The Diceman's Been Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 34 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Well that can't continue can it. I mean how do you do those things when you have to maintain social distancing? Those north island stallions may have high virility but 2 metres? That's a bit of a stretch even for them. I could tell you a couple of penis jokes, but I don't want to appear cocky. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 25 minutes ago, The Diceman's Been said: I could tell you a couple of penis jokes, but I don't want to appear cocky. classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said: Get on the phone. Organise the local trainers. If the majority of them said they would boycott the Cup meeting what would they do then? Lobby your local MP's. Fight them on the beaches, the hills, the fields, the stables, the tracks - never surrender! I think with a targeted Social Media campaign you would be surprised what support you would garner from across the country. Part of my racing heart died when the Westland Racing Club was shafted. Another part will die if the philistines and the faceless bureaucrats start pulling Cup week apart. DON'T get hooked into - "oh well there are bigger more important things to worry about at the moment." Fight close to home - put up resistance. Actively manage those things that you can - believe me you can do a lot more locally than you think you can. If you fight for things that are important to you you'll find they are important to others as well. If you don't then we will end up with some amorphous central government telling us what we can and can't do. Planning has to be in place for at least the next six months. To me it is common sense to bring both Guineas to the North Island this season. As I have mentioned previously both races for many years have been dominated by North Island horses both in terms of numbers and winners. In the last 20 years 1 South Island runner has won the 1000 Guineas, The Jewel in 2002 and the 2000 Guineas, ditto, 1 South Island runner, Hustler also in 2002. Many of you advocate having racing close to where the horse population is based so in terms of both Guineas races that is without doubt clearly in the North Island. As Freda has succinctly pointed out the South haven't really supported the races as such anyway. Having had a busy working week I have just caught up on reading that other site and notice two, Mardy & Mardigras (hmm) both advocate cancelling both races this season altogether. Crazy!!! Bringing them North is completely workable providing the top 3yos G1 opportunities. Just as a matter of interest how many G1 races are run in the South Island? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 I disagree. With regard to the horse population argument we shouldn't confound the issue by including "Iconic" races with the bread and butter races - the latter being the majority of races. The reason why the "South Island hasn't supported these races with entrants" is because they haven't had the cattle. Then again you will find that on a horse population % basis that they are probably over represented. Look at Australia - trainers are still sending horses interstate to compete. We have the same land mass as the state of Victoria yet can't work out a protocol to send horses across the Strait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Horses don't transmit Covid - 19 hence they are move as in Australia. At least bringing the races North means far less a number to transport anyway. If horses can't cross the strait by November then we really are in virus trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 3 minutes ago, All The Aces said: At least bringing the races North means far less a number to transport anyway. But no more than any other year! WE need to manage this based on what was normal! I for one am not giving away easily what my forebears built and fought for. Quite frankly I'd rather take the risk in getting the virus. After all something is going to get me at some stage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 OK Winston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 6 minutes ago, Freda said: OK Winston. Yeah well apart from the death of the Westland Racing Club and the threat of shifting the Guineas from Riccarton the thing that has tipped me over the edge was the announcement yesterday - "Going back to school isn't voluntary, those children that don't have care at home have to go to school." FFS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 2 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Yeah well apart from the death of the Westland Racing Club and the threat of shifting the Guineas from Riccarton the thing that has tipped me over the edge was the announcement yesterday - "Going back to school isn't voluntary, those children that don't have care at home have to go to school." FFS! Actually, I stuffed that quote up, I was messing around and then I couldn't edit it. I meant the Winston chip to refer to Churchill, not the other bloke...with the reference to 'never surrender'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 If we can somehow emulate Aus protocols, it should be possible to transport horses out of their region, but not staff. That shouldn't be a major problem. The alternative - running 'pattern' races under a restrictive regime - defies all the purpose of a pattern race system. It cannot be an arbiter of breed quality if portions of the country are locked out of competition. Obvious, I would have thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said: But no more than any other year! WE need to manage this based on what was normal! Normal is bugger all South Island horses lining up in the Guineas races and hence why there has already been a call by a number of people to shift those races North anyway but that is another topic. You seem opposed because of tradition and the fact that you like to attend Cup Week. Do you think Cup week will be open to the public to attended in November? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 4 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Normal is bugger all South Island horses lining up in the Guineas races and hence why there has already been a call by a number of people to shift those races North anyway but that is another topic. No the "Normal" is the NZ racing industry in all three codes converges on a week of great racing in Christchurch in the second week of November. Maybe they should shift the Melbourne Cup to the northern hemisphere after all they seem to dominate the field numbers. 6 minutes ago, All The Aces said: You seem opposed because of tradition and the fact that you like to attend Cup Week. What's wrong with tradition? Isn't that what builds up interest, connections through time? I know someone who lives in Whangarei who has gone to Cup week in Christchurch for 38 years in a row. In fact I know a lot of people like that. Before the BGP came along I knew punters clubs in Wellington who put money away each week to have their annual trip to Cup week. Take away the class horses and what do you have for these followers? I haven't been to Cup week for quite some time. Circumstances haven't allowed it. BUT just like my interest in racing started in my home town (Hokitika) with the Westland Racing Club my enthusiasm for the game was enhanced by my many visits to Cup Week with the old man which continued when I went to University in Christchurch and when I lived there for 20 years. The Guineas, the New Zealand Galloping and Trotting Cups and the NZ Free For All, The Dominion are all engraved in my brain. Chip them away and I become disenfranchised - disillusioned. 19 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Do you think Cup week will be open to the public to attended in November? Why does it matter? If those races are shifted to Te Rapa will the public be able to attend? That isn't the point. The point is if our industry takes the easy options now where will it stop? When we have a rich man's exclusive club racing at a track in the Waikato vis a vis Hong Kong Jockey Club? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardigras Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, All The Aces said: Having had a busy working week I have just caught up on reading that other site and notice two, Mardy & Mardigras (hmm) both advocate cancelling both races this season altogether. Crazy!!! Bringing them North is completely workable providing the top 3yos G1 opportunities. Probably is crazy for anyone thinking that things like the Karaka Million should be black type. I'm happy with crazy, thanks. Aren't South Island 3yos entitled to any G1 opportunities equally. I guess not. Cancel the races, no real issue. Good 3yos can go and race in Group races in Oz. Edited April 19, 2020 by mardigras Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 9 minutes ago, mardigras said: Probably is crazy for anyone thinking that things like the Karaka Million should be black type. I'm happy with crazy, thanks. Aren't South Island 3yos entitled to any G1 opportunities equally. I guess not. Cancel the races, no real issue. Good 3yos can go and race in Group races in Oz. Well they are already black type (Listed races) and agree they shouldn't be Group races. Unless horses can be transported then racing probably won't be able to go ahead anyway. As I stated horses can't get Covid - 19 therefore there shouldn't be a problem travelling them between islands. Restrictions will more probably be on humans travelling etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 10 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Unless horses can be transported then racing probably won't be able to go ahead anyway. That's why our industry leaders should be hammering MPI real hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said: That's why our industry leaders should be hammering MPI real hard. It doesn't need MPI. It needs some commonly existing cooperation between trainers in different regions to assist in looking after each others travelling horses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 1 minute ago, curious said: It doesn't need MPI. It needs some commonly existing cooperation between trainers in different regions to assist in looking after each others travelling horses. True. But if MPI won't let us fast work there is hardly any point in transporting horses! As for other trainers helping each other. That happens a lot now so increasing the support should be achievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 That's what I meant. So transporting horses shouldn't be an issue, though maybe not under level 3 restrictions. Might need level 2. According to Bernie though, MPI will let us not only fastwork but trial and race at level 3. If he's got that wrong it should still be possible as soon as we go to level 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardigras Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 23 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Well they are already black type (Listed races) and agree they shouldn't be Group races. Unless horses can be transported then racing probably won't be able to go ahead anyway. As I stated horses can't get Covid - 19 therefore there shouldn't be a problem travelling them between islands. Restrictions will more probably be on humans travelling etc. If there's no problem transporting the horse North, equally no problem transporting them South. Simple. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 31 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Well they are already black type (Listed races) and agree they shouldn't be Group races.. Yes but they surely can't be black type races if they are restricted to horses from certain regions and even if they were they'd be funded at listed race $50,000 level not $200,000 as for Group 1s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) Also, even if any travel restrictions can be overcome to allow running of any pattern races, given that it sounds like the number of races next season will be greatly reduced, then many of those across the grades will have to go surely to keep their total number in the 5% of all races range and that will need to be across the grades. So if a number of Group 1s have to go and the Guineas races seem problematic, then perhaps they should be high on the list of the Group 1s to be struck off? Edited April 19, 2020 by curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 33 minutes ago, curious said: Yes but they surely can't be black type races if they are restricted to horses from certain regions and even if they were they'd be funded at listed race $50,000 level not $200,000 as for Group 1s. Both Karaka Million races are Listed and classified as black type on the pedigree page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 45 minutes ago, mardigras said: If there's no problem transporting the horse North, equally no problem transporting them South. Simple. But if humans can't travel between islands then that becomes a different issue. If horses are able to travel thereby negating your reasoning for cancelling the Guineas races then you shouldn't have a problem with them being raced in the North Island this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardigras Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 4 minutes ago, All The Aces said: Both Karaka Million races are Listed and classified as black type on the pedigree page. Thanks for helping with the stupidity of having black type if there are 'restrictions'. If there are no restrictions, then why move the races? If they impose restrictions, then remove black type. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardigras Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) 2 minutes ago, All The Aces said: If horses are able to travel thereby negating your reasoning for cancelling the Guineas races then you shouldn't have a problem with them being raced in the North Island this season. Then the issue isn't abut the virus - it's a decision to move the races because the industry believes that should be done. Which is it? Edited April 19, 2020 by mardigras 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.