Freda

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.

There is a Programming Committee, chaired by Tim Mills and involving a panel, not sure how that is made up, think they meet quarterly although stand to be corrected. Pitty would give you the right oil if he could bring himself to advise. Not an easy job at all, I wouldn't think. It's all very well to be critical ( like me ) but there is so much to consider that is really outside the scope of such a committee. Not sure how much input there is from Wellington.

Haven't heard anything either. I'll ask Chappie, he might know.

Does anyone know of the exact protocols regarding horses returned to NZ from Hk ? We see quite a few now, some successful, which have been returned because they haven't adapted well, or perhaps don't show enough for the local scene. But what are the 'rules' wrt those which have been returned as a result of unsoundness, and a vet report indicating unsuitable for further racing? There is a young local trainer who has purchased just such a horse, on the strength of further scans which [ apparently ] show no indication of possible further issues. This is not intended to be a 'he said, she said', sort of critique, we all know that the soundest horses can have accidents, and vets are only human, not infallible. But, now the young trainer wants to trial said horse and he has been told no by chief stipe. [ not 'our' chief stipe ! ]. He has had communications from NZTR, from some twat telling him that he must re-hab the horse, it must be rested, ice-packed , etc,etc.. and said stipe has ordered an x-ray. Fine, says trainer, just tell me what part I'm supposed to x-ray and I'll get it done, after all he had a soft tissue problem in HK [ for which, of course, an x-ray will be of little use ]. With all the box-ticking lip service b/s about horse welfare, should there not have been some sort of 'flag' on horses returned for soundness reasons ? and, if, subsequently, such horses are passed fit for another try, shouldn't NZTR involved in such approval? I don't mean to imply that horse welfare is b/s, rather that the sanctimonous and clearly ineffective attitude and practice of head office is.

Pathetic is the word. Little pattern or cohesion. Remember the McLean Stakes for two year olds in October at Dunedin...competed in by some notable horses including the great Princess Mellay. Built to the Welcome Stks at Riccarton, the Challenge Stks I think at the Midsummer meeting in late January/Feb, and culminating in the Chsmpagne Stks at Easter. Supported by a plethora of handicap 2 year old races throughout the year and at many tracks/clubs, not just a select few. Add the highweight races that were held also at many meetings, all year round; plenty of opportunity for the majority of horses. I know you should be looking forward not back, but bloody hell that's about all there is to look at.