Riccarton AWT

[curious]

Synthetic track to be built at Riccarton

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Canterbury Jockey Club

6 November 2020

Preparations for construction of New Zealand’s second synthetic track will begin at Riccarton Park Racecourse on Monday 30 November 2020.

The Board of the Canterbury Jockey Club (CJC), the Trustees of the Christchurch Racecourse and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) announced today that work on the track would commence following the New Zealand Cup Meeting.

In May the Government approved $20 million from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to construct two new synthetic tracks, one at Awapuni and the other at Riccarton Park.

Following discussions between NZTR and the CJC, arrangements have now been finalised to allow construction to begin, with the new track expected to be operational by 1 August 2021.

CJC Chairman Gordon Fulton welcomed the announcement, saying the establishment of a synthetic racetrack inside the turf Course Proper at Riccarton Park is a significant advancement for training, trialling, and racing in the South.

“It enhances this historic venue and cements its future as one of New Zealand’s critical racecourses. The decision reflects the Canterbury Jockey Clubs commitment to the intent of the Messara report as the blueprint to revitalise racing in our country,” Fulton said.

Mr Fulton also placed on record the appreciation of the industry to the Trustees of the Christchurch Racecourse without whose support the project could not proceed.

Peter Cordner, Chairman of the Trustees, said the project met the requirements of the Trust. “The synthetic track will be a great asset for the Canterbury Jockey Club and thoroughbred racing in the South Island,” he said.

NZTR CEO Bernard Saundry also welcomed the project saying it was a positive move for South Island racing and the industry overall.

New Zealand’s first synthetic track at Cambridge, which received $6.5m in PGF funding, is now operational, with trials scheduled to be held on 24 November.

“Feedback from trainers, jockeys and trackwork riders, in fact anyone who has had the opportunity to view or work on the track, has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic,” Saundry said.

“We are looking forward to hearing similar feedback from stakeholders based at Riccarton once the new track there is operational next season.”

[Pitman]

Surprise, surprise!!

[nomates]

I find interesting that they can find the extra millions to build the A/W but haven't bothered to get the redundant grandstand fixed or replaced which would allow extra patrons on course , including families , when the big races are on . Or do they think they make sufficient from the alcohol sales to cover any lost revenue from other streams . 

[Chief Stipe]

12 minutes ago, Pitman said:

Surprise, surprise!!

Where's the business plan?  Or is this just a pay and hope strategy?

Will there be any money left over go fix the main course?

Who's funding the ongoing maintenance?  

You'll be putting your training fees up Pitty so I guess it will be the owners.

[nomates]

11 hours ago, curious said:

CJC Chairman Gordon Fulton welcomed the announcement, saying the establishment of a synthetic racetrack inside the turf Course Proper at Riccarton Park is a significant advancement for training, trialling, and racing in the South.

 

Yet again training and trialing are placed ahead of actual racing , " and racing in the South " almost reads as an addendum . Every press release or statement i have read about all 3 A/W tracks has spotlighted the training and trialing uses of the A/W's ahead of the racing .

As of yet no one , and i mean no one has been able to answer the elephant in the room , " where is the financial gain for NZ racing in the construction of these tracks ? " .

Everything that racing does now and in the immediate future should been done purely for financial gain to help the industry get back on it's feet and prosper going forward .

Some may ask , " How do i know they wont ? " , i don't , but i'm not building them and those that are have yet to produce a sound financial business plan , that i have seen or heard of , that gives any surety that the building of these tracks is going to be the financial boon that we so require .

[nomates]

1 hour ago, Pitman said:

Surprise, surprise!!

And yet again a statement of intellect and self service , you will be happy man i'm sure . 

Will you be sparing any though for those that are at tracks that are to be closed because of this , the stress they will be under because they may have a training facility that is now redundant , but was their lives and which they now have to convince some one to purchase at a price that allows them to move on with their live . That's before worrying that they might have to find new employment or relocate their family from family and what might have been the only lives they have known .

But SURPRISE , SURPRISE !! your and yours are sweet .

Edited November 6, 2020 by nomates

[Chief Stipe]

I wonder how many more people will be employed at Riccarton.  Currently 45.

Racing as we love it in the South will be stuffed.  Centralisation isn't going to change anything.  All it does is shift production from a low cost model to a high cost model.  Now if the high cost model works why couldn't the CJC fund the entire AWT themselves?  Or sustain them WITHOUT closing down other tracks and pilfering race dates?  Like it wasn't as if they didn't have a few advantages.

From there latest Annual Report 2019-2020.  They only made an operating surplus because of the Wage Subsidy!  Plus asset sales!  I guess at least they are selling their own silver first before acquiring others.

 

 

[Chief Stipe]

The current Training Operations run at a loss - so where are the hundreds of extra horses coming from to make the AWT profitable?

 

[mikeynz]

1 hour ago, nomates said:

And yet again a statement of intellect and self service , you will be happy man i'm sure . 

Will you be sparing any though for those that are at tracks that are to be closed because of this , the stress they will be under because they may have a training facility that is now redundant , but was their lives and which they now have to convince some one to purchase at a price that allows them to move on with their live . That's before worrying that they might have to find new employment or relocate their family from family and what might have been the only lives they have known .

But SURPRISE , SURPRISE !! your and yours are sweet .

I dont believe tracks will close,if you want centralization you have Timaru as main winter track,Riccarton grass for a lot of main meetings,I think people are getting worked up over nought.

[Chief Stipe]

20 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

I dont believe tracks will close,if you want centralization you have Timaru as main winter track,Riccarton grass for a lot of main meetings,I think people are getting worked up over nought.

Have you been asleep?  Why has Saundry hired three business consultant firms to formulate a plan to restructure Southern racing?  I tell you why - under the new Act there is a consultative process that has be followed in order to pursue the acquisition of club assets or the voluntary transfer of assets from one club to another.

[Huey]

1 hour ago, nomates said:

Yet again training and trialing are placed ahead of actual racing , " and racing in the South " almost reads as an addendum . Every press release or statement i have read about all 3 A/W tracks has spotlighted the training and trialing uses of the A/W's ahead of the racing .

As of yet no one , and i mean no one has been able to answer the elephant in the room , " where is the financial gain for NZ racing in the construction of these tracks ? " .

Everything that racing does now and in the immediate future should been done purely for financial gain to help the industry get back on it's feet and prosper going forward .

Some may ask , " How do i know they wont ? " , i don't , but i'm not building them and those that are have yet to produce a sound financial business plan , that i have seen or heard of , that gives any surety that the building of these tracks is going to be the financial boon that we so require .

So certain people can get their horses ready to go across the Tasman, screw the rest!

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Pitman said:

Surprise, surprise!!

Really poor response , gonna be fun to watch it all unfold though . its not gonna be the beer and skittles you think it is!

[mikeynz]

25 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Have you been asleep?  Why has Saundry hired three business consultant firms to formulate a plan to restructure Southern racing?  I tell you why - under the new Act there is a consultative process that has be followed in order to pursue the acquisition of club assets or the voluntary transfer of assets from one club to another.

But there have been consultants and study's done heaps of times over the years,and many times what's changed,f all.change is probably a good thing if it's for the better,I still believe the real changes will come when the clubs decide change is neccessary as in if the people, volunteers stop bothering as it seems harder and harder to find younger ones who want to carry on the courses,then they decide,Waikouiti, Winton,Wyndham,Omakau,Hokitika,course like that are gone but for Timaru,Oamaru,Gore and Riverton,I still believe they will be there,if Southland only wanted one track Ascot Park is not the one,Gore with it's slightly more central locality and Riverton with it's big roomy track are ahead of Ascot Park,as for Oamaru Timaru and Ashburton mostly because of the traditional drier climates winter racing is perfect,having said that if they get rid of a lot if not all those tracks and say move to say just Riccarton and maybe Wingatui then its lights out,its happening to harness south of Cambridge,another way of looking at things is do you want people in charge of making racing a good long term product or some lot wanting to destroy it,maybe that's where the problem lies,bad administrators,do you rid of the tracks or do you get rid of the administrators,same as in our government's,who decides,them or us?

[nomates]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

Really poor response , gonna be fun to watch it all unfold though . its not gonna be the beer and skittles you think it is!

It's a smart arse , i'm sweet response . The modus operandi that has fecked NZ racing . It's always been the type of response from those in the industry that are happy as long as they are sweet , without any acknowledgement to what is required for the future .

[Chief Stipe]

But you must admit Pitty does have a plan.  He can double the size of his stable and Cup week he'll fill the fields!

[nomates]

Just now, Chief Stipe said:

But you must admit Pitty does have a plan.  He can double the size of his stable and Cup week he'll fill the fields!

Friggen hard enough to work out which of his 3/4 horses in each race is gona win .

As for a plan , too right he has and so far it's all falling into place .

[Chief Stipe]

The ECAN Resource Consent Application.

CRC211851CRC211852ApplicationDLsto165RacecourseRoadChristchurch.PDF

[Chief Stipe]

[nomates]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

At least it wont be the greyhound track that the Palmy one will , not even convinced that the Cambridge one isn't going to be a bit tight .

[curious]

What are the two chutes? 1200 and 1400?

[Huey]

7 hours ago, mikeynz said:

But there have been consultants and study's done heaps of times over the years,and many times what's changed,f all.change is probably a good thing if it's for the better,I still believe the real changes will come when the clubs decide change is neccessary as in if the people, volunteers stop bothering as it seems harder and harder to find younger ones who want to carry on the courses,then they decide,Waikouiti, Winton,Wyndham,Omakau,Hokitika,course like that are gone but for Timaru,Oamaru,Gore and Riverton,I still believe they will be there,if Southland only wanted one track Ascot Park is not the one,Gore with it's slightly more central locality and Riverton with it's big roomy track are ahead of Ascot Park,as for Oamaru Timaru and Ashburton mostly because of the traditional drier climates winter racing is perfect,having said that if they get rid of a lot if not all those tracks and say move to say just Riccarton and maybe Wingatui then its lights out,its happening to harness south of Cambridge,another way of looking at things is do you want people in charge of making racing a good long term product or some lot wanting to destroy it,maybe that's where the problem lies,bad administrators,do you rid of the tracks or do you get rid of the administrators,same as in our government's,who decides,them or us?

They are coming for the assets you can be sure of that. A similar approach went on with the race days,  it's all been mapped out.  You cannot trust them! 

[Freda]

It has been made quite clear that some industry days will be transferred to the AWT - 12 is the figure I think - and those tracks affected may find themselves redundant.

The reduction of venues has long been the preferred option of Alan Jackson,  well before the Messara report. 

That report has been discussed at length as well as the desire of NZTR to cash up assets.

The AWT is now, clearly, going ahead...so the next step will be interesting. 

[Huey]

58 minutes ago, Freda said:

It has been made quite clear that some industry days will be transferred to the AWT - 12 is the figure I think - and those tracks affected may find themselves redundant.

The reduction of venues has long been the preferred option of Alan Jackson,  well before the Messara report. 

That report has been discussed at length as well as the desire of NZTR to cash up assets.

The AWT is now, clearly, going ahead...so the next step will be interesting. 

Of that I have no doubt.

What will be funny to watch though is the massive noms for the few turf track meetings left after the AWT begin their destruction of local racing. 

The sport has sold its soul , there are bigger issues on the way , adequate staff being one of them and a lack of planning and assistance in that area from the governing body is coming home to roost in the industry.

[nomates]

I just don't get where the financial windfall for racing is coming from , otherwise what is the point of them , i'm sure they could have upgraded the training tracks at all 3tracks for a fraction of the cost .

[Rusty]

What is this monstrosity?

Looks quite large. Would probably be a good spot for a public grandstand.