AWT those anti please look

[nomates]

2 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

How does that increases revenue?

What is the criteria for deciding the chosen "few others"?

Motukarara , is it being closed to harness as well ? . If so madness . I'm not a harness man but every time i see the trots on there the fields are huge , and they get a great crowd . 

If not , why cant gallops keep their 1 meeting a year , always seems popular , with a decent crowd as well . How is moving this meeting helping the industry ? 

[Chief Stipe]

10 hours ago, curious said:

It probably won't really matter anyway. There's obviously no-one left at the TAB who knows the difference.

For those of you who didn't get Curious's subtlety Ballarat is racing on their Grass (Turf) track today, rail out 4m and the track is rated a Soft 6.

[Chief Stipe]

17 minutes ago, nomates said:

Motukarara , is it being closed to harness as well ? . If so madness . I'm not a harness man but every time i see the trots on there the fields are huge , and they get a great crowd . 

If not , why cant gallops keep their 1 meeting a year , always seems popular , with a decent crowd as well . How is moving this meeting helping the industry ? 

Both the Galloping and the Harness Clubs seem profitable and pay their way.  Annual reports attached.

Overall it seems the racecourse assets are owned by Motukarara Sports Centre Ltd.  But not sure about that.  However the two clubs own that company 50/50.

BC10065253656.PDF BC10065296295.pdf

[Yankiwi]

43 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

For those of you who didn't get Curious's subtlety Ballarat is racing on their Grass (Turf) track today, rail out 4m and the track is rated a Soft 6.

Then isn't that providing false information for financial gain?

Has anyone contacted the Commerce Commission? They might be interested...

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, Yankiwi said:

Then isn't that providing false information for financial gain?

Has anyone contacted the Commerce Commission? They might be interested...

They fixed it so not an issue.  Any serious punter would have known and those that didn't well......

 

[Freda]

1 hour ago, nomates said:

Motukarara , is it being closed to harness as well ? . If so madness . I'm not a harness man but every time i see the trots on there the fields are huge , and they get a great crowd . 

If not , why cant gallops keep their 1 meeting a year , always seems popular , with a decent crowd as well . How is moving this meeting helping the industry ? 

Agree, great spot and always good atmosphere with happy crowds.  However,  I think both clubs are facing personnel problems,  i.e. the difficulty in attracting keen, young committee people.  An ageing management is making it near impossible to plan ahead or undertake necessary works.

[nomates]

34 minutes ago, Freda said:

Agree, great spot and always good atmosphere with happy crowds.  However,  I think both clubs are facing personnel problems,  i.e. the difficulty in attracting keen, young committee people.  An ageing management is making it near impossible to plan ahead or undertake necessary works.

Thanks , then i can understand the reasoning and the clubs are on board with the decision . The best part is they were part of the process so they have clarity , unlike many others .

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, nomates said:

Thanks , then i can understand the reasoning and the clubs are on board with the decision . The best part is they were part of the process so they have clarity , unlike many others .

You can't assume that from what Freda posted.

[nomates]

4 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

You can't assume that from what Freda posted.

OK i'd assume the was a limited time frame they were going to be able to keep going if no new blood prepared to get involved , at least they have a reason for getting on board with decision .

[Chief Stipe]

2 minutes ago, nomates said:

OK i'd assume the was a limited time frame they were going to be able to keep going if no new blood prepared to get involved , at least they have a reason for getting on board with decision .

Well if that were a criteria then there wouldn't be any clubs left in NZ.

[nomates]

29 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Well if that were a criteria then there wouldn't be any clubs left in NZ.

Well eventually , that's true of any form of committee if it can't keep bringing fresh faces on . They obviously felt that was not going to happen in their case . Hence their decision .

[Chief Stipe]

29 minutes ago, nomates said:

Well eventually , that's true of any form of committee if it can't keep bringing fresh faces on . They obviously felt that was not going to happen in their case . Hence their decision .

Nomates we DON'T know if that is the decision the committee made.  What we DO know is that their race dates have been taken from them - I presume not of their choosing!

[Chief Stipe]

There are only two synthetic tracks in Victoria.  Pakenham and Ballarat.  The reason there are not more is "they are too expensive to maintain."

Pakenham has 11% of the total country meeting turnover in Victoria and does not return sufficient profit from racing activities to for annual maintenance and eventual renovation of the synthetic track.  It has 40 race meetings a year with the meetings evenly split between Turf and Polytrack.  However the Polytrack race meetings are confined to the winter months.

Note:  Pakenham has 65ha dedicated to training and stabling facilities.  With training closed at Caulfield it is expected that those stables will relocate.

[Chief Stipe]

Racing Victoria:

Racing Victoria undertook an extensive 12-month review, conducted in consultation with industry stakeholders, which considered the number of synthetic racetracks required to service the industry’s current and future needs, along with the most appropriate locations.

The decision to conduct the review was prompted by the scheduled need to replace the current Geelong synthetic track at the conclusion of 2018 due to wear and tear.

The review ultimately established that it is not in Victoria’s best interests to build and maintain three synthetic racetracks due to prohibitive costs. It also noted that the current quantity of synthetic race meetings appropriately services the state’s racing schedule.

Racing.com Park (Pakenham), which commenced synthetic racing in 2015 and conducts an average 22 synthetic meetings per year, remained a preferred location for RV given the large racehorse population in the state’s south east and the track’s relevant infancy.

Ballarat was chosen due its central location, its proximity to a larger percentage of the state’s racehorse population, its strong local training numbers and the enhancements in track shape and size that it can afford over the incumbent track at Geelong. 

[Freda]

Yet we in lil ol' NZ can warrant three....hmm.

[Brodie]

39 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

There are only two synthetic tracks in Victoria.  Pakenham and Ballarat.  The reason there are not more is "they are too expensive to maintain."

Pakenham has 11% of the total country meeting turnover in Victoria and does not return sufficient profit from racing activities to for annual maintenance and eventual renovation of the synthetic track.  It has 40 race meetings a year with the meetings evenly split between Turf and Polytrack.  However the Polytrack race meetings are confined to the winter months.

Note:  Pakenham has 65ha dedicated to training and stabling facilities.  With training closed at Caulfield it is expected that those stables will relocate.

So why hasn’t Winnie done his homework, if he is handing out mega millions?

You wouldn’t thought he would’ve checked the financial viability before hand8ng over the money!

[Chief Stipe]

26 minutes ago, Brodie said:

So why hasn’t Winnie done his homework, if he is handing out mega millions?

You wouldn’t thought he would’ve checked the financial viability before hand8ng over the money!

I suppose they have done a site survey for Awapuni.  As Curious points out Awapuni is build in a hole in a swamp.  When a new Polytrack was installed at Fairview in South Africa on similar it was found after construction was begun that considerable ground stability work would need to be done at a cost of an extra couple of million.  Not that that is a good example as the company that owns it Phumelela filed this month for essentially what is SA's Chapter 11.  

In that regard reading the CEO's report pages 19-21 is sobering and familiar.  South African racing is probably stuffed.

PHUMELELA_ir_19.pdf

[Chief Stipe]

Fairview Polytrack Matching Expectations

PE's Polytrack is nearly a year old and performing to expectation, says Phumelela

 Updated 15th May 2014

Fairview Polytrack

Fairview Racecourse’s Polytrack is well along the path to its first anniversary and to date the synthetic surface has matched all expectations.

Installation of the surface was completed last September and the track was then opened for training purposes.  The first two races on Polytrack took place on the opening day of the Algoa Cup Festival on Friday 25 October with the first full race meeting only scheduled for a few weeks later. But heavy rain on the Saturday forced a change of plans and the entire meeting on Sunday 27 October, including the Algoa Cup, had to be switched from turf to Polytrack to save the fixture.

The meeting went off smoothly and compliments flowed freely from riders afterwards. Jockey Greg Cheyne said: “It was absolutely fantastic. The horses held their ground nicely and no one was slipping around the turn. It may look tight, but it is as good as any Polytrack anywhere in the world.”

Since then the Polytrack has saved another four turf race meetings from being lost due to rain and Phumelela Horseracing Executive Patrick Davis said to date the surface had delivered what was envisaged when it was installed.  “Polytrack’s ability to significantly reduce the number of meetings lost due to inclement weather and the resultant loss of income to horsemen, while simultaneously providing a sound racing surface, was one of the primary reasons for installing it in the first instance. Also, it does not require copious amounts of water, a key factor in an area where water shortages are commonplace,” Davis said.

Patrick Davis – Phumelela Racing Executive

“Predictably, there have been teething problems and trainers, jockeys and the track management team have all gone through a steep learning curve. Fortunately, champion trainer Mike de Kock agreed to share his insights into synthetic surfaces with horsemen in Port Elizabeth before we opened the track and that was invaluable.  “As was said at the outset, Polytrack is not a wonder surface and De Kock warned that certain horses should be kept well away from training or racing on the track. And like any racing surface, Polytrack is impacted by the weather with the surface tighter and faster when it’s cool, and looser and slower in warm weather. In very hot temperatures, we found that the track became too loose and generated excessive kickback, but that seems to have been resolved by watering when necessary,” Davis continued.  he added that as always the safety of horses and riders on the surface is an ongoing major concern and to that end complaints about the track were investigated and statistics of fatal breakdowns both in work and races are maintained and monitored.

“As Martin Collins, the inventor of Polytrack, has pointed out, trainers and horses have differing requirements from the surface, so it’s impossible to keep everybody happy. But in maintaining and preparing the surface, track staff strive for safety and to satisfy the majority of trainers.”  To 12 May there have been 1,929 runners on the Polytrack and on average about 2,500 horses train on it every month. There have been three fatal breakdowns – one in training and two in races (0.104%). There have been six fatalities on turf at Fairview in the same period – two in races and four in work.

Claims that kickback from the Polytrack was causing coughing were investigated by course veterinarian Charles Hayward. He scoped 13 horses, selecting those with one or more symptoms of fatigue, respiratory distress and facial kickback or making abnormal respiratory sounds or coughing.  He found that all 13 horses had dirt in their nasal passages, seven were completely clean in the trachea, six were bleeders, two had dirt in the pharynx and only one had singular grains of sand in the trachea.
He concluded that nasal contamination did pose a small problem, but haemorrhaging rather than particle contamination, was the cause of coughing and not the Polytrack.

Some of the Fairview synthetic track’s detractors have referred to Keeneland Racecourse in the USA deciding to lift its Polytrack and revert to dirt racing from Autumn this year as proof of the surface’s shortcomings.  The reality is that Keeneland’s decision has little to do with the capabilities of Polytrack and much more to do with the end of the USA’s brief flirtation with synthetic surfaces.
A few years back it seemed that many dirt tracks in the USA were set to be replaced by synthetic surfaces. But in a land where dirt racing is king, a wholesale switch to synthetic surfaces became unviable once it emerged that many more turf horses were effective on synthetic tracks than dirt horses.  That, in turn, has left USA racecourses with synthetic surfaces little option but to revert to dirt if they wish to attract the leading lights of American horseracing because the majority of owners and trainers favour dirt racing.

For the record, over the past five years the Keeneland Polytrack had 11 fatalities in 11,367 starts – less than one death (0.97) for every 1,000 starters. The figure for all synthetic surfaces in the USA during the same period was 1.22, significantly lower than the 2.08 fatalities per 1,000 starters on dirt and the 1.63 on turf.  “There’s no doubt Polytrack is a proven alternative surface to turf, but as with all racing surfaces the key to the continued success of the Fairview Polytrack will lie in the maintenance of the surface and trainers using the track responsibly,” Davis concluded.

(source:  Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Ltd)

[Chief Stipe]

A Polytrack is by no means maintenance free - 

6.5 Maintenance
The methods used to maintain a synthetic surface are very similar to those used for a conventional dirt surface, with a few primary differences. Not only is less water needed to manage moisture levels, but also the manpower needed to keep the surface conditioned is not as high. It is known that the wind and rain carry material particles away from the surface but new synthetic material is added to the racetrack as needed to maintain an adequate top cushion. It is clear that this type of racing surface allows for a reduction in overall methods of maintenance.

The typical maintenance of a synthetic surface involves the harrowing of the surface to approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, depending on how the horses are performing and what
their needs are.

6.5.1 Equipment
In addition to the equipment common to the maintenance of a conventional racetrack surface, there are three primary pieces necessary for the proper conditioning of a synthetic surface. See Figure 6-7 for an image of the following pieces of equipment:

• Tractor. This is a standard piece of equipment that a racetrack facility needs for the pulling of equipment. Floatation tires are commonly used to reduce potential surface compaction.
• Gallop Master. This piece of equipment is used to provide a finish condition before or after the use of the surface. The depth of the rake can be adjusted according to preference.
• Track Harrow. This piece of equipment is necessary for a surface to be properly loosened and maintain an adequate depth of cushion. The steel teeth provide a deep conditioning of the surface as it is dragged over the surface by a tractor.
• Rotavator: This piece of equipment is used to refresh the synthetic mixture in the top cushion and maintain an adequate depth of cushion.
• Water Truck or Wagon. This piece of equipment is used to provide moisture to a surface. This method is preferred over other common methods used by the industry because the amount of water is able to be controlled. The holding capacity of the water tank ranges but is typically around 2,000 – 3,000 gallons.

6.5.2 Schedule
The maintenance of a racing surface must coincide with the training and racing of horses.  It must be performed before the day begins, in-between fields of horses, and after the surface is finished being used. It is important to note that variations in maintenance schedules do occur depending on the event. If a racing competition is taking place, the surface must be reconditioned between starts in order to provide the field a quality surface. The following is a general schedule that could be applied throughout the course of a day at a training facility that operates most intensely during the morning hours.

• 5:00 a.m. The surface is power harrowed before it is used by any horses.
• 6:00 – 11:00 a.m. The surface is open for training with no maintenance performed.
• 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Labor is spent removing organic waste from the surface.
• 11:30 – 12:30 a.m. The surface is power harrowed to a depth of approximately four inches, followed by a gallop master to condition and finish the surface to a depth of approximately 2 1/2 inches deep.

[Hedley]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

A Polytrack is by no means maintenance free - 

6.5 Maintenance
The methods used to maintain a synthetic surface are very similar to those used for a conventional dirt surface, with a few primary differences. Not only is less water needed to manage moisture levels, but also the manpower needed to keep the surface conditioned is not as high. It is known that the wind and rain carry material particles away from the surface but new synthetic material is added to the racetrack as needed to maintain an adequate top cushion. It is clear that this type of racing surface allows for a reduction in overall methods of maintenance.

The typical maintenance of a synthetic surface involves the harrowing of the surface to approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, depending on how the horses are performing and what
their needs are.

6.5.1 Equipment
In addition to the equipment common to the maintenance of a conventional racetrack surface, there are three primary pieces necessary for the proper conditioning of a synthetic surface. See Figure 6-7 for an image of the following pieces of equipment:

• Tractor. This is a standard piece of equipment that a racetrack facility needs for the pulling of equipment. Floatation tires are commonly used to reduce potential surface compaction.
• Gallop Master. This piece of equipment is used to provide a finish condition before or after the use of the surface. The depth of the rake can be adjusted according to preference.
• Track Harrow. This piece of equipment is necessary for a surface to be properly loosened and maintain an adequate depth of cushion. The steel teeth provide a deep conditioning of the surface as it is dragged over the surface by a tractor.
• Rotavator: This piece of equipment is used to refresh the synthetic mixture in the top cushion and maintain an adequate depth of cushion.
• Water Truck or Wagon. This piece of equipment is used to provide moisture to a surface. This method is preferred over other common methods used by the industry because the amount of water is able to be controlled. The holding capacity of the water tank ranges but is typically around 2,000 – 3,000 gallons.

6.5.2 Schedule
The maintenance of a racing surface must coincide with the training and racing of horses.  It must be performed before the day begins, in-between fields of horses, and after the surface is finished being used. It is important to note that variations in maintenance schedules do occur depending on the event. If a racing competition is taking place, the surface must be reconditioned between starts in order to provide the field a quality surface. The following is a general schedule that could be applied throughout the course of a day at a training facility that operates most intensely during the morning hours.

• 5:00 a.m. The surface is power harrowed before it is used by any horses.
• 6:00 – 11:00 a.m. The surface is open for training with no maintenance performed.
• 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Labor is spent removing organic waste from the surface.
• 11:30 – 12:30 a.m. The surface is power harrowed to a depth of approximately four inches, followed by a gallop master to condition and finish the surface to a depth of approximately 2 1/2 inches deep.

Lol...you can't imagine what a spectacular failure our lot will be following that ongoing track manufacture.

Breathing dirt from the kickback  will make the form 'suck'..it's a nightmare we're embarking upon

[Chief Stipe]

6 minutes ago, Hedley said:

Lol...you can't imagine what a spectacular failure our lot will be following that ongoing track manufacture.

Breathing dirt from the kickback  will make the form 'suck'..it's a nightmare we're embarking upon

Plus they'll have to water it and/or compact it when NOT in use during strong warm winds.  E.g. a Canterbury Nor-wester.

[curious]

I imagine the committee and a few other member volunteers will be out there after training every morning picking up the shit before the track is harrowed won't they?

Edited May 31, 2020 by curious

[Chief Stipe]

Singapore has 3,000 tonnes of spare polytrack sand which is used for maintenance.

[Extra Dollars]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

A Polytrack is by no means maintenance free - 

6.5 Maintenance
The methods used to maintain a synthetic surface are very similar to those used for a conventional dirt surface, with a few primary differences. Not only is less water needed to manage moisture levels, but also the manpower needed to keep the surface conditioned is not as high. It is known that the wind and rain carry material particles away from the surface but new synthetic material is added to the racetrack as needed to maintain an adequate top cushion. It is clear that this type of racing surface allows for a reduction in overall methods of maintenance.

The typical maintenance of a synthetic surface involves the harrowing of the surface to approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, depending on how the horses are performing and what
their needs are.

6.5.1 Equipment
In addition to the equipment common to the maintenance of a conventional racetrack surface, there are three primary pieces necessary for the proper conditioning of a synthetic surface. See Figure 6-7 for an image of the following pieces of equipment:

• Tractor. This is a standard piece of equipment that a racetrack facility needs for the pulling of equipment. Floatation tires are commonly used to reduce potential surface compaction.
• Gallop Master. This piece of equipment is used to provide a finish condition before or after the use of the surface. The depth of the rake can be adjusted according to preference.
• Track Harrow. This piece of equipment is necessary for a surface to be properly loosened and maintain an adequate depth of cushion. The steel teeth provide a deep conditioning of the surface as it is dragged over the surface by a tractor.
• Rotavator: This piece of equipment is used to refresh the synthetic mixture in the top cushion and maintain an adequate depth of cushion.
• Water Truck or Wagon. This piece of equipment is used to provide moisture to a surface. This method is preferred over other common methods used by the industry because the amount of water is able to be controlled. The holding capacity of the water tank ranges but is typically around 2,000 – 3,000 gallons.

6.5.2 Schedule
The maintenance of a racing surface must coincide with the training and racing of horses.  It must be performed before the day begins, in-between fields of horses, and after the surface is finished being used. It is important to note that variations in maintenance schedules do occur depending on the event. If a racing competition is taking place, the surface must be reconditioned between starts in order to provide the field a quality surface. The following is a general schedule that could be applied throughout the course of a day at a training facility that operates most intensely during the morning hours.

• 5:00 a.m. The surface is power harrowed before it is used by any horses.
• 6:00 – 11:00 a.m. The surface is open for training with no maintenance performed.
• 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Labor is spent removing organic waste from the surface.
• 11:30 – 12:30 a.m. The surface is power harrowed to a depth of approximately four inches, followed by a gallop master to condition and finish the surface to a depth of approximately 2 1/2 inches deep.

I presume there has also been extensive research in to how the wax based polytrack base will perform with the big NZ frosts&fog&also torrential rain.

 

[Huey]

1 minute ago, Extra Dollars said:

I presume there has also been extensive research in to how the wax based polytrack base will perform with the big NZ frosts&fog&also torrential rain.

 

Of course , it would have been part of the financial Operational analysis they completed. There is no way they would not have done the appropriate ground and had a really good basis for this , historically speaking they always do ...