Polytracks Are They Safe...seems maybe not

[Pam Robson 1,740]

It's been a valuable asset, many use nothing else.

[scooby3051 11,931]

I have heard after the power harrow it is much better...however if they cut corners and tried to save money when installing the track and not put enough material on then this needs investigating, and the key to keeping the track good as it is these past few days is the maintenance program and maybe that is the issue here???? Pam may be able to let us know more as you say she is on the ground there, but this was what I was told anyway.

[Pam Robson 1,740]

I have no information as to the intentions going forward.

[scooby3051 11,931]

Just now, Pam Robson said:

I have no information as to the intentions going forward.

No I was more meaning is it better after the harrowing???

[Pam Robson 1,740]

38 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

No I was more meaning is it better after the harrowing???

Yes, for sure.  Everyone seems very positive.

[scooby3051 11,931]

Hedley I am taking this down it takes up way too much space I f you want to post it again please edit it so it is much more condensed please ...cheers.

[Peter R S 451]

In light of the apparent increased risk to horse and rider, are there any comments on why the noms for Sunday on the synthetic at Awapuni are so poor?

Ours has gone from missing out on grass tracks (can’t make the field) a couple of times, to one of three noms so they will most likely cancel the race!

There does seem to be a real reluctance to enter horses at these synthetic meetings.

[Pete Lane 947]

20 minutes ago, Peter R S said:

In light of the apparent increased risk to horse and rider, are there any comments on why the noms for Sunday on the synthetic at Awapuni are so poor?

Ours has gone from missing out on grass tracks (can’t make the field) a couple of times, to one of three noms so they will most likely cancel the race!

There does seem to be a real reluctance to enter horses at these synthetic meetings.

I think Awapuni is a very different situation from Cambridge.

[We're Doomed 5,370]

1 hour ago, Peter R S said:

In light of the apparent increased risk to horse and rider, are there any comments on why the noms for Sunday on the synthetic at Awapuni are so poor?

Ours has gone from missing out on grass tracks (can’t make the field) a couple of times, to one of three noms so they will most likely cancel the race!

There does seem to be a real reluctance to enter horses at these synthetic meetings.

The trouble with becoming a poly track specialist at Awapuni is that you are pretty much always racing for $17,000 or $18,500. Nothing much to aspire to. At least Riccarton has a couple of summer meetings for higher stakes.

[Insider 4,520]

1 hour ago, Pete Lane said:

I think Awapuni is a very different situation from Cambridge.

Why?

[stodge 2,222]

30 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

The trouble with becoming a poly track specialist at Awapuni is that you are pretty much always racing for $17,000 or $18,500. Nothing much to aspire to. At least Riccarton has a couple of summer meetings for higher stakes.

That's where synthetic surface racing started here in the 1990s and to be honest 95% of races are still low-value low-grade races - at Newcastle this evening we have an eight race Tapeta card, four Class 5 races and four Class 6 races so bargain basement stuff. The Class 5 races go for about £3,750 to the winner and the Class 6 races for less than £3,000 so it's peanuts and no one in NZ would race for that kind of money but we do.

Over time, the idea of having some better races on the synthetic surfaces developed and we now have a Group 3 (the Winter Derby at Southwell), a few Listed races and the All Weather Championship Finals day on Good Friday (£1 million prize money spread across Class 2 races). As I mentioned the other day, there looks an opening to run longer distance races for the juveniles in June and July - why not a Group 3 1800m race for the 2-y-os at Cambridge for example?

[nomates 4,512]

51 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

The trouble with becoming a poly track specialist at Awapuni is that you are pretty much always racing for $17,000 or $18,500. Nothing much to aspire to. At least Riccarton has a couple of summer meetings for higher stakes.

And where do you go once you have reached the ratings limit .

[Insider 4,520]

11 minutes ago, nomates said:

And where do you go once you have reached the ratings limit .

This year one went from three wins (I think) straight to the 2000gns and won having his first start on the grass or weeds as the Americans call the turf. 

[stodge 2,222]

2 hours ago, Insider said:

This year one went from three wins (I think) straight to the 2000gns and won having his first start on the grass or weeds as the Americans call the turf. 

Yes, NOTABLE SPEECH who also won the Sussex at Goodwood.

Plenty of very good horses have run on the synthetic surfaces up here - ENABLE being one good example.

There was initially reluctance from some senior trainers to run horses on synthetic surfaces - one of the first to break that view was John Gosden who had worked in America and seen artificial surfaces used there. The newer surfaces (Polytrack and especially Tapeta) are miles ahead of the original Equitrack or Fibresand. We don't have Strathayr in the UK.

[nomates 4,512]

9 hours ago, Insider said:

This year one went from three wins (I think) straight to the 2000gns and won having his first start on the grass or weeds as the Americans call the turf. 

Talented but there wouldn't be many that could do that .

[Pete Lane 947]

12 hours ago, Insider said:

Why?

Because Cambridge seems to functioning better. Just my opinion so don’t jump down my throat.

[racingoutsider 86]

4 minutes ago, Pete Lane said:

Because Cambridge seems to functioning better. Just my opinion so don’t jump down my throat.

Yes. The NZTR data supports that. A fatality rate of 0.52 at Cambridge cf. 0.81 across all 3 synthetics suggest that the injury rate at the other two is much higher. Balcombe also said that at the road show and that they are investigating why that might be.

[Blue 1,141]

12 hours ago, Insider said:

This year one went from three wins (I think) straight to the 2000gns and won having his first start on the grass or weeds as the Americans call the turf. 

Just as an aside, though he's a 2000 Gns winner, if he goes to stud is he likely to be stigmatised if the majority of his wins are on synthetic?

Just wondering.

[Insider 4,520]

1 hour ago, Pete Lane said:

Because Cambridge seems to functioning better. Just my opinion so don’t jump down my throat.

Pete, I didn't jump down your throat, I simply asked you why you thought "Awapuni is a very different situation from Cambridge"

I wasn't aware of there being a difference. There shouldn't be as the same company constructed them.

I was certainly aware that they can be prepared differently, as I have previously posted when a horse of mine ran an excellent 2nd and then failed on Cambridge 3 weeks later when the track was prepared very deeply and the times were approximately 3 seconds slower per race.

[Pete Lane 947]

37 minutes ago, Insider said:

Pete, I didn't jump down your throat, I simply asked you why you thought "Awapuni is a very different situation from Cambridge"

I wasn't aware of there being a difference. There shouldn't be as the same company constructed them.

I was certainly aware that they can be prepared differently, as I have previously posted when a horse of mine ran an excellent 2nd and then failed on Cambridge 3 weeks later when the track was prepared very deeply and the times were approximately 3 seconds slower per race.

What I meant was that field sizes are generally better at Cambridge. Of course, that could be just because it has a bigger horse population.

[Pete Lane 947]

I do find it interesting though that it was mentioned on here about the small Te Akau contingent that ran at Ellerslie but they have 5 nominated at Awapuni.

[scooby3051 11,931]

I can categorically state that all the three Poly tracks were built exactly the same and correct layers of materials following the instructions from the manufacturers and their standard design. Absolutely NO corners were cut or money saved by using less or lower grade materials, this is absolutely untrue and a malicious rumour. Just to get the facts out there in the interests of fair and balanced debate.

[racingoutsider 86]

24 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

I can categorically state that all the three Poly tracks were built exactly the same and correct layers of materials following the instructions from the manufacturers and their standard design. Absolutely NO corners were cut or money saved by using less or lower grade materials, this is absolutely untrue and a malicious rumour. Just to get the facts out there in the interests of fair and balanced debate.

Are you saying that Scooby, or are you quoting someone?

I don't think many are concerned about whether or not that was the case. Rather, that the maintenance, including keeping the materials topped up to specifications on a regular basis, is occuring as it should.

[Canterbury Man 51]

1 hour ago, scooby3051 said:

I can categorically state that all the three Poly tracks were built exactly the same and correct layers of materials following the instructions from the manufacturers and their standard design. Absolutely NO corners were cut or money saved by using less or lower grade materials, this is absolutely untrue and a malicious rumour. Just to get the facts out there in the interests of fair and balanced debate.

But was the fill the same?  Surely not given the different environments.

[scooby3051 11,931]

It was as recommended by the manufacturer for the specific location.I think the probably know what's best.