Freda

Took ten minutes....

Asked the course manager where the silica sand might come from. He will let me know when he has more information. Horses in training ? a guess - I'd reckon 400-odd. Some of course come from private stables. Trainers? again, off the top of my head...16 based here, and 5 or 6 not based here. But if I bothered to look it all up in the last NZTR monthly mag, I may be a tad more accurate. I have no knowledge of any trainers [ yet ] that may be attracted by a synthetic. Early days of course, not done yet. As for younger trainers generally, if under-50 counts as 'young' we have Nicky Lloyd, Andrew Carston, Champion/Murphy, Matt Pitman, Lee Callaway, Richard Didham, Aaron Taylor...struggle to think of any more. Carston, Callaway and Pitman would be the only ones under 40. Training ? one trainer was told that we would have to gallop on the sand. But I'm informed that the sand is being eliminated for contamination reasons, so....beats me. I've considered the Hughes' , and Champion/Murphy, as one entity each BTW.

I, for one, don't see him having anything to do with this idiocy...but if it came to a verbal stoush, he'd win in a hand canter.

Haha .....good one.

I understand there is a delegation from Ricc heading to Cambridge next week for a look.

I remember him telling me at the Racecourse Pub one evening how they had increased turnover as a result of some tactic so therefore we had more income.

or Dunedin -Blenheim....alternate days..not so bad..

or Omakau to Greymouth ....when the suits thought that was just part of how it rolled, no problem at all.

Riccarton to Riverton?

With clearly stunning results.

Peter Moody?

No idea, K....but it's a very good observation.

yes, it would seem it will be raced upon, looking at the calendar. A northern trainer was talking to me yesterday, he was adamant there WON'T be racing on it. Too small, he said, not suitable. Ok, just his opinion..but... As for Riccarton, it will take in the plough track, but also I imagine the big trial grass as well. It will have to, the plough comes into a bottleneck at the winning post, you're flat getting two horses upsides there. But with drainage issues and resource consents to deal with, not a simple matter at all.

Exactly. Good move I thought. But they haven't got a date this time round.

Interesting post. I've tried to point out the obvious replacement costs - and the folly of leaving too long before so doing to save money [ which would UNDOUBTEDLY happen here ] but the waste disposal I hadn't considered. That may well be an issue going forward with resource consents, etc.

Not sure, but I have a feeling that the suits would find a way to make sure it can't work....like banning all runners from future racing under NZTR rules, or something like that that would guarantee no runners. Other than non-registered horses of course.

oh. that's 45 mill then. Not much change. Maybe not immediately urgent, but won't go away.

Yeah...but there is still the rest of the loan sitting there.

and...getting off topic, but still TAB related...I was locked out of my TAB account when the platform changed. With the help of a very nice lady on the staff, I finally got it sorted. In the meantime, out of frustration, I opened a Bet365 acount. Very satisfactory, and so easy to navigate even for a simpleton like me. So..my phone died and I got a new one. Found myself needing to re-log in on both sites and re-introduce myself. Typically, I had saved my passwords on my old phone which, with a charger broken off inside, was unable to be accessed to retrieve them. Guessed, but got them wrong. No problem, said the Bet365 website, re-set password. Click. Fine. Re-enter new password. Click. Done. Welcome. And away I went. Tab said, wrong password. I know that. Click reset. We will email you a replacement password. Still waiting.

You are pretty vocal yourself. Is your opinion worth more than mine, or those of others? Dont forget, those of us who choose to exercise our right to have an opinion are not getting paid to get this business right, nor are we responsible for the livelihoods and/or wellbeing of thousands. I respectfully suggest that if more opinions had been taken note of over a good few years we may not be in this situation. JMO. Of course.

Oh, yeah....plenty of that on those circuits...plenty of down-to-earth drinking too, in the Railway Hotel....Jimmy Melton and Garth Jackson after a few Long Island Iced Teas....but that's telling tales so I'd better stop.

Can't recall seeing that. The old photos of the sailing ships lined up down Gibson Quay are amazing, the sailors of those times must have been pretty damned good to get the old girls across the bar.

Hokitika looks fine, wide clean streets and [generally ] attractive homes. Interesting little stores, glass-blowing and greenstone/gold operations. Very different to the dilapidated Greymouth. If the track area is what you are referring to, the club gave the council cash as well to help with the costs of removing old buildings, etc. However, the West Coast Riding for the Disabled has a good complex down the hill, the barn used to be borrowed from them for racetime stabling. The arena is well set up and the place also holds riding lessons, dressage days, etc. with some keen local participation. Boys' Brigade has an excellent building up the hill, overlooking the track. So a valued and still valuable community asset.

The Hokitika Museum is a fascinating window on history of the place. I go in for a wander whenever I'm over there....sadly, won't be often now.

Probably.