Matamata Wow

[Doomed]

Virtually full fields all day today at Matamata, many ballots scratched, and on a soft track. Some horses must like the sting out of the ground and have been waiting for wet tracks.  Who could have expected that?

This type of racing no longer exists in Canterbury. No option for waiting for an industry meeting on a rain affected track.

Those Northern trainers don't know how lucky they are. Based on precedent I would have expected all Matamata meetings for the winter months to be moved to Cambridge.

I suppose the NZTR brains trust will be doing a ring around and saying: "Well, who could possibly have expected this. Some trainers and horses must like wet tracks, I'll be blowed. Do you think we should introduce wet track racing in Canterbury?"

Strange old world.

[Huey]

Why are they racing in the winter at a track that doesn't have a fast lane on the outside like Wanganui did yesterday for the umptenth time!

[Shad]

Thought I was on a winner with elusive empire, till casino princess arrived, very impressive win that was.

[Mark D]

7 races at Cambridge AWT on Wednesday - Says it all

[curious]

A few trainers quite keen, a lot not?

[Doomed]

2 hours ago, Mark D said:

7 races at Cambridge AWT on Wednesday - Says it all

Quite a few double acceptors too, so three of those fields could end up with fewer than 8 starters. Probably not what the powers that be expected when they bet the future of the industry on those three AWTs. The tracks that were closed down to fund them and remove any alternative options would be rightly pissed off.

The arrogance with which NZTR stay barricaded away and refuse to release any information about the financial results of their decisions is truly astounding. Someone should tell them the covid lock down is over and they are free to communicate with the industry that pays their handsome wages.

[curious]

There is a feature meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday too. Not sure how industry day stakes can compete with that in attracting horses regardless of the track surface.