Poll - VAAL SAND CLOSURE

Englander wrote: Would it have been the same if the poll had been run a year or so back when there was plenty more consistency on the course etc? I very much doubt it Bob. Little point running such a poll when the course has been allowed to become completely sh1t, foregone conclusion and simply playing into the hands of those who allowed it to become sh1t. Should perhaps have run the poll a year ago asking if Phum were doing all they could to ensure the track's ongoing condition and ensuring a fair surface for all, including punters. Might have struggled to get one yes to that! :whistle:

I AGREE 100% WITH YOU Englander

Little Hampton was a filly, I think Leon Erasmus will miss the sand the most. He did well on that surface.

mikesack wrote: Little Hampton was a filly, I think Leon Erasmus will miss the sand the most. He did well on that surface.

Even though he seldom seemed to know which one of his string was going to arrive on the day !!

No doubt Englander has a valid point about some of us maybe feeling different about things a year or so ago. In truth I only back horses at the Vaal when they have weekend meetings there (i only play on weekends), and that is probably once or twice a year.

Having said that the original idea of having an all weather track to ensure more racing in the summer months was a good idea by Phumelela, but not without a major shortcoming.

It could never be ideal to shift a turf meeting onto sand, not for owners and neither for punters. As such the idea was doomed from the start and although it gave many horses a second career which might not have been otherwise, it was a less than optimal solution.

The new plan might be criticised by some but in the long run will have many benefits for racing that will outweigh the negatives.

It is for this reason that I have voted yes for the closure and would have done so at any time before this as well.

This could also inject new life into Kimberley racing as marginal horses and sand/dirt specialists still have career prospects in that centre.

Many bad decisions are made in business, and this was a shining example, but it could end up as a good opportunity to create top class surfaces for future racing which we will all be able to enjoy.

I will personally give Phumelela the benefit of the doubt until after the opening of the new tracks.

timothy wrote:

Bob Brogan wrote:

timothy wrote: I have 5 horses in shares and one for a 100% I just won't let my horses run there especially in 2015 the track is in terrible condition before 2015 the track was doing good and yeah maybe I would have let them run there. If the track gets fixed and gets back to 100% condition I think there will be much more people there supporting and more trainers. Maybe Bloemfontein will open again I read in the newspaper Bloem is building a new race course.

Is that your colours Timothy ? Don't recongnise them

Bob I work under a syndicate at this moment that's the colors I am designing for my own how does it look?

No disrespect Timothy but your colours looks alot like Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum who has horses with Luca Cumani in the UK. They won the feature the other day on Postponed.

naresh wrote:

timothy wrote:

Bob Brogan wrote:

timothy wrote: I have 5 horses in shares and one for a 100% I just won't let my horses run there especially in 2015 the track is in terrible condition before 2015 the track was doing good and yeah maybe I would have let them run there. If the track gets fixed and gets back to 100% condition I think there will be much more people there supporting and more trainers. Maybe Bloemfontein will open again I read in the newspaper Bloem is building a new race course.

Is that your colours Timothy ? Don't recongnise them

Bob I work under a syndicate at this moment that's the colors I am designing for my own how does it look?

No disrespect Timothy but your colours looks alot like Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum who has horses with Luca Cumani in the UK. They won the feature the other day on Postponed.

none taken not my colours still design one around that colours

Nothing gets done without someone lining their pockets and the resultant short cut , short term attitudes is apparent with the track status in KZN and of course the Vaal.
I would rather them keep the sand until such time they have a permanent solution.

The current plan to turn it to Turf and putting a Poly at Turfontein will likely end up being twice as expensive (gimme the gravy train) and and can see a poorly maintained turf being worse than the sand. Why not just do a proper job of putting an all weather there while they are digging up the sand?