Jumps racing

[Crow]

You will be able to sit back and see Kevin Myers collect the majority of stakes on offer as the season starts.

[Zakhu]

Don't forget about Mark Oulaghan, a lot of his horses have been hitting the line very well in the heighweight's so far. 

Also Shaun Fannin seems to have a few nice up and comers as well. 

[Zakhu]

Seemed to be doing alright for jockey's with fields of around 10 in the heighweights but now we get to the first day of jumps racing and we have fields of 4 and 5. Disappointing. Where are the jockey's now?

[Zakhu]

Thoughts for today's jumps races:

Race 1 (Hurdle): #5 Sweet Taboo

Race 2 (Chase): #3 Torque Time + #2 Hey Happy. Fitness runs on the flat crucial for jumpers at the start of the season. 

Anyone else have thoughts on the day??

 

[Pak Star]

Te Akau seem to be bringing up a couple of nice ones too since they threw their hat in the ring. 

[nomates]

1 hour ago, Pak Star said:

Te Akau seem to be bringing up a couple of nice ones too since they threw their hat in the ring. 

Already sent one of their jumpers to Aus , Fierce Flight ? raced last Sunday in a jumps race .

[Blue]

9 minutes ago, nomates said:

Already sent one of their jumpers to Aus , Fierce Flight ? raced last Sunday in a jumps race .

Leaderboard ran second in a minor nrace in a small field last week but The Mighty Spar never fired a shot. Just as hard to win over there.

[kdt]

I appreciate that it's day 1 of the jumping season and on a good 4 track but a hurdle field of 4 and a steeple of 5 is hadly inspiring. I would be interested to know a ball park figure as to how many jumpers are in work for this season. The jumps scene in the South Island I don't believe is that flash esp. steeplechasers. 

[rdytdy]

7 minutes ago, kdt said:

I appreciate that it's day 1 of the jumping season and on a good 4 track but a hurdle field of 4 and a steeple of 5 is hadly inspiring. I would be interested to know a ball park figure as to how many jumpers are in work for this season. The jumps scene in the South Island I don't believe is that flash esp. steeplechasers. 

They don't have jumps racing down South bar the Riccarton Grand national meeting. 

[kdt]

5 minutes ago, rdytdy said:

They don't have jumps racing down South bar the Riccarton Grand national meeting. 

So it's worse than I realised. Almost total reliance on horses from the North Island to run the Grand National programme. How sustainable is that? I don't think it is. 

[pogo(aus)]

5 minutes ago, kdt said:

So it's worse than I realised. Almost total reliance on horses from the North Island to run the Grand National programme. How sustainable is that? I don't think it is. 

you only have to look at the warrnambool carnival to realise what can be done with a bit of effort and promotion   !!!!!!!!!

it wont happen overnight but it will happen , n0?

[kdt]

2 minutes ago, pogo(aus) said:

you only have to look at the warrnambool carnival to realise what can be done with a bit of effort and promotion   !!!!!!!!!

it wont happen overnight but it will happen , n0?

Love the Warrnambool carnival. I would be intrigued to know what Entain are thinking right now about the jumps scene in NZ and the situation in the South Island. It can't just be Riccarton in August. 

[Pak Star]

From what I noticed last season, there appears to be only maiden class and open class?  And given its often same old same old with the horses winning the open class, it must be hard to keep the bills paid once they are in that middle ground between classes

[stodge]

KHAFEEF, who was fourth in the steeplechase, was bred by Shadwell up here and I'm sure they had bigger ambitions than running round northern New Zealand over fences.

He raced in France in 2019 and won a 2400m race at Le Touquet but that was his only win in four starts.

If you want to revitalise NZ jump racing come to the UK and Ireland and spread the word - at Stratford (the home of Mr Shakespeare) this afternoon the Class 4 handicap chase nets the winning owner less than £4k (or $8000) yet you have jumps races for £15k. Without being unkind, I'm sure there are plenty of NH horses up here who could compete with your chasers and hurdlers - I mean, if Willie Mullins sent over a plane load of his third-raters, he'd probably clean up.

Why not create a satellite yard for British and Irish jumpers in NZ - again, it's an alternative to our summer jumping for the fast ground types. Plenty of logistical issues but where there's a will there's usually a dead person (sorry).

Have a look at the French racing model - in France they have meetings with trotting, flat turf, ordinary jumps and cross country jumps races in the provinces. Imagine a venue where all four exist and you could stage any kind of meeting you like. I have to say the French trotting races (both Monte and Attele which mean ridden and attached so one is where there's a jockey and the other where there's a driver) seem well attended for all some of the tracks look to be in grotty industrial estates.

Just a few thoughts from a long way away but I enjoy jump racing and there's a place for it. I don't know how many of you watched the Grand National last weekend - it's not the race it was (that's another debate) but it's still visually spectacular. Run the Great Northern or the National for $2,000,000 and invite foreign runners - make it the jump equivalent of the Melbourne Cup.

Final thought - the grass roots - pony club racing, point to points - both have to be nourished and developed to keep a flow of jockeys and horses. Import two or three jumping stallions from up here.

[fermoy]

And those European bred horses haven't got a bad record in Australia's major staying races in the last 20 years or so either have they?

[gubellini]

Number of jumps jockeys is a worry. One of our most experienced Matthew Cropp broke a leg at a recent Hunt. Could be out for a year.

[Pam Robson]

On 4/21/2024 at 8:12 PM, stodge said:

KHAFEEF, who was fourth in the steeplechase, was bred by Shadwell up here and I'm sure they had bigger ambitions than running round northern New Zealand over fences.

He raced in France in 2019 and won a 2400m race at Le Touquet but that was his only win in four starts.

If you want to revitalise NZ jump racing come to the UK and Ireland and spread the word - at Stratford (the home of Mr Shakespeare) this afternoon the Class 4 handicap chase nets the winning owner less than £4k (or $8000) yet you have jumps races for £15k. Without being unkind, I'm sure there are plenty of NH horses up here who could compete with your chasers and hurdlers - I mean, if Willie Mullins sent over a plane load of his third-raters, he'd probably clean up.

Why not create a satellite yard for British and Irish jumpers in NZ - again, it's an alternative to our summer jumping for the fast ground types. Plenty of logistical issues but where there's a will there's usually a dead person (sorry).

Have a look at the French racing model - in France they have meetings with trotting, flat turf, ordinary jumps and cross country jumps races in the provinces. Imagine a venue where all four exist and you could stage any kind of meeting you like. I have to say the French trotting races (both Monte and Attele which mean ridden and attached so one is where there's a jockey and the other where there's a driver) seem well attended for all some of the tracks look to be in grotty industrial estates.

Just a few thoughts from a long way away but I enjoy jump racing and there's a place for it. I don't know how many of you watched the Grand National last weekend - it's not the race it was (that's another debate) but it's still visually spectacular. Run the Great Northern or the National for $2,000,000 and invite foreign runners - make it the jump equivalent of the Melbourne Cup.

Final thought - the grass roots - pony club racing, point to points - both have to be nourished and developed to keep a flow of jockeys and horses. Import two or three jumping stallions from up here.

Lovely ideas, Stodge, but the jumps game is kaput here.  One year, two, but its finished.  Doesn't fit the agenda of the management - much as the idea of seeing numbers of UK/Irish horses would be hugely exciting for some - but not enough to change some very fixed opinions.

[pogo(aus)]

but the jumps game is kaput here.  One year, two, but its finished.  Doesn't fit the agenda of the management 

maybe they should fly over and head to warrnambool next week, they might find a one bedroom unit available in port fairy or koroit, such is the demand and influence on the economy of the area.

they might also note the VIBE ......( whatever happened to that bloke? ) the atmosphere,  the excitement , enjoyment and positivity and craic this carnival delivers year in and year out, n0?

 

 

[mr_gee]

theres a  hastings stable  ticking along nicely

[gubellini]

Jump trials at Cambridge today. 4 heats. 14 runners. 6 jockeys. Numbers not looking flash at this early stage.

[Zakhu]

16 minutes ago, gubellini said:

Jump trials at Cambridge today. 4 heats. 14 runners. 6 jockeys. Numbers not looking flash at this early stage.

Numbers have never been too great in the Northern region for the past couple of seasons. If you go back you will notice that is a common trend (unfortunately). 

Central Districts make up the majority of jumpers in the country. 

At least both heighweights at Matamata on Friday have fields of 12 and there are 12 jockey's there as well.

[Zakhu]

I see Troy Harris is riding in the heighweight's on Friday at Matamata. Is he planning to ride over the sticks this Winter?

[Fiery Falcon]

Can i make a suggestion ring him up and report back????????????????????//

[Zakhu]

1 hour ago, Fiery Falcon said:

Can i make a suggestion ring him up and report back????????????????????//

Listen her you knob, this is a public forum where we each get to share out thoughts and ask questions. I answer questions for some and ask when I am keen for an answer on others. Someone else might now they might not, it's part and parcel of this. Don't come out and have a go at me. 

[Pak Star]

Good to see Troy back in action.  Anyone know where Temyia Taiaroa has been?  I would call her up and ask, but that might be a bit weird...