curious Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 17 December 2021 RACE has made several proactive changes to its operations at the Awapuni and Trentham tracks in the wake of the abandonment at the latter venue on Saturday, 4 December. “While we wait for the final report and outcomes from NZTR’s investigations into the abandonment, we have already implemented a number of internal changes to ensure the interests of clubs and stakeholders are at the forefront of all decision making within the group,” RACE Chair Paul Humphries said. Drainage at Trentham has also already been partially addressed via a full air injection of the track on Tuesday 7 December, and a keenly awaited Verti-Drain machine is due to arrive in the country this month. Once in commission this implement will be able to be utilised at Trentham and Awapuni, to the ongoing benefit of both venues. RACE has also implemented additional processes to assist with team-based decision making in track preparation, with a wider sweep of key stakeholders involved via the distribution of a standard information template. The packaging up of the weekly track operating plan, weather forecasts and subsequent observations or changes has proven to be an immediate benefit and is now being rolled out across both tracks. “We are also committed to implementing any recommendations that come from NZTR’s investigation into the circumstances that arose at Trentham to ensure the chances of a repeat event of this nature are slim to none,” Humphries said. “It is important that the entire industry learns from this situation as we can ill-afford to lose any raceday, let alone a Group 1 premier day on one of the biggest weekends of the year.” A new track supervisor at Trentham will be recruited in the new year, with the reluctant acceptance of the resignation of long time Track Manager Mark Biddle. “We wish to publicly thank Mark for his great work and effort over his 30 years of service at Trentham, and we wish him all the best with his future endeavours,” Humphries said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 It seems like the lessons aren't just for RACE but NZTR also, hopefully the report alludes to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 3 hours ago, curious said: Drainage at Trentham has also already been partially addressed via a full air injection of the track on Tuesday 7 December, and a keenly awaited Verti-Drain machine is due to arrive in the country this month. This is only a short term fix using mechanical means to aeorate the soil. A sign the soil structure is stuffed and lacking organic matter. No doubt they'll pump more sand in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 (edited) Actions following Trentham Abandonment 4 December 2021 Introduction and Summary NZTR is responsible for allocating race dates and for setting industry policies and processes. Racing clubs are responsible for preparing a safe track surface in line with their obligations. On 4 December 2021 the Wellington Racing Club’s Group 1 day at Trentham Racecourse was abandoned due to the track conditions being unsafe after several jockeys reported horses slipping at the barrier, 1000m and 800m marks. Following the abandonment, NZTR: • obtained an independent assessment of the track surface by New Zealand Sports Turf Institute (NZSTI); • requested incident reports from RACE (on behalf of the Club), the Racing Integrity Board, and the NZTR Tracks Advisor; • convened a meeting with representatives from major racing clubs, track managers, trainers, jockeys and the Racing Integrity Board to discuss and review the current track preparation policy and abandonment protocol; and • prepared a report to the NZTR Board incorporating the feedback above, and on which RACE and the RIB had been invited to comment. Actions The NZTR Board has considered a report and recommendations from NZTR Management. One of the major issues identified in the report was the lack of a clear shared understanding between NZTR, the RIB and Clubs about each organisation’s respective responsibilities and accountabilities to prepare a track surface, and the consequences for those entities where non-compliance is identified. This is no longer acceptable and the NZTR Board has agreed to a suite of changes to the track preparation and management process so that it is clear what the obligations are and who is responsible for them. The agreed actions going forward are: • NZTR to review and update the Track Preparation Policy and Abandonment protocols by the end of January 2022; • NZTR to determine, in consultation with Clubs, an investment plan for track equipment and resources for the next three years by the end of March 2022; • NZTR and NZSTI, in consultation with Clubs, fast track the implementation of and compliance with mytrackmanager.nz – an online portal for all clubs to regularly monitor track performance, build data comparisons, provide training tools and real time access to track maintenance planning by the end of June 2022; • NZTR to implement a more robust compliance program for Clubs that do not adhere to track preparation procedures and annual maintenance plans, including consequences for non-compliance with policies and procedures, by February 2022; • NZTR to investigate and arrange a whole-of-industry weather service, with decisions made by March 2022; • NZTR, in consultation with Clubs and RIB, to set a communication process to enhance the sharing of track surface information to all participants by the end of February 2022; • NZTR, in consultation with clubs, to set a plan to ensure that track renovations are aligned with the annual race date allocation process by the end of February 2022; • NZTR, in consultation with RIB and Clubs, to determine a process to manage queries/concerns from participants before and after each race meeting by the end of January 2022; and • NZTR to implement a reporting and action framework for clubs to notify track performance issues during race meetings by the end of January 2022. [ENDS] ACTIONS Trentham Abandonment.pdf Edited December 22, 2021 by curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Yeah just read the NZTR bullshit. You reap what you sew. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turny Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 It is all totally laughable. Who the hell do they think they are kidding, totally bereft of ideas. The industry is fcuked, leadership caused 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Just when you think it can't get any worse, NZTR are mentioned too many times in that report for my future level of comfort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Didn't RACE hire some ex motorsport guy as their CEO with Humphries saying he brought some relevant skills to the position. Wonder if they're looking to race on bitumen? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 28 minutes ago, Mark D said: Didn't RACE hire some ex motorsport guy as their CEO with Humphries saying he brought some relevant skills to the position. Wonder if they're looking to race on bitumen? Well it appears the AWT at Awapuni will only be big enough to canter on. Given it is a bitumen road with sand on it perhaps they could have Go-kart circuit racing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bloggs Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 A Royal Commission into racing and it's administrators would be too small a task, a combination of total incompetence, stupidity, arrogance and some very clever fiscal manipulation [re; how on earth can you trade while insolvent] have taken the industry to where it is today. The people responsible for this malaise are too numerous to mention, we all know the scandal cover-up, there's been more than one, the people appointed to positions well above their pay grades, and the compliance of a Government that has no-one at all onboard with any industry nouse whatsoever, if it wasn't so sad, wasn't so serious, it would be comical, a skit from Monty Python, or a series like Seinfeld, I'm happy at my age to remember it the way it was, those halcyon years with super horses, trainers and jockeys and super crowds on super race days......and lovely racecourses with hot tasty and affordable pies and super cold beer, plus...... soles of grass the envy of many. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 On 17/12/2021 at 1:26 PM, curious said: RACE has made several proactive changes to its operations at the Awapuni and Trentham tracks in the wake of the abandonment at the latter venue on Saturday, 4 December. Obviously not , they have applied approx 70 mils since last Sunday night , irrigated 6mm last night 12 mm on Thursday night , didn't think they were supposed to water within 48 hours of a raceday , well the consequence is they are racing well off the rail across the top and coming down the middle to outside of the straight . Bloody joke , they are effing clueless and never learn anything . Actually embarrassing as an industry . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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