curious

Are those times calculated from the margins?

Yes. I watched the race and backed the eventual winner @ $18. Didn't realise until I next checked my TAB account and wondered where the money came from. 'Twas a good thing too. My only winner all day! Definitely a caller error though.

Assuming they've got the grass sorted, I wonder if they will now fix/re-surface the synthetic?

There were 6 horses in it last year rated 90+ and another 6 rated 80-90.

Yes, as do NI trainers who will have horses at Riccarton for Cup week.

Yes. And it might have been Mike's wish. Who knows?

Yet, increasing revenue is in there, and increasing average field size and starter numbers are KPIs towards that end. How they can not realise that programming and handicapping are key to that is beyond me.

Yes, yes and yes!

Similar base, drainage and sand growing profile I think. Just without the fibre elements in it. Haven't seen any detail of that. At one stage they said they were trying to replicate the natural surface at Foxton.

Where did you get that idea? Neither are mentioned in the current SoI, aside from programming in the business as usual list.

Probably. Along with the NZ Cup?

Moroney's Ballymore to shut down Andrew Eddy @fastisheddy 5:08pm A A A Mike Moroney (Image: Racing Photos) Lindsay Park will take over the training operation of the late champion horseman Mike Moroney. Moroney's partner Karen released a statement to owners on Thursday night announcing that the brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes will be taking over his Flemington operation into the future. Long-time racing manager Anthony Feroce will shift to work for Lindsay Park, while current trainer and Moroney's former partner Glen Thompson will depart to pursue other opportunities after also being offered the chance to join the team. Moroney passed away in his sleep in February, while Thompson and Feroce had been leading the operation since his sudden death. "It has been a difficult couple of months for me as I am sure you can imagine," Karen said in the letter sent to owners. "Michael entrusted me to make the necessary decisions about the future of Ballymore and after much thought and careful consideration, I have now made the decision I think best reflects what Mike would have wanted. "In what I feel is in the best interests of our owners, our horses and our staff, I have asked Lindsay Park to take over our Flemington operation going forward. "Mike always held Ben, Will and JD Hayes in the very highest regards and I know their professionalism and enthusiastic approach will make the transition as seamless for you as possible. "I really believe this is a positive move for you and will give you and your horses the best chance of further success on the racetrack. "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a part of Ballymore and for all the loyal support we have received from so many of you over the years. "It is the end of an era in life and racing, but I am hopeful that Mike's legacy will live on, and I know the Ballymore name will forever hold an important place in the hearts of the people who make up our industry." Moroney fell ill in April last year and was admitted to hospital. Despite making a return to trackwork and to the races, he died in his sleep in February. Moroney famously moved to the Chicquita Lodge stables at Flemington following his Melbourne Cup success with Brew in 2000, with the majority of his 55 career Group 1s coming out of the historic stables.

Don't think tracks are over-watered generally. Erratically or inappropriately maybe but that is largely due to antiquated irrigation systems and stuffed soil structures. I think tracks have sometimes been under-watered in recent years. Also, not sure what you mean by mandated by HO? The NZTR mandate is to produce a GOOD track for the majority of the meeting but avoid a GOOD2. That seems essential for horse and rider welfare doesn't it? The actual watering to achieve that is up to the clubs and track managers as far as I know.

Which would have meant that KGG might have got more. Remember the handicapper is constrained by the ratings system as to the max and min number of points they give for maiden and ratings race wins. The critical question from the handicapping policy is " if the race was to be run again the next day, what would the weight turnaround be to equalize the chances of all horses." What do you think the handicapper has done wrong in establishing the ratings for those other 3?

Ballon D'ór finished 5th, 1 1/2l from the winner and retained its revised rating of 74. KGG actually beat the other two who both lost a point. Not saying the rating system is perfect but if it were mine, I wouldn't have any complaint about the 13 points that KGG got and presumably neither did its current connections.

It doesn't. It's at the handicappers discretion. As I said, seems about right to me, maybe on the generous side.

It actually got 13 points for running 4th, beaten 1.5l behind horses rated 67-70. Seems about right to me, or do you think it should have got more?

Yep. I'd say about 50 galloped there when I was there Saturday. I think it's the second largest training centre in the SI though I stand to be corrected on that.

Yes. That's how we got the Foxton ones for trials and assembled ourselves.

Rangiora is now running jumpouts but at this stage only has fixed starting gates at the 1200. They are looking for mobile gates though.

If there were a set of grass trials scheduled this week with that programme down here instead of the cancelled poly ones, we wouldn't be forced to go to the races on Saturday to give one a trial. The whole programming races/trial thing is completely screwed.

Yes and the original injury data showed that Awapuni and Riccarton was double that of Cambridge, though you have to be cautious about the low n. Still it backs up what you say.

Yes they use some sort of geo-location system to capture phone betting etc.

So, it's included in what is reported?

Does oncourse turnover include oncourse betting on off course events?