Freda

Shhh.

I've seen one.

No. It will be getting looked after UNTIL the meeting.

Unavailable

One well-known team took all their galloping horses out to Rangiora this morning.

Since when has that bothered a jockey? I saw him a few years back, at the track. A familiar face, but very stocky now...you remember me Pam? he said. I hate to admit I can't put a name to you, I said, but you sure look familiar. So he introduced himself, he was visiting his son in ChCh who had just become a father. I have been watching races, he announced, those riders, they're awful, would I be able to go to apprentice school ? He wondered ..would be great if you could, I said but they have their heads up their arse and wouldn't let you in the door probably.

Agree with above comments, the lack of sportmanship and grace a sad commentary on the sort of folk we have, collectively, become. How often is the ref lambasted, or the hapless defeated team rubbished for being 'useless ' ? yes, they may have not have played to the expectations of many, but they didn't go out to get beaten. They have done their best and deserve applause for so doing. And how often is the small trainer given an accolade for winning with their pride and joy? Inevitably, though, an indecent rush to shove the mike under the nose of one of the highflyers... great training feat, intones the commentator, for a 1000m win after a sort let-up. FFS.

No idea, don't care, no glamour in a humble highweight. IMO - although there are/were many other factors - the removal of highweights/welters from the southern scene was one very potent reason for the falling off [ sorry about the pun ] of jump rider numbers and the resultant lack of jumpers in training.

Digressing from topic - Magellan was ridden by Tito Poblete in many of his wins...I was at trainer Helen Preston's home watching the Kentucky Derby, and her husband unearthed a video of Magellan. Watch this, he said..so I did. Watch again, when I didn't make any comment. Watch Tito, he said. Tito was swapping the stick over every stride, and it was almost unnoticeable.

I'm sure he will find it comforting that you have an eagle eye on his efforts. He will know to the last cent how the exercise has gone, and how his options are best served in the coming months.

I agree, it's awful.

What indeed.

With the stakes levels at 15 - 30 k it doesn't have an 'industry day' look about it.

Do. Their response will be interesting.

Sorry, four. Forgot the 'new' grass gallop.

Yep, spot on. I remember McLaughlin's pool..! Hi Roona did a lot - practically all - of his work round the chute, as a very hard puller indeed he was nearly impossible to pacework but would canter quite kindly round the chute and pop over cavaletti in the pony cub grounds. Some still go to the beach regularly from here, easier if you have own float, an expensive exercise if transporters are used. Also, not too far away is a forest area [ West Melton ] dedicated to horses and some also go there for a hack through the trees. Getting rid of the chute/pony club was an own goal for sure...as was/is the reduction of available training tracks from 13 to 3 in the premier Sth Island training centre.

Yes, man management in those operations has to be good, and his must be outstanding. Delegation is a skill in itself, not always recognised. He has been so successful for so long, it is no accident. The 'mental health' aspect referred to by Turny I found interesting however...do not many trainers do similar, given the limitations/advantages of their location? I know many who will allow their horses paddock time - a weekend away from the stable routine, or similar - post-race, and where farms or agistment facilities are reasonably close, send their horses for a break, regularly. One comment attributed to K Myers, after a racemeeting and long drive home, was ' salad tonight, fellas ' and into one of his many good paddocks they went, to stay on good pasture for as long as the boss deemed suitable. Chris Waller, as a Kiwi from a fairly rural area, would be only too aware of the value of such management - but certainly isn't the only one to be so.

Yes, so far, performing well. We're only a year down the track, however, with plenty of wear-and-tear to come yet. No information really [ as you say ] as to the likely cost and time-frame wrt maintenance, and eventual complete replacement, and no published information about injury statistics. Anecdotally - not so good. A relocated trainer from the northern region has a family member who is a practising veterinarian, and the information forthcoming is concerning. I have an northern-based owner, who is also diametrically opposed to the very idea of his horse working/racing on AWT's. He has lost one and had another with moderate issues, for which he places the blame squarely on the surface. Whether he is right, of course, I have no way of knowing, but I will respect his wishes regardless. Working and racing should not be mandated as to the surface desired, IMO. Some choice should be available for trainers/horses alike, given the exigencies of location, etc. To be forced to race and/or work on an unsuitable surface is not really the way it should be.

I think Andre Klein may have been the glue that tied it all together. For now, Jo Gordon does a great job for several clubs behind the scenes - as if she isn't busy enough.

Quote from ten years ago from a wise man. No doubt installation/preparation has improved since but still pretty much on the button I think.

You sure about that?

No.

My brother has been most unwell since his second vacc - only taken because his job required it. No way booster for him. My sisters and elderly mother have all dutifully done the vacc and booster thing..thankfully, all are quite well. All are Jacinda fans. Brother dear is most definitely NOT. I had the first two vacc's, again, NZTR made it impossible to carry on if not. There have been a few who have poked the borax at me for being stupidly compliant - they're entitled to their opinion. At the time - early on - I hadn't seen too much info about any deleterious effects, but, as time went on, enough surfaced to make me unwilling to pursue any more jabs. So far, apart from one mild infection for a couple of days that resembled a cold, I've been absolutely fine. And, looking at the way the latest variant is galloping through the population, what a waste of time mandating people out of jobs, creating all the angst and hardship.

Yes, agree. A meeting such as Ashburton tomorrow definitely deserves Saturday status, IMO. Although, with dropping horse numbers year on year, it seems hard to justify 'extra' meetings, the blanket wiping out of tracks should be tempered with more thought and balance. Moderation in all things, surely? As pointed out already, the majority of 'winter' horses are, by reason of conformation, action, and aptitude, best suited by slower or softer going. And, the throwaway remark from a leading trainer that ' those slow bastards, waste of time, we don't need them ' fails to recognise that much of our bloodstock comes from Europe, where even - perish the thought - Grp One races can be run on slow or heavy going. The fact that staying sorts from the Uk are now the regular go-to for leading Australian trainers obviously hasn't been noticed there.