Freda

Yes, outstanding effort indeed. The buying clout of T.A has expanded exponentially over the years, but the stock still has to be well managed. And it most certainly is. The timing and preparation of these youngsters' programmes is second to none. It has been a source of some musing ( to myself ) why other operations with access to wealthy clients haven't at least attempted to compete. Are they not interested in the same type of horse..? Maybe buying more for the cup/classic market? Looking to sell on rather than race? Wanting to develop here then race in Aus? All of the above? Despite the obvious talent of Jamie Richards and the great team behind him, where is the competition? Surely those aspiring to success haven't all up and left our shores. Marsh and B/F are still plying their trade, the family connection with Bjorn Baker certainly aids in the tremendous success of the B/F team, but it surprises me just a little that they are still here. Murray has been a vocal critic of our management for a good while.

And Riverton is on the 'close' list. Great day's racing there.

Sheesh...I'd love to be positive...but things just don't feel right. Staying the same is not an option, we all know that, but this blurb we just all read, doesn't actually say anything specific.

Probably not.

Yeah....sounds very impressive....haven't specified exactly how this is to be actioned. We'll watch with interest when all is revealed.

And, Messara stated unequivocally that without outsourcing the TAB, any other measures were only window dressing. Sadly, I don't really give a sh#t about how the TAB is or isn't going to function. It isn't worth raising the blood pressure worrying about it.

'Fraid you're right there. I'm thinking Rangiora, Gore, Greymouth - just off the top of my head....Max Skelton was nearly killed at Greymouth after the ChCh 'expert' sowed grass with clover at Omoto. Terry Moseley fell twice at the same spot - on the same day ! - at Gore, but then refused to ride at Rangiora... go figure...Rangiora was a man-made cock up....and a nice handy facility has been lost as a result. Kumara was 'improved' and abandonments have happened since, never used to. We went to race on pakihi, knew what we were getting, no need for any change.

Pretty much. However, one variable that wasn't around in those days was the rules around H&S. Now, it is just not acceptable to continue if there has been a slip. Locally, one track that was always very questionable was Motukarara. Horses would often slip and races abandoned. I recall my NZ Cup runner [ Lord Gesmo ] having his preparation derailed because the races were put off after light rain, and it was generally a worry race morning what the weather might do. Since then, the turn into the straight has been worked upon, and track presentation there in more recent times has been good. But, it wasn't always so.

I'm sure there used to be a protocol/rule/law that precluded irrigation after Thursday for a Saturday...dont know if that was ever altered, or if things just slide along without consultation. I think Curious posted some info/comment a year or so back, about track management systems in Australia, and Richard Freedman's thoughts about them. Would be interesting to read that again. From memory, he was concerned about the practice of frequent light watering, leading to shallow root structure and tracks chipping out.

She's fine apparently.

Why does what other people do for their own pleasure/amusement trouble you so much?

I believe so....he and poor old St Reims swapped places at Erewhon Station...St Reims became ill [ pneumomia I heard ] and didn't survive very long.

Riccarton firm, Pitty is flying.

Sigh....this is getting tedious ...I have seen sensitive fillies curl up if struck with a whip- especially in the flank which seems so popular now. And, a genuine horse, giving its all, is just as likely to start stopping as keep trying when such an insult is applied. Limit the use overall and leave it to the jocks to decide when - or if - to use it.

Would be great to see her tackle European company....travel to the NH is difficult enough at the best of times but, during the Covid era must be hellish. Still, best of luck to them if they have a go.

No, and most aren't even clean. As in average stable practice ( clean bedding etc) as opposed to some attempt at sterility.

Meth positives

Fantastic. Trackrider shortages are as endemic here as in Aus, and initiatives such as this should be explored - money and suitable, safe facilities being most in short supply. Public racetracks just won't do. Locally, I believe Ross Beckett is going to offer something along these lines, he has his own property, and several retired models which could be used for the novice riders. This is being offered in conjunction with NZTR, however an operation such as Te Akau could, with its infrastructure, do something similar. This might defray much of the criticism that organisation attracts also. The Myers operation has, over the years, produced a stack of riders, but not on a nationally-accredited basis as would be required now. Notwithstanding Sheikh Mo's problems with his errant females, and his draconian methods of 'educating' them to their folly, Godolphin do fund training , education and veterinary facilities in both the UK and Aus., to an extent not realised by many. So, put a great deal back into the industry .

All of the above - but they run it oh, so much better.

And, for the record, I must clarify that I am not against alternative surfaces wrt training, or racing when necessary. They are in use world-wide, in most jurisdictions, and in both public and private training facilities. But, it is significant, that across the ditch, Victoria felt that 3 AWT's [ for racing ] was one too many, Qld has had its issues with Toowoomba and has replaced with turf [ did I read Strathayr? ] and V'Landy's won't hear of using an AWT for racing in NSW. Plenty around for training of course. The excellent UK poster, Stodge, who posts regularly on another site, has expressed the opinion that six AWT's is probably too many - and that is in the UK with its huge [ by our standards ] population , human and equine. So where did the fantasy come from that li'l ol' NZ needed 3? And, while no doubt an excellent training aid, how does the beleaguered taxpayer get to fund three of the effing things? Cambridge, at least, should have been able to fund its own - which will be certainly useful when their late winter/spring climate gives them their customary rain. As for producing an increase in revenue ..dunno about that. I'd have no problem with being wrong, but I can't see how that will happen. Closing provincial tracks, and scuttling holiday ' circuits' with the aim of centralising, isn't going to increase turnover as far as I can see...especially when the remaining turf tracks are as inconsistent and biased as we have seen recently, and with no plan going forward to renovate these on a rotational basis. Racing on the AWT at Riccarton at the expense of Timaru, Waimate, Motukarara, Marlborough, and eventually the West Coast, won't result in the turf track suddenly becoming the great surface that we would all love it to be, without extensive work and at significant cost....and a helluva lot of local interest and support will be lost at those venues. Add to all the above, other issues, mainly NZTR ones, of the unbalanced funding model, handicapping, weights, allowances, calendar structure, industry training, integrity..C.G...really?

Pretty much. The M report is a convenient scapegoat, however, if the decline ( evident and accelerated since the Racing Act 2003 ) hadn't been happening we wouldn't have needed the Messara involvement. That eventuated as a desperate, last-ditch effort to get Winston ( seen as a saviour by many) to do SOMETHING...and encouraged by Brian de Lore as a result of his close association with both those men. I think de Lore now realizes that Winston wasn't the solution he thought, although, like it or not, he fleeced the taxpayer to keep the TAB functioning. But, Messara made the point that his report was of little use if the TAB wasn't outsourced. The other recommendations were only window-dressing and not to be ' cherry picked ' in isolation. That hasn't happened, typically. The b/s about lost racedays costing money was just that, pushed upon a gullible Winston by his wealthy Waikato supporters, similar to the track closure mantra perpetrated by Alan Jackson and others long before the M report saw the light of day. Track closures, which have happened over the years for various reasons, should and will happen as a result of market forces, not some arbitrary decisions made by people who have shown no vision or ability to lead this industry so far.

She's a wonderful mare, will watch replay when I get in from work, but - does T.A need any more cheerleaders? They do a pretty good job without extra help.

Oh dear....yes, I certainly do know the downs...far more of them than ups.! To quote her Majesty [ with all due respect and apologies to that august lady for putting myself in the same sentence ] this has been my 'annus horribilis' - the worst I can recall in 50 years involvement with racehorses. Hopefully, the enforced rest will be to her benefit..you can tell yourself that, anyway!

Exactly.

Called a bob each way.