gubellini 4,004 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 Today’s meeting at Matamata abandoned after Race 1. Duke Street slipped free of interference at the 800m mark bringing down Tensile. Lovely day and reasonable crowd in attendance. Track irrigated during the week. Mmmm! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbtab 95 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 Unbelievable ,what a _ucking disgrace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bestbets 206 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 No wonder nz racing is so fucked up you got fucking idiots running the industry into the ground. Come on Winston sort these morons out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 11 979 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 The track condition and maintenance in too many areas of NZ are a disgrace ! gary1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbtab 95 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 The track manager is the person responsible for this fuck up ,his or her job should be on the line.What happens to all the people who went and booked for the Xmas day at the races Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double R 260 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 I just wonder how long all concerned are going to be able to continue on with Thoroughbred racing? Health and Safety is so strict these days, it is impossible to accept the variables of Thoroughbred racing that has been always part of our sport. Cheers. Robert. TOM(the other Molloy), Black Kirrama and Tauhei Notts 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevy86 2,710 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 Just wondering how the track can be rated Good3, then with no rain it is dangerous to race on??? especially as the bend had not been negotiated. Stipe interviewed on Trackside said nothing about an irrigation malfunction causing an obvious "soft spot" so maybe it was one of the vagaries of racing (and life) where a misstep was taken. Horses slip over running around in their paddocks FFS. Next thing they will abandon when a strapper is head-butted or stood-on by a horse deeming it an unsafe practice to try and control the noble beast. Tauhei Notts, napier and hizzy 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gubellini 4,004 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 Bay Insurance and Dawson Insurance had a reserved area for their Christmas function on course. Upwards of 80 staff and clients present. They will leave the course thinking that N.Z. Racing is a cosmic joke. Black Kirrama, We're Doomed and Memphis2 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gubellini 4,004 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 dbtab Matamata have their Christmas At The Races meeting on the 20th. Tauranga have one next Friday. Under the terms of the bookings No Refunds are given to groups or organisations if the meeting is cancelled or abandoned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Smallhaussen 3,226 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 30 minutes ago, gubellini said: . They will leave the course thinking that N.Z. Racing is a cosmic joke. thinking or knowing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack 431 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 On 10/17/2017 at 2:44 PM, jack said: Can someone kindly advise if RIU are looking into restrictions and the amount of water being applied to tracks surfaces , and if it is done in a timely manner .... Monitoring this area is a grey matter! I posted this in RIU NEWS FORUM ....echo , echo !! gubellini and Patiti 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wood 1,577 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 Hard to lay blame until you get all the facts. We could shoot over to HK to get all the answers from all the knowledgeable NZTR staff that have gone there. Pam Robson and shaneMcAlister 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
army 156 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 48 minutes ago, gubellini said: dbtab Matamata have their Christmas At The Races meeting on the 20th. Tauranga have one next Friday. Under the terms of the bookings No Refunds are given to groups or organisations if the meeting is cancelled or abandoned. If they operate like that and dont give refunds for a cancelled or an abandoned meeting after one race that is bad. If they didnt get what they were offered then they shouldnt pay. Not many functions pay up front so I just wouldnt pay them Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double R 260 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 31 minutes ago, Chris Wood said: Hard to lay blame until you get all the facts. We could shoot over to HK to get all the answers from all the knowledgeable NZTR staff that have gone there. Hi Chris, We might get more sense from the staff that are left at home!! On a serious note Chris, how much longer can trainers survive with the uncertainty of Thoroughbred racing? Would you ever consider changing to Harness Racing? All weather tracks, regular trials, workouts and most of all guaranteed racing. Cheers. Robert. richie and Hall 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
army 156 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 2 hours ago, tasman man 11 said: The track condition and maintenance in too many areas of NZ are a disgrace ! I thoughts on that is that too much money is being given to the Prem clubs and the industry clubs are struggling because they are running race meetings and the cost to both is around the samebut what they get from NZTR is alot different. 30g compared to 50-60g and no share of the tote like the bigger meetings. If you look at Elleslie for example on Saturday the fields were alot smaller than what was scheduled for Matamata to day but because of the grading system that is in place Elleslie will get more money than what Matamata would get. Can you tell me that Ellselie needs more money to prepare their track compared to Matamata as it is obvious the answer is no. Track preperation cost the same no matter whether you race on a mid week meeting or a saturday meeting so perhaps the stucture needs to change We're Doomed, Huey and Hermione 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wood 1,577 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 (edited) Yes, it does make you wonder Robert. I have a small share in a trotter, but that is as far as it goes. Graeme Stiles is a pretty competent guy, and I am sure he wouldn’t have wanted the meeting not to go ahead, You do have it over us in a lot of ways, all weather tracks being the main one, but your leaders had a bit more foresight than ours over the last 30 years, but in saying that, Cambridge Harness doesn’t get the fields like they used to and Alexandra Park seem to get all the favours, would this be right? We are so far behind in infrastructure, and I doubt we can ever catch up, it is alright saying courses have to close, but how it it that Ellerslie closes down over the winter period and it is meant to be our flagship course? A patch up job is on the way, will this see us racing there 12 months of the year, I doubt it. You don’t see the 4 metropolitan tracks close down through winter in Melbourne, the trainers would be in an uproar. We are very much a splintered group here in NZ, every section has their own agenda and this is not helping us to unite and fight the battle against our diminishing product. 20 years ago you would have never have seen 4 nominations for a maiden 1200 at Ellerslie on a Saturday. Dwindling foal crops, horsed sold from the sales, privately or being sent off shore by NZ owners is another concern. Sad, but true and until this is addressed and John Allan gets a wriggle on, this is going to be the norm. Fancy not being able to present a balance sheet at the recent Roadshow/ Sideshow........ One young fellow from the audience provided more information than the heirachy, and was asked afterwards by one official, where did you get your information from, as we don’t make that information public knowledge anymore. Does the right hand not know what the left hand is doing down in Wellington? Seems a bit like it! Robert, I will stick to my code, but gee it is getting harder to support the powers to be that are supposedly running it! Edited December 8, 2017 by Chris Wood Grammar ADM, hizzy, barryb and 4 others 6 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tauhei Notts 1,413 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 That Graeme Styles at Matamata is possibly NZ's best course caretaker. He is in shock at the abandonment decision, and rightfully so. Just to add insult to injury, two hours after the abandonment, and with party time people at the races, the on course screens were still showing the abandonment rather than Riccarton odds. I am convinced that NZRB and their TAB staff have a much better knowledge of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi than they know about running a betting business. They cannot comprehend that genuine punters want to bet on gallopers, not poker machines that bark or thieves on wheels. This abandonment might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. One horse slipped less than 15 centimetres with a hind leg, not a front leg, and that horse was so scratchy in its preliminary that anything could have happened. We're Doomed, Black Kirrama, napier and 1 other 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
army 156 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 24 minutes ago, Tauhei Notts said: That Graeme Styles at Matamata is possibly NZ's best course caretaker. He is in shock at the abandonment decision, and rightfully so. Just to add insult to injury, two hours after the abandonment, and with party time people at the races, the on course screens were still showing the abandonment rather than Riccarton odds. I am convinced that NZRB and their TAB staff have a much better knowledge of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi than they know about running a betting business. They cannot comprehend that genuine punters want to bet on gallopers, not poker machines that bark or thieves on wheels. This abandonment might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. One horse slipped less than 15 centimetres with a hind leg, not a front leg, and that horse was so scratchy in The season has dried out really qycikly around here but you need to adjust and deal with it. Something you quoted from an earlier abandonment Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double R 260 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, Chris Wood said: Yes, it does make you wonder Robert. I have a small share in a trotter, but that is as far as it goes. Graeme Stiles is a pretty competent guy, and I am sure he wouldn’t have wanted the meeting not to go ahead, You do have it over us in a lot of ways, all weather tracks being the main one, but your leaders had a bit more foresight than ours over the last 30 years, but in saying that, Cambridge Harness doesn’t get the fields like they used to and Alexandra Park seem to get all the favours, would this be right? We are so far behind in infrastructure, and I doubt we can ever catch up, it is alright saying courses have to close, but how it it that Ellerslie closes down over the winter period and it is meant to be our flagship course? A patch up job is on the way, will this see us racing there 12 months of the year, I doubt it. You don’t see the 4 metropolitan tracks close down through winter in Melbourne, the trainers would be in an uproar. We are very much a splintered group here in NZ, every section has their own agenda and this is not helping us to unite and fight the battle against our diminishing product. 20 years ago you would have never have seen 4 nominations for a maiden 1200 at Ellerslie on a Saturday. Dwindling foal crops, horsed sold from the sales, privately or being sent off shore by NZ owners is another concern. Sad, but true and until this is addressed and John Allan gets a wriggle on, this is going to be the norm. Fancy not being able to present a balance sheet at the recent Roadshow/ Sideshow........ One young fellow from the audience provided more information than the heirachy, and was asked afterwards by one official, where did you get your information from, as we don’t make that information public knowledge anymore. Does the right hand not know what the left hand is doing down in Wellington? Seems a bit like it! Robert, I will stick to my code, but gee it is getting harder to support the powers to be that are supposedly running it! Hi Chris, I think both horse codes have a lack of mares being bred from, consequently, as seen by the fields for Alexandra Park tonight, in which 6 of the 9 races have 8 horses or less. What Cambridge gives to harness trainers, is in general, a weaker opposition, and a chance to get a good result for the owners. Cheers. Robert. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,867 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 4 hours ago, Double R said: Hi Chris, We might get more sense from the staff that are left at home!! On a serious note Chris, how much longer can trainers survive with the uncertainty of Thoroughbred racing? Would you ever consider changing to Harness Racing? All weather tracks, regular trials, workouts and most of all guaranteed racing. Cheers. Robert. I can't seriously see anyone changing to harness racing. Group races worth $25,000, tiny fields all night at Alex Park. Once a horse wins a couple of races they mysteriously disappear. Racing may be bad but not that bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,867 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 I take it there was no rain on the day, so is there any explanation for the horse slipping? It seems to be that the moment any horse slips for any reason these days then the meeting is invariably abandoned. Double R 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double R 260 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 8 minutes ago, We're Doomed said: I can't seriously see anyone changing to harness racing. Group races worth $25,000, tiny fields all night at Alex Park. Once a horse wins a couple of races they mysteriously disappear. Racing may be bad but not that bad. Respect your views WD. I am happy to keep owning Harness horses that can trial or race each week. There is certainly a market in Australia for horses that reach their mark, and can continue racing. Cheers. Robert. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Kirrama 1,513 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 No Stipes report on the Matamata Meeting as of 9:15 pm . Disgraceful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut 3,152 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 You only need some longer grass in places that perhaps the mower missed, that can get slippery in the sun, I think we all remember days of wetting grass a little or longer grass hot in the sun that softens, and sliding over it, lawn surfing, when younger. Often a brush before the races or during can help. Some spots, one horse hits it, it causes indecision and what ifs set in and there you go.. unsafe. I don't think it needs to call for the track supervisor's scalp... we are starting to get like sports teams that lose a match and sack the manager. We are seeing, I believe, just me ... global warming and unknown seasons, weather patterns, making a huge difference to soil, growth, drainage.. many things that track supervisors in the past could monitor and forecast pretty well.. not now. It's a demanding job these days and perhaps all weather tracks will be something to be considered for more reliable scheduling. sir1galivant, Double R and craigosz 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey 2,037 Report post Posted December 8, 2017 5 hours ago, army said: I thoughts on that is that too much money is being given to the Prem clubs and the industry clubs are struggling because they are running race meetings and the cost to both is around the samebut what they get from NZTR is alot different. 30g compared to 50-60g and no share of the tote like the bigger meetings. If you look at Elleslie for example on Saturday the fields were alot smaller than what was scheduled for Matamata to day but because of the grading system that is in place Elleslie will get more money than what Matamata would get. Can you tell me that Ellselie needs more money to prepare their track compared to Matamata as it is obvious the answer is no. Track preperation cost the same no matter whether you race on a mid week meeting or a saturday meeting so perhaps the stucture needs to change Not only that, too much rubbish racing at the same rubbish tracks. Centralisation doesn't/hasn't worked the entire calendar needs a rethink in a massive way, some great venues going to waste because of the ignorance and arrogance of a few who don't have the best interests of racing at heart but only that of their own. army 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...