“We’re doing our best to accommodate the big...

Craig this is not a dig at you but you haven't answered my question.

Blondie,sorry I have FFC rated 91 at the moment but I have 13 3year olds unrated and unraced so we can hope. GC needs horses that can and want to run in plate races. We have 84 noms for a maiden 1400m next week. We certainly don't need them. Bring your better horses and improve our racing. We will not become the dumping ground for bad horses.

there are 5 feature races in the 9 mths of off season in natal this includes 3 listed races and 2 group 3 races ..there are very few races rated 80 and above and in any CASE IF YOU HAD A HORSE RATED 85 PLUS YOU WOULD LOOK TO RUN HIM OR HER WHERE THE FEATURE SEASON IS BEING HELD FOR EXAMPLE THE CAPE FROM OCTOBER TO END OF JANUARY OR THE SPLIT GAUTENG SEASON ...there is no chance that a trainer can set up a satellite yard in Durban with 25 horses meeting that criteria of mr 80 plus because firstly they wont have them and secondly they will be competing in their home province where they are catered for and 3rdly they are not catered for in natal for 9 mths of the year and will sit in their boxes looking at the sky .....in this day and age protectionism shouldn't be allowed and this is a clear cut case of it ,imagine telling nandos or steers you cannot open a franchise somewhere because the locals wont have it..

Pirates where do you get the 80+? It is 76. That is not exactly feature material. You can bring 2yr old maidens as well. Why are you so anti GC? It does not matter what they do you are absolutely anti it. I cannot work it out. Why doesn't your other half move to Jhb or CT and train there if GC and Natal racing is so bad? If my girlfriend ran down my business or where I trained the way you do she would be out on her ear so fast. You should be helping your spouse not hindering her. Anyway we have our AGM this week so we will see what all Natal trainers think of all issues.

it has nothing to do with anti gold circle as it is an initiative that the trainers brought forward not gold circle management in fact I have spoken to one of mgment who totally disagrees with the protectionism that you are given..i have my opinion on it and I have made it it is a damn disgrace and is not good for the industry in the long run..trainers are given licenses to compete nationally all over south Africa and owners have permission for their horses to compete all over south Africa..every trainer is an individual private business and if trainers want to grow their business they should be allowed to and shouldn't be punished for being successful at their trade.... the demographics of this country forces trainers with big yards to look to open up satellite yards elsewhere because unlike England or Australia where you have several racecourses within close proximity your racecourses are far far away from your home base....from a punting perspective it is fantastic to open up a card and see the name kanemeyer snaith bass and ramsden having runners on the day and turnover will definitely grow having these yards compete in natal that is a no brainer...the last time I looked racing is a sport can you honestly see other sporting codes behaving in such a manner having restrictions put on them?

Pirates, racing will not survive if you end up with 6 big trainers in a centre and no smaller ones. Why do you think the pools are smaller in centres where the racing is controlled by a few big trainers? Mike Rattray said years ago that 40 is the maximum that each trainer should be allowed. 1600 horses between 40 trainers would give you better fields and racing than 1600 horses between16 trainers.Nothing stopping them buying a property and building stables. There is also a moratorium on giving out stables in Natal at the moment. Even if Nathan Kotzen asked to leave Mike and go on his own he would not get boxes. Now you want to let in a satellite yard? Who deserves it more? There are assistants that are looking to go on their own here already.

If you want to improve racing in a province then buy better horses or improve the level of training... Simple!

Just don't understand why you would want to limit trainers who are only acting in the best interest of their owners
Why should I change trainers just because I want my horse to run in Durban?

There is a quick and simple reply. NO BOXES EMPTY AND THE TRAINING TRACKS ARE CAPACITY. But if anyone is keen to come to Kzn build your own boxes on your own farm and come and race SIMPLE

That I understand but what has it got to do with the merit rating of the horses?

Please note that I made that comment with no disrespect to any trainers, I just don't get what it has to do with the merit ratings of horses...

the good wrote: There is a quick and simple reply. NO BOXES EMPTY AND THE TRAINING TRACKS ARE CAPACITY. But if anyone is keen to come to Kzn build your own boxes on your own farm and come and race SIMPLE

Your reply is relevant but IF boxes were available James what would your take be?

I remember many moons ago you used to bring a string from Joburg to Cape Town in the winter. When you took them back to Joburg they really fired. Ormond Ferraris used to do it as well. I remember a Cape winter made Miss Averof. Off the point I know James, but what was your reasoning behind this ?

Pirates reckons I'm going soft

www.sportingpost.co.za/2014/09/cape-trai...shift-away-from-kzn/