Correct 

I'd say that would explain the majority of defections along with significant distance change and possibly horses not pre-conditioned for synthetic surface racing.

So the 200K bonus is only for Book 3 purchases ???

I agree they were sold as one thing and have ended up being another. I know from working with them in Asia they can cause catastrophic injuries if not maintained and managed correctly. The thing I cant get over is that the three we have all seem to look different but I do not know if some of the materials used in each place were different. I would not like to race a good horse on them, for me they are too tight and very boring to watch also. I was surprised last year to see the photos of Riccarton that were wildly circulated but I believe now those issues have been addressed and rectified.

To be fair, the Riccarton scratchings were because trainers accepted thinking they would be racing on a heavy 10 and accepted with horses suited to that. Most of those horses were not ones that had a natural liking for a firm AWT. Connections were given no compensation for that significant change of venue. As Nomates says, it is a dead end if you have a horse suited to AWTs as they largely end up racing for $17,000, with only a few token exceptions. The SI is not a fair indication of trainers enthusiasm for the AWTs. Southern horses have the Claytons option of racing on the AWT or not at all. Awapuni and Cambridge are probably better indications of trainers enthusiasm for the AWTs.

Inside the Goshen Harness Racing Museum, New York:  

It’s scheduled to be held at Awapuni along with the whole of the HBJC Spring Carnival except for the first let of the Triple Crown, the Tarzino Stakes which is going to Ellerslie.  I guess nearly everything depends on how Awapuni performs once racing starts there again.  Hopefully the problems are resolved, the track consolidates or does what it needs to and we have a fantastic Spring. 

I mentioned the other week that there is clearly an issue around numbers , it has been clear that numbers have not been good outside of Riccarton , and some suggest that is because opportunities are limited for grass track racing during the wet months . Cambridge and Awapuni have programmed open nom's for their meetings for the foreseeable future , so they will see how many nom for a specific distance then make fields up from there , so I would think there will be many 1 race winners racing against higher rated horses .  This in my books is an admission that they are worried about getting sufficient numbers , going to be interesting .

Thanks for the US data Leggy, it appears that the synthetic has the smallest percentages of fatalities per 1000 runs.  The synthetic also has the smallest number of runs. What is  not clear is the calibre of horse running, Riccarton last week was the first black type race on synthetic. Can an all weather winner  compete on grass ? any examples of success on both?

There was a couple who scratched all their runners I believe , the Tyler stable scr'd all but 2 , one having raced and won on them in Q'land and the other needing a run because it was heading over there . Anna Furlong the other ? Both stated their horses required wet tracks to be competitive . Most big stables run horses there as a last resort for a lot of horses , in the hope that the horse might handle it . The biggest issue for a horse that handles the A/W's is that they have no long term future as once they reach a certain rating on them they have to revert back to grass racing . The fact that they don't run races past R75 suggests that even NZTR understand that it is racing for lower class horses , why?

They have failed their proposed purpose which was to stop industry losses from abandonments , that was the sole purpose of them being built .

I don't know enough to have an educated opinion on your wider point, but I have seen a lot of comments centred around this sentence I have quoted and thought it was strange.  Some of NZs biggest stables, and certainly some of the biggest South stables, had a winner on Saturday.  Was there a trainer who scratched ALL their runners?  Are we assuming trainers didnt want to but owners gave them the hard word?  The number of scratchings seems to fit the narrative, but the wide range of stables lining up a runner does not.  

Here's some US data to consider.

Following last weeks Riccarton move from Grass to Synthetic the fields were reduced considerably by horses being scratched. Clearly trainers did not want to run on the synthetic as opposed to grass. Is there any evidence to justify not running on synthetic surfaces? The synthetic tracks have been around for a couple of seasons and have apparently met with their proposed purpose. Does anyone have any knowledge around the merits or otherwise of the synthetics? I have a small share in a filly due to start on the synthetic.

Where do cafers think this will be held in the new season? Possibly Trentham or will it be another relocation to Te Rapa, Pukekohe or Ellerslie?

I think we can work out the answer to that one.

Aahhhh yes.........but it will have the carrot of a $200K bonus package attached to it (ffs).

I agree with your last sentence 100%

The league is expected to launch across some of the most prestigious racing venues globally later this year, and will feature household names including Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and William Buick. According to various media reports, each of the 12 jockeys involved will head up their own team, competing for points in up to 10 new six-race fixtures annually. In addition to Dettori, Moore and Buick, the full list of involved jockeys includes Vincent Ho, Yutaka Take, James McDonald, Joao Moreira, Christophe Lemaire, Mickael Barzalona, Zac Purton, Irad Ortiz Jr and Flavien Prat. Commentators have suggested racing venues including Ascot, York, Chantilly, Leopardstown and Longchamp are in the running as potential bases for the competition. The league has reportedly been co-founded by John Ferguson, former CEO of global thoroughbred breeding operation and horse racing team Godolphin, and now a board member at the British Horseracing Authority. Ferguson is joined as co-founder by Lachlan Fitt, the former deputy CEO and CFO of Entain Australia, who resigned from the company earlier this year. Season one of the series would feature up to six events around the globe with a distinct start and end to the season. The All-Star Mile in Melbourne has struggled for traction in recent years and one of the events could add extra snap and crackle to the Victorian autumn carnival before the AFL season kicks into action. A Friday twilight event in late February leading into the Flemington Group 1s could also be an attractive proposition. Here are the links to the fill stories https://next.io/news/marketing/top-jockeys-join-forces-new-league/  https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/horse-racing/nsw-racing/champion-jockey-james-mcdonald-excited-by-the-challenge-that-awaits-in-new-franchisebased-global-jockey-league/news-story/3c7809a2dd7ab6aa34a3a96a171dfcb1

Just wondering if Craig will push the button and hope Bob B gives him the lead or will go back . The thing that worries me is because the field is poor , nothing will probably want to make a move , so Marketplace may have to come from last solo or wait until the turn . Its a shame he drew so badly . He is a great horse and he has an exciting future anyway 😀