Freda

If K. Myers has a puncture on the way down there won't be any jumping races....

That is a huge concern to some - yes, it's very useful to have the polytrack as a work option - otherwise the swimming pool or standing in a box is all one could do with the weather we've had. But as for conditioning horses for the expected surface, no. Those with their own transport or plenty of dosh can go to Rangiora, or Ashburton if that's closer - or the beach - but Riccarton based horses are at a big disadvantage otherwise.

I don't know. Given that there are now no [ sorry Meg, one ] jumper in training in the south, most aren't actually concerned with jumping numbers. I don't mean they don't care, but it isn't right in their focus right now, with their own teams to deal with.

BELIEVE IT.

The Nats offered very little resistance to the 'Act' - and they could have - so I doubt whether a change to the logical 'other side ' would achieve much. Hope I'm wrong though.

Great sentiments, Joe, wholeheartedly agree. One of my flatmates is a volunteer to RDA as well - she is on a 'jobseeker' benefit, former drug addict, abused in a former relationship - and we all thought that's where she would stay, with self-esteem at rock bottom. So, with a few verbal arse-kicks from this household as well as a lot of positive feedback, she is now one of their valued workers, and has been given the chance to take a course and become a permanent, paid employee of RDA. So, not just the horses or the kids, there are positive vibes around the whole operation.

No, but you could at Timaru!

Sadly, that seems to be about right. Which is why tempers become a bit stretched and some posters become angry when they/we confront the demise of our once proud industry. We are fortunate that the Chief hosts a site where we can have a vent, I for one appreciate it and pretty sure most others do too, however he is well able to dish out what he receives .! As for S.A....he/she has to accept that there have been many pretenders to the salvation of NZ Racing..so he/she must realise that until evidence is forthcoming, scepticism will remain. Beating the breast and taking pot-shots at passionate stakeholders isn't really the way forward.

Certainly would have...but the hurdles it was supposed to be attempting to jump, and the looming outside fence might have been alarming - especially for those on its outside.

Yes. Sufficient funds - and support in the form of local contractors- to have implemented any 'improvements' to the course that NZTR deemed necessary. But weren't given the chance. Agenda driven all the way.

I was in attendance at an enquiry when the said Mr Oatham told the rider of a hanging horse that he 'should have let the reins go'.

Unbelievable.

More than one or two I should think.

Sad indeed...especially when legislation to enable such 'seizures' was passed with not a whimper from anyone of significance. I find that unbelievable in the 'democracy' we are supposed to live in. Whereas across the ditch, for the most part, closing tracks [ especially provincial tracks ] isn't part of the design. I read recently a snip about the latest plans for discussion from the BHA. They recognise a raft of issues to mull over - stakes and field sizes for starters - but closing tracks is not one of them. Thoughts, aired elsewhere, about running 5-6 day carnivals here as seen in the UK/Ireland, don't recognise or understand that those racecourses involved in such carnivals, have many tracks within their course. So the same stretch of ground doesn't get hammered day after day. That's one potent reason for retention of as many of our tracks as economically viable. Market forces should be the reason for closure, not an arbitrary plan from an office. If we look at the Coast [ because it is in my area, and has been topical ] the four tracks have been deemed unnecessary by the experts who completely fail to understand weather and overall topography. While Greymouth has obligingly - and successfully - managed to run the Hokitika day since that club's closure, in the event of more typical Coast weather, that just would not be possible. The same can be seen with recent abandonments, in the N.I, all blamed on the weather [ and that is fair enough up to a point ] which have been exacerbated by a lack of knowledge of possible weather patterns, and compounded by utter indifference to track upgrades and illogical programming. In my home patch, we have seen the closure of Amberley, Rangiora, Geraldine, Waimate, Motukarara - and a bit further afield, Marlborough, Nelson, Westport also. I can add Hororata although that is a fair while ago and probably not significant now. Has it helped? Is racing more vibrant in this area as a result? Some will say, you are looking back, that isn't progress. Maybe. But change for the sake of change isn't particularly clever. And history teaches us much, if we want to look and take lessons from mistakes of the past.

I thought you were taking the piss. You weren't..!

I'd be interested to compare betting revenue [ not turnover ] vs stakes paid.

Agree. As said by others, the problem areas would have been noticeable earlier than raceday. Just lazy and incompetent.

Thanks, C. Was fairly sure but didn't want to argue about it without the facts.

Thanks for your input, Thommo. I struggle to find anything offensive in that query. Lost the plot, you have.

I should know this, but I can't [ typically] find what I want to know, when I want to know it. Are there any black-type handicaps in the UK/ Ireland ?

I've been mulling this over since I read it. There are as many reasons for the decline [ and remedies to revitalise things ] as there are opinions on here and elsewhere..but after much thought, I reckon one very potent influence is the business model of Aus TAB's and corporates, against the monopoly of our TAB. Monopolies anywhere tend to be anti-competitive and can lead to complacency, poor business practice and - at worst - corruption. Heaps of other matters that could be discussed, but - IMO - the monopoly structure has, over time, allowed a series of average - or downright incompetent - Boards/Ceo's that would, in a competitive structure, been down the road in a trice. NZTR, now, that's another matter. I haven't given that august body so much thought.

Not exactly. Quite apart from the local history,which I won't go into; the forced closure/acquisition of land assets, now legal, I feel will be detrimental to racing generally. I know many feel this. If I'm wrong, and the industry turns itself around and becomes vibrant and successful, I'll live with that. We all want that, don't we? ( and I have been wrong once or twice before...🤣🤣 )

I have long felt that the closure of Rangiora is an own goal that didn't need to happen.

It's still very new, and doesn't need to be hammered in wet weather. And while I understand completely, I find it ironic that a track destined for closure provides the only realistic grass gallop at this point.