Freda

Same! don't have any preconceived ideas, but it will be a great watch. Just shows it's all about the horse. Shame for the Caulfield Cup though.

Yes, unfortunately. It's a lesser of evils really.

No.

There are a lot of horses based there, and the facilities are acknowledged to be excellent....so presumably the scope and options are satisfactory.

Haven't been there for a good while but yes, as I remember that's quite right.

Cheap shot? How? That just confirms that those particular horses are not trained here, but elsewhere.

There is no dedicated grass pacework track here, and one gallop grass which might ( but not always) be available once weekly with luck, and weather permitting.

Neither do I. They must take them all to Rangiora.

Yep

The Riccarton T.A barn train on the synthetic.

Obviously, to both.

Interesting topic. Keeping away from Nairn and the original thrust of her allegations, I'm appalled at the apparent ease that so many seem to find in referring to themselves as 'expert ' in whatever and then proceeding to fleece the gullible. I've had a staff member ( with her own horses ) frank her stupidity by spending thousands with unqualified and barely competent practitioners getting a young horse broken in, having riding lessons, etc, etc, with predictable results. With a bit of advice and common sense the 'unbroken' horse came to hand quickly and kindly, her riding also improved from abysmal to fair on a tractable horse, even to the point where she managed to ride slow trackwork for a local trainer. The point being that these unqualified practitioners are able to make money with considerable risk inherent for many who get sucked in.

Yeah.

The good news is that x-rays and scans have cleared Brandon May of serious pelvic injury, and Bridget Grylls of shoulder complications as well. Soft tissue mainly, concussion for Bridget and possibly broken wrist for Jack Taplin. Yogesh Atchamah has a sore hand but usable, and Brett Murray's timely flying dismount kept him free of trouble altogether. Richard Stomper has a fractured sinus and will undergo surgery.

It did in this case.