curious

I don't think so because that was self-funded by the club, at least mostly. Didn't include the Cambridge AWT either as that was already funded and underway. Probably includes the NZTR contribution to the other 2 AWTs. As I read it, this was the budget for the NZTR track renovation spend from then. @TAB For Ever will know.

Not many I knew at the coal face supported it, and it hasn't been implemented anyway. It was supposed to be a six year track reduction plan accompanied by a "required program of renovation at the remaining tracks throughout New Zealand. The cost of this program is calculated at about $190 million and I believe this would be broadly consistent with estimates made by NZTR if only 28 tracks were to be retained." I think part of this has largely gone missing in the implementation to date.

Couldn't be better by the sound of it.

Couldn't find anything wrong with it. Rotorua The Abandonment Review Committee have received reports from the RIB, RTA and NZSTI following the partial abandonment of the Rotorua Raceday held Thursday 25 July. We have also viewed stewards’ footage of the incident which was inconclusive as to whether a racing incident played a significant role in the horse losing its footing. Testing of the area has found no material concerns or abnormalities with the surface in that particular area given the time of year nor was the area significantly different to the rest of the track. The Committee also found no fault in the preparation of the track by the Club. Therefore full funding will be paid on the meeting.

TRACKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE Rotorua The Abandonment Review Committee have received reports from the RIB, RTA and NZSTI following the partial abandonment of the Rotorua Raceday held Thursday 25 July. We have also viewed stewards’ footage of the incident which was inconclusive as to whether a racing incident played a significant role in the horse losing its footing. Testing of the area has found no material concerns or abnormalities with the surface in that particular area given the time of year nor was the area significantly different to the rest of the track. The Committee also found no fault in the preparation of the track by the Club. Therefore full funding will be paid on the meeting. NZTR, RIB, NZJA and Rotorua Racing have agreed the following return to racing protocols prior to racing returning on Sunday 18 August: Machinery has been put through the track post raceday. The whole track has been verti-drained and the corer used where necessary. 8 Horses will Gallop over the affected area to the RIB’s approval, on Monday 12 August. Pukekohe NZTR are working with Northern Raceday Services to investigate options around the delivery of the Starting Gates to mitigate a similar issue occurring in future. In the northern region there are now permanent Starting Gates at Ruakaka, Avondale, Ellerslie, Te Rapa (we are looking at relocating their previous set to possibly Matamata). The redistribution of current permanent & transportable gates is being worked through as the new Industry Funded gates are commissioned across the country. Awapuni The Awapuni project is continuing to progress well, with slit drains (connecting the laterals) and final works planned to commence the first week of September. We are now looking at what the return to racing protocols will look like and the final schedule for Awapuni over those first 6 months which are critical in the long term success of the track. Further information will be provided on the return to Racing timelines once these have been agreed with NZ Sports Turf Institute and the RACE Inc. Ellerslie Six horses galloped at Ellerslie on Monday 15 July, all in attendance were very happy with the progress of the surface, this included Chris Hay (Elwick Racecourse). As per last month’s update the renovation work is on track for a return to racing in September.

Such as?

The NYRA have gone with Tapeta. https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/nyra-winter-racing-to-be-all-tapeta-by-2026/

2017 INJURY STATISTICS FOR NORTH AMERICA Racetrack Percentage Woodbine (Tapeta) .63% All Synthetic Surfaces 1.1% Turf 1.36% Dirt 1.74% Source: USA Jockey Club Injury Database

Safer than turf too based on catastrophic injury data (US). In the Jockey Club Equine Injury Database (EID) for the year 2022, injuries on dirt were 1.44 per 1,000 horse starts. Turf injuries were 0.99 per 1,000. Injuries on synthetic were vastly diminished with 0.41 per 1000. This data shows that synthetic surfaces are 3.5 times safer than dirt and 2.2 times safer than turf. These statistics are compelling in showing the exponential safety of today's synthetic surfaces over dirt and turf.

The proof will be in the eating I guess, with regular jumpouts at Rangiora now underway. You'd expect a general improvement in strike rates for Canterbury trainers as a result, wouldn't you? A measurable outcome.

Looks like they are recognising there that synthetics are some times safer.

Totally right but the NZTR SOI says "NZTR Board and management will continue to relentlessly improve the presentation and preparation of all facets of our industry, which is paramount to improving wagering growth. Do nothing about it in a number of areas, despite the spiel to that effect.

New CEO. Buy now?

From a local trainer today, summarising their season. "the strike rate I’d like to see come down, but we were forced to run horses due to a lack of trials."

Needs a deep furrow plough and a good fallow, wheat cover crop and resow in the autumn, by the sound of it.

Racing Te Aroha Although work deeper into the profile was completed post the transfer of the 7 July raceday, compaction has continued to be an issue with slow progress being made with the Te Aroha track, due to completing this work during the wetter months. The Club are currently completing further deep aeration work. In conjunction with Racing Te Aroha, the decision has been made to not race their next scheduled race meeting on Sunday 1 September. Transferring the Pakuranga Hunt Cup day is devastating for the Club, but an early decision to move the meeting will allow connections of prospective runners to plan with some certainty. The track surface and profile functionality is being closely monitored and regularly tested before confirming when the track will be ready to return to racing. Please note the following changes have been made to the Racing Schedule: Te Aroha Meeting 1 September 2024 This meeting is unable to be held at Te Aroha due to on-going work on the track. This meeting is deleted from the Calendar. WTR@Te Rapa Saturday 24 August 2024 The Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m) and an Open Hurdle (3200m) have been added to this programme. Both races remain at $60,000. Egmont RC – Sunday 25 August 2024 The Jumps Races will now both be 0-1 win jumps races for a stake of $30,000. These races will be divided into a separate race for maidens ($20,000) and winners ($30,000) if numbers permit. Matamata Meeting – Wednesday 4 September – Additions/Changes Open 1600m ($50,000) – Race Added R75 1200m ($40,000) – Race Added R65 1400m ($40,000) – Replaces R60 1400m NZTR/Clubs will look to divide maiden races around this period if numbers warrant it and there is space in the programme.

We are light years behind in equine welfare. A review released July 31 by the office of New York State Gaming Commission equine medical director Dr. Scott Palmer examined 17 equine fatalities at Saratoga Race Course last summer and generated a series of recommendations. Since last summer's breakdowns, which the NYSGC said took place during unprecedented inclement weather at Saratoga, safer racing has ensued there and at other Thoroughbred racing venues operated by the New York Racing Association. Equine fatalities across the country have also dropped since the full implementation of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority rules. Some of the key NYSGC recommendations, which the regulator has posted online with its full review, include: Use of objective real-time measurements of the racing surfaces to monitor the variability of moisture content. Real-time testing of the composition of the racing surface to detect loss of fine materials. Installation of a synthetic racing surface at Saratoga, presumably to complement its turf and dirt courses, to provide a safe racing surface and maintain field size when races are moved off the grass. Require attending veterinarian exams before high-speed exercise and veterinarian's list horses to be examined before workouts, whether currently on the list or in the past. Use of HISA data to generate an epidemiologic risk factor report that will quantify risk for individual horses—information that can be shared with trainers to obtain a current real-time risk assessment for their horses. Modify the HISA intra-articular injection reporting system and improve compliance for reporting medication to HISA. Create a requirement to report nonfatal musculoskeletal injuries to HISA and provide a convenient and reliable electronic system for the accurate reporting of nonfatal injuries. Modify the racing necropsy standard operating procedure for use in horses that perish in New York to consistently reflect the appropriate level of detail to determine the presence of pre-existing orthopedic conditions. Join with the ongoing study in progress in Kentucky and Virginia by placing sensors on all horses racing at NYRA racetracks to identify horses that are candidates for a lameness examination and routine or advanced imaging. Have New York racing stakeholders invest in a comprehensive equine safety program that includes the acquisition of advanced imaging equipment (positron emission tomography scanner and a standing computed tomography scanner) to be located at the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists adjacent to Belmont Park. Improve the NYRA ship-in protocol (a NYRA house rule) to require that no horse can attempt high-speed exercise over a NYRA racing or training surface prior to notification of the racing office of their intention to do so. Add procedures to allow notifications to prevent horses that are on the veterinarian's list in other jurisdictions from training on a NYRA property prior to examination by a NYRA regulatory veterinarian. The NYGSC report indicated that its recommendations are being developed or are to be considered. "Dr. Scott Palmer's analysis of the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course enhances our understanding of the myriad factors that contribute to equine injuries sustained during training or racing," said Pat McKenna, vice president of communications for NYRA. "Continuously improving equine safety is an organizational imperative at NYRA that motivates all aspects of the operation and informs every decision around the evolving training and racing infrastructure at both Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. That's why NYRA is embracing all-weather surfaces, biometric wearable technology, artificial intelligence and advanced equine imaging to further mitigate risk and ensure the safest possible environment for racing and training. NYRA thanks Dr. Palmer and the New York State Gaming Commission for investing the time and resources necessary to develop a comprehensive review of the 2023 summer meet."

There's some wisdom in here. "Cauthen had done something that people always talk about doing, but never quite manage. He had quit at the top.

Or maybe those are two different awards?

It's weird. At the top it says: Page 2 of 6 1. JOCKEY PREMIERSHIP AWARD* Managed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing The jockey who has accumulated the highest number of race wins in NZ races during the season under review. The winner must have been licensed as a Jockey by NZTR for all or part of the season under review. Further down it says: 13. JOCKEY OF THE YEAR* Managed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Finalists: a. The jockey whose mounts in the season under review have won most Group and Listed races in NZ b. The jockey whose mounts in the season under review have won most stake money in NZ c. The NZ Jockeys’ Premiership winner in the season under review d. Not more than two nominees nominated by the NZJA from outside of the above finalists Finalists must have been domiciled in New Zealand for more than half of the season under review. Selection of winner: Each member of the Voting Panel nominates one finalist. The winner is the Jockey with the highest number of total votes submitted to the Auditor by the Voting Panel before the prescribed deadline (see Voting Paper).

Oh. Here it is. OWNER OF THE YEAR* Managed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Finalists: Finalists comprise owners, whose New Zealand-based horses, which are sole, partnership, company or registered syndicate-owned, have earned the highest points in all races in New Zealand and Pattern Races anywhere else in the world determined by the points system. The number of finalists for Owner of the Year is at the discretion of the Recommendations Panel. Definition of Owner: 1. An Owner must be registered on NZTR’s database of Owners and an active Owner for the season under review 2. A Trainer must hold an NZ Trainer’s Licence in the season under review. 3. A Syndicate Manager(s) is included as part of each individually named syndicate. 4. In the event that ownership of a horse changes during the season under review that horse will score points for each respective owner while under their ownership. Page 5 of 6 Points are allocated as follows: First Second Third Group One 12 8 6 Group Two 10 6 4 Group Three 9 5 3 Listed 8 4 2 PJR 8 4 2 Open Hdcp 6 R85 4 R75 3 R65 2 Maiden 1 Where NZTR has details of an owner’s percentage ownership in each syndicate, all these percentages are added together. Selection of winner: Each member of the Voting Panel nominates one finalist. The winner is the Owner with the highest number of total votes submitted to the Auditor by the Voting Panel before the prescribed deadline (see Voting Paper)

Yeah. That's a bit odd isn't it? OWNER PREMIERSHIP AWARD* Managed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing The owner who has accumulated the highest number of points under the specified criteria during the season under review. That surely could be a syndicate but I can't see how the points are awarded? Anyone found that?1

13. JOCKEY OF THE YEAR* Managed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Finalists: a. The jockey whose mounts in the season under review have won most Group and Listed races in NZ b. The jockey whose mounts in the season under review have won most stake money in NZ c. The NZ Jockeys’ Premiership winner in the season under review d. Not more than two nominees nominated by the NZJA from outside of the above finalists Finalists must have been domiciled in New Zealand for more than half of the season under review. Selection of winner: Each member of the Voting Panel nominates one finalist. The winner is the Jockey with the highest number of total votes submitted to the Auditor by the Voting Panel before the prescribed deadline (see Voting Paper)

Went well. https://www.facebook.com/61552503600931/videos/1004760424305197