$65,000 Ellerslie farce

[Freda]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

They don't because it will do them no good . They've likely experienced this before and got no where. It really is a waste of time , it's not the level playing field you make it out to be.

No, it isn't.

Canterbury/S.I racing generally seems much stronger than the C.D but there does seem to be a mission to squeeze out the south. 

If centralized to Riccarton/Ashburton management will be pleased,  is the impression i get, but I really hope I'm badly wrong. 

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

They don't because it will do them no good . They've likely experienced this before and got no where. It really is a waste of time , it's not the level playing field you make it out to be.

Then if they don't try they can expect no change.  The Southern Programming Committee has been problematic for a very long time and there has been no collaborative effort by Trainers to fix it.

You reap what you sow and if you sow nothing you get a mostly bare paddock full of weeds.

But you stick to your Mafia stories and conspiracies @Huey as they are impossible to prove and much more exciting explanations than the truth.  Not that you appear to have any skin in  the game anyway.

[Chief Stipe]

55 minutes ago, Freda said:

No, it isn't.

Canterbury/S.I racing generally seems much stronger than the C.D but there does seem to be a mission to squeeze out the south. 

If centralized to Riccarton/Ashburton management will be pleased,  is the impression i get, but I really hope I'm badly wrong. 

Any centralisation ideas are driven by the black hole 🕳 of cost that Riccarton has become.  A turf track that needs massive renovation and an AWT that doesn't pay its way.

Any decline in racing further South is more likely to be driven by declining horse numbers and economics which has come before any conspiracy.

[Freda]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Any centralisation ideas are driven by the black hole 🕳 of cost that Riccarton has become.  A turf track that needs massive renovation and an AWT that doesn't pay its way.

Any decline in racing further South is more likely to be driven by declining horse numbers and economics which has come before any conspiracy.

Yes, that's right enough unfortunately. 

[curious]

14 minutes ago, Freda said:

Yes, that's right enough unfortunately. 

Agree, though I don't see much sign of any decline in numbers just yet.

[Freda]

44 minutes ago, curious said:

Agree, though I don't see much sign of any decline in numbers just yet.

Apparently that is the reason given for the hellish  programming;  the south island is considered 'one ' region hence the need to be away for 3 days to target a race that suits. 

The numbers ( so I'm told ) reflect exactly that.

[curious]

7 minutes ago, Freda said:

Apparently that is the reason given for the hellish  programming;  the south island is considered 'one ' region hence the need to be away for 3 days to target a race that suits. 

The numbers ( so I'm told ) reflect exactly that.

That's not what the programming committee is supposed to be doing and have agreed to adhere to. For programming purposes, the pattern is supposed to divide the SI in half with the Waitaki river as the divider. This is from their minutes:

PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES:
It was agreed that the following principles which were established in May 2012, then updated in August, December 2017, August 2020, and May 2024 be adhered to. ...

A pattern was prepared for each ‘half of the island’ – north of and south of the Waitaki River.
Programmes were determined and confirmed in date order.
Certain types of races must be programmed as ‘one island’ (Open Handicap Races, and age group) and others as ‘half Island’ races. This creates some clashes when the two ‘half island’ charts are merged.

[Freda]

2 minutes ago, curious said:

That's not what the programming committee is supposed to be doing and have agreed to adhere to. For programming purposes, the pattern is supposed to divide the SI in half with the Waitaki river as the divider. This is from their minutes:

PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES:
It was agreed that the following principles which were established in May 2012, then updated in August, December 2017, August 2020, and May 2024 be adhered to. ...

A pattern was prepared for each ‘half of the island’ – north of and south of the Waitaki River.
Programmes were determined and confirmed in date order.
Certain types of races must be programmed as ‘one island’ (Open Handicap Races, and age group) and others as ‘half Island’ races. This creates some clashes when the two ‘half island’ charts are merged.

Gee, so my adviser was not correct.

[Doomed]

57 minutes ago, curious said:

Agree, though I don't see much sign of any decline in numbers just yet.

Timaru seems to be booming as a training centre, despite being the area that has lost the most meetings over the years with the demise of Geraldine and Waimate, and the downgrading of Oamaru and Timaru.

Southland seems to be going well with some enthusiastic trainers coming through. 

Otago seems to be the region struggling the most, although largely Wingatui, as there are successful trainers at Waikouaiti and Omakau.

Obviously Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast hardly exist as training centres anymore.

[Doomed]

3 hours ago, Freda said:

No, it isn't.

Canterbury/S.I racing generally seems much stronger than the C.D but there does seem to be a mission to squeeze out the south. 

If centralized to Riccarton/Ashburton management will be pleased,  is the impression i get, but I really hope I'm badly wrong. 

The whole AWT fiasco was all about centralisation and the desire to close down several tracks. It had nothing to do with providing a winter racing venue. It has proven to be an expensive and frustrating exercise at the provincial Yaldhurst track.

[curious]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

Timaru seems to be booming as a training centre, despite being the area that has lost the most meetings over the years with the demise of Geraldine and Waimate, and the downgrading of Oamaru and Timaru.

Timaru has to appeal as a training base given the above mentioned programming issues in that it's equidistant from both Riccarton and Mosgiel, so mitigates the overnight travel requirement from one centre to the other.