Freda

How do you know they don't?

Canterbury clubs pushed back against the placement of yesterday's Ashburton races but to no avail.

Complaining achieves nothing.

Probably for three months

Damn right, Kenny.

Spoke to Sam, she thinks she had been injured but she isn't sure to what extent. Also thought they weren't interested in breeding from her as she wasn't good enough!

Yeah, in most cases that's spot on. However, they don't have to dodge around unsuitable programming that can mean too long between races, or else races all on top of each other. There are reasons other than stakemoney that lead to horses being sent over the ditch, a factor you have alluded to on more than one occasion. In the case of P.T., I don't think that particular race was ever factored in, in the beginning. It would have taken a very strong-minded trainer indeed to have said, no, she's going to the paddock!

Very likely.

Yogesh Atchamah is out of his apprenticeship now.

The policing of riding is awful and that's why there is no improvement. Sit a few more on their butts for a decent amount of time, the reducing bank account will soon improve their outlook. But the ability of stipes to read races is poor and that may also mean some riders are penalized unfairly. A can of worms. Not a new situation though. A former apprentice of mine, a leading rider here, went to Sydney when his apprenticeship ended and started riding work for Gai. Got a ride, drew wide and ended up in behind the leader. He was very proud of his effort, until he got back and was told firmly ' you're not in the Sth Island of NZ now, boy' .....he got six weeks for taking another's line. Probably tightened a few as well.

Ffs....what a waste of time.

I wasn't aware it was the job of breeders' groups to delve into track management.

Even if only a few develop a real interest it has to be good value. Great idea IMO.

Definitely agree with rotation to allow track renovation. The right sort of guidance,leadership, call it what you will, could have facilitated a more desirable outcome than what we have now.

Technically, probably correct. But the threat of arbitrary closure has produced enormous ill feeling. As said by a former very astute poster, the only reason to close a track is an economic one. If people dont want to come and horses dont get nominated, then we'll put up the white flag. The much maligned Purcell said, in my hearing, I'm not in favour of forced closure of tracks, but we will offer support and work with any club which chooses to race at another venue. That was the way to go about the issue IMO.