Ellerslie

[JMO]

Just now, JMO said:

 

Kate definitley held back criticism in her interview. The track completley broke up after being verti-drained. Once you have used this force, you weaken the core ground beneath. Yes the water drains, so we race on, but the horses that got in behind were at a significant disadvantage. I share in the ownership of a horse in a early sprint race. Came back blinkers full of sand and grass divots.  Who wants to run head first into stinging sand at 65km begs the question. Is the track really playing fair..

[JMO]

On 4/19/2025 at 6:18 PM, Wingman said:

It told us that it can now withstand a lot of rain and present a fair track

Wasn't fair, complete rubbish surface

[Wingman]

It was a soft track, clods were flying through the air, therefore  there will be splatter. Every horse that was capable of running a decent race on a soft track appeared to do just that. Bottom line a fair and safe autumn track. It may develop into a horses for courses track, that remains to be seen.

[curious]

11 hours ago, JMO said:

Wasn't fair, complete rubbish surface

Did the stipes see those blinkers JMO? I'd wonder how they could deem the track safe for racing, let alone fair, if the kickback was that bad.

[Special Agent]

21 hours ago, jess said:

It's like the Awapuni track - at first we heard a lot from the officials but I had been waiting more for those jump-outs & trials to see what the riders said.  They are in the best position to know how the surface played - how the horses went on it.  Oh & a bit less prone to spin 😝  

The rain will not be welcomed so close to Awapuni's return, certainly a test.

[Special Agent]

Sounds like sanitised comments are what we are going to get from now on.  That's not really the Kiwi way but, with these rules around commenting as licence holders, and jockeys and trainers wanting to retain a living, that will be the new normal.

[Chief Stipe]

22 hours ago, jess said:

I'm just always interested in what they say (or don't say  ) - because they're the ones who really know!  It's like the Awapuni track - at first we heard a lot from the officials but I had been waiting more for those jump-outs & trials to see what the riders said.  They are in the best position to know how the surface played - how the horses went on it.  Oh & a bit less prone to spin 😝  

There were at least two senior jockeys interviewed after the Awapuni trials and their comments were very complimentary.  As for jockeys being in the best position to comment.  They may well be but very few ever walk a track before riding it and often there assessment is not as accurate as you may think.

At best they may have an accurate opinion on how the trqcks feels while riding an individual horse but I cant see how they can have any accuarcy in opinions on how the track got to the condtition it may be in.  For example Kate Hercocks comments about the cause of the  Hawkes Bay Guuneas Day abandonment last September were well off the mark.

[jess]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

There were at least two senior jockeys interviewed after the Awapuni trials and their comments were very complimentary.  As for jockeys being in the best position to comment.  They may well be but very few ever walk a track before riding it and often there assessment is not as accurate as you may think.

At best they may have an accurate opinion on how the trqcks feels while riding an individual horse but I cant see how they can have any accuarcy in opinions on how the track got to the condtition it may be in.  For example Kate Hercocks comments about the cause of the  Hawkes Bay Guuneas Day abandonment last September were well off the mark.

Yep Chief - I'm not expecting jockeys to comment on "how the track for to the condition it may be in" - just their take on it as riders who are out there doing the business on it!  They've got way more idea than me sitting in my chair watching trackside.  No-one expects them to be agronomists or turf culture specialists.  Although for all I know - one or two of them may be ....