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In spite of its upbeat last sentence, this article by Tim Hickman on an Australian racing site makes depressing reading.
I believe Victoria is the only state on the mainland where NH racing still takes place.
They continue to jump in South Australia, which features the famous Oakbank meeting over the Easter period.
In all seriousness, you would shriek with horror at how firm the ground is for NH racing. The ground is too quick which causes horses to trip when they reach a fence, and too firm when they land. Problems galore. For the welfare of the equine, it must go.
Forgive my ignorance on the matter, Myles – is no regime of watering imposed on Australian courses in general, and Australian jumps courses in particular?
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
GC:
Water shortages are a huge problem for much of Australia (as indeed are other energy issues) in many areas there are very strict rules of what, when and how you can use water and I can’t envision keeping a jumps turf course soft is very feasible.
Craig
Soft needn’t be the aspiration – the edict regarding summer jumping here, for example, is (and I simplify to an extent) that going can be fast as long as it is safe with it.
You’ll see lots of UK going descriptions given as "good to firm – watering to maintain", where turning on the taps has been resorted to to meet precisely that requirement, rather than to turn the sward into a complete mudbath (at the expense of more water and money).
Allowing for the water shortages in parts of the country, I was nevertheless just curious as to whether there is any similar legislation in Oz wherein courses are obliged to produce going no firmer than good to firm (or firm). Probably not?
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Not everywhere in Oz. The Melbourne Cup Carnival, for instance, does water the track to a softened good-to-firm and lets the heat and sun of the day dry the track out eventually.
The difference between good-to-firm between our countries is like comparing concrete with lamb’s wool.
How can Austalia have a water shortage when it has got a bloody big ocean going right around it.
From what i have seen the obstacles are not proper in the way we could call them over here and even a flat horse could brush through them and not get injured.
Best thing the Austalian National Hunt people can do is to come over here and see what we do to get courses ready.
The fences are too low. Hence, horses can get lazy and can "stride" over them. Many instances where this has occurred and they clip the fence and fall.
Too much speed in a race as well. The best jumpers in Oz are pretty decent 2000-2400m flat horses. The winners are usually realised as victors because of their flat ability, not stamina, or jumping ability.
I don’t think there are recognised NH sires in Australia, either.
If anything, shuttling a couple of these to Coolmore Australia might get the ball rolling again.
I don’t think there are recognised NH sires in Australia, either.
If anything, shuttling a couple of these to Coolmore Australia might get the ball rolling again.
No chance, their earnings wouldn’t even begin to cover the air fare. There isn’t such a thing as NH breeding in Oz.
Btw, when did NSW stop having jump races? In the 50s or 60s maybe?
It’s been a long time. Only Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania remain.
It could be feasible to acquire a recognised NH Coolmore sire for dual purposes. The industry are beginning to crave some genuine endurance again since the Melbourne Cup is worth a fortune and the Europeans are worrying them.
Mahler and Vinnie Roe would attract some interest, surely?
The point is, there needs to be a dot-point set plan of goals that the industry needs to abide by and achieve in order to keep jumps alive – IF they want it to live any longer.
It must involve implementing NH bloodlines, re-designing the jumps, re-educating the jockeys and trainers etc etc
My personal opinion? Warrnambool racecourse hosts the most publicised NH event of the year nationwide – a three-day meeting which includes races like the Galleywood Hurdle and Grand Annual Steeplechase.
The track provides plenty of cushion, regularly hosts jumps racing (ie. 1 race out of an 8-race card), but is 300km WSW of Melbourne. Rarely do the main Melbourne stables head out there for flat racing.
I suggest transforming Warrnambool into the first NH-only racecourse and the masterplan can be executed there.
The kiwis seem too be better at breeding horses too get a distance in ground, whats the NH situation over their?
Just import jumpers from Kiwi or simulcast NH racing from here and Kiwi into oz if the tracks their are not safe.
Over here hard ground is banned. Not allowed to race on it any more, even on the flat.
Would have thought in a hot country like Australia, if there is no watering it will be firm if not hard ground.
Firm / hard ground = speed + fallers = fatalities
They’d be right to ban it.
Mark
Value Is EverythingOver here hard ground is banned. Not allowed to race on it any more, even on the flat.
I’m not so sure about that, Mark. Bath racecourse still serves up hard ground on average once a year without censure. Nowhere else does, though.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Over here hard ground is banned. Not allowed to race on it any more, even on the flat.
I’m not so sure about that, Mark. Bath racecourse still serves up hard ground on average once a year without censure. Nowhere else does, though.
gc
I believe I read somewhere two or three years ago officially "hard" ground is now banned, possibly for cosmetic reasons. It can be officially "firm, hard in places". I don’t think it has been officially "hard" for some time, even at Bath, a racecourse with no watering system. But I could be wrong.
You notice I keep using the word "officially". Since the ban Bath has been just as quick at times, even with course records. So you may think the going is just as solid Jeremy, I couldn’t possibly comment.
Mark
Value Is EverythingOver here hard ground is banned. Not allowed to race on it any more, even on the flat.
Are they allowed to race on Firm anymore or even Good – Firm? The over watering on the flat is nothing short of ridiculous it isn’t fair on fast ground horses.
Sorry for throwing conversation off subject a little.
The kiwis seem too be better at breeding horses too get a distance in ground, whats the NH situation over their?
Just import jumpers from Kiwi or simulcast NH racing from here and Kiwi into oz if the tracks their are not safe.
Was Golan just shuttling to NZ or does he reside there? That’s an example.
Over here hard ground is banned. Not allowed to race on it any more, even on the flat.
Are they allowed to race on Firm anymore or even Good – Firm? The over watering on the flat is nothing short of ridiculous it isn’t fair on fast ground horses.
Sorry for throwing conversation off subject a little.
Had not better answer this Ian as it will throw this thread on to another topic but if you want to start another thread……
Mark
Value Is Everything
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