Sorry Nerula but it's not in my head or many others I know .  How many synthetic trials are canned because of a lack of numbers ?  why are NZTR taking open noms for upcoming Cambridge and Awapuni meetings ? would it be because they are worried about the poor numbers over the last couple of seasons ?

Stodge, I think  that the issue is in the dissenters head in NZ. The top trainers seem happy to trial and race horses on the AWT.

What next ????    Trump to accept luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One   CNN —  The Trump administration is set to accept a luxury plane from the Qatari royal family that will be retrofitted and used as Air Force One during the president’s second term, two people familiar with the agreement told CNN. The news comes as President Donald Trump embarks Monday on his first major foreign trip, which includes a stop in Doha, Qatar. Given the massive value of a Boeing 747-8, the move is unprecedented and raises substantial ethical and legal questions. A Qatari official said the plane is technically being gifted from the Qatari Ministry of Defense to the Pentagon, describing it more as a government-to-government transaction instead of a personal one. The Defense Department will then retrofit the plane for the president’s use with security features and modifications. The plan is for the plane to be donated to Trump’s presidential library after he leaves office, ensuring he can continue to use it, according to a person familiar. “Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate,” Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché to the US, said Sunday. “The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” he said. Within the Secret Service, the potential gifting of a plane by a foreign government for presidential use is being viewed as a “security nightmare,” a law enforcement source told CNN. “The (US Air Force) would have to tear it apart looking for surveillance equipment and inspect the integrity of the plane,” the source said. ABC News first reported on the new plane. Trump and aides toured the plane earlier this year at the airport in Palm Beach, Florida, and it is expected to be in use within two years, one person told CNN. Following his tour, Trump has boasted to people around him about how luxurious the plane was. “President Trump is touring a new Boeing plane to checkout the new hardware/technology,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement at the time.

This season the top 6 sires have kept their amazing records and even Bettors Delight has remained no. 1 helped a lot by having 2838 foals of racing age,Art Major is no.2 with1333 foals.The next is Downbytheseaside who only has 343 foals. SimilarlySweet lou 621, and Always b Miki 561 are doing a great job .As usual Capt treacherous with only 189 foals is a big standout in the top 6 . I do wonder if it is fair to rank sires by money won only  as a list showing average earnings per foal would be interesting and change rankings (ps watch for the future if Lazarus can get more foals as he is doing very well with only 18 foals over 2 years of age )

That is one of the good things about our industry at times like this we all rally around each other and give support to those who are in need of it. Times like these prove we must enjoy each and every day as we never know what the future holds for us.

Michael McCarthy was in Kentucky May 11 to watch Journalism train, but said a decision on entering the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) would not be made until May 12, the day of entries.View the full article

Fletcher bought site in 2021, earthworks now advanced, first four homes nearly finished.View the full article

Just found my comment from last July about RULING COURT on his debut at Sandown. I see he's 4/1 for the Derby and 6/1 for the St James's Palace.

I can't speak to that, my friend.  Apart from fog or high winds, which can cancel meetings irrespective of the surface, synthetic surfaces should be able to deal with rain, frost, snow or whatever.  The truth is synthetic surfaces need harrowing and other maintenance and can be tailored to provide a Standard or a Standard to Slow or even Slow surface if required. 

With six days to go until the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course, Bob Baffert-trained Goal Oriented recorded a half-mile in :47 3/5 at Churchill Downs May 11.View the full article

Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square, a troubled sixth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is being pointed to the $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs June 8, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.View the full article

New Zealand's biggest racehorse buyer joins its most elite club.View the full article

Probably more the former than the latter imo Stodge.

Without wishing to put my gonads in a pond full of piranhas, all I can tell you from up here is the synthetic (NOT all weather) surfaces have been an absolute godsend to UK, Irish and French racing and betting. They provide an income stream for, let's be honest, the middle and lower ranking owners, trainers and jockeys during the winter months when we can't race on grass and, as other have mentioned, some very good horses have started their career on them. Have there been problems? Undoubtedly - in the early days (1990s), surfaces like Equitrack and Fibresand had their issues but nowadays, the main complaint is more about the prize money but that's another matter. That begs the question - what are the UK, Ireland and France doing right or what is NZ doing wrong? There was cultural resistance up here in the early days but when it became clear the synthetic surfaces provided a safe place for horses to run in midwinter when grass racing was impossible, that faded.  A synthetic surface should be useable 120-150 days a year if properly maintained and laid - is that the problem? 

Agree entirely Leigh I cannot fathom why an investment with no return is being applied, no sense in doing so that I can see. Very odd

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360685083/fatal-quad-bike-crash-waikato-3-others-injured   very sad news filtering through this evening thats for sure. Cambridge community will be in shock

Seems like the quad bike accident has attachments deep within the thoroughbred family...as we are all a big family at times like these...thoughts and prayers go out to all involved...terribly sad accident.

UK started with a 10% Tariff and that is what they have now. It is a "Claytons Deal". 

Just back and re read your posts over the last couple of years and admit to yourself that you are a racist. I am sure that you will claim that some of your best friends are Maoris or else you had Maori neighbours so you cannot be a racist

Agreed Hokey I presume this is what you are on about , isn't it amazing how sanctions are still an option I thought they had already been applied to the maximum  President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland agreed on May 10 to impose additional sanctions against Russia if the Kremlin does not accept their proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. The European proposal for the 30-day ceasefire is backed by the United States, which first called for a complete month-long truce between Russia and Ukraine in March. Kyiv at the time agreed to the plan, but Russia refused to accept an unconditional ceasefire and insisted Ukraine first give up all foreign military aid. "(The nations) agreed that if Russia refuses a full and unconditional ceasefire, stronger sanctions should be applied to its banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the five leaders said in a joint statement.