jess

Freda - greetings to you. I respect your knowledge and experience - both greater than mine when it comes to horse racing. So tell me - would it really not have been possible until after 2 races had been run (and the destruction of one horse - no idea whether that was related to the "inconsistencies" in the track however) - to tell that the track was not safe to race on that day? Would a track manager and any others involved at the venue have no way of knowing prior that there were issues? Do they just rock up on race day not really knowing what the track is like - assume all is well & hope for the best? (known round my place as a "suck it & see" approach 😜) Or would there more likely be a inkling of trouble afoot (no pun intended) - but keep it on the down-low, fingers crossed for clement weather, good luck & we all get through ok? Also interesting to know how the rate of these mid-meeting cancellations compares with other venues around the world running on turf ....

Well I'll certainly miss his calls. IMO a very good commentator and the nicest quality voice of them all. Pretty easy to listen to. Wry humor - and appeared to have a genuine affection for the horses. Shame I won't hear you call another one of mine T Lee - but tbh, I won't be far behind you as you exit stage left. Too tough for small owner breeders like me now. I bow to the might of the dominant big studs and syndicators and ticket clippers and trough-feeders. I'll see through the last handful of ponies I have and then leave you all to it. Kind wishes to those little people who stick around - I'll certainly cheer you on against increasingly tough odds - and raise a glass when you manage to pull it off. J.

Sorry - I must be a bit dim. I read the original post - and wondered if someone would be kind enough to translate the meaning of this for me please: "The MJC's apparent reasons for this were due to their operational difficulties and the inability of horse racing activities to meet the current development needs of society".

If the jungle drums beating in my neck of the woods are correct and they've got the rumored trainer right - there'll be a defence advanced and no matter the likely plausibility - I predict it will be swallowed greedily and without question by the powers that be. With narry a burp or slightest hint of indigestion to follow. Nothing to see here folks (but best not try your luck some of you little no-names battlers training a couple from your back paddock - I don't fancy your chances). Happy new year one and all - may your horses be swift & the luck of the Irish be with you. Kind regards, Jess

Long time since I passed by this way. Firstly - like all of us here I was immensely saddened to read of this tragedy. Sincere condolences and love to Taiki's family. As I recall from previous times here at BOAY - Freda is the voice of reason & commonsense - with intelligence and experience in the industry that always lends real credibility to her posts. Respect. Chief - go easy - I know this is an awful thing that's happened but I do think people are being respectful here - and largely constructive too, when speaking of racing, safety and related matters. I didn't hear David Ellis speak - but the one thing that gave me pause for thought was why he was the one approached when so many others would have been better placed to speak to this. It seems he has shown by his own utterances, however intentioned, that he was a poor choice to speak on the matter. Perhaps he would have been better when approached to have offered his sympathy (which I'm sure is genuine) & then to defer to someone who could speak more eruditely on this. Fly high Taiki - may all your steeds be fast & true. You felt the wind on your face & you've known the grace & speed of the thoroughbred. Your final salute to the judge came way too soon. Jess

No-one's putting their hand up to administering P/meth to their animals. So there is a lot of talk about how a horse can "inadvertently" return a positive to meth - mostly supposition/speculation. Like whether it can be picked up (absorbed through the skin, feet or by inhalation) in a box where a meth-user has pee'd in the corner - or from casual contact with an owner who's used P? We really don't know for sure. And in the ensuing investigation - how much do negative tests on the people associated to the horse mean? If these are urine tests undertaken some time later - possibly not much, as P is so rapidly metabolized/excreted). And we might never know about these various theories producing positive swabs in horses - I mean imagine designing a trial to test these (& other) theories - good luck getting that past an ethics committee! It’s all got me wondering though. If there was an individual who was a meth addict & who worked with horses in several capacities (short of race-day riding) – would this be a concern? Would it be any more of a concern if that person frequented a racing complex? Would (– or should!) this situation attract attention/action from the authorities? Not sure how many of you can think of someone you know, in your areas, who could fit this description – or partly fit the description. But if you can – how come it’s allowed to continue? Besides those pesky positive race-day swabs – competent & focused investigations could yield benefits and enable risks to be mitigated. What comes to mind is enhancing safety & integrity - & reducing exposure of young industry participants to drugs. Who knows – it could also bring change & support to the hypothetical individual/s to get themselves clean & sorted? God knows there are enough people hell-bent on shooting our industry down - why would we hand them the gun & the bullets? – because that’s what we seem to be doing currently. No use being those 3 monkeys with their hands over their ears, eyes & mouth - that won't make it go away. IMO there needs to be a more serious commitment to cleaning up our act. Detecting & dealing with drug users in the industry will bring short term bad press – but allowing it to continue could wreak long term havoc – to horse, human and the viability of racing. So what will we choose? J.

So I went through our hay paddocks after they were cut this year - picking out the weeds before it was baled. Thought at the time I was picking out docks & the odd scotchy ... now I realise it was probably poppy plants! Growing wild and free with their nasty opioid ways in my hay paddocks! Well bugger me! Who knew?! So thanks for your help Chief - I'll pay more attention next time. And then there's the matter of how I feed it out. I will change my ways and will follow the example of the exalted and in future, will carefully allocate individual supplies of forage to individual horses. You see I have this weird habit of opening a bale and feeding it to everything until it's time to open the next bale. Which could have resulted in positive swabs for morphine for the entire tribe had they been lining up at the races! Ouch! Really appreciate the heads up ....always something to learn in this game .... Cheers, J

No argument this was an idiot. Interesting though to hear the Police Summary of Facts which outlined his (idiot, drunken, disorderly) behavior in a very public area of the course before he decided to jump fences and go onto the track .... where were those members of the security staff hired for the day ... or the racecourse officials - or any other capable guardian in the vicinity? Don't get me wrong - this is one person's fault - and theirs alone. Just a shame no-one saw fit to intervene prior to the ultimate act ... Jess

Give me a flippin' break. Morphine contaminated hay? And morphine contaminated hay that no-one bothers to test before it's thrown to the cows? But then again - some ppl believed that tale spun about derby ponies hanging with the herd & swigging on da cobalt enriched H2O ... Some are not so green as cabbage looking ... or whatever that ole saying was ..... And here's another that may apply here - there's none so blind as those who will not see ... Greetings & kind regards one & all. J

Very good & well respected vet, Bill Stewart. And I believe his dad before him. There's some great technology about these days but I admire the likes of these guys who achieved so much with so little (as far as technical aids, I mean).

Spot on Freda. "doin' it all day, Ref". That "reinforcing the service" is AI by any other name. And those stud masters smugly chalking up 170 odd mares to their expensive horse are dancing on the head of a pin when they describe their practice.

Apologies - I posted that before I read the whole thread. My father used to tell us kids - "fools and bairns should never see a job half done". Clearly I didn't listen. And sadly I am no longer a bairn. Only leaves one option I guess .... 😜

Dr Bill Stewart by any chance MN?

You're right Huey. LL stable did go through a real soft patch - someone told me 100 starters without a winner but I have not researched that to check the accuracy. Anyway - I think the ship's been righted & having success again now - just as I'd expect of her. Again - I'd say some significant & various changes in that stable too - might have been some adjustments & accommodations to settle back into the rhythm. Also - for a long time she's had big numbers (& a diverse lot of horses of various abilities) - strike rate is not typically the stat she stars by - but nonetheless - she's won most races worth winning in NZ & I would never underestimate her ability.

Was in 2 minds whether to bother offering a contrary view but I will anyway. I imagine Anne more than most would wish she was having more success currently. And remember - she would not be alone there!! The others on the thread have all made relevant points. I doubt you could accurately say the former success was all due to Wayne - I am sure he brought his own particular talents to the training partnership but a lot more has changed than simply Anne now training solo: different location; different horses; different owners; different staff; different times. My other observation would be in the heady days I recall (Camacho, Elegant Emerald, Tit for Taat (5 Grp ones if I remember rightly) et al ) - Anne rode work too. And you'd go a way to find a better track rider in judging a horse by the way it feels under saddle. A very capable horsewoman I'd have thought & most would acknowledge, bloody hard working with it - I imagine her horses would be very well cared for (they certainly always look it). Those of us who are owners & have to choose a trainer exercise free will & that's where we can really express our "opinions" I guess. Someone raised Lisa L's patchy recent form - I'm sure she acknowledges this & isn't happy - but it sure doesn't have me consigning her to the scrap-heap or saying she's nil because that is most certainly wrong. As the saying goes - form is temporary - class is permanent. J.

Chief - cards on the table then - are you saying you actually swallowed (no pun intended) the infamous shared Cobalt trough defence from a while back?

What a lovely balance you folks have brought to the thread with your responses to the original post 🙏 Crossy - A bit harsh maybe? - either that or you are mates with Wayne and just taking the opportunity to have a crack at Anne .......

"..... and that your Honour, is the case for the defence" 😜😆

What do I want them to say? Well I guess they could always give the truth a go ..... 😜

Never said I was in favor of that Chief - please don't misinterpret my post. If you know of one, please feel free to quote me another example where this early on in the piece, such a quote has been made inviting an inference of innocence.... I am neither for nor against Te Akau. I am for fairness, transparency & a healthy industry. I do not begrudge Te Akau their success. However I find myself pondering the position if a sport/industry has a player in the game who is considered "too big to fail". What then? J.

Oh Freda ... please don't take me back to that vision of those poor elite 3y/o beauties - schlepping round in the ragwort pasture, trying not to set their beautifully shod & dainty feet in the cowpats ...locked behind the electric tape gazing at the green pasture beyond (but knowing in their hearts they're not bred to jump 😜) ... . forlornly following the silage wagon round when lunch is delivered ... trying to avoid those big Friesians who want to chew their silken tails ...and walking gingerly down the stony cow race to the waiting horse-truck on race-day morning It always makes me sad ....

Spot on Joe. 100%. Surely a bit premature to start exonerating the "accused"/dismissing the "evidence"?

Good for Lisa getting a gong. Certainly not trying to rain on that parade in any personal sense - she seems a very nice person & is as deserving as plenty of others on the list. But all in all the NY/QB honors thing leaves me cold. Too many ppl getting them on questionable merit. Just my opinion. John Key reintroduced the knighthoods - and why? - so he could land one for himself? I found that rather calculating and repugnant (& how very different from Helen Clark). And lots of people get them for just being good at their jobs. So what? If they're good at their jobs they're bound to be getting rewarded accordingly. Even sportspeople are a similar kettle of fish IMO. And politicians can seemingly get awards just for sticking around long enough .... (& having a crony who'll nominate them). I would rather they were the preserve of genuine acts of philanthropy, altruism and people who do really good and great things for others. And even saying that - not all philanthropy is created equal! I know of a man who had racing interests who got to be a Sir on that basis - & yes it's clear that he spent considerable money on charitable causes. But I always wondered when it came to this extremely wealthy man - if he had simply just paid his taxes in NZ (instead of utilizing offshore tax havens) - whether more money would have been reaped and more good done with it that way. Mind you - you don't get accolades and a knighthood for paying your tax do ya ..... I remember a lovely old woman who was a gardener. She used to strike cuttings of plants (perennials & so on) and grow them on & sell them from the driveway at her home. Now her house was a very modest affair and over the years, her hard work earned well into 6 figures (that is one helluva lot of little plants - as they used to be mostly $2 apiece!). I was in awe. It was clear she could've done with that money for herself & her husband - upgraded their home, had a nice holiday or whatever. But no - she went on for years giving every cent away (I can't recall the charity now but I think it might have been the local hospice). Now that is what I'm talking about. J.

No worries Chief - hopefully most people here won't let you down by being silly or libelous. How to fact check if not in media? Ensure one is well informed I guess & apply some common sense & intellect to the information gathered & the sources from which the info originates. The media is generally not high on my list as a port of call when it comes to determining the facts of any matter. Sound cynical? You bet! 😜

Mark & Huey - good points fellas. These CEO gigs (& those occupying them) have survived all the amalgamation malarkey nicely! - and are they really needed? I presume with such a lofty title the role is handsomely remunerated too ....? On the other hand, folks - & I'm no expert in matters of racing governance - but if AR was working an "unsustainable" 70hrs a week - perhaps we should employ TWO CEOs. Clearly there is a lot of very important work to do and so it looks like we actually need two very important people to do it. Chairman Paul Humphries is standing in currently. I understand he is a pretty busy businessman himself - besides his racing role/s - running a large construction company. And now he has taken on this role as relieving CEO. So based on AR's version - someone please get Mr Humphries a cape!