Ellerslie track issues

[Memphis3 1,320]

Poor Wilcox was crying before the first meeting. I bet he’s crying now . Nearly feel sorry for him. 

[scooby3051 11,317]

There is supposedly jump outs there tomorrow...wonder why??/

[Insider 4,237]

1 minute ago, scooby3051 said:

There is supposedly jump outs there tomorrow...wonder why??/

To help it bed in I guess?

[scooby3051 11,317]

55 minutes ago, Chris Wood said:

Give Ellerslie a chance for gods sake, it needs to be used, have racing on it, maybe trials, it needs to get bedded in….

Chris there are to many sore horses after that meeting for some questions not to be asked, or should we just close one eye and hope everything works out???

[Leggy 4,185]

3 minutes ago, Insider said:

To help it bed in I guess?

Or maybe to get some good feedback from horses not going at racing speeds?

[Leggy 4,185]

6 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

Chris there are to many sore horses after that meeting for some questions not to be asked, or should we just close one eye and hope everything works out???

I'm certain Chris wouldn't hop on one in the morning, notice it didn't feel quite right, and send it out for a testing gallop to see if it worked through it. That's what racing on that track to help it "bed in" would amount to. Top jockeys raised questions and horses pulled up sore. It needs to be properly fixed. I'll be curious to know what Strathayr's experts have to say.

[Blue 1,127]

5 minutes ago, Leggy said:

It needs to be properly fixed. I'll be curious to know what Strathayr's experts have to say.

And also be interesting to see what measures are taken - any jumpouts or trials- to consider it entirely safe prior to two big meetings in three weeks.

[canon47 93]

Does some one know whats gone wrong. When given the all clear  The track started with a few horse having a gallop then jump outs followed by serval trails ALL jockeys and most trainers rated the track as the best ever a dream result worth waiting for THEN come race day only a few weeks later its turned to custard !!! were jockeys and trainers gagged by the powers of be from the start by having any negative comments censored 

[Gruff 2,871]

The Moneys spent. They have made claims based on different topography soil types and drainage outfalls internationally now they are in NZ. 

[Houlahan's Dream 556]

1 hour ago, canon47 said:

Does some one know whats gone wrong. When given the all clear  The track started with a few horse having a gallop then jump outs followed by serval trails ALL jockeys and most trainers rated the track as the best ever a dream result worth waiting for THEN come race day only a few weeks later its turned to custard !!! were jockeys and trainers gagged by the powers of be from the start by having any negative comments censored 

You are not going to hear anything critical from the racing media, of the moves made at Ellerslie. 

Guerin et al act more like PR merchants than journos. I get that they are partly there to sell the product, but the lack of transparency around what is clearly a significant issue is alarming. 

[scooby3051 11,317]

I also heard the horse that won the Concorde is another one that might not race again, I know he had previous issues but seems a bit coincidental if this is the case...can anyone confirm.

Totally agree HD there is NO independent media anymore ,just talking heads.

[MHC 19]

I wonder if the track build contract has any defect liability clauses ie problems identified within a certain time period from completion then contractor obligated to rectify at their cost.

[Alf Riston 1,718]

 

Kranji, Happy Valley and Sha Tin all hold significant amount of races per year (Hong Kong over 700), using a mix of Poly & StrathAyr surfaces with somewhat more volatile weather conditions than Auckland.

If all the 'spoken issues' are true, how could they have gotten this so wrong ??

Given the way these Asian tracks manage their programmes, perhaps a Poly track should have been included in the rebuild as well??

Is it a matter of the wrong grass for the conditions? Maybe the structural base concept works, but the racing skin is wrong

I'm no expert, but  I've seen it go wrong with Golf Course development where what seems an ideal mix of grass on paper (based on other areas) comes unstuck when Mother nature starts to play her part.

I'm hoping it's only teething issues as it's been a long time coming .....

 

 

[Keneperu 406]

How much was spent on this track?

 

I suggest they plough it up and plant in spuds in the spring. 

Always got a better lawn after a crop of tatttieees

[pogo(aus) 937]

when is the great northern being run at Ellerslie ??

i love watching the horses run up and down that hill, there is nothing like it anywhere, it's unique n0?

imagine if it that race was marketed well !

whatever you do with the track surface, be it strathayr, kikuyu, couch, paspaylum or sir walter, make sure you keep that hill.

it's irreplaceable

[canon47 93]

Pogo sadly we wont see any jump races at Ellerslie anymore period. Although in saying that their hand might be forced into having the odd hurdle race/meeting

[Fiery Falcon 98]

Face facts mate there will not be any more jumping races at Ellerslie.

They have a great new track.

Will you go Te Aroha to watch the jumping races i doubt it

 

[Pete Lane 747]

3 hours ago, scooby3051 said:

I also heard the horse that won the Concorde is another one that might not race again, I know he had previous issues but seems a bit coincidental if this is the case...can anyone confirm.

Totally agree HD there is NO independent media anymore ,just talking heads.

I think he's been a day to day proposition for a long time Leigh. No idea if the latest issue caused by the track but past evidence would probably lean to the negative.

Bloody shame whatever the reason because he's a very good horse.

[Pete Lane 747]

1 hour ago, pogo(aus) said:

when is the great northern being run at Ellerslie ??

i love watching the horses run up and down that hill, there is nothing like it anywhere, it's unique n0?

imagine if it that race was marketed well !

whatever you do with the track surface, be it strathayr, kikuyu, couch, paspaylum or sir walter, make sure you keep that hill.

it's irreplaceable

The horse has bolted mate.

[Chris Wood 1,606]

I didnt  hear of any pulling up sore, but then again I don’t always converse with fellow trainers each morning, still riding me.

But I will do some research tomorrow or Tuesday from my fellow trainers and let you know what they thought….

My first runner on the track will be Canheroc on Saturday in the Avondale Cup, bit of rain forecast as I see on the Weather report, hope it’s okay….

[pogo(aus) 937]

55 minutes ago, PeteL said:

The horse has bolted mate.

ohhh well, i'll still be able to go to Ellerslie with Zelda and Boris and stroll through the betting ring and have a wager, how many bookies are there on course?

are they in the leger and the flat as well as the paddock ?

nothing like shopping around for the best price on course , it really adds to the atmoscsphere, even if the hill is gone 

[Aaron The Anchor 250]

8 hours ago, scooby3051 said:

Chris there are to many sore horses after that meeting for some questions not to be asked, or should we just close one eye and hope everything works out???

Exactly!! So many negative people just want stuff to fail and get off on it for some reason.  It's strange. What they have done is a HUGE project and it's built in different conditions/climate to other countries.  I think you are naive if you think it's going to be perfect first up.

From all the hit outs prior to that meeting all the jockeys said it was riding extremely firm! Alot knew that going into this meeting. Track prep was rushed to be fair, learn from it and move forward. 

Pretty simple. 

 

 

[scooby3051 11,317]

4 minutes ago, Aaron The Anchor said:

Exactly!! So many negative people just want stuff to fail and get off on it for some reason.  It's strange. What they have done is a HUGE project and it's built in different conditions/climate to other countries.  I think your are naive if you think it's going to be perfect first up.

From all the hit outs prior to that meeting all the jockeys said it was riding extremely firm! Alot knew that going into this meeting. Track prep was rushed to be fair, learn from it and move forward. 

Pretty simple. 

 

 

I aint making this up whoever you are...The biggest stable in the country had some pull up sore ...and there are 4 others I know of...and some others not reported, yes of course there will always be issues with a new track, but not to address them makes no sense ,nothing about wanting to see anything fail...but it needs discussion and rectifying if it is in fact an issue....thats called a discussion .

[Insider 4,237]

3 minutes ago, Aaron The Anchor said:

Exactly!! So many negative people just want stuff to fail and get off on it for some reason.  It's strange. What they have done is a HUGE project and it's built in different conditions/climate to other countries.  I think your are naive if you think it's going to be perfect first up.

From all the hit outs prior to that meeting all the jockeys said it was riding extremely firm! Alot knew that going into this meeting. Track prep was rushed to be fair, learn from it and move forward. 

Pretty simple. 

 

 

Aaron, I hope that you are right because all of the NZ racing industry is relying on it. 

[Aaron The Anchor 250]

3 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

I aint making this up whoever you are...The biggest stable in the country had some pull up sore ...and there are 4 others I know of...and some others not reported, yes of course there will always be issues with a new track, but not to address them makes no sense ,nothing about wanting to see anything fail...but it needs discussion and rectifying if it is in fact an issue....thats called a discussion .

I'm not saying you are making it up at all. But just reading through the comments there are so many negative people (not just on this topic) that love to see stuff fail.

I think that is a big issue if horses are pulling up sore!!! If it's the same in 6 months we have a major problem.

Maybe they have had a play around with preparation and want to see if it's made a difference with hit outs this week?

I remember a major stable that was interviewed saying "we have to work together to help and get the venue/track right. It's a huge step in the right direction" 

I think what they were hinting at is supporting workouts etc as that's where the track staff gather feed back before meetings.