Freda

Yes. If it can happen in Italy, the birthplace of Ribot and Donatello, it has to happen here the way things are going.

That sounds sensible.

I'm no expert, but the difference is to do with the soil profile. Ashburton, with very limited resources, on the whole produce a decent track. They have strong nor'westers to deal with and light, free draining soil which dries out quickly. The ground down the back straight yesterday was pretty dry but the home straight looked level with a reasonable sole of grass. Upgraded from 4 to 3 after consultation with jockeys. Riccarton has permanent track staff but the compacted nature of the soil makes for an unforgiving surface with no yield for the horses. As well there is an unfortunate history of track ratings not being overly accurate and maintenance not pleasing many.

I think the industry has already had its feet peppered by shot, from many of the decisions made in recent times.

True. That's one thing that has improved wrt fairness...although when you get a run of horror draws it doesn't seem like it!

How about our Guineas races? Derby? On a slippery slope?

I agree. They aren't sales races or restricted in any way - other than ability.

Search me.

Not to mention his time with RACE group...and manager of Otaki and ( i think ) Trentham. A nice enough bloke and very approachable but as far as sorting out track issues, ye gods, no. But as the COO he does look very likely.

Nah, if I had the resources to have a horse in Aus, I would not be wasting my time or money returning. I'd enjoy pottering around the smalls enjoying the company of like minded horse lovers.

Yes, of course they provide the revenue. There wasn't much of that before their arrival. Messara wouldn't have been needed to give his opinion if Entain had arrived already. But the crux of his advice was to partner or outsource our abysmally-performing TAB. Which is the ONLY reason an Oz horse would bother looking this way.

Entain has everything to do with the huge stake increases that you surmise some Aussies might wish to target.

What about Molly Bloom, thoughts?

After the recent Hastings debacle which inconvenienced many horses, but NONE more than the poor Aussie representative, I'd be surprised if too many would bother. And Entain wasn't around when Messara did his report.

Broodmare paddock. Nothing to prove.

Go the southerners

Which tells us what, exactly?

Well, you can laugh at me - and probably will - but I think its quite beautiful.

No

What a field.

There is another thread specifically on this very topic, so I won't wade into that. But it is worth remembering that one of our greatest ever horses, champion staying mare Princess Mellay, raced very early as a two year old - McLean Stakes - and remained sound all her life, some 40-odd years ago. Ok, only one horse. But horses have been raced as two-year-olds for two hundred years, or more. I would think that in that time, knowledge about nutrition and exercise techniques have advanced exponentially since then. It's not a new phenomenon.

I don't have the facts and figures but I do recall reading [ a good while ago too ] about Japanese research following yearlings [ weanlings? can't recall which, now ] that were allowed controlled treadmill exercise, as against control groups that had only paddock exercise. The data wrt overall soundness and longevity of careers as against their more sedentary peers was irrefutable. The value of exercise loading to maintain skeletal integrity is now widely accepted, even to the point of encouraging elderly folk to exercise, rather than sit around with a rug over their knees. I was sent for a bone density scan a while ago, my usual doc had retired and his replacement thought it was advisable. Off I went and came back to hear the result...which was 100%. That's amazing, he said, given your age [ !! ] he said. I told him his predecessor had said to me, just keep doing what you are doing, that's the best protection you'll get. Given the above posts, and the knowledge inherent in them, I'm very surprised that some of the data wasn't produced at that symposium in Holland [ ? ] where there was a real push to have not just two year old racing, but even training, outlawed. Driven by sporthorse folk I believe. There were several very good trainers who attended, I think Gosden may have been one, and possibly Dermot Weld. But it surprised me that some of this data wasn't produced to support the facts that overall, measured stress is beneficial, not detrimental to a horse's soundness.

Yes, he did. Trojan may be thinking of Painted Black?

A well-maintained Tapeta.

Yes. The phone at its tricks again. Didn't check properly did I.!