Freda

There are plenty of cowboys who couldn't give a sh#t about the welfare of their charges post-racing....or, for that matter, the safety of the [ mostly] young people who take these horses on. And - I have personally had dealings with some of these - well meaning but out-of-their-depth women [ usually ] who decide to 'rescue' a racehorse and the poor bastard ends in a terrible state. I read a post from Berri Schroder a few years ago, about humane destruction of horses which are just not suitable for rehoming. A decent facility for processing these horses is sorely needed, as the horror stories from the Aus scandal channel showed a while ago. They can't all be kept, it just isn't practical for horse or human.

We need SOMETHING... but only a handful of breeders, owners, trainers, could afford to lose even small portion of their meagre earnings at present.

Yep.

Yes, time will tell how things pan out, there will no doubt be some soul searching as folk try to juggle responsibilities to clients with their personal principles, but in all, totally unnecessary to have to come to this. Surely saliva tests/ temperature checks could have fulfilled the need for safety without the fallout being seen in so many industries and businesses now.

The first race- or trials meet to be conducted under the 'traffic light' system. Already some fallout with the starter [ K. Leigh-Ogden ] walking away from his long term position as both starter, and crossing keeper. Several others also unavailable, including a farrier, and a swabbing-steward, not to mention other barrier staff. Some trainers won't be at the races. Sam Wynne, at this stage, is considering a life without race riding. Interesting times indeed.

Good girl!

No one doubts his ability, Chief. It's the rest of the package that's not too flash.

Go out of the Galloping section and find the Covid section. The Cranmer Square thread started by Aquaman.

Certain high profile trainers and breeders in the Waikato, is ' the northern cartel ' by inference. As far as southern trainers, one or two were extremely positive and enthusiastic, some were take-it-or-leave-it , a few were strongly opposed. Beats me how closing down popular and cost-effective meetings in favour of AWT racing is going to be 'the saviour ' of Sth Island racing, but hey, what would I know?

Very good watch, Aqua.

Murray or Gai would never have treated a horse like that....and the discussion hasn't referred to her actual 'training' i.e. workload. Only those who were actively involved with her could know that. And to speculate whether different handling might have achieved more... who knows?

You're not the only one who witnessed such practices, two of our owners were visibly upset to see her standing shivering in the pissing cold rain with only a light sheet on, after getting off the ferry. Everything else was either double rugged or inside in the warm, didn't matter, she was still lengths better than anything we had, but most other trainers showed both respect and compassion to their animals. Gordy had an immense knowledge of pedigrees, and no doubt ( as pointed out above ) was generous to a fault to his human contacts...but pretty tough on his horses.

Yep.

How did it go yesterday? Haven't seen any reports on the news

I was going to say much the same...not with the first-hand knowledge that you have of course, but, especially, the impossibility of comparing 'sectionals' on English racecourses.

Great news indeed.

Ill thought out, IMO.

Couldn't agree there. But, opinions are like arseholes, we all have one.

From the above observations of Joe, it seems as if there could still be a bit more support for those very grassroots venues and folk associated. With so much dosh to spread around, it should be possible to cover all bases.

Not possible to rate great horses from different eras and regimes...IMO...suffice to say that Winx would NEVER have been treated like Show Gate was. La Mer was racing around the same time, on occasion they were compared as well, unfairly. La Mer also was treated like a princess, and would never have been subjected to the handling that Show Gate experienced. Dunedin Gold Cup [ mile and a half ] then, the next day, the Timaru Cup [ one mile ]. Her incredible feats at NZ Cup meeting on that short prep, as outlined above. We have all seen horses, unused to stable life, melt down when removed from their familiar paddocks. The only time Show Gate went to Aus, she just didn't cope at all. It wasn't lack of class that felled her, it was just an environment that she was completely unsuited to, and given no chance to adapt. We had a useful two year old, way back, called Zebak. Won the Champagne stakes, and then lined up and won the 1400m two year old race later in the meeting. His owners were sitting at the stables on the Sunday after, having a half-G and reminiscing, as was the habit, when a truck pulled in over in the visitors' area. It had come from Lyttelton and was carrying Show Gate, among others. One of the guys went over and stuck his head around the corner, came back and said, you wouldn't believe it, that mare is standing in the pissing rain and cold wind, with a cotton sheet on, shivering, and trying to pick at some chaff in a feedbin on the ground before the wind blew it away. It took a bit of persuasion to stop him taking a warmer rug over to put on her. Mouse [McCann] was at Trentham and witnessed Show Gate taken into the birdcage, covered in shit and dirt. Gordy was told to take her away and tidy her up. He put the saddle on the weigh-in stalls, took her away and hosed her all over, brought her back in and saddled her again. Gospel. Think she won the Trentham Stakes.

Me neither!

Michael Craig would tell you that she had nine days work. Lived in a paddock of ragwort, didn't get a rug until she won a race, which was at Oamaru. I was there, witnessed a small bay streak with red and white colours smoking down the outside. Little did I realise then that I had seen one of the best to look through a bridle in NZ.

No.

You're bang on there..and some others in the heirarchy do, as well. I ventured to comment to an administrator that the lower rated horses and their owners need to be rewarded and encouraged in their involvement, not have their stakes pillaged to support the top end - which was already over-subsided, I added. He was vehement in his disagreement, owners want aspirational stakes, he trumpeted, I want to think that if I have a nice horse I can aim at some money, he went on...so. I said, go to Australia for REAL money ; but if the majority keep getting ripped off your nice horse won't have anyone to race. He got angrier and angrier, went on and on about rewarding mediocrity, so I wandered off before I succumbed to a real urge to throw something at him.

I have a friend, who I would consider both rational and intelligent [ although that opinion is changing...! ] I just steer away from the topic when around her now. She is terrified, and irrational in her fear.