Freda

Sorry, no, I don't.

Yeah....squeezed out of the bottom rung.

Okay, Curious has just answered that.

Is there a specific percentage of races allowed to be black type? Or is it a subjective assessment? Italy has lost its group 1's, but has the overall number diminished?

Saudi Arabia is waiting.....

Statistically, I've lived in ChCh for 69 years. I can assure you that the easterly is the bane of ChCh in the spring, the nor'west kicks in a bit later. In the December/January/Feb school holidays we used to get thoroughly dessicated....and it used to make hay carting a shade awkward as you had to struggle to stand up against it as well as hanging on to the bales.

Ashburton trials today, gd 3 and 140-odd horses. Riders even more scarce than usual...swimming pool, N.M , a valuable asset indeed.

No. A stinking cold easterly. Mind you, howling nor'westers have been responsible for some very fast times down the old 5f chute!

.in closing, imagine, Riccarton with an inside track, a strathayr, oh, and maybe lights, summer nights, markets, band, food trucks. and great racing, coinciding with M Valley/Canterbury.Gold Coast....under lights coming soon.....vision, passion. Only problem, J.B....how would we deal with the bloody easterly, so beloved of Reefton? 😊

You're right.

I mention it because it is another example of a lack of forward planning, rather just knee-jerk reactions to events. The accident from which all this angst comes from should never have happened, a young woman's life ruined, because systems weren't up to scratch. Of course trials weren't slow canters...ffs. As for my 'assessment' of the track, I reported what I was told on the day by riders. I wasn't out there riding. Obviously. There would have been others who, depending upon the horses they rode, may not have been bothered as much. One senior rider told me this morning that he thought it rode as well as it had all year. But, he qualified, it has been the worst this year as it has ever been.

Exactly. The track itself has been the victim of mismanagement and misinformation, but too much water under the bridge and, as Reefton stated, the legal ramifications have led to the current situation. No way back, ever.

To do what, exactly? I agree, not a good state of affairs. But the die has been cast ( as far as Riccarton is concerned ) with firstly, the increase in meetings there, and latterly, the push to reduce racedays elsewhere. The AWT will certainly reduce the wear and tear on the grass course proper, but it isn't quite ready yet. Fulton Hogan have more work to do yet, then trials have to take place. The bloody place was so waterlogged after National meeting that remedial work would have been very difficult indeed.

Pitty would agree with me here - often the rail is NOT the best place to be. Shorter trip, yes, but if the rail is off then its the worst place to be.

Not yet.

I would - and I think most would - expect a higher standard of ethical behaviour from lawyers, not less.

Well, it'll be character-building for them to realise just how it feels then.

Sand? not as far as I am aware. The rail out forced horses onto the area used for galloping, over the winter. With another meeting in a fortnight, another a fortnight after that, then Cup meeting, they would have had no choice but to try and protect that inner portion - what else can they do in that time-frame? Hammer Ashburton again ? they have their own feature meeting next month ,and no track manager! I'm sure they are doing their best, and local farmers, if co-operative, would undoubtedly be very competent. But, not ideal for them, going forward. Meantime, Rangiora sits twenty minutes up the road, unused and unwanted.

They can send some ground staff too when they post down a rider. My young lady helped them because they were short, got smacked in the head in the swab box, week off with concussion and I've got no staff now.

Very smart horse indeed.

The track was rated D4, and grass cover looked good. Should have suited all horses. However my first runner stripped all four of his fetlocks - which he has never done before. Riders reported to me track was hard, rough and full of holes. I know there has been a lot of work done, but this just shows the hammering the track took over the winter and how it is next to impossible to repair given Canterbury's climate and the soil composition.

I can't even find The Alphonso!

Really?

Shame. But very good racehorse and should find an excellent new home.

A fair bit of work has been done, the rain was welcome though; Canterbury at this time of the year firms up very quickly. Good sole of grass from what I can see.