RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.

jess

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Everything posted by jess

  1. Sometimes I feel like the industry particpants are getting "played" - that everything is portrayed as fine and dandy right to the eleventh hour and then whammo - sorry - no races, what a shame - who'd'a thought this could happen, bloody weather etc .... I felt this with Omakau when the rescheduled meeting was being talked up the night before as being very likely to go ahead. Then canned in the morning. And Awapuni has got me thinking now as well. Check out this article from Stuff - long item (& pictures haven't reproduced sorry) ibut scroll down to the bit about the races and the quote from the RACE official. It's highlighted in pink .... also of note the article said it was last updated 1826hrs on 5 January 2018 ..... Rain still not enough to lift Palmerston North's water restrictions MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Rainy weather in Manawatū didn't stop people from getting out and about. As stormy weather tears its way through the North Island, the wider Manawatū region appears to have escaped relatively unscathed. Major centres and holiday destinations around the country copped road closures, power outages, slips, fallen trees and flooding as a low pressure system tracked its way across the country this week. But despite the intensity of the approaching low, there was much less intensive rain overnight in Manawatū on Thursday than during the thunderstorm on Wednesday, where the impact, principally surface flooding, was sporadic. MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Ducks in The Square embraced the downpour. Horizons' Ngahere Park climate station recorded 10.8mm on Thursday night, with 6.5mm at its Halcombe Road station, 13.8mm at Moutoa and 10.4mm at Raumai. READ MORE: * Thunderstorm and surface flooding heralds more rain for Manawatū * A few raindrops have failed to boost Palmerston North water supply * All we want for Christmas is rain * Home owners urged to let the lawns go brown * Sizzling summer to spark sprinkler ban * Manawatū River water at 30-year November low Wind speed peaked at 30km during Friday morning, and while there were a number of branches and plenty of leaves stripped off trees, there was no major damage reported to power supplies or roads around the region. MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Manawatū people were not deterred from heading out in the wet, windy conditions. Air transport was affected on Friday afternoon by weather conditions further north. A couple of Air New Zealand and Jetstar flights from Auckland were up to an hour late. These, in turn, delayed a return flight, along with passenger services to Christchurch. An Originair flight from Nelson was also delayed. In several quarters, the wet weather was regarded as beneficial. Palmerston North City Council water asset engineer Dora Luo said while the Thursday and Friday rain had helped reduce demand on the Turitea Reservoir and would green a few lawns, it hadn't made a big different to the water level in the dam. Supplied The tide was out and dropping further at Palmerston North's Turitea water storage dam a week before Christmas, 2017. "It's added 0.3 metres. That is not a lot. The rain has not been evenly distributed, and the [reservoir] catchment doesn't seem to have had as much rain as other areas." Ad Feedback The rain will forestall level-three water restrictions - currently the city is on level-two - with the dam up to 63 per cent of its storage capacity, meaning there was now enough stored water, with restrictions remaining in place, to last through until April. "We are really thankful to the efforts of residents in restricting their water use. Even before Christmas we could see the demand dropping," Luo said. Despite wind and rain, competition continued unabated for the national archery championships at MasseyUniversity. Tournament organiser Jordan Taylor said archers shot into a head wind in the morning, which made things challenging, but they continued shooting even while the afternoon rain fell. The rain wouldn't affect the track for Saturday's running of the Marton Cup at Awapuni either. Alasdair Robertson at RACE said the racecourse had missed out on Wednesday's thunderstorm, but 24mls of welcome rain had fallen on Thursday night. Robertson described the track as a "dead six", meaning it would be a bit on the slow side. Lifeguard Jack Malin on patrol with the Palmerston North Surf Life Saving Club at HimatangiBeach on Friday, said there was nothing at the coast to suggest there were stormy conditions, with a swell of about a metre and the offshore easterly wind keeping things flat. "It hasn't hit us too hard - it's been pretty tame here," Malin said. Warm and wet looks set to continue. Just released, the NIWA national seasonal climate outlook for the central and lower North Island is picking above average temperatures coupled with above normal rainfall for the next three months. Soil moisture and river flows are expected to be normal or below average, while coastal waters should remain 1.5°C above average over the period as part of a weakening La Nīna weather pattern. - Stuff
  2. Interesting P4P. And you will have more knowledge than I on these matters I suspect. At a rating 7 this morning and the rain falling over several days prior to raceday (as against a sudden downpour on a Good 3 track) - would you expect a race meeting on a "track with no problems" should be a viable proposition? Is it valid to simply and solely blame the weather gods on this occasion ... ? J
  3. Awapuni track was assessed as a 6 at 4pm yesterday - and I'm told a 7 this morning (prior to abandonment). Weather site suggests just over 17mm fell between those times. A downgrade of just one point sounds like a pretty good outcome I reckon! Remember yesterday the NZTR site said just 7mm had falen during the day. This is what NZTR is now saying: Today’s Races have been abandoned due to the state of the track. Adverse weather conditions over the last 48 hours have seen 40-50mm rain fall on the Awapuni track. Is this the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? I can't recall what the site said about the amount of rain the previous day but by that reckoning presumably it was some figure around 50mm minus 7mm minus 17mm ...... Mmmmmm .... Also. "The state of the track" is a lovely broad statement. Sure the weather has been inclement recently. But is it all the weather's fault? I leave you with this question to ponder - with a good quality well maintained track offering a consistent surface throughout - would the races still be able to go ahead under these climatic conditions?
  4. Yep BB - and this thundery type weather pattern can mean significant local variations can happen in terms of rainfall - across quite small distances ... generally though I think there tends to be more rain closer to the ranges and the racecourse is closer to the ranges than the airport which is out the Feilding side ... Anyhow - here's hoping it's been accurately described (only fair) and goes ahead safely tomorrow.
  5. Goodness. NZTR site says 7mm rain today, Dead 6 at 4.06pm. Met site I looked at said there had been 16.7 mm in Palmerston North in the 21 hours prior to 4pm (and another 13.3mm between 4 and 7pm). Perhaps some local variation with this weather pattern? - and some variation in what one considers "a day" ? ... and God willing - a track with no wet patches! Good luck the Marton club ... maybe a Palmy local could enlighten us further? Cheers, Jess
  6. Do you know off what service fee Nasrullah?
  7. Thanks Puha. Wonder who (if anyone) has taken over that role....
  8. Is he still doing the riding master stuff with the apprentices at Awapuni Puha?
  9. Indeed, my Foxy friend. A fabulous age and good on whoever cared for the champ through his autumn years.
  10. Hard luck for Letham to lose their horse. Of course stallions are not interchangeable but I am nevertheless glad they have their new horse to be going on with. Best wishes to the Auret family.
  11. ... maybe so but I'm struggling to be optimistic about that prospect. My jaded eyes can only see him exiting "to spend more time with his family" or "to take up a new challenge" - and board members lauding him for "leaving the industry in good heart" ... ra ra ra And then in comes another million dollar man (unlikely to be a woman with this lot) with little understanding of - or passion for racing. The board will remain fat, satisfied and smug - with no sense of responsbility, altruism or obligation to the real participants of racing. And as the ship goes down the band will play on ....
  12. Wait and see I guess. I have an open mind. Including about any ex employees - granted there is such thing as disgruntled troublemakers - but there is also such thing as good people who took exception to what they saw and got "let go" as a consequence ... In this case I have no idea which if either could be in play ... J.
  13. I don't know any more than what is reported here. But it's a reminder of the faith we put in people when we send our mares away - sometimes for months - and often don't see them at all during that time. The quotes from Simon Irving of RIU may have been cherry-picked - and I know he is Racing's man not the SPCA's man - but I hope the welfare of horses also concerns him and not just the reputational issues for the industry .... https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/98920151/stud-farm-accused-of-animal-welfare-problems-but-allowed-to-continue
  14. Saw this when I got home tonight and wondered what the story was? (I'm not over-familiar with the track or its history ...). The stewards' report didn't enlighten me greatly!!: - Following the running of this race several riders expressed concerns that their horses had moved on the final bend and also when pulling up. A delegation of riders, trainers, club personnel and the Racing Integrity Unit undertook an inspection of the areas of concern following which a meeting was convened where the decision was made that the track was unsafe to continue with the meeting being abandoned at 3.20pm.
  15. Thanks for the link BB .... certainly - including from that photo (the way he is holding the horse) - it appears that Michael Dee did very well in looking after the horse the best he could. I would have been very grateful for that if it had been my horse. Well done young man.
  16. Hi Crusty - straying from topic but yes - take Karen F-E for instance - wears lots of hats that one (not just on raceday either ) - and all within the relatively small confines of the NZ thoroughbred racing industry. Wife of DE, formal role in his business/syndications etc, commentator at yearling sales time and go-to person for racing programmes on TV etc. I know nothing to suggest she is anything other than a thoroughly pleasant woman. But I feel uncomfortable sometimes about inappropriate influence and conflicts of interest. I hasten to add she is not the only one which causes that conundrum to come to mind .... J. PS: Kind wishes for your recovery and hope Coro doesn't over-excite the senses ... if in doubt you could always double down on ther tramadol ...
  17. Ha ha P4P - I knew you would resist the characterisation I bestowed on you as a result of that post - and you didn't disappoint! Funnily enough it's also been said of me more than once that I do not suffer fools gladly. However while I am not "glad" I try not to be vicious and abusive .... And I know all about leopards and spots .... so I knew all too well that the pitbull had only gone into his kennel to nap briefly ... PS: ah yes Darwin .... it is too scary if you consider what is happening demographically in this country ... but that's another whole topic right there ... child poverty? Children aren't supposed to have their wealth measured!!! - but they are supposed to have loving parents who support then financially, emotionally and educationally ... how come so many don't? Could it be something to do with a welfare system which pays people more and more money to have more and more babies - even if they never had the will or ability to raise even one in a responsible way? I told you - DO NOT GET ME STARTED!!! I'm way off topic .....
  18. That articulate, knowledgeable - and dare I say - empathetic post is an example of the P4P I enjoy reading here on the forum. I'm glad that the pitbull P4P is occasionally confined to his kennel and the thoughtful and more noble version is given voice. Cheers. J
  19. Stipes' Rpt: CALL ME ROYAL (M Cameron) - Lay outwards under pressure passing the 400 metres, when questioned regarding performance the rider was unable to offer any excuses other than the horse possibly being better suited by some easing of the ground. A post race veterinary inspection did not reveal any obvious abnormality.
  20. TA - or maybe more so David Ellis - tends to polarise people a bit. Some on here regularly take opportunities to put the boot in as you say - but some are also nauseatingly sycophantic. My opinion of either the entity or the individual is pretty irrelevant and it probably relfects my own situation that I find more magic in stories of the person whose modest home-bred or $5,000 yearling purchase becomes a champion - than the man who can out-bid practically everyone except the sheiks. But this is about the horse and I'm really disappointed for the people who are connected. I felt sad for man & beast yesterday. But I also acknowledge that team had had some real highs already with Gingernuts and it goes to show you should enjoy those highs as this racing game can be a rollercoaster. Most of us in the game have known the sadness of these disappointments - although for most of us they are less public & less dramatic. But no less impactful in their own way. Whether it be the loss of a foal after 11mo gestation, a promisng 3y/o breaking down before even making the races - or whatever. At least with the stakes the horse has won there is plenty there to pay for the best treatment money can buy. Hopefully we'll see him back but if he turns out not to be a racing proposition I wonder if any of the ppl involved will elect to treat & rehab him regardless?
  21. Bugger. He's a good horse - earned his place in the fields and had rotten luck. I'm glad at least he got that nice win the other day for the crew but it must be bitterly disappointing.
  22. Just kidding guys .... Tomorrow's meeting at Awapuni ... Good 3, possibliity of showers in forecast and a history of some issues with the track ... They get some decent crowds at Awapuni this time of year so fingers crossed for a full day's racing. Won't be on track but wish the club all the best. J.
  23. Have you tried givinghim/her a call? I don't know who your trainer is but I can think of one I was involved with years back who wasn't great with giving us the info - but always happy to talk if I phoned him and really accommodating if I wanted to visit the horse so I could report back to the syndicate - couldnt be more hospitable. I just learned - rightly or wrongly - as the manager of the syndicate, if I wanted any sort of info to pass on to the members - I was gonna have to do most of the running! I was a little bit disappointed but once I had figured that out, it's how we rolled - I figured at the trainer's stage of things he was unlikely to change and it was better than getting frustrated waiting by the phone for a call which more often than not wasn't going to come!
  24. Well said. That's it in a nutshell Col.
  25. It's an inexact science this racing malarkey - and things don't always go according to plan. But if the trainer provided that advice in good faith - a follow up call giving an explanation would also been good form perhaps .. We've all been there in some way - my other half was told by his trainer years ago his horse needed the run this time and he didn't expect it to feature in the finish. Most of the syndicate kept their hands in their pockets and well ... Memphis2 knows how this story ends ... (but no money in hubby's pocket as he did take the call!) I have also had the opposite experience - when trainers tell you bloody nothing! You see them on raceday & they still give you no idea how yr horse will go. This is particularly irritating when - whatever the result - the trainer gives the "yeah I was pretty sure that's what would happen ..." I guess maybe they don't want to be held responsible for the owner's punt? - or the owner's b#tching if trainer gets it wrong? - but not being a big punter & having never taken my trainers to task for getting it wrong I personally find the "zero opinion" philosophy frustrating. The trainer has a better idea than anyone how the horse will go so I'd rather receive an honest pre-race opinion even if sometimes it doesn't pan out. J.