crustyngrizzly 1,682 Report post Posted December 28, 2018 New years day only 6 races carded with 60 horses. Whats up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rum 1,833 Report post Posted December 28, 2018 1 hour ago, crustyngrizzly said: New years day only 6 races carded with 60 horses. Whats up? 25 runners from 1 stable. Not a serious meeting I'd say. Good on the stable for propping meeting up and good luck to them but about as poor a betting medium as I've ever seen. Called off if someone spits on track anyway. Only thing I will have a look is how Nevis goes, ex Lingfield Derby trial winner five years back for Ballydoyle and Ryan Moore. Out of Epsom Oaks second , Irish Oaks winner Moonstone , brother to US Army Ranger an ex Epsom Derby Fav and a couple other decent horses. Been with Team Williams a few years. I think Mr Pitman has kept club going past 10 years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdt 291 Report post Posted December 28, 2018 This is one of the tracks that Messara wants to keep open, which has me completely at a loss. There always seems to be an issue down that way re horse numbers at meetings be it Kurow/Waikouaiti/Omakau at this time of the year and one of them misses out. With Timaru today and all the other meetings including the coast circuit coming up I just don't think there is the horse population to support so many meetings and probably has not been for a long time. Just an opinion. We're Doomed and THE TORCH 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rum 1,833 Report post Posted December 28, 2018 13 minutes ago, kdt said: This is one of the tracks that Messara wants to keep open, which has me completely at a loss. There always seems to be an issue down that way re horse numbers at meetings be it Kurow/Waikouaiti/Omakau at this time of the year and one of them misses out. With Timaru today and all the other meetings including the coast circuit coming up I just don't think there is the horse population to support so many meetings and probably has not been for a long time. Just an opinion. Never been Waikouaiti to races but drove down the course area once on way back from Rugby , to be honest looks a swampy old place but was midwinter. There seems to be a muddy stream like thing on inside of home straight as well but maybe mistaken as only seen it on TV. In no way knocking the Pitman stable but seriously it's rubbish for betting off course. Hopefully on course it's a lovely sunny day and race goers have a great time and stable making big effort have ton winners . But like Kumara it's one to have a pretty good feeling weather wise if you driving a decent distance or its dollars out door on gas and waste time effort when it's canned. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coro fan 93 Report post Posted December 28, 2018 Maybe the trainers are voting with their feet and supporting the clubs they want to stay open.......... Pam Robson, napier and We're Doomed 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crustyngrizzly 1,682 Report post Posted December 31, 2018 18 scratchings by my count. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Robson 1,536 Report post Posted December 31, 2018 59 minutes ago, crustyngrizzly said: 18 scratchings by my count. 46 runners [ by mine ] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rum 1,833 Report post Posted December 31, 2018 17 minutes ago, Pam Robson said: 46 runners [ by mine ] It's bit bad , hopefully trainers saving horses for Coast circuit . How much would betfair pay for racefields for that meeting. 5 bucks at most. I suppose another way of looking at it is if big crowd , loads kids , lots fun for them , if maybe a few per cent have happy memories of day they head back when they are older , start to get into it and that's a few of next generation captured. Maybe a few of smaller ones think, I'd love to be jockey . Bit like a loss leader at supermarket , turnover not be all and end all at these summer meets. Never really seen boozed up idiots at these meets either, even Kumara worst I've seen is the nude drunks racing down final 200 chased by security , was quite funny to be fair . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted December 31, 2018 It would be nice to hear from some owners or trainers why there is no interest in Waikouaiti. It is sad to see a meeting that attracts good crowds getting virtually no horses. Is it because of the stakes, the track surface, the fact they only run two distances, poor and unimaginative programming, too many meetings too close together, or some other reason? Perhaps the time has come for Waikouaiti to swap dates with Timaru, or give up altogether. What it does show is the stupidity of that Aussie who thought Waikouaiti should be retained and Timaru and Oamaru closed. Beggars belief really and I tend to judge the rest of the report based on those bits of obvious incompetence. Personally I do feel the dates and programming are totally unimaginative in the South at this time of year: No 2yo race, only one 3yo race, and that over 1,200 ( when Auckland is running 3yos over 1,600m and 2,000m), no race for 3yo fillies. No imagination whatsoever really. The signs have been there for many years and it is finally coming home to roost. The Coast doesn't look much better. napier 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad 1,539 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 5 hours ago, Red Rum said: It's bit bad , hopefully trainers saving horses for Coast circuit . How much would betfair pay for racefields for that meeting. 5 bucks at most. I suppose another way of looking at it is if big crowd , loads kids , lots fun for them , if maybe a few per cent have happy memories of day they head back when they are older , start to get into it and that's a few of next generation captured. Maybe a few of smaller ones think, I'd love to be jockey . Bit like a loss leader at supermarket , turnover not be all and end all at these summer meets. Never really seen boozed up idiots at these meets either, even Kumara worst I've seen is the nude drunks racing down final 200 chased by security , was quite funny to be fair . Just had a look at greymouth nominations, just average to be fair, so all clubs battling for horses, kumara overrated, last time I went they had the first race and then the helicopter came out to dry the track, but to no avail, about 3 or 4 cancellations, since, one of many tracks to be fiddled with, and like many others have had issues. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rum 1,833 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 3 minutes ago, Shad said: Just had a look at greymouth nominations, just average to be fair, so all clubs battling for horses, kumara overrated, last time I went they had the first race and then the helicopter came out to dry the track, but to no avail, about 3 or 4 cancellations, since, one of many tracks to be fiddled with, and like many others have had issues. Hahaha Shad ,I was at the top bend that day, all set , picnic , games for kids , one race one loser , kids loved the helicopter . Never seen that on track before or since. Quite a number hung around after drinking and punting on away meetings but not the same. First time I went Kumara I was over on hols , Vivz or something like that won Nuggets , pissed down most day and track was dead set flooded as it splashed through. Kumara had bad run for few years so hope it survives For me Omoto my favorite coast track. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad 1,539 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 Ray Harris trained vivz from memory, was handy round the coast, just like many of his team, not a great track to be at with heavy rain, unless use have your gunboots on, been some nice winners of the nuggets over the years. We're Doomed 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rum 1,833 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 1 minute ago, Shad said: Ray Harris trained vivz from memory, was handy round the coast, just like many of his team, not a great track to be at with heavy rain, unless use have your gunboots on, been some nice winners of the nuggets over the years. That's the one 1996 . Myers always the stable on coast now. Love that Scapolo , hope it's in this year somewhere .Overtheriver should go OK, he was smashed over last week in Manawatu Cup on bend and all bar won with 60kgs, flew home , 5 kgs more than next runner. I see couple the regular North Island battlers got a few in . Though Nevis went ok today , trip track didn't suit but boxed on OK under topweight for 9 year old gelding first up. Nuggets horse maybe ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Robson 1,536 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 Waikouaiti used to have a good 3 yr old race - the Blue Riband- over 1800 m....and with Kurow having an 1800m 3 & 4 yr old race, worked well. Programming committees have a lot to answer for. Recent abandonments at both Waikouaiti and Kumara have affected trainer interest but overall the lack of numbers reflects NZTR policies and the dramatic dropoff of horse numbers....as well as spiralling travel and other costs. To a degree, clubs such as Blenheim/Nelson/Westport used to be part of a circuit, and did their bit to defray costs by providing cooked breakfasts on course for staff and trainers, this made a huge difference to trainers faced with accommodation costs for stable staff.. But NZTR in their wisdom split off and chopped up the traditional ' circuits ' and those meetings, on their own, have just faded away. We're Doomed, napier, elbow and 1 other 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 11 minutes ago, Pam Robson said: Waikouaiti used to have a good 3 yr old race - the Blue Riband- over 1800 m....and with Kurow having an 1800m 3 & 4 yr old race, worked well. Programming committees have a lot to answer for. Recent abandonments at both Waikouaiti and Kumara have affected trainer interest but overall the lack of numbers reflects NZTR policies and the dramatic dropoff of horse numbers....as well as spiralling travel and other costs. To a degree, clubs such as Blenheim/Nelson/Westport used to be part of a circuit, and did their bit to defray costs by providing cooked breakfasts on course for staff and trainers, this made a huge difference to trainers faced with accommodation costs for stable staff.. But NZTR in their wisdom split off and chopped up the traditional ' circuits ' and those meetings, on their own, have just faded away. The Cadbury's Blue Riband did struggle for numbers, and I think it may have been over 2,000m. Basically though what you are saying is that a lot of the problems are down to poor management of the basics, and that is what no one seems to recognise. It isn't all big picture stuff, it just requires a couple of people with racing knowledge and skills to get things running better. Closing half of the tracks in the country will achieve nothing if the industry isn't being run by competent people. I am not a fan of this current philosophy that every 3yo in the SI must track through the Gore, Dunedin and Southland Guineas. Must be frustrating if you are trainer with a 3yo who wants 1,600m at Xmas time, or with a horse who might be a Derby or Oaks contender.. Interestingly with all of the tiny fields and small numbers there are still horses being balloted out in the SI, which shows the programming isn't right. Quite a few balloted horses have got up to win or place over the last week which shows good horses are potentially missing starts, which must be frustrating for owners. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad 1,539 Report post Posted January 1, 2019 Nelson course was one of the better tracks in its day, but closed many years ago, can remember a trainer of Healey I think, had a good horse called the yapper, who I think was placed in a cup race, may have been Wellington, Westport probably the best course on the coast closed in 1996, never got a big crowd there, tried different months of the year to no avail, the trots do well there only cause the xmas date, the march meeting like the gallops battles, just not the visitors as xmas meeting gets, thoroughbred numbers are dropping off I guess due to the costs involved, shame to lose some of these iconic venues, as they appeal to me much more than metropolitan meetings. elbow 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...