Great news , as much as I can knock jocks for bad rides , they're braver than me .

I will add , that's even when there will be no trials between Waipuk , 2 weeks ago and Foxton in 2 weeks , let's hope Levin are running J/O's tomorrow . If they are I wonder how many horses they will get ?

Hahaha , you couldn't write the script any better for this discussion , the Awapuni trials on the AWT set for Wednesday have been cancelled due to , TADA ! Insufficient entries , go figure . Yet again they show they are sooooo out of touch , the odds of those trials happening were $1.01 and shortening from the moment they announced them . Now let me think , what was that comment I just read , oh yes , "PIG IGNORANT and ARROGANT".

Most NI horses that compete in the John Grigg and Nth Canterbury Mile do so as their trainers have sent them down to acclimatize early , but mostly for their lesser horses to pick up some easier lead up money and rating points . Now if they substantially increased those stakes then you would see the better northern horses come earlier as well .

I don't think it's purely that they refuse to accept that AWT racing is separate , they know as well as everybody else that we simply don't have the horse population , particularly in the winter , to running grass and synthetic track racing as 2 whole separate entities . Hence they have to shoe horn horses , their trainers and owners into using them . That is borne out by the fact that they only race to a certain rating then back to the grass for a decent AWT horse . On top of that the statement by Nerula that top trainers are happy to run horses on them , fact , the top trainers don't run their top horses on them in trials , again that is proven by the number of cancelled trials through the lack of nominations . Now if we had twice as many horses racing as we do then by all means fill your boots , I still wouldn't because I am suspect around the injury rate , but that is another debate . As for the "pig ignorant and arrogant" comment , well that is part of their DNA now , they simply refuse to have any substantial communication with industry participants , and that is now proving to be to their detriment .

😆  

What they fail to realise is that the major benefits of a big stake come from the extra attention and better fields in various lead up races. We see that every year with the many lead up races to the Melbourne Cup, even races with guaranteed entry to the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups being held at this time of year. In the SI the southern trainers thing at Riccarton and the ODT mile at Wingatui both have heaps of lead up races. Even the slot thing in Auckland gets massive hype every time a 3yo wins a maiden race at Taupo. The Grand National has no southern lead up races, so there is zero benefit to any other southern clubs or even the CJC from the lead up races. Some might argue that the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas attract mostly NI horses, but many of those horses come through the old John Grigg and the old Nth Canty mile. And SI jockeys even get rides on the Northerners in those lead up races, notably Sam Wynne this season. No SI jockeys get mounts in either the National itself or any of the lead up races.

Hedley Jordan is to Race Cafe Main Street forum what  "Old Man's Beard"is to the NZ forest. He suffocates robust debate with his attachments, which nobody opens.

As I have said before, the AWTs have their place. They provide a tier of racing and betting product to keep things ticking over during a challenging time of the year. Where NZ differs to the UK is that we do have grass tracks that can provide reasonable racing during the winter months. Where NZTR has been very disingenuous is that they have used the AWTs as an excuse to close down competing winter tracks. This is particularly obvious in Canterbury and the wider SI, but also noticeable in the NI. NZTR refuse to accept that AWT racing is a separate tier of racing that should run in parallel to conventional racing. They really have been arrogant and pig ignorant, basically adopting the approach that "we have spent heaps of money on these things so you had better bloody well use them."

A great effort today. Really happy for the guy, cause he's a Kiwi boy and seems a nice bloke.

Just been looking at the Stipes report, unfortunately Olivia was fined $200 and suspended for 6 days for the drive.

Too far down the track now I think Ned. Those in "control" should be made to stay there and sort it or go down with the ship. Not fair to put new management in there at this stage. Just MHO.

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 breeze in :47 3/5 at Churchill Downs May 11.View the full article

Co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners posted on X that trainer Michael McCarthy has "green-lighted" the colt for the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1).View the full article

The Chad Brown-trained reigning champion 3-year-old male Sierra Leone was on the work tab May 11 over the Belmont Park dirt training track, covering a half-mile in :50.View the full article

Favorite Zarigana was awarded the victory over Shes Perfect in the French One Thousand Guineas (G1) May 11. Kieran Shoemark had finished first past the post on the Charlie Fellowes-trained Shes Perfect, but the result was overturned by the stewards.View the full article

Thoughts and prayers with the Schick family and everyone at Windsor Park during this very sad time.   

Thanks Ted for the update, and good news on Ulrika...hope things keep going in the right direction.

FB message from Ulrika:     Thank you all so much for the incredibly kind messages and support after my fall on Thursday in Oslo. I suffered multiple injuries and have since undergone surgery — I’m relieved to say it went well, and my prognosis for a good recovery is looking positive. It’s been a tough few days, especially with concussion and fatigue, but I’m in good hands and feeling truly cared for. Ulrika is not able to attend to her phone at the moment, but I’m sending all love and thanks. Your support means the world and truly helps Ulrika on her way to mending.          

Nerula I also think that is a bit dismissive...I have many people tell me they wont race their horses on it...I think there are two sides to it.