George Simon rocking the boat on abandonments!

[Chief Stipe]

George Simon: We just want consistency

trackside.co.nz

 

The abandonment of the Matamata meeting on January 22nd after just three races, caused some controversy.

Phelan The Power had won the first, In Haste, pictured above, had picked up her maiden victory in the second and then things all changed.

Tempest Moon, ridden by leading apprentice Lily Sutherland, slipped free of interference with 250m to run.

When I say it slipped it's probably understating the obvious.

Calling the race, I was concentrating on the first few with Tempest Moon several lengths off the leaders and not really looking like a contender.

However, the magnitude of the slip was enough to catch my attention.

Immediately following the race, the dreaded track inspection took place.

The usual delegation of jockeys, club officials and stewards were soon out inspecting the area where the slip occurred.

In the meantime, I had watched several replays of the incident and was pretty sure we'd be going home.

The upshot of course was the meeting was duly abandoned.

As an expert Grandstand jockey, I wasn't surprised at that decision.

Then the fun and games started.

And it got rather interesting.

The on-course Bush Telegraph soon had all sorts of rumours swirling around Matamata racecourse.

I was reliably informed that the jockeys were willing to continue to ride, with the proviso that they would reassess their continued participation after each race.

However, the Stewards vetoed that plan, in the interest of safety for horse and rider and pulled stumps on the day.

The race day stewards report stated that the stewards were not convinced the riders would be riding competitively enough to fulfill their obligations to their owners and the betting racing public.

Personally, I can see the argument for and against.

Currently the Health and Safety Act ensures everyone errs on the side of caution.

The ramifications of contravening those laws are obviously far reaching.

My question though is all about consistency.

I know that Matamata meeting was a low-key mid-week affair.

But what if it was the TAB Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie?

Complete with mega prize money, World Pool betting and huge International and local audience.

Would the same outcome as Matamata prevail?

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Picture at the top of the page: In Haste powering away with her maiden victory in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) at Matamata on January 22, the second of only three races that day. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images).

[Freda]

We know the answer to that.

[Huey]

Another guy who is getting what he asked for !

[Doomed]

Well put by George I though. I'm sure it echoes the thoughts of many of us on here. Very brave of him not to toe the party line.

I wonder if his trip to the West Coast gave him a feeling for racing at the grass roots level and an appreciation of how some of the elite clubs are viewed by many. He probably realised Reefton had no chance when even Matamata is wiped out.

[Huey]

Wasn't he all for the M Report? 

Are they starting to wake up , when its too late?

[Chief Stipe]

23 minutes ago, Huey said:

Wasn't he all for the M Report? 

Are they starting to wake up , when its too late?

Nothing to do with the Mesara Report.  The issue is around consistency in the application of protocols or process in determining whether to abandon a meeting or not.

 

 

[Chief Stipe]

41 minutes ago, Doomed said:

I wonder if his trip to the West Coast gave him a feeling for racing at the grass roots level and an appreciation of how some of the elite clubs are viewed by many. He probably realised Reefton had no chance when even Matamata is wiped out.

Again the issue is consistency.  

If the Jockeys are unanimous in wanting to keep riding and or opportunity is given to any Jockey who doesn't want to continue to vacate their ride without penalty they why shouldn't a meeting progress?  Haven't the Jockeys then accepted the risk?

At the abandoned Hastings Guineas meeting I heard that most wanted to continue however a small number of the Jockeys said no.

I doubt that NZTR or RIB have sought legal advice on workplace safety issues.  Motorsport is inherently dangerous yet continues.

Correct me if I'm wrong but how many serious injuries have been caused by a horse slipping?  My observation is often accidents are caused by Jockey error, poor riding or a horse breaking down.

However with regard to the Stipes reasoning for Matamata they felt riders couldn't rode competitively and therefore would challenge the integrity of betting.  You could apply that last condition to some tracks every time they race!

 

[Huey]

30 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Nothing to do with the Mesara Report.  The issue is around consistency in the application of protocols or process in determining whether to abandon a meeting or not.

 

 

Rubbish ! It's a by product of not having enough venues to cope with the programmed racing.

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, Huey said:

Rubbish ! It's a by product of not having enough venues to cope with the programmed racing.

That's nonsense.  Given the number of horses in training there are more than ample racecourses.  The issue is there are very few if any that don't have some issue.  Not to mention the programming but that has nothing to do with abandonments!

Unless of course you are being facetious AGAIN!

[Huey]

22 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

That's nonsense.  Given the number of horses in training there are more than ample racecourses.  The issue is there are very few if any that don't have some issue.  Not to mention the programming but that has nothing to do with abandonments!

Unless of course you are being facetious AGAIN!

How many tracks are screwed in this country?

Why are we in a position to get rid of any of them , given the abandonment record across the spectrum in this country?

[Chief Stipe]

10 minutes ago, Huey said:

How many tracks are screwed in this country?

Nearly all but a few could sustain consistent regular racing.

10 minutes ago, Huey said:

Why are we in a position to get rid of any of them , given the abandonment record across the spectrum in this country?

How many have actually gone since the Messara Report?

How many tracks do you need to support the number of horses in training?

[Huey]

8 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Nearly all but a few could sustain consistent regular racing.

How many have actually gone since the Messara Report?

How many tracks do you need to support the number of horses in training?

Number of tracks has contributed to the drop in horses in training.

The current state of NZ tracks you need all the tracks you can get.

Entain think Ellerslie is going to be Sha Tin and that model will work over here, I'm not convinced are you?

[Murray Fish]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

I doubt that NZTR or RIB have sought legal advice on workplace safety issues.

na, they have been advised! hence the decisions to pull plug! ever noticing the paradox of sending them around to prove the track not 'safe'!

[curious]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

Wasn't he all for the M Report? 

Are they starting to wake up , when its too late?

Nothing to do with the Messara report. Just they've closed the tracks without spending the money he recommended on the remaining venues and they seemingly randomly changed the closed venues from what he recommended.

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

 

Entain think Ellerslie is going to be Sha Tin and that model will work over here, I'm not convinced are you?

How can it be Sha Tin?  Ellerslie isn't a training centre and Ellerslie have gone for a customised StrathAyr with iconic bends.

[curious]

Agree. It's nothing like Sha Tin. Among other things it's a vastly different climate and Sha Tin has Strathayr turf which is reseeded twice a year - winter grasses and summer grasses. Where did Entain say they thought that?

Edited 8 hours ago by curious

[Special Agent]

Of the tracks where the meetings have been abandoned I'm surprised Matamata was one.

I guess the jockeys have been given a directive around how they deal with riding or not riding.  Possibly a unique situation where jockeys are self employed but also in the jockeys room are apprentices who work for an employer.

[Trojan]

35 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

Of the tracks where the meetings have been abandoned I'm surprised Matamata was one.

I guess the jockeys have been given a directive around how they deal with riding or not riding.  Possibly a unique situation where jockeys are self employed but also in the jockeys room are apprentices who work for an employer.

There have been one or two instances of abandonments where a fair number wanted to keep riding.  Overruled by a couple of senior Jockeys.  Not sure they were riding at Matamata.  Certainly not in the first 3 races.

[Huey]

7 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

How can it be Sha Tin?  Ellerslie isn't a training centre and Ellerslie have gone for a customised StrathAyr with iconic bends.

Read the post & stop trying to be clever , you literally think they are going to set up Sha Tin exactly as it is?