small data set. “We must also be mindful of the relatively low sample size for the three synthetic tracks, which can easily distort the statistics,” NZTR said. “The synthetic track with the greatest data set is Cambridge, which is operating at around the same rate as a turf venue, at 0.52 per 1000 starters … internationally, it is still relatively low. “For comparison, the fatality rates in the USA and UK are 0.97 and 0.80, respectively. All on flat racing surfaces. Bruce Sharrock is chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.Andy Jackson / Taranaki Daily News “NZTR … are committed to ongoing monitoring of the performance and safety of all synthetic tracks.” Wightman last week released his own investigation, saying in his view the poly surface has been laid too thinly over the hard base surface, compromising safety. NZTR chief executive Bruce Sharrock said at the time he was reviewing Wightman’s report, which he said contained “several factual inaccuracies”. Wightman said he was asked to conduct a private investigation “on behalf of many owners who have approached me with grave concerns about the safety of our 3 poly tracks”. What he found at Riccarton, he said, “was a serious issue of human and animal welfare”. Colin Wightman speaking at an anti-media protest. CHRIS SKELTON / Stuff “The primary concern is the growing number of horses that have broken their legs [various complications] on Raceday through lack of cushion and consistency on these tracks, many resulting in the horses being put down.” The welfare of racehorses is the responsibility of the Racing Integrity Board (RIB), which has officials at all events. In serious situations, the Ministry of Primary Industries may assist in an investigation. RIB said the principal responsibility for the maintenance and preparation of the track rested with the clubs, while NZTR monitored track performance, collected data and worked with clubs on maintenance strategies to enhance performance. Eliot Forbes is chief executive of the Racing Integrity Board.Supplied RIB chief executive Eliot Forbes said stewards had advised that from their observations the Awapuni track has generally met performance expectations. “They have not identified any serious health and safety concerns relating to the racing surface and more specifically have not had critical issues of that nature raised with them by riders on race day,” he said. But with RIB committed to animal safety “it had engaged with NZTR regarding the issues that have been raised relating to the Awapuni track and the other synthetic surfaces”. “NZTR advise that they have been in discussions with the responsible clubs and have also been in contact with the manufacturer of the synthetic surface regarding these claims. Taiki Yanagida died after a fall at Cambridge’s poly track.TRISH DUNELL / Stuff “NZTR have assured us of their commitment to ensuring track safety and promptly addressing any potential issues.” MPI director of compliance and response Glen Burrell said the ministry’s animal welfare department had not received “any complaints regarding racehorses on poly tracks”. “MPI strongly encourages any member of the public who is aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone 0800 00 83 33.” Jockey Taiki Yanagida died on the Cambridge track in 2022, when his mount was checked and fell. An independent report found no fault with the track in that instance, NZTR said. The coroner is yet to investigate his death. Palmerston North MP Tangi Utikere.Warwick Smith / Stuff Tangi Utikere, MP for Palmerston North and Labour’s racing spokesperson, said concerns about the Awapuni track “have been brought to my attention”. “I have written to the Racing Integrity Board (RIB) seeking reassurances that any serious health and safety concerns relating to the safety of the Awapuni track have been considered and addressed,” he said. What do you think? Email sundayletters@stuff.co.nz. Please include your full name and address. -

A Club is encouraged to arrange track gallops on the course 48 hours prior to the race meeting. A Club must arrange for a track gallop on the course on the morning of the race meeting to reconfirm the declared track rating, unless this is not practical

That seems extremely odd to me when the data in the report was clearly sourced from an audit of the Riccarton track, not Awapuni, though I understand that is to come.

Not unless they do so via a member club. They can't put forward there own motion directly. On any question put to the vote at a General Meeting of Thoroughbred Racing, the number of votes which the Representative of each Club shall be entitled to exercise (if such Club is entitled to vote on such question) shall be one vote for each Race Date which the Club has been allocated in the Racing Year in which the vote is occurring

Effectively, the members of each. They do not have voting rights at the NZTR AGM though, only member clubs do.

The problem is they've done one part of the Messara recommendations without a large part of the other, which was the investment in the remaining tracks during the 6 years over which the closures were to occur. That was to be staggered over that time to allow the wqrk on those tracks to be completed. 1. Reduce the number of existing thoroughbred racing venues in New Zealand over the next 6 years by 20, from 48 to 28 venues, and establish Cambridge as a new synthetic track racing and training venue within 1 year, so making a total of 29 venues. Sell all freehold racecourse land of the closed venues with the proceeds to accrue to NZTR. Maintain racecourses in all regions of New Zealand where racing is currently conducted. Not require any Race Clubs to close but encourage them to race at another venue or merge with another Club. 2. Significantly improve the racing and facilities infrastructure at all remaining tracks over the next 6 years and build 3 synthetic racing and training tracks (including Cambridge) over the next 3 years, at an estimated total cost of about $190 million.

No. An owners Fed rep is there because it is the legislated (Racing Act) rep of the owners, along with the TA and JA.

The problem with that is that the Owners' Federation has less than 500 members of the 15,000 owners and are significantly funded by NZTR ($30,000 per year I think).

Certainly. When we have the head honcho of NZTR saying he doesn't know anything about wagering and that it's Entain's problem, there's not much hope.

What a great interview from both parties. Pity we don't see that quality of journalism on Trackside and elsewhere in the industry.

They'd be at least very brave, if not stupid to go out there again.

It's history. Another botched up patch up job.

Hopefully Flash got a quid on the first at Riccarton after doing his homework.

Looks like a quick strip down the outside rail!

Faster or slower?

I make her my top equal chance with Poetic Champion but cant back either at the current prices.

Unless the subsidy is still insufficient to complete the necessary maintenance.

It could do if the likes of the SPCA and other animal welfare organisations become involved. As of today, he had no reply from authorities according to a facebook post. It's only a W if and when the tracks get fixed.

Firefox

Mine never refreshes unless I do so manually.