Track preparation

[curious]

With the Foxton trials canned today after the track was presented as a G3 with a forecast of overnight rain (2.7mms in the last 24 hours to date) could we not please adopt a track prep policy more in line with that of Racing Victoria's below? Especially, given the pressure on horse welfare issues.

The Preparation of Race Track Surfaces

 

Clubs are requested to prepare the following racing surface for flat races:

• A track that is prepared with give in the interests of horse welfare;

• A track with a rating of GOOD for all races;

In seeking to prepare their racing surface in accordance with the guidelines, Clubs should:

• Prepare a track that is a GOOD 4 for at least the first race of the meeting;

• Prepare a track that is never FIRM; and

• Not place compliance with this guidance in advance of an accurate track rating.

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by curious

[Nostradamus]

I'm trying to work out how ashburton has done their going,G3 yesterday 8mm rain over night now a D5, do they just look out the window to get these readings?

[Chief Stipe]

12 minutes ago, curious said:

• Prepare a track that is a GOOD 4 for at least the first race of the meeting;

Is their G4 equal to our D4?

[curious]

Track Ratings

 

Previous Rating	New Rating	Numerical Rating	Description of Numerical Rating
Fast	Firm	1	Dry hard track
Good	Firm	2	Firm track with reasonable grass coverage
Good	Good	3	Track with good grass coverage and cushion
Dead	Good	4	Track with some give in it
Dead	Soft	5	Track with a reasonable amount of give in it
Slow	Soft	6	Moist but not badly affected track
Slow	Soft	7	More rain-affected track that will chop up
Heavy	Heavy	8	Rain affected track that horses will get into
Heavy	Heavy	9	Wet track getting into a squelchy area
Heavy	Heavy	10	Heaviest category track, very wet, towards saturation

Edited October 26, 2020 by curious

[curious]

Big difference between a Good 3 on race morning and a minimum Dead 4 at the first race as far as horse welfare is concerned and competitive racing.

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, curious said:

Big difference between a Good 3 on race morning and a minimum Dead 4 at the first race as far as horse welfare is concerned and competitive racing.

It'll be hard work leading up to Guineas day if they have to stop irrigating as per the rules on Tuesday night.

[curious]

NZ.

 

[curious]

9 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

It'll be hard work leading up to Guineas day if they have to stop irrigating as per the rules on Tuesday night.

Why? Can't they just put a couple of inches on on Tuesday?

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by curious

[Chief Stipe]

2 minutes ago, curious said:

Why? Can't they just put a couple of inches on on Tuesday?

 

Depends on where the field capacity and moisture content is on the Tuesday.  My gut feel says you couldn't let the track get to a G2 and expect to bring it back to a D4/5 with one watering.  If you get hot temperatures and a Nor-Wester then a D4 would turn into a G2 really quickly.

Those penetrometer readings that are listed only work if the penetrometer is calibrated to local conditions e.g. soil type structure etc.  Aren't some tracks using another device as well?

[curious]

1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said:

 Aren't some tracks using another device as well?

You mean looking out the window like Nostradamus suggested? Sometimes I think they don't even do that. Maybe just stick their finger out the window and assess the moisture content from there?

[curious]

8 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Depends on where the field capacity and moisture content is on the Tuesday.  My gut feel says you couldn't let the track get to a G2 and expect to bring it back to a D4/5 with one watering.  If you get hot temperatures and a Nor-Wester then a D4 would turn into a G2 really quickly.

Yes, but surely historic soil moisture monitoring would indicate how best to do this wouldn't it? They'd presumably be holding it in a D4-6 range leading up to the final Tuesday irrigation?

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, curious said:

You mean looking out the window like Nostradamus suggested? Sometimes I think they don't even do that. Maybe just stick their finger out the window and assess the moisture content from there?

Well the Riccarton Track Manager referred to "moisture content" of 34% leading up to the 3rd of October and 38% leading up to Saturday.  Seem fairly fine measurements to me.  Although the relationship between track firmness and moisture content would also require some localised calibration I imagine.

 

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, curious said:

They'd presumably be holding it in a D4-6 range leading up to the final Tuesday irrigation?

That in my opinion would be the only way to make it to Tuesday with enough buffer to assess the forecast and decide how much in the last irrigation.  Of course they can always override that by getting permission from the NZTR National Track manager assuming there still is one!

Of course there would be some input from local trainers who want to track gallop on the course proper between race days!

[Running Man]

2 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

That in my opinion would be the only way to make it to Tuesday with enough buffer to assess the forecast and decide how much in the last irrigation.  Of course they can always override that by getting permission from the NZTR National Track manager assuming there still is one!

Of course there would be some input from local trainers who want to track gallop on the course proper between race days!

dead 4 or 6 wouldn't be the last watering down south say like Riccarton with that norwest they get.wouldnt it dry out to much ???

[nomates]

I would suggest they just didn't want to run today as heavy rain was forecast only for today , and has arrived ,  hence cutting up the track . Plenty of times in the past they have watered the day before trials when no rain forecast , so with Thursday free have allowed mother nature to water the track and a day to dry a bit . I have no issue with it as long as plenty of notice is given , which it was in this case . 

As for standards , as far as i have seen it's every man ( track ) for themselves . Our tracks are too munted to get perfectly manicured race day tracks .

[Running Man]

Just now, Running Man said:

dead 4 or 6 wouldn't be the last watering down south say like Riccarton with that norwest they get.wouldnt it dry out to much ???

what NZRT Track manager you talking about???

[Running Man]

37 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

It'll be hard work leading up to Guineas day if they have to stop irrigating as per the rules on Tuesday night.

that suit one south islander

[Chief Stipe]

18 minutes ago, Running Man said:

what NZRT Track manager you talking about???

You tell me!  I think the title has changed but if a local track manager want's to irrigate after Tuesday for a Saturday meeting they have to get approval from the National Venue Inspector and the Stipes - according to the manual.

[Chief Stipe]

23 minutes ago, Running Man said:

dead 4 or 6 wouldn't be the last watering down south say like Riccarton with that norwest they get.wouldnt it dry out to much ???

According to the Minimum Venue Guideline Standards document to water after Tuesday night requires National Venue Inspector and Stipes approval.  But yes I would agree that a Dead 4 on a Tuesday aiming for a G3 on Saturday would require irrigation during a hot Nor'West week.

[curious]

Why do they have that irrigation restriction? You'd think it should be left to clubs and track manaagers to decide in accord with local geography, climatic and soil conditions? I'm a bit surprised that clubs, the NZTA and Owners' Federation haven't been on their case to remove that restriction.

[Chief Stipe]

12 minutes ago, curious said:

Why do they have that irrigation restriction? You'd think it should be left to clubs and track manaagers to decide in accord with local geography, climatic and soil conditions? I'm a bit surprised that clubs, the NZTA and Owners' Federation haven't been on their case to remove that restriction.

But is it a "guideline" or a "standard" or a "guideline standard" as per the title of the document?

Secondly I suspect that there is an unwritten rule now that you can irrigate up to Thursday night before a Saturday meeting and no one asks for permission.

 

[Running Man]

14 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

But is it a "guideline" or a "standard" or a "guideline standard" as per the title of the document?

Secondly I suspect that there is an unwritten rule now that you can irrigate up to Thursday night before a Saturday meeting and no one asks for permission.

 

wouldn't be a track manager in nz that would ask NZTR or Todd if they can water after tuesday

[Chief Stipe]

26 minutes ago, Running Man said:

wouldn't be a track manager in nz that would ask NZTR or Todd if they can water after tuesday

So you are saying that no one takes notice of the "guideline standards"?

[curious]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

So you are saying that no one takes notice of the "guideline standards"?

Not much point introducing more acceptable guidelines in line with the Vic ones above if they are just going to be ignored by everyone and NZTR and the RIU turn a blind eye. It's possibly high time that track condition reporting was taken out of club hands and done independently at least on race mornings if not in the days leading up?

[Mikie]

1 hour ago, curious said:

Not much point introducing more acceptable guidelines in line with the Vic ones above if they are just going to be ignored by everyone and NZTR and the RIU turn a blind eye. It's possibly high time that track condition reporting was taken out of club hands and done independently at least on race mornings if not in the days leading up?

It was when it was taken out of Club hands and the Track Managers (formerly caretakers) had to dance to the tune of the NZTR Track Head Honcho whose name escapes me that the shit hit the fan more often Curious

Mikie