When will these AWT's take off? Awapuni trials cancelled... 23-04-2024

[Doomed]

I suppose Hororata must have moved to Riccarton at around the same time. Interestingly, the only club that ever "willingly" moved to Riccarton until all the forced moves of Rangiora, Bank Pen etc many years later.

[Chief Stipe]

  On 16/05/2024 at 7:44 AM, Gammalite said:

wouldn't get to dismayed mate. I think Chiefy is a little jealous of your fine contributions on this site that have shown great knowledge of all things racing , including the participants, clubs, tracks, horses (of both codes, attendances, betting, and even the 'dreaded' topic of Track conditions. a favoured Chief topic. he is running a long nicely too (in 2nd place 😂🤣👍🏇)

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BS @Gammalite the views of @TAB For Ever is reflection of the very attitudes and descisions that have got NZ Racing into this downward spiral.

[Special Agent]

  On 16/05/2024 at 6:35 PM, Freda said:

My memory of Amberley was of attending on one of its last, if not the last, day there.  Working for Peter Jones at the time, we took a Sedgewick colt there which Peter confidently expected to win.

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I too remember one of the last days at Amberley pre race riding our entrant around bareback without a skull cap, you know like we all used to do.  Staff at Worksafe today would be having kittens.  Were the horses quieter, better educated or had more time spent on them?  I'm not sure I'd be keen riding some of the horses I've seen at races nowadays bareback, oh probably not at all, there are some stroppy ones around.

[Special Agent]

  On 16/05/2024 at 7:44 AM, Gammalite said:

funnily enough I could help with an answer to his posing question of what could make the industry great again.

and Bob's your Uncle > the mighty horse racing industry Will Be Great Again !! problem solvered .  

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Gamma, I don't know why you think the problems are easily solved.  There has been a lot of irreversible damage done and people have been lost forever in the process.

There is a list of past unbelievably useless administrators to blame as long as your arm.

[Chief Stipe]

  On 16/05/2024 at 7:44 AM, Gammalite said:

they get special catering there with meals and deals and entertainment. Of course the beautiful horses are 'on-screen' on Sky channel to bet on all around our great nations.  BUT the gambling dollar changed in the 80's and 90's with Lotto and Pokies coming in .

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It didn't actually.  The gambling dollar spent increased and there was very little  scavenging that occurred.  However unlike Lotto and Pokies Racing started closeing down community outlets and facilities.  Increasingly legislative changes were bought in to favour the big breeder (not the little breeder) and racing itself was skewed towards that sector in terms of handicapping.  It became increasingly hard to keep a good slightly above average gelding in work and the quality of our racing suffered.  The days of Grey Way and Copper Belt etc were lost not because of Lotto or Pokies but descisions made by industry administrators. 

[Gammalite]

  On 16/05/2024 at 11:45 PM, Special Agent said:

Gamma, I don't know why you think the problems are easily solved.  There has been a lot of irreversible damage done and people have been lost forever in the process.

There is a list of past unbelievably useless administrators to blame as long as your arm.

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Well I was only jesting that if we could magically get rid of Pokies that he betting dollar would return in large amounts to horse racing. (of course impossible with our governments enjoying billions each year from the pokie gambling taxes kindly donated by Pokie addicts.

In harness racing they have run slot races at Cambridge the past 3 years , so things are looking up and some great racing , with the very best horses from both Nations, and owners and Win a large amount in one go , like they do at the metro Oz gallops , the Everest is fantastic each year. Real progress as the Aussie states start up their own 'Slot' races too.

Perhaps Nz gallops could join in and try and attract some 'High Flyers' and public interest in the racing again. Aussies might visit and stables like Te Akau, Marsh, Rogerson could all have stables in both countries and the racing improve with it. The Nz Racing has been great this season. It is still going to be ok. I enjoyed seeing Ellerslie back in action. You need the biggest City to set the 'Tone of improvement.

[curious]

  On 13/05/2024 at 5:57 AM, curious said:

Interesting, but perhaps a programming issue rather than an AWT one. The CJC get insufficent noms to run an open 1600 for 40k on Thursday and 8 noms for the 40k open 1200. Yet, they get 32 for the 65 1600, enough to divide it and 26  for the 65 1200, enough for a consolation race. Is the programming team not talking to trainers re demand or what the hell is going on?

Another question is why do they can without leaving open, the 1600 open with 7 noms and not the 1200 with 8 noms?

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Maybe some programming common sense is emerging?

Good afternoon

A R65 1600m race ($17,000) has been added to the Canterbury JC meeting at Riccarton Synthetic on Friday 31 May.

 

[Doomed]

  On 23/05/2024 at 6:26 AM, curious said:

Maybe some programming common sense is emerging?

Good afternoon

 

A R65 1600m race ($17,000) has been added to the Canterbury JC meeting at Riccarton Synthetic on Friday 31 May.

 

 

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I suppose it was so blindingly obvious even NZTR couldn't miss it. Just imagine if they decided to run a 2yo race one day.

[curious]

At least the polys haven't yet had a meeting abandoned have they?

Meeting News

Otago Races Abandoned

 

Due to a horse slipping in Race 5 the remainder of the card at Wingatui has been abandoned. Further information will follow in coming days.

[Doomed]

  On 24/05/2024 at 3:46 AM, curious said:

At least the polys haven't yet had a meeting abandoned have they?

Meeting News

Otago Races Abandoned

 

Due to a horse slipping in Race 5 the remainder of the card at Wingatui has been abandoned. Further information will follow in coming days.

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And that's one of the top tier tracks that has had all of the money poured into it. Those poor 65 milers in the South just can't get a break.

[curious]

How could a track that was an S7 this morning be or become slippery?

[curious]

HIGH EXPECTATIONS (R Jaun) - Lost its footing when racing free of interference going into the turn near the 850
metres.

Given the incident of HIGH EXPECTATIONS slipping near the 850 metres, a track inspection was undertaken involving Stipendiary Stewards, Rider and Club representatives, with the remainder of the meeting being subsequently abandoned due to safety concerns.

[Chief Stipe]

  On 24/05/2024 at 4:29 AM, curious said:

How could a track that was an S7 this morning be or become slippery?

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Weird.  So the criteria now is if a horse slips the meeting is abandoned.  

[Special Agent]

And again no trainer representation.  What are the officials on?

[curious]

  On 24/05/2024 at 8:15 AM, Special Agent said:

And again no trainer representation.  What are the officials on?

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Not sure that trainers are necessarily necessary in a track safety review?

Conduct of a Track Safety Review
The steward conducting the review must:
• Inspect the track and in particular any areas which gave rise to the notification to the steward; and
• Make any other inquiries the steward considers necessary to understand any issues with the track and
whether they can be remedied;
• Meet with representatives of the Club and consider their views on whether the track is safe.
• Meet with the jockeys engaged to ride at the meeting about the state of the track and take into
account their views on whether the track is safe.
The steward may, but is not required to, meet with any other party and consider their views on whether the
track is safe.
Subject to these requirements, the steward may determine the process to be followed in conducting the
review.

[Doomed]

  On 24/05/2024 at 4:41 AM, Chief Stipe said:

Weird.  So the criteria now is if a horse slips the meeting is abandoned.  

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Usually, unless its Karaka day at Ellerslie.

[Murray Fish]

sigh.... we had a local mate with a horse down to race 6, the other part owner flew down from Ch-ch,  we got there as the 5 was finishing.  When around the back to shot some photos etc, keep waiting for the horse appear from stables, did notice a delegation head out on the track!  No horses coming from stable area! Got told the track was being expected! A wave of dread sweeps over me!!! By chance a committee person is walking back from the stable and I mention the track inspection "oh over by the 900m?"  Nex-minute!! OFF! 

 

Felt for the old fella who had wasted all the $$$ getting on track.

 

Left wondering how they can have already five then the track is unsafe??

 

Stipe Vinnie M was working, but wasn't involved in the track inspection.

 

I did have one highlight!  I had a interesting chat with Jason Laking, about coaching methodologies and pedagogy... The right person for the job I recon!

 

lol, for the other half, she took the abandonment like water of a  ducks back! we then stopped off at the three 'not for profits', getting to buy a few bargains! She when home as if she had backed a few winners!

[Huey]

Unfortunately the abandonments have become an absolute bore. Is there any point in even being concerned about them anymore? Nothing but a written report gets done about them & that's only to cover butts.

 

[Murray Fish]

  On 24/05/2024 at 7:10 PM, Huey said:

Unfortunately the abandonments have become an absolute bore. Is there any point in even being concerned about them anymore? Nothing but a written report gets done about them & that's only to cover butts.

 

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I feel a bit conflicted, knowing that Jockey and horse must have a safe track, it was actually something that I spent quite a bit of  'behind the scenes work on' (using old Union skills I hold!) previously! For which I received quite a bit of grief for doing so! Really got some traction when I managed to get WorkSafe to 'open a file', that brought a better focus from 'the stipes', they now Know that if Injuries happen and they have allow unsafe tracks, then  the Will be.... 

[Freda]

Of course jockey and horse must have a safe track, no need to feel 'conflicted', you clearly did a good job.

The problem is providing one.  Something that other jurisdictions seem to mostly do.

[curious]

68 left in for Awapuni tomorrow I see.

[Doomed]

  On 29/05/2024 at 6:01 AM, curious said:

68 left in for Awapuni tomorrow I see.

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Something totally wrong out there. 8 races at Cambridge, 7 at Puke. 7 at Awapuni and 8 at Wanganui. Lots of small fields. Meanwhile 10 races at Wingatui, no maidens. Could easily have held 12 races if they decided to give opportunities to the maidens that missed out because of the abandoned meeting last week. 9 races at Riccarton. Could easily have held 10 if they hadn't decided to eliminate several horses.

How thick, or fixed in a mindset, do you have to be to miss the imbalance in stakes and dates allocations?

[Chief Stipe]

  On 29/05/2024 at 7:39 AM, Doomed said:

Something totally wrong out there. 8 races at Cambridge, 7 at Puke. 7 at Awapuni and 8 at Wanganui. Lots of small fields. Meanwhile 10 races at Wingatui, no maidens. Could easily have held 12 races if they decided to give opportunities to the maidens that missed out because of the abandoned meeting last week. 9 races at Riccarton. Could easily have held 10 if they hadn't decided to eliminate several horses.

How thick, or fixed in a mindset, do you have to be to miss the imbalance in stakes and dates allocations?

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The Cambridge AWT fields weren't exactly big either.  

[Doomed]

  On 29/05/2024 at 6:01 AM, curious said:

68 left in for Awapuni tomorrow I see.

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To give Awapuni some credit, looks like they have a real sponsor for each of their races. Doesn't look like Riccarton could find any sponsors for their meeting tomorrow.

[curious]

  On 29/05/2024 at 10:42 PM, Doomed said:

To give Awapuni some credit, looks like they have a real sponsor for each of their races. Doesn't look like Riccarton could find any sponsors for their meeting tomorrow.

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The good old Racecourse Hotel is still there!