Leggy

As far as I am aware, there are no similar tracks.

The 2023 NZTR Club Awards Winners are as follows: Metropolitan - Auckland Thoroughbred Racing Overall Winner - Co-winners Auckland Thoroughbred Racing and Whangarei Racing Club

Good question. Maybe an elongated Easter break? Not a word from the NZTR Board chair either.

How?

Yes.

My prediction is that like most tracks in NZ they'll continue to try patching it up for a year or two, and like the Kensington Strathayr at Randwick, end up having to rip it up and spend 18 months re-laying it before it is usable. Meanwhile, they will continue to close usable tracks. Kensington track at Randwick to be replaced 31 December 2015 by By Chris Scholtz - racingandsports.com.au Tuesday’s barrier trials on the Kensington track have confirmed what most at Randwick knew was a fait accompli – the much-maligned track is not up to racing standard and will be replaced. Racing NSW has acted with chief executive Peter V’Landys confirming that the costly “all weather” turf track – out of commission since November of 2014 - will be replaced. V'landys issued the death knell for the Kensington track in its current form after receiving reports that the problems that have plagued the course still exist after it hosted five trials for the first time in more than 14 months on Tuesday. "There is no doubt it is not suitable as a racing surface. We have given it every chance to perform and it doesn't," V'landys told Fairfax media. "There is only one option left available to us. We have to work through the detail but we'll be looking to resurface it. “Everything will be done in conjunction with the ATC.” Another set of trials are scheduled to be held on the Kensington track on January 12 but Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy says it has no future in its current state. “It happens every time we use the track, they just get into it and rip it out," Murrihy said. “It hasn't improved. I can't see it being able to hold a race meeting as it is now.” More than $3 million has been spent renovating the Kensington track in the last two years in a bid to get it up to standard. The Australian Turf Club was prepared to rip up the track six months ago but Racing NSW stepped in and deferred any action as it will finance much of the cost for the installation of a new turf surface – probably kikuyu similar the Newcastle Jockey Club’s successful inner track now being used for racing at Broadmeadow. The current Kensington grass is similar to Moonee Valley’s successful Strathayr track but has been beset by problems from the start. The grass - known as ‘Village Green’ - is lush on top but fails to take root and knit with the underlying mesh. In its current state it could only be used for trackwork and occasional barrier trials. "The grass hasn't knitted. It just rips out and the damage takes a long time to repair because of the lack of a root system,” said Randwick track manager Nevesh Ramdhani.

Race 2 AUCKLAND CO-OP TAXIS MAIDEN 3YO 1200 Following this race comment was made by some riders that their mounts were shifting in the ground. Films from Race 2 were also further reviewed with there being no apparent movement. Stewards convened a meeting with riders along with club officials and after viewing available film footage it was agreed that the meeting should continue. So, they sent them round again before convening a Track Safety Review Panel? Seriously?

Curious to know what Paul had to say when you had a chat Chris?

What negativity?

Sorry. You can't tell them and they obviously can't interpret the numbers.

Great. Please let us know what Paul has to say.

Chris, they chose to grow their own grass on it rather than follow the Strathayr standard used elsewhere in the world in which case it should have been fine for racing in 3 weeks according to Strathayr. My question remains, how long will it take to become a safe racing surface and how many horses will have to be risked in helping it become so?

How long do you reckon it needs Chris?

They can do it on the Coast.

Don't exaggerate. It was only 9.

We’re waking today to 33 flood warnings from the NSW SES - Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter have been lashed by a monster storm. The rain gauge at Sydney Airport reported a total of 145mm of rain since 9am yesterday. In Penrith, 167mm of rain has been recorded since 9am - with 17mm falling between 1:30am and 2am. The NSW SES has issued a number of flood evacuation warnings for some people along the Hawkesbury River - including the lower parts of Richmond and Windsor. A severe weather warning for heavy, locally intense rainfall and damaging winds is current for the east coast of NSW from Palm Beach down to the NSW-Victorian border. A wind gust of 89km/h was recorded on Sydney Harbour at 4:12am.

And the rules of racing again somehow override the human right to critical comment and free speech.

NSW weather: up to 300mm rain to smash Sydney, SES upgrade warning NSW’s severe weather warning was upgraded on Friday morning with residents urged to prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding with downpours up to 300mm forecast in some areas.

I seldom watch Trackside live unless I have a friend with a horse racing, so I probably shouldn't even be commenting, but I did watch a couple of races from Ashburton yesterday. I don't really see any improvement. I can't read the graphics now anyway and I wish they weren't there at all. I only watch to see the horses and the race. Annoyed me yesterday that pre-start, the graphics were sitting right over the top of the gates when the horses were loading. If they must be there, why not move them to the other side of the screen? Also, the race vision was so zoomed out early that you couldn't really see what was going on.

Lorraine Walker?

$18 month for decoder rental? Shouldn't be punting if you can't afford that. Or, you could go buy a Smartvu box or dongle for 100 bucks.

Trackside 1 Channel: 23 Trackside is New Zealand's home of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing. Available on the Freeview Streaming TV app, and select UHF metro centres.

Should've called in for a cuppa.

Sadly, the CJC are evidently not interested in facilitating grass trials in Canterbury.