Freda

This is going round in circles. As far as my humble opinion goes, I am - and have been for years - aware that most horses bleed. Some bleed all the time, some less often, but that is the unfortunate reality of equine physiology, added to the fact that we ask far more of them than they are designed to do. The practice here in NZ of requiring a horse to be stood down is, I feel, not entirely fair. With the knowledge that most horses do bleed, it seems unfair to discriminate against a horse that shows blood from the nostrils when most of the field it has competed against will be bleeding too, just less obviously. I assess my horses as to their performance, if they are racing well and consistently, I assume that they are coping with the level of disability ok. If they are not, then bleeding is considered, along with a raft of other possibilities including lack of ability....and their future is decided on the basis of that assessment. If a runner has a bad bleed and drops out of contention, clearly that animal isn't able to cope at all, and another job should be considered - IMO. One of my better performers - Ranger - a good middle-distance animal [ winner of the Easter Classic and Grt Autumn Hcp when those races were really worth winning ] bled badly before he ever went to the races. He won nine, bled nearly every time. But when he won his last race, the Greymouth Cup, he scraped home just beating horses that a year or so earlier he would have beaten with a leg tied up. I retired him with the full support of his owner. The Lasix argument doesn't concern me, I don't believe in drug-assisted performance. Whether it is scientific or not, I support the stance taken by Japan and Germany in their quest for the superior performer. As in the quoted article, the best and soundest racehorses are COPING with the condition better than their peers. A recent addition to our stallion ranks was a known bleeder in Europe...he won't be the only one of course, but has a high profile...

I presume you are referring to plough tracks as per many NZ training centres - I love our plough at Riccarton, just a life-saver IMO, and very few problems seen there either. Could be maintained a bit better, but that is a complaint made here about most tracks, work and raceday, I guess. Not sure how closely our ploughs resemble the tracks discussed in the above article, though. Clearly Gilligan has a real issue with the prevailing state of dirt tracks in much of the US. I thought his article was very interesting, not much there that I could take issue with. Perhaps Curious, given his experience with US racing, might comment ?

Don't think Tapeta is the surface of choice here as far as I can see...but if you read Gilligan's article in it's entirety it is clear he feels it is a far superior option to American dirt.

I know John well, he was certainly very silly to do what he did but is most definitely not a crook . He wouldn't know how to turn on a computer and quite likely was either unaware of the rule ( no excuse I know ) or possibly thought the ' no administration ' bit referred to a substance that could possibly affect the horse.

I know Brian well and communicate with him regularly. I wouldn't be arrogant enough to think that anything I might say would ' put him on the right track ' , however - although he knows my opinion of Winston..! We've thrashed the topic to death, agree on much and disagree on plenty as well. But, as stated earlier, at least he's prepared to put his ideas forward and go to bat for the industry. Plenty have much criticism but do shit all.

Yep, read it years ago. Great stuff. I recently had a bookcase clean-up, that was one that got passed on to the Sallies. Wonder if anyone will give it a home.?

" The Messara Report says the codes should manage themselves, control their own finances and determine their own future " That, to me, is one of the major flaws in the Report. I was pretty optimistic [ no pun intended ] that a good shake-up might get some improvement started - although I have never agreed with the stealing of club assets. But with the RB streamlined and operating efficiently [ ? ] and the TAB outsourced, light may shine..I hoped. But it is all just a waste of time if the [mis]management of the codes remains unchanged.

Politicians have only been involved in the R.B.....the board of NZTR - and the useless members' council - has eff all to do with them. We've sat on our hands and allowed things to develop in the way they have. I've had a prominent local trainer tell me NZTR is 'doing a great job' ....so go figure.

The only additional comment I feel I must make [ and I'm not an apologist for National in this regard ] is that successive Ministers of either persuasion have said ' racing, get your house in order' . Annnette King is on record as saying that help was beyond her, as getting consensus from industry factions was impossible. And therein lies the biggest problem [ apart from RITA ] - the governing model of Throughbred racing is so bad that nicking other people's assets , although morally reprehensible, remains the only way to garner extra money. ....which, as the business model is so poor, will go down the same gurgler as all the rest.

Interesting read....agree with most of what you say - from an outsider's point of view. However, in the galloping code, ' power' was taken away from the galloping clubs, and the old Racing Conference replaced with the slick, professional model we were told we needed. Hasn't that gone well ..?

That's kinda prophetic, then, isn't it. ?

..unless 'intangible assets' can be counted...surely not.

wrt ' reserves' I was under the impression we had none left... ?

Pleasing for we locals on the face of things - but it has been pointed out that representation from the north was significantly down in the supporting races. Can't comment about the Myers situation, but do we not see a shifting in influence over time in the bigger stables, nationally? The O'Sullivan clan were all - conquering once, and the Moroneys and Roger James in the winner's circle all the time. Jimmy Gibbs, so successful and respected, yes people do get older and circumstances change, but it is interesting to see how power/ influence change over the years . Nothing stays the same that's for sure.

But still rain affected, still a walk and sprint - and a vastly superior lot of horses over the ditch. Pointless discussion, the days of fast times in 2 mile races seem to be long gone - except in Japan. It is what it is, its in direct competition to the Melbourne Cup and always has been, one could speculate that The Chosen One should have cantered around back here instead of wasting his time, but the bottom line is the dramatic drop off in both numbers and overall quality of horses racing here. I would be surprised if either the Wellington or Auckland Cups are any more noteworthy....but all kudos with the winners , it would be hard to find a more worthy victor.

Melbourne Cup 3 24 7....hmmmm

If there were 'better' stayers that didn't run, they missed easy money then.

Would there ever have been a more deserving winner? Sometimes fairytales do happen.

Agree. And I've got no axe to grind with Troy at all, it is just that the very best riders don't seem to find the need to knock others over because they're in a stupid possie in the first place. Noticeable when you watch the likes of Mick Dee and how ordinary the opposition looks in comparison. Easy to criticize from the sideline of course.

Not only was Ritchie's horse at risk of injury....but Catalyst too. Far too much of this happening and far too little done about it.

Wasnt suggesting you should give up your opinions....just stop ramming them down everyone's neck.

I make up my own mind and don't take advice from ANYONE. And I do ok....apart from the fact that I am very poor, and therefore the amounts I can put on are very small. Hence I have to look for value all the time.

I gather forearm fracture is the decision....3 months box rest, and a chance she might race again if recovery good. She's by Tavistock so has a future regardless.

Give up, Thommo.

Nevertheless, they and their ilk will, and are, doing immense damage to racing's image with the general public. And putting out 'mission statements' on the NZTR website will do jack shit to remedy that.