Ashburton Races

[Maurice Bevin 0]

I watched 5 races at Ashburton and not one of them were started on time. The starter Stephanie Payne needs to get her act together.

[STRAIGHT STRIKE 37]

or are you after her job ?

[Maurice Bevin 0]

Can't afford me.

[laadeedaa 0]

It must be a trend down here in the south, Oamaru was late last week too! I know they had issues but its a disgrace!! Why can they not get there act together and start on time?? Horses coming into the birdcage 3/4 minutes before the race is hopeless!!!

Northern & Central are always mostly on time, maybe 60-90seconds but not 4+minutes!!

C'mon peoples, start on time for a change please!!!

[Maurice Bevin 0]

Possibly the same starter there as well???

[Mardy 475]

I don't think it was Stephanie Payne @ Oamaru.Pretty sure she does the Canterbury area.

[laadeedaa 0]

Different starter, one of the Kennedy brothers I think but they both are in the same boat!

[Maurice Bevin 0]

So why are the stewards not addressing this issue and if they can not get the races on time fine them?

[laadeedaa 0]

Overpaid RIU not doing their jobs again!

Makes it hard for everyone, punters get less time to see the horses, less TV time, hard for the race callers and not a good look for all involved!

[Maurice Bevin 0]

Maybe Cameron George needs to address this issue.

The stewards were good at dishing out $100 fines for trainers with the incorrect gear. Now make sure the races are started on time???

[southerngal 0]

Horses being presented to the birdcage late is not the fault of the starter nor is it their job to educate horses at the barrier. I only saw one race yesterday and yes it started late but the crew did a great job with fractious horses. We all know the industry is going thru tough times be nice to see focus on some positives for a change they are there.

[Maurice Bevin 0]

if the horses are presented late then the stewards are not doing their job.

So what is happening to the rules of racing?

[greyhoundfever 0]

I wouldn't be so concerned when they are the only races going on early on a sunday morning, prob just trying to get a bit of extra turnover,they are not holding anyone else up, when the wall to wall racing starts up then yes they need to go on time.

[fordman 1]

theres a lot the stewards aren't addressing

[Hillside 0]

So what if some races ran abit late, have you ever watched Aussie races, they are always well over time. Your dealing with horses and some not very well educated ones that seem to come from the same people most of the time.

Its abit hard to ran on time when horses are sent to the start on start time, you can't blame the starter for that.

Just to let you know something that you wouldn't know, EVERY race was started on time the week before at Riccarton and Stephaine was the starter and your right Marty, she don't do Oamaru, Peter Kennedy does.

So give her and her staff a break, they do their best with some bad horses, it's easy sitting on the couch watching the clock.

[Furlong 0]

Stephanie Payne has been by far the best starter at Riccarton for years, in getting fields away evenly and usually without too much bother.

[Pam 1]

I think the extremely cold, blustery nor wester didn't help, a lot of horses were very fractious in the conditions. At least there aren't as many false starts as at the trots.

You lot obviously don't watch the races from Hong Kong and Singapore they are never on time - often at least 5 minutes over - you are a pack of moaners.

[DICKSON CIDER 9]

The starter can only start lining them up when they are around at the start.

If they arrive around late it ain't the starters fault if the race isn't started on time.

[John Clydesdale 229]

I think the extremely cold, blustery nor wester didn't help, a lot of horses were very fractious in the conditions. At least there aren't as many false starts as at the trots.

You lot obviously don't watch the races from Hong Kong and Singapore they are never on time - often at least 5 minutes over - you are a pack of moaners.

Pam, they don't need to worry in either juristiction as there is not any betting competition in SH terms. They are also too early for NH concerns as well.

I don't know if it is still applicable, but previously the terms of Saturday racing were that if you ran a minute late you missed the opportunity of telecast in Australia. It may still be the case. I am not sure about Sunday racing.

I watched a race yesterday and to me it appeared the ground staff were incompetent. They ran over 3 minutes late trying to load seven horses and they appeared to not be working as a team. Sorry guys.

Winds, late arrivals etc are issues you work around and manage. But to be three miuntes late and there is not vet inspection, no released horses, no re shoeing.......unprofessional!