We're Doomed

I get the impression the half-witted idea to have an all weather track in the South has been quietly forgotten. There is absolutely no need for it, with several tracks down there providing good going for most of the winter. We couldn't afford to race on one anyhow. If we can't afford to race at Waimate, which costs nothing for the industry to run, we could hardly afford to race on a multi million dollar all weather track.
Dozens of horses are eliminated in the South every week in $10,000 races. I can't see much point spending millions of dollars on an all weather track and then running $10,000 races, which would probably only start 12 horses, and then continuing to eliminate heaps of horses. The industry would be no further ahead; in fact millions of dollars down.

I get the impression the half-witted idea to have an all weather track in the South has been quietly forgotten. There is absolutely no need for it, with several tracks down there providing good going for most of the winter. We couldn't afford to race on one anyhow. If we can't afford to race at Waimate, which costs nothing for the industry to run, we could hardly afford to race on a multi million dollar all weather track.
Dozens of horses are eliminated in the South every week in $10,000 races. I can't see much point spending millions of dollars on an all weather track and then running $10,000 races, which would probably only start 12 horses, and then continuing to eliminate heaps of horses. The industry would be no further ahead; in fact millions of dollars down.

Bloody hell, ask me something easy.
As the grandstand is unusable as a result of earthquake damage to the foundations, repair is out of the question for such a large building at this point.  I understand that negotiations are underway with the insurance company for demolition.
The allweather?  First there has to be the money to pay for it...dunno where that is/was supposed to come from.
I reckon that once that old stand goes, any sense of history will go with it ...and they may as well cash the whole bloody joint and develop a purpose built facility elsewhere.  JMO.

I get the impression the half-witted idea to have an all weather track in the South has been quietly forgotten. There is absolutely no need for it, with several tracks down there providing good going for most of the winter. We couldn't afford to race on one anyhow. If we can't afford to race at Waimate, which costs nothing for the industry to run, we could hardly afford to race on a multi million dollar all weather track.
Dozens of horses are eliminated in the South every week in $10,000 races. I can't see much point spending millions of dollars on an all weather track and then running $10,000 races, which would probably only start 12 horses, and then continuing to eliminate heaps of horses. The industry would be no further ahead; in fact millions of dollars down.

I get the impression the half-witted idea to have an all weather track in the South has been quietly forgotten. There is absolutely no need for it, with several tracks down there providing good going for most of the winter. We couldn't afford to race on one anyhow. If we can't afford to race at Waimate, which costs nothing for the industry to run, we could hardly afford to race on a multi million dollar all weather track.
Dozens of horses are eliminated in the South every week in $10,000 races. I can't see much point spending millions of dollars on an all weather track and then running $10,000 races, which would probably only start 12 horses, and then continuing to eliminate heaps of horses. The industry would be no further ahead; in fact millions of dollars down.

All I will say is why do we need an all weather track in the South Island when Oamaru can be still a Good 3 in July! Huge amount of rain but no biggie having to decide on 3 courses an hour or so either side of it (excluding Waimate which would have been a great option too - thanks Mr Messara!). An all weather joint is still gonna be soaked with the amount of rain that has fallen lately. Some of you lot think they come with a roof.

I agree totally. Horses had accepted expecting good going at Oamaru. I can't imagine they would have been too keen to swim around Wingatui. Now at Ashburton I see, with the same fields. Several days of rain in Canterbury at the moment but supposed to fine up prior to Tuesday. So to give NZTR credit the right decision has been made on this occasion.

I agree totally. Horses had accepted expecting good going at Oamaru. I can't imagine they would have been too keen to swim around Wingatui. Now at Ashburton I see, with the same fields. Several days of rain in Canterbury at the moment but supposed to fine up prior to Tuesday. So to give NZTR credit the right decision has been made on this occasion.

Why Wingatui less than 20 horses south of Oamaru, Bulk of horses Timaru and north of.
I would imagine Tyler at Oamaru, Blair Eadie at Waimate
should go to Ashburton or upgrade Timaru to feature day with rejigged programme IMO
Can't look back prefer to be positive and make sure  we still have feature meeting

Good to see some things never change....

Fair enough battling effort for 5th. Probably needs to go to Cessnock or the like to get an easy kill and some confidence.  On the positive side though, I did get the winner. I can never resist having a bet when Chris stops a redhot.

Where in the bejesus could you expect to find the funding for that?    Seriously?

And that's a surprise....??? You need to get out more.

Final flight for Errol Skelton
New Zealand racing is set to farewell another member of the Skelton family with the sudden death of Errol Bryan Skelton.
Skelton, just a month short of his 82ndbirthday, passed away last Friday at home in Levin and a celebration of his life will be held at the Salvation Army Worship and Community Centre in Levin on Thursday at 2pm.
The five Skelton brothers – Bill, Frank, Bob, Errol and Max – are synonymous with New Zealand racing, original West Coasters hailing from Cobden in Greymouth and all enjoying success as jockeys, though Errol’s main highlights came as a trainer.
The brothers rode a total of 4581 winners in New Zealand with Bill setting the benchmark and becoming the first New Zealand jockey to notch 2000 wins, while Bob included a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Van Der Hum among his host of victories and Max also enjoyed success overseas.
Both Bill and Bob Skelton passed away in 2016, several years after brother Frank, and now with the death of Errol, Max Skelton (living in Christchurch) is the sole survivor of the famous five and feeling the latest loss.
“We were all good mates – competitive on racedays, but we thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company,” Max Skelton said. 
“Errol’s death has left a big hole. We were pretty close. He was quite a character, often funny without trying to be, and he loved helping people. He was all set to come for the Grand National meeting next month.”
While overshadowed by his brothers as a jockey, Skelton still managed to ride 37 winners from 1955 before increasing weight and injuries from a fall saw him switch to training in 1964. His most memorable win as a jockey was the 1963 Otago Steeplechase on Tarmine.
Skelton retired from training in 2006 with 296 wins in New Zealand, the latest being Royal Shaka at Wanganui in September 2004. He never had a big team in work and in the twilight years of training he pottered around with just a few horses.
But the statistics don’t tell the whole story. Within his 40 years of training he saddled up some of the best horses in the country and his success spilled over to Australia.
“He was so casual with his horses and they responded so well to him,” Max Skelton said. “Some thought he was too casual, but he got results.
“One of the biggest thrills Errol got was winning the Greymouth Cup. Brother Bill was there and his son, David, rode him, and Frank, my other brother, had a share in him.”
To go back to his hometown and win that 1994 Greymouth Cup was indeed special for Skelton and Grey Raider went on three starts later to also win the Kumara Gold Nuggets (2000m) for the same combination.
Skelton initially rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the versatile Frederik, who won 11 races, including the 1971 Listed Parliamentary Handicap (2200m), the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) twice, the Wellington Steeplechase (5400m), the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles (3100m) and the McGregor Grant Steeplechase (4900m).
Rose Mellay then emerged to win the 1974 Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) with Bob Skelton aboard after being runner-up the previous season in both the (then Gr.2) New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) when they were run at Riccarton for the last time.
Skelton later produced his top filly Our Flight, who won the 1982 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie after just failing to land the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) – New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) double at Riccarton when going down by a mere nose to Clansman in the first leg.
Our Flight’s eight wins that season also included Skelton’s hometown feature, the Gr.1 Bayer Classic (1600m), and she was third in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), winding up the 1982-83 New Zealand Filly of the Year. 
Sly Wink was the top filly on the 1976-77 New Zealand 2YO Free Handicap for Skelton. She won 13 races, was Group One runner-up in the 1978 Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and 1977 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and third in the Gr.1 Railway Handicap (1200m). 
Rose And Thistle was a hardy performer, winning 10 of his 106 starts, including the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Handicap (2400m) at Ellerslie and was runner-up in the 1981 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the Gr.1 New Zealand St Leger (2800m).
Skelton regularly took Rose And Thistle to Australia, where his many fine efforts included a second in the Gr.3 VATC Herbert Power Handicap (2400m) and thirds in both the 1984 Gr.1 Brisbane Cup (3200m) and Gr.2 P.J. O’Shea Stakes (2232m) and probably the most memorable of all, a fourth in the 1984 Melbourne Cup when ridden by Bob Skelton after being among the tailenders in the 1982 edition with the same rider.
In 1990 Skelton won the O’Shea Stakes - Brisbane Cup double with Shuzohra, a dual Group Three winner in New Zealand who went on to finish third in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), the Gr.2 Turnbull Stakes and the Sandown Cup (2400m) and was unplaced in the 1990 Melbourne Cup.
Shuzohra ended her career with a  second in the 1991 Gr.1 STC BMW Stakes (2400m) after being runner-up to Castletown in both the Gr.1 Wellington Cup (3200m) and Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2400m).
Other top performers for Skelton included Asheen (Gr.2 Cuddle Stakes, 1600m, second Gr.1 Easter Handicap, 1600m), Kosha (10 wins; Gr.2 ARC Flag Inns Trophy, 1600m, second Gr.1 Telegraph Handicap, 1200m) and Fairfield Lad (11 wins; Gr.3 CJC Winter Cup, 1600m). 

Oh God. Groundhog day.

If I remember correctly, that Ashburton public stand was one of the last industry funded developments in the SI, back in the 80s? I can't remember if it preceded or came after Omoto. I think the Riccarton flash stand came later: now of course the only Riccarton stand.
I actually think Timaru should be a very important course in the SI: something that the Messara people didn't seem to understand. It is very centrally located, invariably provides a good surface at any time of the year, and most importantly has room for expansion. I would love to see a Caloundra type development at Timaru. Any money allocated to the SI all-weather track should be spent to get Timaru upgraded.  They should also swap with Waikouaiti and race on New Years Day. I hardly bothered to read the rest of the Messara report after seeing them recommend Timaru go and Waikouaiti stay; showed how little they knew.

Glenda’s legacy is that under her stewardship the NZRB launched the financial equivalent of a full frontal red squad baton charge on racing participants. Many have departed overseas. Many trainers have had to down scale or seek employment with bigger trainers and many more have left the industry altogether. Thanks Glenda.
 

I've never really been sure what skills Glenda brought to the role that National thought made her so suitable.

I've never really been sure what skills Glenda brought to the role that National thought made her so suitable.

There was also a women's  rugby comp held between the  top world teams. It was shown on Sky and reminded me of Grass Roots Rugby with only a few spectators and playing on crap fields.

What a load of rubbish. She missed the Womens World Cup that was live every day obviously, and there's a Netball WC on now... ...?!

Fascinating insight. I'm sure most of us have no real idea how such things work. She has certainly improved out of sight in her riding style, used to look awful. She gets her share of winners so must be learning something.  She is very good on front runners so must be a reasonable judge of pace. Of course some of her better wins have come on horses coming from the tail of the field. Hopefully she opens herself up to good advice and improves her style and success rate even more.

That didn't come across very well....Tanya has ridden a winner for me, and I have always wished her well...but she has had difficulty settling in to the regime of a 'training' stable environment.
Her last place of employment gave her every opportunity,  put her on the stable's best,  but she struggled with the discipline required and left.  This 'situation' that was engineered to allow her to remain in the industry  [ otherwise,  she was going to be lost,  a stipe told me ]  has certainly worked well for her but she is lacking quality tuition and is strong-minded enough to be a challenge in that respect.

Hardly earth-shattering "ideas" Pam. Just total bloody common sense I would have thought.
I am always intrigued whether there is anyone working along these lines for NZTR or Rita. Surely with all the money being thrown around in grotesque salaries they must have someone responsible for or talented in this area. I know there has been no evidence of it so far, but surely they must be aware how incompetent the current system is? I am quite serious here; does anyone know if "management" is aware how badly they have neglected this pretty important aspect of Racing, and whether they have any intention of doing anything about it?
I suspect that anyone can walk in off the street (or from Foreign affairs or NZ Post) and say "I know, why don't we sell off a few racecourses, that works in other industries". Unfortunately someone off the street isn't going to say "I think Ashburton needs to run a Maiden 2yo,  perhaps Riccarton could run a  2yo 1,400m,  some of the industry days should be running a rating 62, Timaru needs a 0-1win hurdle etc".  There used to be people in the industry with this knowledge and skill. Do any of them still exist? Were they the first to get the boot when all the outsiders came in because they didn't fit the look?
 

Longevity yes but Reon Murtha didn't travel much unlike what McNamara has done. Lochie Marshall always did Timaru, Oamaru, Geraldine etc and Eric Percy and Ian Chambers did the Coast circuit and Nelson / Marlborough. Murtha shared the job with plenty. McNamara is in a class of his own IMO.