NZTA tracks meeting update

[curious]

TRACKS UPDATE

Industry Meeting Update: Tackling Track Infrastructure & Performance

As advised in our previous newsletter, a dedicated industry meeting was held on 6 May 2025, bringing together stakeholders including trainers, jockeys, breeders, racecourse management, RIB and NZTR. We were also fortunate to have Liam O'Keefe from Victoria Racing Club present who was a highly experienced and neutral participant.
The purpose: to address growing concern around racetrack performance, infrastructure, and the impact of track-related issues on racing outcomes.

There was open and honest views expressed and in-depth discussion. The stakeholders were very clear in their opinions that the status-quo could not continue and  there needed to be clear lines of accountability. There is a need for improved processes to ensure tracks are prepared on a more reliable basis for racing.

The meeting was not just a talkfest and as a result of all the productive discussions, the following list of Actions was agreed to. These actions will be continually monitored, refined and progress will be updated to stakeholders. 

Agreed NZTR Action Points

Review feedback and develop a proposal for changes and improvements to the RTA  (Regional Track Advisers)  model to be consulted on with the RTA Group.

 Benchmark current track staff salaries across the industry to understand where they sit in the turf industry. Following this work consider more broadly that the industry support for track manager salaries is appropriate

Develop guidance regarding rail movements and where possible the rail should move from true outwards, then back to true with regard to avoiding inside fast lanes where possible.

Require Clubs to submit a rolling three-month schedule of probable rail movements as part of racecourse compliance. These can then be reviewed by the RTA Group or new structure.

Review and strengthen the escalation process for non-compliance with rail movement procedures.

Confirm timing for the next data portal update and report back to the group.

Confirm rollout process and support plan for track managers using the portal and develop further to ensure that everyone utilises the technology.

NZTR to investigate the feasibility of collecting benchmark data from all tracks to consolidate a national dataset including moisture meter. Confirm the ability to analyse and mine this data effectively from existing and future sources.

Update the Track Preparation Policy language to align with current track rating terminology (amend Good 2)

Include a standardised datasheet in the Track Preparation Policy and upload it to the portal.

NZJA

Encourage jockeys to provide track feedback via the text platform that was previously developed.

Schedule another meeting to update on progress and consider future venue strategy in more detail.

NZTA Commitment
The NZTA remains committed to holding NZTR accountable to these outcomes and ensuring the voices of trainers and industry participants are heard and acted upon.
 

 

[Chief Stipe]

What is the RTA Group?

[curious]

4 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

What is the RTA Group?

As above.

Review feedback and develop a proposal for changes and improvements to the RTA  (Regional Track Advisers)  model to be consulted on with the RTA Group

[Chief Stipe]

Why the fixation on rail movements?  Surely that is a Track Manager's call based on track conditions.

 

[jess]

53 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Why the fixation on rail movements?  Surely that is a Track Manager's call based on track conditions.

 

Yes!  Rail movements features prominently doesn't it?  Not sure why an image flashed into my head - of chaiirs being moved on the deck of a certain ship .... one that now rests on the bottom of the North Atlantic ocean ....  

Edited Sunday at 11:07 PM by jess
typo

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, jess said:

Yes!  Rail movements features prominently doesn't it?  Not sure why an image flashed into my head - of chaiirs being moved on the deck of a certain ship .... one that now rests on the bottom of the North Atlantic ocean ....  

Moving the rail is a symptom not a cause of the track issues.  WTF is the following going to acheive?

2 hours ago, curious said:

Require Clubs to submit a rolling three-month schedule of probable rail movements as part of racecourse compliance. These can then be reviewed by the RTA Group or new structure.

 

They are also proposing another committee to manage it!!  I bet this has come from a certain group of Jockeys/Trainers.

I keep saying that the biggest issue, the most fundamental issue, is the under resourcing of professional track managers enabling them to do what their experience and skills guide them to do.

FFS there is no mention in that report of funding the key people to do their bloody job!!!

[jess]

13 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Moving the rail is a symptom not a cause of the track issues.  

 

Precisely! Couldn't have put it better, Chief.  To focus so heavily on that, is almost to admit defeat re the state of the tracks ....

Edited Sunday at 11:39 PM by jess
typo

[Special Agent]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

 

They are also proposing another committee to manage it!!  I bet this has come from a certain group of Jockeys/Trainers.

 

Not sure about who come up with another committee to be formed.

Who were representing the trainers and jockeys?  We'll blame them.

[Special Agent]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

I keep saying that the biggest issue, the most fundamental issue, is the under resourcing of professional track managers enabling them to do what their experience and skills guide them to do.

FFS there is no mention in that report of funding the key people to do their bloody job!!!

They talk a bit about track staff salaries.  Seems odd in the context of the meeting.

[Chief Stipe]

26 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

Who were representing the trainers and jockeys?  We'll blame them.

They've been the most vocal recently on moving the rail or not moving the rail.  A couple of Senior Jockeys have been banging on about it in a number of forums.

[Special Agent]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

They've been the most vocal recently on moving the rail or not moving the rail.  A couple of Senior Jockeys have been banging on about it in a number of forums.

So if those senior riders were at the meeting what are they saying now?

[curious]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

They've been the most vocal recently on moving the rail or not moving the rail.  A couple of Senior Jockeys have been banging on about it in a number of forums.

I agree with them and they are the ones riding the horses on these tracks with the rail out and then after it's been moved back so have to be the best (maybe only) judges of how horses are handling it. Part of the problem is that they seem to be trying to use moving the rail out 8-10 metres to essentially try to turn one track into two in terms of the amount of racing it can handle.

The issue with that as many jockeys are pointing out, is it changes the angle of entry into the straight and on a number of tracks the camber is designed for racing on the rail in true. Cambers on turns for many tracks level out towards the centre. They are not designed for optimum safety with the rail out there. You then get a similar situation as what they have on the home turn at Ellerslie where there is no camber on the home turn and it is difficult to keep horses balanced. Combining those two is also more likely to make the track slippery more easily.

The other part of that is when the rail is moved back in, the fresh ground is not consistent with that further out and may have its own challenges. As noted by Jonathon Riddell at Wanganui on Saturday saying the fresh ground they had been given wasn't too flash.

[Chief Stipe]

6 minutes ago, curious said:

You then get a similar situation as what they have on the home turn at Ellerslie where there is no camber on the home turn and it is difficult to keep horses balanced.

Good luck pointing that out on any forum!  

[curious]

30 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Good luck pointing that out on any forum!  

Hardly need to do I, when it's the view of many jockeys and quite a few trainers, let alone a fair number of serious punters?

[Chief Stipe]

16 minutes ago, curious said:

Hardly need to do I, when it's the view of many jockeys and quite a few trainers, let alone a fair number of serious punters?

Well that's great.  I've been pointing it out since day one and more so after I walked the track.  Got mainly criticism.

[Chief Stipe]

19 minutes ago, curious said:

Hardly need to do I, when it's the view of many jockeys and quite a few trainers, let alone a fair number of serious punters?

Actually thinking about it the AWT report probably has research in there that supports our hypothesis that the Ellerslie "Iconic" bends don't cut the mustard.  Petards and hoists.