Otaki track management seems odd

[Cubes 1,439]

But hold on a sec says Mrs Cubes

Didn't Tiger or somesuch play @ Paraparaparaumu a few years back and Micheal Campbell is from Titahi Bay so the golf must be pretty good down(up) that way...

And the kai moana is okey dokey smokey on Wellingon's Gold Coast so that ticks the seafood box

And even the Cubemeister can BbQ averagely OK if the fodder is choice

So work that out....

[poundforpound 2,513]

1 hour ago, Cubes said:

But hold on a sec says Mrs Cubes

Didn't Tiger or somesuch play @ Paraparaparaumu a few years back and Micheal Campbell is from Titahi Bay so the golf must be pretty good down(up) that way...

And the kai moana is okey dokey smokey on Wellingon's Gold Coast so that ticks the seafood box

And even the Cubemeister can BbQ averagely OK if the fodder is choice

So work that out....

So I guess you’re saying NZTR went up the east side for the Maori thingy and the electric puha Smokey shit ... can’t see any other reason  

[Insider 1,759]

I have just had a look at the forecast for Auckland through to Saturday. It’s almost perfection from the point of view of preparing a perfect track for Derby Day. 

Aucklanders’ please give me a prediction of how it will play. The rating, up front bias, or come from behind, maybe down the outside etc. 

It should be perfect shouldn’t it, or at least up to Wellington this year?

 

[Razy as 10]

On 2/24/2019 at 9:29 PM, Chestnut said:

It's because they don't employ folk that are passionate about it anymore, or people that are prepared to get up in the early hours to check the track and the weather every day of the week, which is what the old guard used to do, believe me I know   ..   unfortunately the passion for the job of track manager isn't what it used to be.   No need for it though...  get some well educated agribusiness graduates on the job and I think you'd solve the problem - they are up to date with satellite images, can do soil testing, are physically fit and passionate about what they do and they also know about grass growth rates, rock bed drainage (predominate in old river valleys ..  Trentham, Manawatu, Otaki). love animals,  and know about developments in soil impacts.

If you want to be a serious business, hire those that are willing to put in the hours because they love what they do.  It's what everyone else in racing does - they love what they do..

 

 

Sounds grand, who is going to pay them. Otaki was a 5 man run course 2-3 years ago, now one! Prob on 45k and doing 60hrs.

[100 1 501]

I'm guessing that if irrigation on older tracks was reduced by 75% the associated problems would cease to exist... how is it the clubs car parks are in better condition  than the course proper?

Tracks would hold up better both in summer and winter.

It seems crazy they spend a fortune on sand and drainage just so they can put copious amounts of water on.

 

 

[Chestnut 2,707]

1 hour ago, Razy as said:

Sounds grand, who is going to pay them. Otaki was a 5 man run course 2-3 years ago, now one! Prob on 45k and doing 60hrs.

Track Managers of yesteryear put in 14 hours a day easy, starting with opening the track for trackwork and ending the day doing a nightwatch around the track and stables - then getting up during the night to move sprinklers or turn them off if needed.  It has always been a physically demanding and time consuming role and I don't doubt that the job of looking after Otaki is an easy one by any measure, especially for one lone soul.   However technology, in general, is helping to lighten that load.

Plus I'm not talking about saving Otaki, I'm talking about track management in general.   Because support staff are diminishing it's important that the skill base is more substantial.   Data analysis, economic forecasting, budgetting, computer skills, communication skills, they are all important in any manager role and you need to couple that up with agricultural and horticultural skills.

I know that it can't happen overnight but NZ racing just doesn't have the financial foundations at the moment to have clubs with lots of different people doing one off roles, I think we need to think smart and put people in place that have a broader job description that encompasses more and contributes more to the running of the club and making each paid position more cost effective.

Just my thoughts on it    Not a royal decree and I'm sure there are others with much better ideas than mine.

 

 

[Razy as 10]

On 2/25/2019 at 11:46 PM, Chestnut said:

Track Managers of yesteryear put in 14 hours a day easy, starting with opening the track for trackwork and ending the day doing a nightwatch around the track and stables - then getting up during the night to move sprinklers or turn them off if needed.  It has always been a physically demanding and time consuming role and I don't doubt that the job of looking after Otaki is an easy one by any measure, especially for one lone soul.   However technology, in general, is helping to lighten that load.

Plus I'm not talking about saving Otaki, I'm talking about track management in general.   Because support staff are diminishing it's important that the skill base is more substantial.   Data analysis, economic forecasting, budgetting, computer skills, communication skills, they are all important in any manager role and you need to couple that up with agricultural and horticultural skills.

I know that it can't happen overnight but NZ racing just doesn't have the financial foundations at the moment to have clubs with lots of different people doing one off roles, I think we need to think smart and put people in place that have a broader job description that encompasses more and contributes more to the running of the club and making each paid position more cost effective.

Just my thoughts on it    Not a royal decree and I'm sure there are others with much better ideas than mine.

 

 

 

I hear you, clubs dont have the money to pay people you are talking about. Clubs use to have sparkies, plumbers, painters and 5 people on the track. Now they have one or 2 that they can pay very little for longer hours

You get an expert or someone with that background you are talking about, it be 70k plus they would want.

very hard spot

[Razy as 10]

On 2/25/2019 at 10:45 PM, 100 1 said:

I'm guessing that if irrigation on older tracks was reduced by 75% the associated problems would cease to exist... how is it the clubs car parks are in better condition  than the course proper?

Tracks would hold up better both in summer and winter.

It seems crazy they spend a fortune on sand and drainage just so they can put copious amounts of water on.

 

 

75% and run on fast 1s good 2s, no trainers would come, they want Dead 4s now!

Grass probably die too

[100 1 501]

Another over watered track yesterday at Counties.

Results influenced by the tap again.

Slow times for summer(chipping out) and best wide and down the outside last few races.

 

 

[100 1 501]

On 2/27/2019 at 9:18 AM, Razy as said:

75% and run on fast 1s good 2s, no trainers would come, they want Dead 4s now!

Grass probably die too

Those same trainers would probably be happy galloping on the beach at low tide. (G1)

I think a flat surface is the key to soundness....see what the experts say.