Are there signs of cracks in the Cambridge AWT training ranks?

[Joe Bloggs]

May I also mention, the Geelong track was used as a training track, it crumbled, it never reached it's expected expiry date, it was a shot duck well before, the kick back was blamed as the main reason trainers refused to race there......also it became shifty, Tapeta has it's on issues, Meydan became known as 'Death Valley'' the breakdowns were so common, you'd think technology would negate most issues, it hasn't....the superior surface has proved to be Strathayr, although when we get torrential rain here in QLD even that can't cope. 

[Freda]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

It's Spring Freda!  The daffodils are up and the cherry blossoms are blooming on Memorial Ave.  Hell even the browntop is going green around Cutt's Brush!

Sigh...yes, I do know that.   And it's pretty hot at the moment, too.

You asked when racing was happening on the AWT.  I told you, in the autumn.   In the meantime, trials and trackwork.

And Ashburton has already been pressed into service because Riccarton wasn't in a good enough condition after the National meeting.

Two racedays in six days, and their three year old Stakes race next month....AND the course manager just resigned.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Now, all you need is another few resignations and the upward trajectory might be achieved!

[Freda]

24 minutes ago, Joe Bloggs said:

Now, all you need is another few resignations and the upward trajectory might be achieved!

The course manager at Ashburton - just in case there is any confusion!   the three year old race referred to is at Ashburton too.

Edited September 4, 2021 by Freda

[Chief Stipe]

40 minutes ago, Freda said:

And Ashburton has already been pressed into service because Riccarton wasn't in a good enough condition after the National meeting.

 

Really?  But it is the best surface in the country!

[Huey]

5 hours ago, Joe Bloggs said:

May I also mention, the Geelong track was used as a training track, it crumbled, it never reached it's expected expiry date, it was a shot duck well before, the kick back was blamed as the main reason trainers refused to race there......also it became shifty, Tapeta has it's on issues, Meydan became known as 'Death Valley'' the breakdowns were so common, you'd think technology would negate most issues, it hasn't....the superior surface has proved to be Strathayr, although when we get torrential rain here in QLD even that can't cope. 

If it happens here the leadership will say look at the nice Strathyr we got in at Ellerslie , isn't it great!

[nomates]

30 minutes ago, Huey said:

If it happens here the leadership will say look at the nice Strathyr we got in at Ellerslie , isn't it great!

And the ARC super club will go "what is this WE kemosabi , it's OUR strathayr , isn't it great " .

[Ludwig]

6 hours ago, Freda said:

Sigh...yes, I do know that.   And it's pretty hot at the moment, too.

You asked when racing was happening on the AWT.  I told you, in the autumn.   In the meantime, trials and trackwork.

And Ashburton has already been pressed into service because Riccarton wasn't in a good enough condition after the National meeting.

Two racedays in six days, and their three year old Stakes race next month....AND the course manager just resigned.

 

What happens if Ashburton becomes unavailable? Off to Timaru, but they're going to close it. There's always Motukarara, Rangiora, Waimate, Geraldine....sorry all closed. So the CJC might end up racing in Oamaru.

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, Ludwig said:

What happens if Ashburton becomes unavailable? Off to Timaru, but they're going to close it. There's always Motukarara, Rangiora, Waimate, Geraldine....sorry all closed. So the CJC might end up racing in Oamaru.

Or Reefton.

[Ludwig]

2 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Or Reefton.

Indeed. I would like to see the NZ cup run at Reefton.

[Doomed]

15 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

Indeed. I would like to see the NZ cup run at Reefton.

Talk about miscount the rounds. They would need a bell lap.

[Freda]

33 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

What happens if Ashburton becomes unavailable? Off to Timaru, but they're going to close it. There's always Motukarara, Rangiora, Waimate, Geraldine....sorry all closed. So the CJC might end up racing in Oamaru.

It will be required for grass track trials too, if needed.

I'm sure those trainers with potentially classic young horses will want a hit out on something other than the AWT.

So it will just have to be available,  won't it.

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Freda

[nomates]

I noticed over the last week up north all the big stables that had what they considered potential top 3yo's chose to take those horses to grass track races , none were interested in running at Cambridge through the week .

I wonder if that would have been the case if the money had gone into building top quality Strathayr tracks .

[Gospel of Judas]

9 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Really?  But it is the best surface in the country!

Better send in you're questions to PR spokesperson! where has he gone?😉🤪

[Gospel of Judas]

3 hours ago, Ludwig said:

Indeed. I would like to see the NZ cup run at Reefton.

Waterlea could been in runing but...

[Freda]

16 hours ago, Joe Bloggs said:

May I also mention, the Geelong track was used as a training track, it crumbled, it never reached it's expected expiry date, it was a shot duck well before, the kick back was blamed as the main reason trainers refused to race there......also it became shifty, Tapeta has it's on issues, Meydan became known as 'Death Valley'' the breakdowns were so common, you'd think technology would negate most issues, it hasn't....the superior surface has proved to be Strathayr, although when we get torrential rain here in QLD even that can't cope. 

Joe, I know V'Landys won't countenance AWT racing in NSW, but there are quite a few installed for training purposes. 

Have you any feedback on those?

[KickintheKods]

One of the best strike rate stables in Australia installed one at it's training base in the Hunter Valley 14 years ago and has had Group winners worldwide since. INVALUABLE 

[Chief Stipe]

34 minutes ago, KickintheKods said:

One of the best strike rate stables in Australia installed one at it's training base in the Hunter Valley 14 years ago and has had Group winners worldwide since. INVALUABLE 

What type of AWT?

[Huey]

8 hours ago, Gospel of Judas said:

Better send in you're questions to PR spokesperson! where has he gone?😉🤪

Working PR for Cindy?

[Joe Bloggs]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Joe, I know V'Landys won't countenance AWT racing in NSW, but there are quite a few installed for training purposes. 

Have you any feedback on those?

I know the pro-ride at WFarm has it's critics Freda, many trainers wont trial on it, pacework yes but avoid any quick stuff. There is a synthetic going in here on the coast, Lee Freedman and John Moore are used to such tracks from their ASIA days, but it's divided opinions in QLD.......I keep going back to Toowoomba as an example, the trainers and then the punters wouldn't have a bar of it.......we have dozens of sand tracks in the bush and many red dirt, maidens can run 1-8 for 12oo on the dirt, places like Gympie on their heavy sand they can't break 1-12........climate dictates here, there was never a need for an AWT at Toowoomba, their lovely grass track proves that, I'm still remembering that lovely Riccarton from my days there in the 70's, those hectic gallop mornings with so many horses up on the grasses there, WTF happened? lunatics running the show, it should be a showplace, sorry for the rant, it's a passion wasted.....you are still there making the best of what the fools have left you, I just hope your lovely horses handle their 'new' surface and that somehow the grass track is resurrected and gets through to next year......

[Joe Bloggs]

2 hours ago, KickintheKods said:

One of the best strike rate stables in Australia installed one at it's training base in the Hunter Valley 14 years ago and has had Group winners worldwide since. INVALUABLE 

Ortensia was a freak KITK, so too Alverta, albeit not a gr winner she placed in the July Cup, Paul scaled back, he's only a train a few at that place and while it's a show place, remember there are only small numbers trained on it, you put 500 a morning on it and watch what happens, Hayes INC at Euroa in VIC have one, they have huge numbers and it works for them, but they have brilliant grass tracks as well, Hayes horses used to go well at Pakenham and Ballarat AWT as they were used to those tracks, so the horses had a distinct advantage over those that went to the track from conventional training centres, results since have stabilised........just wait, the tracks will break up like Geelong did, and the inevitable will happen.

[Huey]

11 minutes ago, Joe Bloggs said:

Ortensia was a freak KITK, so too Alverta, albeit not a gr winner she placed in the July Cup, Paul scaled back, he's only a train a few at that place and while it's a show place, remember there are only small numbers trained on it, you put 500 a morning on it and watch what happens, Hayes INC at Euroa in VIC have one, they have huge numbers and it works for them, but they have brilliant grass tracks as well, Hayes horses used to go well at Pakenham and Ballarat AWT as they were used to those tracks, so the horses had a distinct advantage over those that went to the track from conventional training centres, results since have stabilised........just wait, the tracks will break up like Geelong did, and the inevitable will happen.

We are lucky here we have BS experience to get us through any rough patches we may hit on the AWTs.

[Pitman]

22 hours ago, Doomed said:

That is the intention. It is planned to only race at Riccarton, and no where else in the South, for about 5 months of the year. Maidens and one win horses will race for $12,000 on the $15m facility. "Better" class horses will race for $40,000 on the bottomless bog track.

If someone on here had come up with that idea and said "Hey, I've got a bright idea, why don't we........", they would have been laughed off the place. To quote that TV add, "you're dreamin Jonesy".

Still, it will be a good training track to get horses ready for Spring racing, but they will have to keep Ashburton ready just in case the Riccarton turf isn't up to it.

I have stayed away from posting on this site for several weeks but can no longer sit back and not comment on some of the rubbish that is posted on here

My understanding is that Riccarton will run three feature race days next winter on the AWT including the middle day of the Grand National carnival Jump racing will still be on the turf

2022 race dates

April  Ricc 2/7

Ascot Park 3

Ashburton 6,

Riccarton 9, 23, 

Riverton 16, 18, 

Timaru 28

May Ricc 3/7

Wingatui 1st, 27

Riccarton 5, 7, 19, 

Riverton 11,

Ascot Park 15, 

June  Ricc 4/7

Riccarton 3, 16, 25, 30

Wingatui 5, 

Timaru 12,

Oamaru 23 

July  Ricc 2/5

Wingatui 3,

Ashburton 7

Riccarton 15, 29

Oamaru 24

Hope this puts you and others straight on race dates some of these will be feature days R65 stake and above $30,000 minimum

I will not lower myself but chief stop being the tosser I know you are and quoting me out of context preferably leave me out of it

Goodbye 

[KickintheKods]

2 hours ago, Joe Bloggs said:

Ortensia was a freak KITK, so too Alverta, albeit not a gr winner she placed in the July Cup, Paul scaled back, he's only a train a few at that place and while it's a show place, remember there are only small numbers trained on it, you put 500 a morning on it and watch what happens, Hayes INC at Euroa in VIC have one, they have huge numbers and it works for them, but they have brilliant grass tracks as well, Hayes horses used to go well at Pakenham and Ballarat AWT as they were used to those tracks, so the horses had a distinct advantage over those that went to the track from conventional training centres, results since have stabilised........just wait, the tracks will break up like Geelong did, and the inevitable will happen.

 Scaled down you say!! Don't think so. Busy as hell running the stud but he loves training and he is very good at it.  He currently has 46 in the stable and another 20 odd being pre trained. His eldest boy Johnny is already a shadow, when not at school, learning the trade. 

[Joe Bloggs]

He's good at all right, I was guilty of presumption as he told the press he was giving training away to concentrate on the stud, he doesn't have the runners he used to and Richard Litt has a number of their horses now. BTW, he proved his competence when travelling his horses, Dubai and Newmarket, a while ago now however Alverta looked amazing in the mounting yard at Newmarket, My missus waded in each way and got 15 quid the place, She would never have beaten SSB that day but young Messara proved he had the goods alright. If he chose to go training big time he would challenge all those numbers trainers and their concrete factories in town.....IMO.