Leggy

April 16

8 hours ago, Nerula said:

. PW says it's matting on the surface of lush grass,

Where did he say that?

April 16

33 minutes ago, Nerula said:

The weight of sand is about 1700kg per m3. so do the sum Scoobs, doest seem right

I make that about 1750 cubic metres which on say 60,000 sqm is about 35mls over time isn't it?

Contentious · April 16

1 hour ago, Contentious said:

Come in trucking experts! - - would that have been possible in 4 days? If so how much damage would that weight in dump trucks do to the track?

They have put on 90. Plan to add 90 more after the last meeting but 3000 tons total presumably over the winter or next year.

nomates · April 15

3 hours ago, Insider said:

I’ve just listened to Paul Wilcox on Weigh In.

It sounds like they are building a “sand castle” at Ellerslie.

Liz

Yes. If it needed another 3000 tons of sand, why wasn't that in the mix when, they built it? Has me flummoxed.

THE TORCH · April 15

3 minutes ago, Snapper said:

And Leggy you should ask the CEO of NZTR if grass can root in the sand.

I can't find him to get his current opinion on rooting. Seems to have gone AWOL through all this. Any idea where he might be?

April 15

45 minutes ago, THE TORCH said:

a freakish incident on the morning of NZ Cup day

??? what was that?

THE TORCH · April 15

15 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

Haha funny I was just talking to a well known trainer and he feels they have made it worse and way too much kick back now...100% for sure it is not right and for 55 million it bloody well should be. How can putting sand on it actually fix the root of the problem...I always thought grass really struggles to root in sand...or is that not so now????

Exactly. More kick back? Wouldn't that suggest that the turf is holding together less well than before?

April 15

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing [NZTR] and Auckland Thoroughbred Racing [ATR] would like to provide an update on the 'Return to Racing' for Ellerslie Racecourse.

Following the Club's abandonment on Wednesday 10 April, all work that was prescribed has now been completed.

A set of eight trials were held successfully at Ellerslie Racecourse today [Monday 15 April] giving the Club clearance to return to racing.

A number of industry personnel and senior jockeys were in attendance at the trials today to monitor the surface including representatives from; Strathayr, the Racing Integrity Board, NZTR and ATR.

The overarching feedback NZTR and ATR received following the trials was positive, with the following comments provided by senior jockeys on the state of the track:

"The track felt a lot better – they [ATR] obviously had done a lot of work on it since Wednesday. The horses are getting a good bit of traction and there’s actually a bit of kick back now, which highlights the more traction the horses are getting." - Senior Jockey Warren Kennedy

"I noticeably felt more traction and more give in the track. The machinery work and the spreading of sand since last Thursday has certainly seen an improvement.” - Senior Jockey Craig Grylls

The first race meeting set to be held back at Ellerslie will be Saturday 20 April 2024. We extend our gratitude to Chris Hay from Elwick Racecourse for his assistance and advice post-abandonment.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either NZTR or ATR below.

Darin Balcombe
Chief Operating Officer
Darin.Balcombe@nztr.co.nz

Craig Baker
Executive General Manager-Racing and Operations
craigb@ellerslie.co.nz

Hi Ho Silver · April 15

20 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

So... the issues was the 10m rail position so what the hell does holding trials with the rail on the inside prove??? Or am I missing something.

Not much I don't think. The issues were when the track was rain affected as well, including on the rail, and 50 horses galloping round the corner near the rail, on the bridle, on a non-rain affected surface, is not much help to me in assessing its safety

Ohokaman · April 14

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/racing-families-devastated-by-bondi-mall-attack/

April 14

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April 14

April 13

2 hours ago, mckenzie said:

I don't think Imperatriz is eligible being Australian trained.

Nominated horses must have been trained by a person holding a NZ licence for the season
under review and must have been stabled in NZ for more than half of the season

April 12

That's a ripper!

April 11

2 minutes ago, Nerula said:

Yes you have nailed it. The problem surely is thatch. The grass seed was heavily fertilised and the growth astonishing right from germination. The problem will be helped when the fertiliser load reduces and a more normal growth pattern occurs. In days gone by sheep was the answer. Get the rakes out?

I thought the matting was in the shallow root zone, not the surface?

canon47 · April 11

The meeting scheduled for Hawke’s Bay on Saturday 27 April will now be a Wanganui JC meeting at Wanganui as the track at Hawke’s Bay requires more time after its recent renovation.

Hedley Jordan · April 11

4 hours ago, Insider said:

For $55 million I would have expected perfection, not a lot of what if, where as, what we did elsewhere, tomorrow it will be better, maybe trials to test again etc.

Seriously something or someone or somebody [plural] is at fault here.

The sooner they own up the better.

Liz

40mms of rain forecast today. Considering that, how they think they can now fix in 4 days to be safe for trials, what they have failed to fix since Millions night, is not really comprehensible to me.

It seems they have only just now ordered the coring machinery necessary to remedy the problem?

"ATR has ordered a corer machine to help ensure the ongoing track surface will continue to improve ...

nomates · April 11

2 hours ago, nomates said:

So how does running against the rails in the trials help to know if the strip wider is good for the next time they move the rail out .

If I own a horse that my trainer wants to travel to these trials I would be a little apprehensive , will they get through the day ?

Be interesting to see who is willing to trial their horses on it on Monday. I certainly wouldn't.

April 11

6 hours ago, Ohokaman said:

Keep up Turnip…..

Isn't that for Strathayr sport fields?

April 10

1 hour ago, Aaron The Anchor said:

I thought there were a few Strathayr style tracks around the world?

You could say that but none that have undergone a seeding process with all others being turfed, and none that have ever had a weather related abandonment.

Insider · April 10

6 hours ago, nomates said:

Doesn't come up with solutions , just questions and data .

I've been offering solutions for 20 years but the powers that be have shown no inclination to implement any of them.. In a sentence, fix the tracks, fix the handicapping system, fix the programming and aim to make thoroughbred racing self-sustainable again as it was then.

Insider · April 10

3 hours ago, Aaron The Anchor said:

So many would love to see it fail which is strange.

It has failed at this point hasn't it, whether anyone wanted to see that or not, which I doubt?

Hi Ho Silver · April 10

5 hours ago, CVance said:

“After the last race meeting here (this season), which is the 25 th of May, it (StrathAyr track) will get a
heavy renovation and that will be focussing on removing that matting to ensure going forward that
that can’t cause any issues. This time next year, it will be settled and hopefully racing perfectly,”
Wilcox said.

A heavy renovation on a brand new track ?

Fills you full of confidence

So why are they putting horses and riders at risk on a track that requires "heavy renovation""?

Gruff · April 10

3 hours ago, Aaron The Anchor said:

That's what other similar tracks can comfortably run

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

Hi Ho Silver · April 10

The 2023 NZTR Club Awards Winners are as follows:

Metropolitan - Auckland Thoroughbred Racing

Overall Winner - Co-winners Auckland Thoroughbred Racing and Whangarei Racing Club

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