Freda

I was talking to an Ashburton dairy farming couple on Friday, asked them how they had come through the micoplasma bovis matter...then was sorry I asked. Twenty minutes later, after a very emotive and heartfelt discourse, it seemed that dealing with the useless 'suits' of MPI, and various other departments was very similar to racing, with corrupt and/or inept management protocols.

The inconsistency was what really pissed me off. Just such a poor attitude to the connections of the more modest runners...you lot don't matter.

I am assuming that NZTR has gone 'overboard' with its rules and regulations to prove to all and sundry that racing can be conducted safely in this climate of uncertainty. Obviously, Australia, despite the recent infections in Vic racing, has conducted racing pretty safely all along, so I don't really have an issue with being careful. But, it would make more sense if the three codes were on the same page. Galloping owners cannot even go to the trials, whereas harness and the greys are much more lenient in that respect. It is annoying, insulting even, when Riccarton has to close its doors to owners and patrons, and those same patrons can go 500 yards across the road and stand shoulder to shoulder in the Racecourse Pub. Chris Johnson was allowed to drive the Parsons truck to Auckland, attend the horse as a strapper, but couldn't ride it. Insane. Now we have connections of high profile horses allowed at Hastings..? I had an owner ring me, bitterly disappointed that he wasn't allowed to go, but could see the privileged ones on TV. What a slap in the face for loyal people who have paid through the nose for years, breeding and racing their modest performers.

I also notice that Saundry refers to the ' NZ Racing Board ' . That has been defunct for two years.....

So....do I take from this missive, that three companies / three codes, means that there is to be a consultant company for each code. Paid for by which body/bodies? HRNZ,NZTR,GRNZ...? or the 'new' Racing NZ..? [ is it even up and running yet? ] or TAB NZ? which isn't what they are supposed to be doing...? Saundry's beaming countenance heading the copy...so do we then assume that he is the driver of it all? or what..? I'm astounded. Like J.B, I'm not speechless very often..but..ye gods..

Yes...and I don't want to be thought negative, or backward-looking; but it just doesn't seem to me that all the factors have been considered. Even the graphs shown above, to me, are pretty sanitised We can get temperatures over the summer months of 30+ and for days, weeks at a time ; and the nor-wester on top of that would provide a real challenge to the consistency of moisture, I would think. As well, temperatures can drop 10 deg in an hour. That doesn't happen in a lot of other areas.

Yes, that is my understanding also, from Martin's report on proceedings. However, he ( being an import ) is not au fait with the history of b/s and cockups that we have been served . He is also not as aware as we locals of the funding issues - we don't have Sheikhs installing an AW gallop at Newmarket and naming it after their Guineas winner, or magnificent, privately owned stables with superb facilities. Nor do we have an industry, well run, that can keep facilities up to date on what is returned through betting revenue. And, all that notwithstanding, the facilities we do have at Riccarton, while very good by comparison to most here, are not as well maintained as they could or should be. The sand is of a type that will strip fetlocks of horses vulnerable in that respect. When rain affected, the water is supposed to percolate through to the base, and be channelled to the drains on the inner. It doesn't, and we get a sludge that provides no cushion, and horses will cut through to the base. And it doesn't rain that much here, as observed above. The gallop grasses are rough, and unless a new strip with fresh ground is used, hard and bare. The clay soil is very hard underneath and, unless the rain is significant, will chop out quickly and be slippery on top. So, no not ideal. How will this management structure cope with looking after a surface that MUST be properly handled? And the contract to supply and maintain the AWT, with 3 monthly visits from the team, will that still be valid if the interim maintenance isn't up to scratch?

Yes, there were a few who really should have attended.

Yes. And that is very likely the main reason [ apart from apathy ] that many stakeholders just can't be arsed going to these roadshows....because they don't get given any significant information. I am told that the presentation by the engineers was excellent, however.

The 1 65 mill was referring to the Singapore Polytrack, so I would assume that figure would be Singapore dollars, not HK dollars. That makes things a helluva lot pricier!

Think he's now got nine to go.

The trouble is, Pitty, that despite the stakeholders' support to retain Timaru, it does seem that it will be 'for the chop' once the AWT gets going. Ashburton is the preferred option.

That is a particular concern of mine.

Great post. But, although not specifically addressed to me, the Strathayr/AWT comparison is not entirely 'apples with apples' as, in this case. a Strathayr would be replacing the maligned course proper, and only be used as a racing surface. The AWT is intended for training as well, which is why many trainers are not opposed to it in a working sense. Finances don't occur to, or bother, most.

Don't think I've ever said, or thought, that I ' know everything '. I do have opinions, which is not the same thing at all. Marty knows far more about AWT'S than I do, so a much better option that he went instead of me. Try to debate the topic and not make things personal. And for the record, there were quite a few trainers who never received an email.

I believe so. No idea how that can be accessed, though.

My co-trainer attended the presentation. As a former UK lad, employed at both Lambourn and Newmarket at different times, and also by the Bart Cummings stable at Randwick, he has had more experience with AWT's than most around this region - apart from the engineers, that is. He was, after initially being very sceptical at the likely quality of management protocols, a little less anxious after listening; however, he isn't particularly au fait with funding matters, likely returns/costs, and those sort of things. There were promises that there will still be retained tracks in the middle during construction - a matter that has worried me greatly [ and my information came from the course manager whom I would expect to have all the facts.]. So, that is one concern eased a little. One interesting point - there will be no additional water required. [ ? ] Nature's efforts are all that is needed. I am aware that Martin Collins enterprises have a world-wide reach - but how a loose substance is to be retained in the right place in a howling nor-wester in drought conditions is intriguing, to say the least.

Yes, i think that would be the case.

As a matter of interest, I had a chat with one of the few trainers who attended the ' roadshow ' , he confirmed there was little information to share. No financial plan, and according to him, no means to cover the extra costs and/ or maintenance. One interesting point he made, as informed by an owner of his whom I think would know, apparently PGF funding has to be repaid in some cases....it is advanced as an interest-free loan, not a gift.

That option would seem a far better and fairer use of PGF funding than an effing white elephant in a city.

No idea.

He rides, pissed or stoned, better than most do straight. But that's not really the point, is it.

Don't forget Shreck and Compton's Mrs....or our own Head of ' Integrity' and his own motel acrobatics...as well as his henchman who helped him escape the scene....it goes on, Clinton, Profumo, your next door neighbour; and we do have 60 Minutes here too. But the millions pissed up a wall would never rate a mention, too commonplace, no-one cares, or notices, Govts change but the Civil Service run the show, to the man in the street nothing alters.

Don't forget this is the guy who had to ask ' do you gallop them every day ? ' ye gods... And, for me [ self-interest foremost here ] a huge concern is where we will work our horses, both during and after installation. To be fair, that is not Saundry's job to work out, nor is it the mandate of the engineers, but the CJC must provide some idea going forward. I gather the idea of an underpass to get access to the inside tracks without contaminating the AWT is considered too expensive, so the track layout will be, from outside in, course proper, allweather, another grass gallop,and the middle [which currently provides three smaller gallop grasses, a small sand, a reverse cinder track, a frost grass, as well as hurdle/steeple grasses ] . The middle tracks are reported to be going, to guard against contamination. Inside, will be created small lakes to hold the run-off from the water applied to the AWT, so, unless some innovative thinking comes about, there seems to be no provision for slow working horses other than on the allweather. The excellent plough, big and small trial gallops and the big sand will be swallowed up by the AWT.

No.