Freda can help

[Doomed]

We might as well make the most of some inside knowledge. Perhaps Freda can tell us if Canty trainers are reasonably relaxed about no maiden races in Canty for three weeks. Is the trainers attitude one of  "that's cool, gives us a chance to have a nice summer break and we won't charge our owners any training fees for three weeks." If it turns out to be a really popular idea perhaps NZTR could introduce it into the CD and Northern region. Perhaps we could have maiden free March. Who knows, it might be an innovation that spreads further afield.

[Freda]

5 hours ago, Doomed said:

We might as well make the most of some inside knowledge. Perhaps Freda can tell us if Canty trainers are reasonably relaxed about no maiden races in Canty for three weeks. Is the trainers attitude one of  "that's cool, gives us a chance to have a nice summer break and we won't charge our owners any training fees for three weeks." If it turns out to be a really popular idea perhaps NZTR could introduce it into the CD and Northern region. Perhaps we could have maiden free March. Who knows, it might be an innovation that spreads further afield.

Lol....I might be missing something or need new specs...but I find Ashburton 3rd and 16th April Riccarton 12th and 26th same, so not a major surely?

We've had Riccarton, Ashburton in March and 3 at Dunedin.   I understand your point re. Canterbury but most have their own floats and Dunedin is not considered a big deal wrt traveling.

And Riverton in the middle as well. Not Canterbury I know but the southern trainers are awesome and only too happy to help by looking after horses.  Saves a shitload of money with no extra vehicle and accommodation costs.

There are plenty of issues that grind my gears but this particular one, not really. 

Finding opportunities for staying low grade models once the polytrack gets under way is a much bigger problem. 

 

 

[Doomed]

Thanks for that Freda. I just thought that no maiden opportunities between 13 March and 3 April seemed like quite a long break. I suppose trainers work around it, and as you say they can travel to Dunedin.

[curious]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Finding opportunities for staying low grade models once the polytrack gets under way is a much bigger problem.

Agree. There's scarcely a middle distance let alone a staying race on the grass for R65/75 horses all winter. What will happen to those horses? Off to another region? Or, the re-homers maybe?

[Special Agent]

Lower grade staying races is also a CD problem according to trainers I've talked to.  An easy fix, I think, if addressed properly.  You just need the right people to listen.

[curious]

1 hour ago, Special Agent said:

Lower grade staying races is also a CD problem according to trainers I've talked to.  An easy fix, I think, if addressed properly.  You just need the right people to listen.

Who are they, I wonder?

[Special Agent]

Would you run a R65 horse in a R80 Benchmark staying race?  That way you could also cater for the horses not quite up to a strong open cup field (at the stage of it's prep even).  Jo Rathbone won the extreme race at New Plymouth with a maiden which went on to finish second in the Jericho.

[Freda]

17 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

Would you run a R65 horse in a R80 Benchmark staying race?  That way you could also cater for the horses not quite up to a strong open cup field (at the stage of it's prep even).  Jo Rathbone won the extreme race at New Plymouth with a maiden which went on to finish second in the Jericho.

I would, but the compressed handicap system we have means the low rated horse can't really get a suitable pull in the weights.  Also, your rider options are limited too.

I had a one-winner that I had toyed with putting in the 75 2600 at Riccarton.   But, she had to win at Ashburton to justify [in my mind] the start, and my preferred rider would have had to cut his legs off.

[curious]

1 hour ago, Special Agent said:

Would you run a R65 horse in a R80 Benchmark staying race?  That way you could also cater for the horses not quite up to a strong open cup field (at the stage of it's prep even).  Jo Rathbone won the extreme race at New Plymouth with a maiden which went on to finish second in the Jericho.

I wouldn't unless desperate with no other options. As Freda says with the current handicapping system and limited weight spread they would generally be no chance.