Freda

Makes little sense to me. Figures aren't my strong point though, so no doubt someone will enlighten me.

Alarming if he has.

My recollection [ may be a bit hazy though...! ] was that the venerable old lady had escaped pretty lightly, according to the reports made at the time. And the stand was used subsequently; but, then, a more in-depth builders' assessment found significant damage to the foundations and use was then ceased.

The standard of buildings on many provincial courses will, of course, not pass muster wrt modern earthquake/general safety requirements and this fact does escape many when considering the fate of smaller clubs. The ongoing and ever-increasing costs of insurance to that end is also a real burden for some.

I'll keep out of the Riccarton discussion, I don't have all the facts and therefore would be foolish to comment. But a local club had a [ much smaller ] grandstand, also damaged in the earthquake and which spent quite some time roped-off from the public while insurance matters were discussed. The options were to take a payout, or repair with appropriate earthquake standards to be upheld. They considered and opted for repair. The cost of renovation to acceptable standard was exponentially more than what had been offered as a lump sum.

Sheeesh..don't remind me. Plenty others got hammered too...you as well unless I have the wrong person.

Ya learn something every day.

Yes, i read that too. However I doubt if NZTR has plans along those lines, they've only just facilitated the installation of AWT'S. As for a ten year plan....hmmm...and utilizing more grass tracks? Ffs there won't be many left to use.

I don't know why I'm wading into this 'discussion'...I do think you're creating a beat-up over a nothing issue. I'm not a Te Akau apologist - but I respect enormously the skill of the whole operation. They have beautiful, well-bred horses, well cared for and expertly trained/handled. Top staff, the best jockeys...if you can't work out whether to back something that's your problem, not theirs. Only minor issue is that odds are generally less than they possibly would be otherwise, just because of the facts I've outlined. I seldom back anything of theirs, because I'm looking for a divvie. The paltry amount I can afford to lose isn't worth putting on a 1.30 shot. I do agree that Jamie is/was a class act, however, Mark, although a different sort of person, is still a very good trainer. He would probably prefer to have a less demanding part in it all..but will do a good job regardless.

That would seem to be the point of the AWT.

That Rangiora asset is still being utilized by numbers of Riccarton based trainers for grass gallop options.

Exactly. While enterprise is to be applauded, the failure of the industry to fund itself is still critical. Even the Nakhle initiative wrt training young racing personnel is a private one - albeit sanctioned by head office - not an industry funded option.

More or less. But the original intent of the 'Deed of Gift' was neatly overridden to get part of the area sold for housing, shouldn't have been hard to get the rest flogged off as well.

I see a notice from Paul Wilcox, C.E.O of the new Auckland Racing amalgamation, promising minimum stakes of 20k across the board. That is great news indeed for stakeholders in that region [although, still not funded from a successful industry model, but from a private commercial development]. It makes me wonder just what may have been possible for Canterbury Racing if the significant asset at Riccarton Park had been capitalised and a business case developed along similar lines? Reefton has been pointing that out for quite some time.

Didn't see...but great that he improved on his hurdle effort. A real good horse.

I don't think so. Which is not to say there isn't some less than ideal behaviour from time to time - but that's life, certainly not restricted to racing. The worst result IMO is the now widespread notion that all racing is both corrupt and cruel. Which we know is NOT the case.

Originally, the only race with more than six entries was the 65 2200...but the 1600m maiden has been deleted so maybe one or two of those have gone into another.

Don't forget - from my perspective of advanced years - I can remember there has often been a bit of a lull with field sizes at this time of the year. Post National, the winter horses are put aside, the spring/summer runners aren't ready yet. The Grigg Stakes meeting at Ashburton used to be the first one of the new season, locally, in early September.

Maybe so...but there are no maidens two days later. So they should be coming out of the woodwork, if they are there.

I think Curious meant she might need further, Chief.

They've sat on their hands for years and watched jumping decline, with no will to do anything particularly helpful. And I don't think that even now there is realisation that the National, in the form it was, is history. While C's idea makes sense - if there were any jumpers - there is no point if they all have to come from the North Island.

Yes. I know jumps races are held in the northern hemisphere on AWT'S ( J.B. can confirm) but the substructure is different on those poly's I understand. I'd be reluctant to run jumpers on tracks with a tarmac base.

On a brighter note, it's good to see a meeting for jumps riders/amateurs only. A few more of those and we may not have seen the dramatic fall-off of numbers in many areas.

What about Urban Sea, dam of both Sea the Stars and Galileo ?

Not the excitement machine that was Frankel....but, the complete racehorse. Class, ability, temperament...the package. What a horse.