Freda

All this endless debate is going nowhere...apart from getting two posters' teeth on edge. The 2000m+ fresh up issue has to be variable and contingent upon the horse's state of fitness/lack of at the time of entering a training programme proper. As Bid has stated, possibly 4 months for an educated horse, but presumably, said horse has been spelling out at grass. If, as is wont to be done in the UK, the horse is kept up and walked or trotted daily while resting, then of course, the situation is very different. If the horse has been injured, with a very long rest, then a slow rehab, then, the time frame varies again. But the marker as to when that horse enters a regime of cantering/fast work could be considered to be the 'start' of the prep. I have seven returned to training late last week. Three were race/trial fit when summarily forced out, another one as fit but not seen out. Two of the three had race placings in that last week, one over a sprint distance, the other over 2200m. The third horse was a 1600m trial winner. I have every confidence that those four will be ready to do themselves justice - given suitable track conditions for one in particular - but if there is no option for 2000 plus, then two of those four will be disadvantaged. Of the other three, one had been out spelling already, the other two had had a month's work and then out again. They will, of course, take longer to catch up with their stablemates.

The lab ?

If you think that response said anything bar meaningless waffle that has been heard before, you need to go to specsavers - or brush up your comprehension.

Looking at Winston's latest utterance, there are more than we two pissed off !

It is just possible - and I am not a Saundry apologist - that McKenzie has kept NZTR as much in the dark as the rest of us. Which begs the question, why hasn't he or Mary, or someone, bothered to tell us? \

Amazing that such a wordy document can say so little.

Yep. And, Kim Lange, now married to Damien Browne.

Andre was my apprentice as well. He went to Australia when he came out of his time, rode a few third-stringers for Gai, ended up with a cafe/bar on Chevron Island.

Ah. Yes, he did. He'd ridden 9 winners in 3 years when he arrived down... and he and Andre Gillett tied for leading S.I apprentice the next year. Dave McCarthy wrote an article headed ' the win twins '.

Gawd....enlighten me?

..and, not surprised, either, I shouldn't think.

Yes. They inherited a lemon, but they have been a disaster themselves. Whether or not you think that the Messara report was a lifesaver, or just another waste of space; the Board were charged with implementing that, not re - writing it.

Er...I thought it was tomorrow....Wednesday?

You know, that is the defining culture at both our racing guiding bodies; the seeming lack of ability, or desire, to look at ANY other model other than the one employed.

Nice thought, Chief...but not bloody likely.

Ha...yeah....and 3 days at Ricc in July going forward to August....at least mine won't mind but that's not really the point..

Lisa Allpress was on TV a week or so ago....complaining about not riding. She had a mortgage to pay, she said. I am an admirer of Lisa, but she would be far better off than most.

Yeah, can't quite see the train of thought there. But, again, the impact of a sales-promotion race series is being allowed to override the pattern race system. Wrong, selfish, and extremely shortsighted. I can fully understand why these northern trainers have jumped on that particular bandwagon. But, from a wider industry viewpoint, no thought as to potential impact. I have mentioned earlier that I didn't see the loss of the Guineas as a big turn-off for the wider party-going Cup week attendees. They wouldn't know or care about the significance of such a race. But the knock on effect could be enormous. No Guineas means less representation from north for supporting races, with a gradual degradation of field size, interest, and ultimately participation all round. Riccarton, for all its faults, is still the leading Sth Island club. With the inevitable contraction caused by Covid-19, it is more important than ever that Riccarton can stand up for the South. If it staggers, then Sth Island racing is gone. Do these self-entitled, short-sighted N.I trainers give a thought for the state of the industry once it is centred around the Waikato? The International pattern race people will not be allocating black type races for a NZ industry in one province.

Sure does.

Bloody hell. But, what upsets me [ as much as the possible demise of our beloved industry ] is the continued ability to spin bullshit. The lack of 'income' from NZ racing is held up to be the reason for the current malaise. Clearly, that is not the case. So, are the Rita people liars, or just plain incompetent? or both...

Ah, gotcha. The query earlier was referring to Pike/Nzta canvassing trainers, not NZTR.

So, 54 trainers were consulted , by Nztr/Rita, but not by NZTA. Have I I understood that correctly? And, therefore, 52 trainers were asked about the Guineas, and two weren't?

Yes, Andrew Carston and Pitty seem to have close connections. Pitty is always approachable and open, but as far as I am aware, the stance that it was, after all, just what northern trainers wanted disguised as a Covid-19 response seems to have eluded him. Certainly there was no open canvassing of stakeholders about this significant move.

That segment should have been sent separately. Human nature/comprehension skills mean that the ' all clear to resume training...etc ' sentence would have been seized upon with relief and the rest, largely not noticed. There has been no further advice from racing clubs that I have seen advising trainers not to rush their horses back too soon.

An email to all licensed trainers would have been the least he, or the executive, should have done. Didn't happen.