Hey, Doomed...

[Freda]

Great noms. again at Oamaru.

[mikeynz]

Good fields, hopefully it don't snow or the critics of NZTR will be out in force for scheduling a July meeting on grass. 😀 

[Mark D]

Yip it's a pity that these country tracks don't appeal to stakeholders!😁

[Reefton]

1 hour ago, Mark D said:

Yip it's a pity that these country tracks don't appeal to stakeholders!😁

Don't think it is the Country tracks - it is the winter racing that doesn't appeal.  Put an Oamaru meeting on in the height of summer and there might be a few more attendees

For all that the first post from Pam indicates how much this particular meeting DOES appeal to stakeholders judging by the excellent fields they have managed to attract

 

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Reefton said:

Don't think it is the Country tracks - it is the winter racing that doesn't appeal.  Put an Oamaru meeting on in the height of summer and there might be a few more attendees

For all that the first post from Pam indicates how much this particular meeting DOES appeal to stakeholders judging by the excellent fields they have managed to attract

 

Yes and the trainers and owners are the most important stakeholders.  If they choose somewhere to race their horses and by doing so provide a quality product for the punters then it doesn't matter who else turns up on course.  

[Mark D]

18 hours ago, Reefton said:

Don't think it is the Country tracks - it is the winter racing that doesn't appeal.  Put an Oamaru meeting on in the height of summer and there might be a few more attendees

For all that the first post from Pam indicates how much this particular meeting DOES appeal to stakeholders judging by the excellent fields they have managed to attract

 

I was being ironic/sarcastic

[Doomed]

On 7/19/2023 at 6:23 AM, Freda said:

Great noms. again at Oamaru.

Hi Pam. I've been busy. I do plan to comment on several aspects of that meeting when I get a chance. I just need a moment to count up how many horses got eliminated.

[Doomed]

This Oamaru meeting brings up a lot of questions.

For one, why on earth was there not a SI meeting last Sunday? 54 horses balloted and eliminated at Oamaru. They are all just told tough nothing for you this week, try again in a few weeks, meanwhile keep paying those trainers bills. Contrast that with Ruakaka who ran a meeting with massive stakes last weekend with a grand total of 67 starters.

The treatment of the 65 1,200m race is also interesting. 41 noms. So they split it into a $30,000 race and a $20,000 race. The other 13 horses just stay at home. The minimum rating in the $30,000 is 62, in the $20,000 there is one rating 59, the rest all 60 and higher. Contrast that with the two northern meetings this weekend where there are virtually no ballots and any rating horse has no trouble getting a start.

Why should the second rating 65 1,200m field have to race for $20,000?  Last weekend 7 2yos went around for $60,000 at Ruakaka, this weekend 6 2yos have accepted at Tauranga, probably 4 will start. The open race at Tauranga, 5 horses currently, again probably 4 will start. Why does NZTR not say to Tauranga "look you only have 6 and 5 starters so we will run those races for $20,000". Surely that is the same logic?

But really, at the end of the day this all just shows how badly the industry is run, and increasing a few stakes won't fix any of the structural problems.

I should mention too, that there are 2 or 3 people on here who think this is exactly how things should work. They think there should be a lot less racing and then when a meeting does eventually pop up there will be big fields and massive betting, and that is the way of the world. They argue that the 54 who miss out at Oamaru aren't really needed and it would be best if they are all retired. Obviously I don't subscribe to that theory.

[Reefton]

9 hours ago, Mark D said:

I was being ironic/sarcastic

sorry

Bit stressed about the way the hierarchy treats the small clubs these days (and historically)

Despite the big crowds the Coast attracts in January for instance they refuse to give us another day.  They clearly don't want people going to the races and enjoying themselves.  We've now given up asking

 

[mikeynz]

Weather is not good, that's the nature of winter racing though, when it's gets wet on the East Coast it gets wet.

[Freda]

It seems the Oamaru folk - as well as the rest of us - have been bowled a shitty ball.  That's nature, however, and the poor buggers in the north have been copping the most challenging weather for a long time now.   We have missed the worst of it.

The possibility is to defer until Wednesday, pending an inspection this morning at 8.a.m.

Hopefully the decision can be conveyed to potential runners speedily, as training options will need to be adjusted as a result.

[Doomed]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

It seems the Oamaru folk - as well as the rest of us - have been bowled a shitty ball.  That's nature, however, and the poor buggers in the north have been copping the most challenging weather for a long time now.   We have missed the worst of it.

The possibility is to defer until Wednesday, pending an inspection this morning at 8.a.m.

Hopefully the decision can be conveyed to potential runners speedily, as training options will need to be adjusted as a result.

Off until Wednesday I see. All the more reason why they should have raced at Timaru last Sunday. There should be a grass track meeting each week in the south in case this sort of thing happens. The AWTs should be for a largely separate set of horses and follow their own pattern.

I notice there was no suggestion to move this meeting to the AWT. Perhaps that approach has been discontinued after one attempt.

[Freda]

Wednesday definitely.

Pity, I was looking forward to a day at Oamaru, a long time since I've been down there.  They used to have the best mutton pies.....but won't be attending unfortunately.