Freda

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.

I note we are being 'softened up ' to the notion we may go back into the Red Alert level soon, as infections are rocketing upwards again. What's the bet that booster no. 5, 6, and more will be trotted out as the way to go...

Yes, notwithstanding the 'Deed of Gift' and the associated contingincies wrt Riccarton, a portion of that land was released without too much difficulty. It wouldn't have been outside the bounds of possibility to do the same to the rest.

Ngapuke Racing part-owns Vegas Strip. I'm picking Matt and Mandy Brown will be chipping in as well as Kenny. Terry well knows the value of a dollar, he doesn't waste many.

Would have to, wouldn't it?

That's a shame. You're a good poster, always worth reading.

Yeah, it was a shocker, but I'm not dirty on my jock, the horse was ridden as I asked. He is smallish, delicate, and from his N.I form ( which was poor ) used to pull hard in sprints and fail to find the line. His pedigree indicates he should be better over a middle distance but he has had to learn to settle, relax and breathe properly. The girls have done a super job with him, but he does have a short run, so must be held up. Going forward when the pace slackened - which was the obvious thing to do from an onlookers point of view- was not right for him. He'd have fallen in a heap. He's found the line impressively ( home in 35 off the front, so how well did he come home ? ) pulled up well and learned heaps. I'm happy. And I own him so don't have to try and justify anything to anybody .

McNab and Allpress were in the race too...clearly they can't either.

There isn't any way to get on the Awt apart from the trackwork crossing. So they have to go via the turf course proper.

I queried Wendy Cooper of NZTA about this matter, apparently it is 'in the hands of the lawyers'.

$66,000....a tad better than he would be doing here with one win and placings.

A nice piece about Diego on the LoveRacing site. Arrived in 2018, spent time at Te Akau, trackworking before shifting to Taranaki [ Wheeler ] then Christchurch. That'll be why he hasn't been on the radar much until recently. He is very well regarded here, make no mistake about that.

Yep.

The crossing keeper does have first-aid training ....but nothing else for a seriously injured person. Not his fault at all, he did the best he could given the circumstances. But the ambulances and their time-frames have been widely criticized in the general sense, and i don't think it is their fault either. Chronic underfunding as well as bludgers using the service as a cheap ride to hospital for a sore leg or toothache.

Not exactly a racing topic, although I think relevant in this case..shift it if you wish, Chief. Yesterday a young woman had an accident during trackwork, resulting in a dislocated elbow, and compound fractures of her lower arm. An hour and a half lying on a very cold track until the ambulance arrived. You might say, why didn't she walk back and get a lift in someone's car? { I wasn't at the scene btw ] But she was in a lot of pain, and not coping at all. Seemingly getting up and walking was not an option for her, at that time. But, hell, just as well she wasn't bleeding to death.

Had a bit of a whip issue in the beginning, and spent a lot of time on the sidelines as a result.