We're Doomed

Yes, very sad. I knew Campbell. A very nice man. Very sad indeed. And a man with a genuine love for racing.

I see they went 1.13 in the first at Oamaru today. Not bad for a heavy track. I imagine Trentham will be something like 1.19 this Saturday.

You are correct, Hartnell was probably the unluckiest run in the Cup. Not so sure about Mr Quickie, hasn't shown enough in recent races for me. I couldn't believe how short he was in the Cup.

Interesting. I see the track was upgraded to slow 8 retrospective to race one and to slow 7 retrospective to race 7, so the TAB results for both of those races are wrong. So officially they never actually raced on a heavy track.

I wonder who did the track rating. They certainly were throwing up less dirt than you would get on most good or dead tracks in the north. Surely they could have spotted that earlier. It looked like a great track. Some of those who scratched must have felt a bit sick. Certainly a lesson to be learnt all round. I wonder if it got mentioned in the stipes report: I must look.

I'm not sure that 30,000 youngsters heading along to a piss up with a band afterwards could be described has having "revived" racing in NSW. Riccarton virtually sells out on Cup Day with thousands of youngsters going along to a piss up, but I have never seen anyone describe that as having revived racing in Canterbury. I went along to my first Cup Day at Riccarton as an 18yo and everyone there in those days was there for the racing itself. I suspect quite a few of those people have stayed in the game. It will be interesting to see what retention rate we have with youngsters attracted by today"s methods. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a big crowd at the races, but best not to get over excited by it. It could also be interpreted that only 30% of the attendance were actually there for the races.

I was just about to start a thread saying what magnificent condition Ashburton was in last weekend when I noticed this discussion. I couldn't believe the scratchings on a track that ended up virtually easy at worst, with the open sprinters going 1.11 and the 3yos going 1.24. It is virtually impossible to get a start with a rating 65 in Canty and yet 10 of them scratched out of the 1,400m. I couldn't believe it. Most of them won't get a chance to race for $22,500 for many weeks now. Poor bloody owners. I know it started out a heavy 10, but that track was always going to come back to a decent rating. It had been dead earlier in the week after watering and with a fine day on the Saturday surely anyone could tell it would improve dramatically. I notice virtually all of the north island trainers started their horses. It was certainly better than any of the alternatives in the north. I recall a Sydney track improving from Soft to good just recently, which any decent track should be able to do on a fine day. Just shows what a decent track Ashburton is. We aren't talking Trentham or Awapuni here.

I am absolutely staggered. Just as I was thinking how incompetent it was to only programme 8 races at Riccarton this weekend with all the horses about, they have gone and programmed two extra races. Has NZTR finally employed someone with some racing knowledge or are the local trainers finally having some input?

Meeting 11, Randwick Race 7, The Everest No 3, Redzel.

Interesting stuff. Winston thinks Otaki and Kumara are the future of NZ Racing. RACE sounds like quite a switched on outfit.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/audio/2018717980/horse-racing-shake-up-selling-tracks-and-outsourcing-the-tab

I agree as well, the Everest would be a very suitable race; worth triple points do we think?

I don't actually think Crown Prosecutor is the worst ever bet at those odds and from that draw. I thought fitness wise he looked pretty good both days at HB and he rushed home well the last day.

Pretty hard to disagree with any of that. And am a bit disappointed that we are yet to see Rita come out and say something like: "yes, we acknowledge that not all of the Messara recommendations may have been well thought through and we are revisiting some of them."

Perhaps tell us who you would have selected for each of last year's awards. I had no problem with them myself.