Freda

Actually, the hospitality suites could be thrown open for small gatherings, private, absolutely perfect. As a member pointed out to me this morning.

Much easier to be the big fish in the pond, rather than the minnow.

Whatever the 'reason' given for the AWT's, I don't think it is possible to shift a meeting at the drop of the hat. If there was a significant weather event making a turf track unviable, then yes, probably do-able with sufficient notice. I have heard of English jump events being put off because of snow/ice, and then moved to an AWT for flat events for the jumpers. Not what they entered for, but at least, all in the same boat, and racing together, in the appropriate grades...i.e. 3 mile chasers together, and two-mile hurdlers together. So, still a competition. But that type of extreme weather is unlikely here. Early in the season, Riccarton transferred a date to Ashburton, as the damage sustained by the Riccarton turf from the National meeting had not sufficiently repaired. But there was adequate notice in that case. Reefton may come in and confirm, or otherwise, but there have been instances on the West Coast where races have been put off, and the shift to another track refused by TAB crew, even though only up the road. [ Not the same as the affected club refusing the offer for commercial/parochial reasons, that's another scenario.]

Hardly surprising. Good luck to them.

If horses 'knuckled over' that can hardly be considered safe.

Gee, that's a faux pas if that is right, hope I didn't cause any offence.

If you mean Tayler Strong, he passed away recently.

What ?

Add our model to the list. We're back in 'red light' setting again - the whole country. Not a lockdown, but still...

If one of my apprentices had engaged in a speed duel 3 wide in front their ears would have been burning for a week. That's what you get from 4 claimers, not experienced and ( normally) classy jockeys.

Quite so. But, 'the rest' don't get t play with million dollar stock either. Some of them would make you and me look ok.

Yes. CWJ has long been known as a superb judge of pace, has had periods where he has been off the boil, but - as they say - class is permanent. I think Tina is also showing that she has a good feel for pace, too, her results at present are outstanding, and she can only get better with more exposure. I think I've mentioned this before - I questioned Chris O'Brien, many years ago, about his penchant for parking wide without cover when everyone seemed to want to be in behind the leader on the fence. He just grinned and said, the shortest way home is the one without a bump. He was a fine rider, probably didn't get the accolades at the time, of CWJ and G Davidson, locally - but he rode a helluva lot of winners at a time when there were really good jockeys around. Still plodding along in NSW I see. I recall Dave Kerr saying, that when he was young, a trainer could throw the colours in the jockeys' room and it didn't matter who picked them up. OPB's performance yesterday doesn't flatter him at all. As for OTB ? he has had surgery for a respiratory condition, clearly he's a very good horse indeed, but to place him in a situation where he may be vulnerable doesn't show much nous. And to add to my little rant ; if I ask a local [ Riccarton] rider to work a horse at a specific rate, I get a blank look, with one or two exceptions. Appalling, IMO. I doubt if it would be confined to Riccarton either, looking at the overall standard of riding.

It's all about timing. If the jock knows how fast his horse is going he can ( should) place it accordingly. It seems that so very few actually have much idea.

I disagree. I think he'll be fine. There will be pressure on him, sure, but the pressure on him now must be enormous. At least he will be his own boss.

Been reading this thread with interest. I was fortunate to attend a series of lectures where one Professor Tom Tobin was a contributor to the proceedings. During the course of his talk, a woman from the audience wanted to know how often a racing horse should be blood tested, and what sort of factors she should be looking out for. He said, what on earth do you think you'll find out from blood testing a healthy horse? And how is it that you don't know if your horse is fit and well?

Think Barry had an ownership share in a runner, so had to stand down, yes.

Firpo I think. For the Lalors.

Yeah...there was a fair bit of controversy over his appointment as starter. ' Jobs for the boys ' has been mentioned.....apparently barrier lads called out 'wait, wait..' as Jason wasn't ready either. But the warning wasn't heard.

It seems that the current Racing Act 2020 is a lemon. But, far worse, IMO, was the 2003 Act, that changed, irrevocably, the existing model to the corporate one we then inherited, along with the subsequent run-down of the operation with succeeding inadequate management.

Saw Tito more recently, he appeared at the track one morning a couple of years ago. His son has [ had? ] a restaurant in town, and he was visiting to catch up with family. Saw me looking at him curiously, and came over and said 'you remember me? ' I said yes, you look very familiar, but...a long time ? he laughed, and introduced himself. Mentioned that he had been to the recent Riccarton races, shook his head, and said, I'd love to go to the apprentice school and try to help some of these young riders. We both agreed that it would be a challenge, no-one would have heard of him, and probably none of the kids would put their cellphones down long enough to listen. Helen Preston, trainer of Magellan, among others, ridding by Tito on occasions, showed me a video of him, leading up the straight at Riccarton, swapping the stick over alternate strides. Balance superb.

Don't know how(why) because she couldn't flick a fly off the sugar bowl with the bloody thing.

From Argentina.

I note England is now removing all Govt mandates.

Yes, he has. Used to ride as I recall, should know how the operation works. And his old man, Dick, was a very canny trainer.

Bugger that, we need her here. The cartel can get their own.