curious

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing/mick-on-monday-warren-kennedy-laments-wasted-opportunity-at-abandoned-timaru-meeting/6H2LWTKBDND3JCLZHP6ASSKTEI/

I'm very surprised that there is no mention of the irrigation in the stipes report on the matter. It will also be interesting to see if NZTR pays the club its race day fees given the apparent non-compliance (or worse) with race day preparation guidelines and protocols.

And the winner of the first 2yo trial went 44.46!

Oncoming train?

Should get one for this too but it will nowhere near cover costs.

Oatham also mentioned the persistent heavy fog but fog is NOT precipitation. No mention of the unreported irrigation, How much or when?

Have a look at the first. Cutting out and shifty to my eye and I was very pleased we didn't go.

Good afternoon Given the abandonment of the Waimate Meeting at Timaru on Sunday after two races a new meeting has been scheduled for the synthetic track at Riccarton Park on Wednesday 12 June. This meeting will require new nominations. NZTR looked at grass alternatives at both Oamaru and Ashburton, however these options were not viable. Nominations for both Wednesday and Thursday at Riccarton will close at 12 noon on Monday 10 June. Please nominate on-line if possible. If nominating via the bureau please be very specific as to which day you are nominating for. Withdrawals for Wednesday’s meeting will close with the bureau at 2pm on Monday 10 June. Withdrawals for the Thursday meeting will close at the usual time of 10am on Tuesday 11 June. The programme for Wednesday will be: R65 F&M 1200m (Pearl Series) $17,000 Open 1200m $22,000 Mdn 2200m $17,000 R75 2200m $17,000 Mdn 1600m $17,000 Open 1600m (Waimate Cup) $30,000 R65 1600m $17,000 R60 1400m $17,000 (originally scheduled for Thursday) Horses that did not gain a start at Timaru on Sunday will be given preference for this meeting. NZTR and the club, as always, reserve the right to delete races due to insufficient nominations or double nominations. The programme for Thursday remains the same with the exception of the R60 1400m being brought forward to Wednesday. This programme is: Open 1400m $22,000 R75 1800m $17,000 R65 F&M 1600m (Pearl Series)$17,000 R65 1200m $17,000 Mdn 1600m $17,000 Mdn 1400m $17,000 Mdn 2YO+ 1200m $17,000 3YO 1400m $17,000

Oatham said there had been a couple of showers this morning. But at Timaru airport less than 5kms away, there was NO rain measured between midnight and midday.

Is that unusual?

Membership is free with your licence.

Good on him but it looks like it might be time for him to hang up his boots.

Possibly true. The median is more like 65k for full time workers.

Average annual salaries are about 70k, so I don't see that as exorbitant by any stretch. It's the effectiveness of the organisation that is the issue imo.

They do seem to be more responsive to this lately. This today: Good morning, A R60 1400m ($17,000) has been added to the Riccarton Park meeting on Thursday 13 June.

3 weeks later ... Still getting: "We have not received "Stewards' Vision" for this race as yet Under normal circumstances this will be available within 5-7 days of the race"

https://loveracing.nz/News/45460/AwapuniTrackUpdate.aspx Does it not seem a bit odd that they have to get a contractor in to mow the new grass because the club does not have the correct machinery to mow it themselves? And what are the big wheel marks down the straight? It looks like they've gone on there to fertilise when the ground was too wet.

I was as far as funding is concerned, but you get my point. NZTROF is self funded. Their primary objective is: "We provide connectivity with the community of thoroughbred racehorse owners" but as an owner, I have never been contacted by them in the last decade. Nor have any of the thousands of small share owners in the likes of the Te Akau syndicates that I have spoken to. How they think they can be effective in any way with only a small percentage of owners as members, is beyond me. To be of any use, a proactive membership drive would be a good start. New owners are unlikely to have ever heard of them and a $60 membership fee for someone with a 100th share in one horse is unlikely to appeal if there is no benefit.

In the TA case, because not enough trainers were willing to pay a membership fee to support it, so now they have little say at all.

I wonder how many of the likes of Te Akau's owners are members of the Owners' Federation?

85,760 Salaries 59,517 of that FY23

The other significant problem with the TA is it is funded by NZTR, so any critical comment from there would in essence be biting the hand that feeds it.

Exactly. Smart thinking.

Meeting News Riccarton Trials Cancelled Due To Insufficient Nominations Meeting News Cambridge Trials Cancelled Due To Insufficient Nominations - 45 Total Nominations