BlueRidge Mountain going backwards at Ramsden Yard

Yes in Hind sight I was wrong.

I have reviewed and i think Fradd rode a bad race and should not rise for Ramsden yard in future.

They rated her good enough to go overseas with one of the best milers in the world so trust me she ain't too bad......she will be back with a bang!

Can the same be said for Thunder Dance?

The greatest miracle of modern times is happening before our very eyes! I refer to the fact that Horseracing in SA is actually surviving. Not even JK Rowlings could invent a Harry Potter type to ensure that this game is sustainable, in its purest form.

Whilst the NHRA appear way behind times and seemingly opting for the path of least resistence (eg objection rules and false starts), we also have the Operators who appear to be more focussed on turnovers than on the basics of the industry, the horse and the race itself. We have an unsympathetic Government and Board of Control (Gaming Board), who make the lives of the controlling bodies very difficult and whose overall decisions on the gaming industry ensure widespread dilution. The competition for a slice of the cake is huge and we therefore have to understand and accept that the Operators "non Racing" endeavours are a necessary evil which ensures our survival.

Having said all of the above and to the point of the thread - Blueridge Mountain was drawn 14, started from draw 13, after no.9 was scratched. On the day, it was very much the exception for any horse to run well, from a poor draw in any race up to a mile.


As we see the much talked about and "exciting" polytrack nearing its completion at Fairview, the Greyville Polytrack about to be started and lots of talk about same poly track coming to Turff Inner, we have to conclude the following :-

1)More and more courses are becoming draw biased, the bias increasing every year.
2)KZN will soon not have a "galloping" track. Many really good horses will be on a hiding to nothing in KZN.
3)Course turf surfaces have gone backwards rather than forwards in the last 10 years.
4)This includes Gauteng. Absolutely no development happening on turf. Sand has gone backwards too.
5)Racing is just so much more difficult for Punters. With many other easier options out there, turnovers will decline or show negative growths.
So, to me, polytracks are not the answer. They can never replace turf, are a synthetic substitute and are tight and draw dependant. Most of our courses will favour a few, at the expense of many and the problems for the punters, owners, trainers and everyone else will be multiplied by the really good horses with bad draws.....it is becoming a lottery.....and a really top filly from a really top trainer found that out on Saturday at Greyville. She will be back, either when drawn well or at a proper Racecourse like Kenilworth or Turffontein. And so too will many other runners from Saturday, who ran poorly.

Cheers Loius txs for the words of wisdom

Personally I would send her to the shams

seems as the aussies are battling with the maintenance of their polytracks makes you wonder

Well said Lou!!

and the wooden spoon goes to SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSLY!!!!!!