Guerin's article on Awapuni, Hastings track news

[Chief Stipe]

7 minutes ago, curious said:

Agree. Foxton certainly used to and Rangiora does weekly, though the CJC don't seem to have any reverse work days at any speed.

Well that is a sad reflection on the CJC's priorities.

I realise Harness is different and easier to change direction but we always rotated our fast work.  The theory being it helped developed more physically balanced individuals.

[Freda]

1 hour ago, Special Agent said:

I have referred before to the opinion the whole track needs remodelling as opposed to part renovating.

That seems sensible to me.

[curious]

33 minutes ago, Freda said:

Do they?   tell our lot, will ya? 

Actually, a Riccarton trainer taking horses to Trentham last week wasn't allowed to use the grass there for a final gallop at all. Had to bring them out to Rangiora for that.

[curious]

2 hours ago, Special Agent said:

I have referred before to the opinion the whole track needs remodelling as opposed to part renovating.

Jmo but I think it's only the bends into and out of the turn that need re-modelling which is what they are doing. The latter bend is virtually a right angle with no camber probably as bad or worse than the Ellerslie turn into the straight that @Chief Stipe has mentioned on more than one occasion.

[Special Agent]

1 hour ago, Freda said:

Do they?   tell our lot, will ya? 

Possibly disappeared with Hokitika.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Freda said:

Do they?   tell our lot, will ya? 

Why don't you get the Training team collective together and go tell them?!  If you don't get a satisfactory response then escalate to the next level.  Hint:  don't involve Wightman just use rational reasons and logic.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, curious said:

Actually, a Riccarton trainer taking horses to Trentham last week wasn't allowed to use the grass there for a final gallop at all. Had to bring them out to Rangiora for that.

At least it was the right way round.  Probably the track was in better condition as well!

[curious]

7 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

At least it was the right way round.  Probably the track was in better condition as well!

The latter is likely true but it was on the Wednesday which is right-handed day at Rangiora, so they would have probably had to get special permission to gallop left-handed.

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, curious said:

Jmo but I think it's only the bends into and out of the turn that need re-modelling which is what they are doing. The latter bend is virtually a right angle with no camber probably as bad or worse than the Ellerslie turn into the straight that @Chief Stipe has mentioned on more than one occasion.

Agree with the bends comment however my observation was that the slipping on HB Guineas day wasn't to do with the camber of the turn.  One of the longer slips that i've seen.

 

[curious]

45 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Agree with the bends comment however my observation was that the slipping on HB Guineas day wasn't to do with the camber of the turn.  One of the longer slips that i've seen.

 

No I agree. That was obviously to do with the "compaction" or lack of proper root development.

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, curious said:

No I agree. That was obviously to do with the "compaction" or lack of proper root development.

Must find that photo that someone posted here.

Perhaps that is the difference in opinion that @Special Agent refers to with regard to Bryce Mildon.  However if the track is out until Spring 2026 then perhaps they are going to fix it properly.  They have had two semi-attempts at getting it right e.g. Ellerslie and Awapuni.

 

[curious]

5 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Must find that photo that someone posted here.

Perhaps that is the difference in opinion that @Special Agent refers to with regard to Bryce Mildon.  However if the track is out until Spring 2026 then perhaps they are going to fix it properly.  They have had two semi-attempts at getting it right e.g. Ellerslie and Awapuni.

 

Yes, though if it were me and it is partially reseeded after the re-cambering, I's be waiting until the end of spring for the additional root development before using it.

[Chief Stipe]

18 minutes ago, curious said:

Yes, though if it were me and it is partially reseeded after the re-cambering, I's be waiting until the end of spring for the additional root development before using it.

Should have been seeded a month ago.

[Special Agent]

It has taken a long time to make any decision, time that can never be recovered.  It's getting cold now, like you say seeding a month ago would have made more sense.

[curious]

1 minute ago, Special Agent said:

It has taken a long time to make any decision, time that can never be recovered.  It's getting cold now, like you say seeding a month ago would have made more sense.

Well it will surely be spring before any seeding is required anyway won't it, by the time they get all the re-cambering work done?

[Special Agent]

1 hour ago, curious said:

Well it will surely be spring before any seeding is required anyway won't it, by the time they get all the re-cambering work done?

But my point is if racing ceased in September and renovation work had started straight away eight months would not have been lost.

Where as if there had not been a rush to get back racing at Awapuni .....

[Chief Stipe]

12 hours ago, Special Agent said:

But my point is if racing ceased in September and renovation work had started straight away eight months would not have been lost.

In a perfect world yes but there were a lot of factors to consider.  For example:

1. Hastings future in its current location - how much money should be spent at the current location?;
2. What actually needed to be done;
3. Where was the capitial coming from to do the work - i.e. who was paying?;
4. Consultation with HB members on the above;
5. etc.  

Don't forget that there were many different opinions on what was wrong from the simplistic to the complex.  For example:

• A Senior Jockey saying "that nothing was wrong with the track - the track manager didn't listen and it needed more irrigation";
• A lunatic owner aka @Transparency running rampant on Social Media saying also that nothing was wrong with the track and "a few good farmers and a tractor could fix it in a day";
• Local stakeholders who were close to the action saying that the problem was poor and broken drainage and a reverse camber on the bend (no mention of the other bend);
• A newly appointed very experienced track manager who apparently argued that there were bigger issues than just the bend;
• and so on.

BTW having seen the aftermath (true use of the word) after the HB Guineas abandonment and walking the problematic part of the track an hour after the meeting was abandoned I agree with those saying the track turf/soil itself has a problem which was magnified by the drainage issue and reverse camber.

12 hours ago, Special Agent said:

Where as if there had not been a rush to get back racing at Awapuni .....

Why was it a rush?  On the one hand you are arguing that the Hastings fix hasn't started soon enough and on the other hand Awapuni was rushed back.  Isn't the indicated elapsed time for Hastings about the same as it was for Awapuni?

A lot of horses galloped on Awapuni prior to the race meeting being conducted.  Circumstances forced them to put the rail out to ground that hadn't been tested.    Seems they used low quality sand as well!

[Assange]

On 5/22/2025 at 9:50 AM, Chief Stipe said:

Why does it matter where a meeting will be held?  

It matters to the owner paying the float account.

[Trojan]

10 minutes ago, Assange said:

It matters to the owner paying the float account.

That cost pales when you can't get a start!  Or as happened to my mate two away trips to see their horse race and two abandonments in three weeks.  Abandoned one week then raced two days later at a different location.  Then two weeks later race abandoned and two days later racing in a different location again! Add to the cost of the duplicate float trips there was travel and accommodation costs for the owner to watch Group races! 

What would you rather have a race that is transferred a week or a few days out to a different location or no race at all?

[Chief Stipe]

16 minutes ago, Assange said:

It matters to the owner paying the float account.

Sure it does but if your horse is aiming for a BM65 or even a maiden does the extra cost to travel to Hawera instead of Woodville really matter?  Some owners gain some lose.  Swings and roundabouts.  

The point is everyone is looking for flexibility in shifting meetings to avoid abandoments and when NZTR is proactive in doing so you all still complain!