Should Riccarton be put on notice regarding shifting the Guineas unless improvements are made to the track?

[Chief Stipe]

Given the now common occurrence of bad tracks at Riccarton this season should NZTR demand that remedial work be done or else the Guineas races will be moved?  Or is there a chance that they will be raced on the AWT?

Some of the surfaces presented there this year have bordered on dangerous to horse and rider safety.  At best they have been inconsistent and a negative to punter confidence.

Should something be done NOW while we are still 7 months out from Cup week?

Would you really want your valuable 3 year old racing on the surface that was presented at the last meeting?

[Pitman]

You are a tosser!!

There was nothing wrong with the track at all it was a good 3 - Fair and safe to all

Don't know where you get your info from, did you attend the race day at all?

I know several good punters thought it was the best presented track since the first day of Cup Week, they invested heavily with confidence the track was playing fair and had good returns

I know it’s your mo to knock Riccarton all the time and at times I am also very critical- only when they over irrigate though. Heavy rain and wet tracks don’t bother us but inconsistent over and bad irrigation leaves the track with massive bias away from the shortest way home. Hopefully they learnt from last week when they couldn’t irrigate on Friday and produced a very good and fair track

Edited April 4, 2021 by Pitman

[nomates]

30 minutes ago, Pitman said:

Heavy rain and wet tracks don’t bother us but inconsistent over and bad irrigation leaves the track with massive bias away from the shortest way home.

Your obviously getting easier to please as you get older . No bias maybe , but the track was a mess , the overhead shots coming across the top showed an extremely worn and patchy track .

Well there was no irrigation maybe , yet the shortest way home wasn't the quickest or best , Belle Fracino was about 6 widths of the fence when leading and winning . 

I also don't recall too many winners sneaking up the fence to win , none in fact , which they should have been considering how far of the fence most horses were racing , there certainly more than enough room to do that , yet no one chose to , go figure .

If you consider that track on that day as up to standard for one of NZ's major metropolitan tracks then we're stuffed .

[Pitman]

27 minutes ago, nomates said:

Your obviously getting easier to please as you get older . No bias maybe , but the track was a mess , the overhead shots coming across the top showed an extremely worn and patchy track .

Well there was no irrigation maybe , yet the shortest way home wasn't the quickest or best , Belle Fracino was about 6 widths of the fence when leading and winning . 

I also don't recall too many winners sneaking up the fence to win , none in fact , which they should have been considering how far of the fence most horses were racing , there certainly more than enough room to do that , yet no one chose to , go figure .

If you consider that track on that day as up to standard for one of NZ's major metropolitan tracks then we're stuffed .

I didn’t say it was perfect but it was considerably better than it has been. The track has been crap since the first day of Cup Week IMO I am happy to put that on record 

BERNARD SAUNDRY is well aware of my opinion on how this track has been presented of late

At least it played fair and punters were happy with that and by the way we have trained 25 winners at Riccarton thus far this season so unlike some trainers it’s not because we are not winning races that I have this opinion

 

[nomates]

35 minutes ago, Pitman said:

I didn’t say it was perfect but it was considerably better than it has been. The track has been crap since the first day of Cup Week IMO I am happy to put that on record 

BERNARD SAUNDRY is well aware of my opinion on how this track has been presented of late

At least it played fair and punters were happy with that and by the way we have trained 25 winners at Riccarton thus far this season so unlike some trainers it’s not because we are not winning races that I have this opinion

 

Fair enough , but being considerably better than it has been isn't a positive in my book , and IMO and many others it has been knackered for a long long time , and getting a breather whilst runnuing races on an A/W isn't going to be the solve .

There is a reason the best racing jurisdicitions re-lay their premier tracks , but it seems to beyond the mental capicity of the powers that be that perhaps we need to start looking to that as a solve to our racing surfaces . 

You only had to see the track at Awapuni yesterday and to see that the problem is country wide , but no our power brokers don't seem to think they need updating . 

Good on you saying something , i wish others of your profile would  , then they might start taking notice . 

Hope you weren't in the same room as BS when you told him as i'm sure you would have run out of air , the guys an oxygen thief . Another one taking money for nothing .

[Bill]

The new AWT track will be a fantastic edition. Enjoyed seeing the drone shots on the tv last weekend...what an asset it will be for racing in greater canterbury. I hope the CJC invest in having a permanent big screen which will make for viewing on course even better. 

[Chief Stipe]

29 minutes ago, Bill said:

I hope the CJC invest in having a permanent big screen which will make for viewing on course even better.

You're kidding?  Wouldn't any spare cash be better invested in the main turf track?

[Ludwig]

16 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

You're kidding?  Wouldn't any spare cash be better invested in the main turf track?

And I see no benefit to anyone else in the South Island,apart from a few loud Canterbury trainers, of an AWT in Chch.

[Derek]

Agree with Michael, Chief Stipe pull your head in!  Riccarton is a fantastic venue and there is no better week than cup week!  North Island tracks have their issues as well.

[Ludwig]

1 minute ago, Derek said:

Agree with Michael, Chief Stipe pull your head in!  Riccarton is a fantastic venue and there is no better week than cup week!  North Island tracks have their issues as well.

Why should Chief Stipe pull his head in? He's perfectly entitled to his views.

[Derek]

He is wrong! That’s why!

 

[Chief Stipe]

7 minutes ago, Derek said:

He is wrong! That’s why!

So you are happy with this?

[Chief Stipe]

[Chief Stipe]

[nomates]

30 minutes ago, Derek said:

He is wrong! That’s why!

 

Strong argument you've got yourself there . 

It might be a great venue but the track is fecked , if you take your rose tinted glasses off you might notice .

We're not so blinkered as yourself to think that Riccarton is alone in the state of it's racing surface , as you might find if you read other posts and threads .

[Ludwig]

3 minutes ago, nomates said:

Strong argument you've got yourself there . 

It might be a great venue but the track is fecked , if you take your rose tinted glasses off you might notice .

We're not so blinkered as yourself to think that Riccarton is alone in the state of it's racing surface , as you might find if you read other posts and threads .

I don't have Trackside, but I am guessing the Riverton track today is in much better nick?

[Chief Stipe]

36 minutes ago, nomates said:

Strong argument you've got yourself there . 

It might be a great venue but the track is fecked , if you take your rose tinted glasses off you might notice .

We're not so blinkered as yourself to think that Riccarton is alone in the state of it's racing surface , as you might find if you read other posts and threads .

I can't imagine anyone who trains or races horses on the track or has seen the pictures posted here or watched Trackside can honestly say that the track doesn't need serious remedial work ASAP.

Where are the loud voices calling for action?

Where is the plan 7 months out from Cup week?

If there is a plan why hasn't it been shared publicly?  Are those in charge just happy to roll the dice?

Personally if I had a half decent horse especially one that I had paid good money for I would refuse to have it race on that track in its current condition particularly one which was rated a G3 as we all know that such a rating is probably a G2!

[billy connolly]

3 hours ago, Ludwig said:

I am guessing the Riverton track today is in much better nick?

The best track in the South now but its location means Riverton's days are numbered, another underrated South Island track is Omakau whose days must also be numbered.

In halcyon days Riverton's (3 day) Easter and Omakau's (2 day) Christmas meetings fizzed with atmosphere.
 

[Freda]

Omakau has already got the chop.

[Ludwig]

On 4/5/2021 at 4:39 PM, Chief Stipe said:

I can't imagine anyone who trains or races horses on the track or has seen the pictures posted here or watched Trackside can honestly say that the track doesn't need serious remedial work ASAP.

Where are the loud voices calling for action?

Where is the plan 7 months out from Cup week?

If there is a plan why hasn't it been shared publicly?  Are those in charge just happy to roll the dice?

Personally if I had a half decent horse especially one that I had paid good money for I would refuse to have it race on that track in its current condition particularly one which was rated a G3 as we all know that such a rating is probably a G2!

And how's it looking, three days out from the next meeting?  The Oamaru track is looking in fine shape😀

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Ludwig said:

And how's it looking, three days out from the next meeting?  The Oamaru track is looking in fine shape😀

MEETING NEWS

Riccarton Park-Riccarton Turf | Saturday 10 April

 

Withdrawal Morning

Weather: Overcast

Track: Dead 5

Rail: True

Weather and Track last updated at 8.55am Wednesday 7 April

 

Nomination Morning

Weather: Fine

Track: Dead 6

Rail: True

Weather and Track last updated at 10.05am Tuesday 6 April

 

The Opn 2000m was deleted due to insufficient entries

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Ludwig said:

And how's it looking, three days out from the next meeting?  The Oamaru track is looking in fine shape😀

If they are under instructions not to irrigate then it will be another dust bowl worse than the previous meeting.

[Pitman]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

If they are under instructions not to irrigate then it will be another dust bowl worse than the previous meeting.

Read and comprehend

What you constantly refer to as dust -it is not!!!

It is predominantly the sand and soil they use to patch the track

Refer to your photo turning in to the straight where you use two arrows pointing to isolated “dust” patches

Stop being a tosser!! You have no idea what you are talking about.  
Last meeting they irrigated and had rain but couldn’t irrigate Friday there was nothing wrong with the track You weren’t there to see it were you but you think you know it all tosser

Edited April 7, 2021 by Pitman

[Chief Stipe]

17 hours ago, Pitman said:

Read and comprehend

Ditto and put self-interest to one side.

17 hours ago, Pitman said:

What you constantly refer to as dust -it is not!!!

Dust is dust - it can't be anything else.  Don't forget the clods!

17 hours ago, Pitman said:

It is predominantly the sand and soil they use to patch the track

So the "dust" is predominantly "sand and soil".  Well from a scientific perspective it can't be sand.  Sand's molecular weight does not allow it form a cloud that remains in the air for very long at any height.  In basic terms sand flicks up a short height (not much more than 12 inches) and drops back down to the track again in a short distance.  Try it at home.  Take a handful of sand and throw it and see where it lands.  

Now that leaves the "soil" that you say has been "added".  Well the only "soil" that will create a cloud of dust is dry soil with a high clay content.  Clay particles are the smallest soil particles.  Why they would "ADD" clay to soil is incomprehensible.  

Sand at its smallest size is 50 times greater than clay and it doesn't fly very well.

Now the second part of your statement - "they use to patch the track" is a clear admission that there is a problem.

17 hours ago, Pitman said:

Stop being a tosser!! You have no idea what you are talking about.  
Last meeting they irrigated and had rain but couldn’t irrigate Friday there was nothing wrong with the track You weren’t there to see it were you but you think you know it all tosser

Well Pitty I'm not sure you have any "idea what you are talking about"!  A have quite a few pieces of correspondence from trainers that are concerned about the Riccarton track.  So I guess there are more than a few of us that are concerned albeit with "no idea what we are talking about".

I can't speak for them but I can speak for myself in terms of what "idea" I may have.  I come from a practical agricultural and horticultural background which I supplemented with a science degree education.  I have had involvement in the racing industry in both horse codes from a hands on and ownership perspective for over 45 years.  I've walked over 30 turf tracks in NZ and have applied both my practical and science education to assessing them all.  In my opinion the biggest constraint to NZ racing is the state of our tracks.  

Sadly we have closed some good ones and are about to close even more - Riverton and Foxton spring immediately to mind.  Meanwhile owners, trainers and punters have to put up with they shyte track that Riccarton keeps producing.  Let alone consider what is best for the health and safety of the horses and jockey's.

Why not accept that the Riccarton track is shyte?  Then when you accept that lobby for change and the publication of a PLAN to fix it.

Hell 9 times out of 10 Reefton will produce a better track!

[Chief Stipe]

Track Preview Riccarton Park Riccarton Turf @ Riccarton Park 10 April

8 April 2021

South Island racing heads to Riccarton Park Racecourse this Saturday with 8 races including two at the Listed level. Track manager Alan Chapman and Tim Mills join to go over Saturdays conditions and expand on a very dry March for the team.