New parade ring at Turffies stuffed up before it starts ?

I've just read in todays CITIZEN - racing page, that the NEW parade ring will be positioned in front of the grand stand.

Great news, I applaud this. BUT why on earth are they only MAKING PROVISION FOR THE FIRST 3 HORSES ACCROSS THE LINE - to be unsaddled in front of the grandstands.

What has happened to 4th place ? There are a lot of QUARTET players out there who want to see the correct placings of the 1st 4 accross the line, a.s.a.p.

At present ( its being demolished now ) we have 4 unsaddling enclosures at Turffies. At VAAL there are 5 unsaddling rings - afterall owners are paid for 5th stake as well.

A short while ago, the 5th unsaddling ring was removed at Turffies. I personally would like to see 5 unsaddling places - if not possible then a MINIMUM OF 4.

I've had a horse whose best finish was ONE 5th place at Turffies, & yes I did go to the unsaddling area to give her a pat, & to say well done girl. Sadly she never got any closer than that 5th & retired from racing after only 4 runs.

Robert Garner, I believe you & your team got this one wrong - perhaps you can correct it BEFORE it's too late.

what say you owners out there ?

make it 5 places... for elvis sake

i agree

5 Places for everyones sake!!

ELVIS send in your request and displeasure to the RA,and Phumelela ASAP

And while you are at it, ask them about night racing, etc. etc.

power, I'm sure staff from the R.A. & Phum read this site & freeracer daily. Hopefully they will pick up a few tips on various topics, & hopefully make the neccesary changes where warranted - rather sooner than later.

R.A. put up this question on your site, & let the owners take a vote, so you can see what the owners want. ]
" Do you want unsaddling enclosure in front of the grandstand - for 3 or 4 places- or even 5 "

I am not a snob. Far from it.

But guys, this is competition. If a horse runs fourth or fifth, unless it is a Graded race, the horse has no place in any spot of recognition. Racing is about survival of the fittest and which animal is best. There are no rewards for participation! Get real for goodness sakes alive for Pete's sake already!!!

The Racing Association website (news) has an article re the upgrading of Turfontein.
While the parade ring and 3-tier deck are relevant, the issue of night racing is carefully avoided, despite the RA's knowledge that many of their members and interested racing folk are asking for some news thereto.

Mr Irwin

With respect, for some of us it is also about participation, so if one of our moderate horses manages to scrape into 4th; we get a taste of the feeling you get when you are leading in a graded stakes winner; it inspires us and gives us the will to keep looking for improvement.

Cuckoo

The RA's continued silence on the matter leaves one no other choice than to draw your own conclusions,,,,,

Mr Irvin I respect you and your achievements, however we are not all financially blessed as you are, for a small owner like me a 4th or a 5th is an achievement, even in a maiden, thus seeing the horse in a 4th or 5th box makes me proud and motivates me.

element, my sentiments exactly, for us small time owners.

I fully understand what being a small-time owner is like, as I was one when I started out, too. But the feeling one derives from being honored when they achieve something significant should not be diminished by being rewarding for minior accomplishment. It tends to dilute the good feelings.

I remember twice as an athlete having been honored for participation. The first was when I was 9 years old and our baseball team finished in last place, but we were given a participation award. I threw my in the trash.

The second was when my community college shuttle hurdle relay team in athletics finished last in the Mt. San Antonio Relays in Southern California and I got a plaque commenorating this lofty achievement. I threw it away, too.

But one of my most prized possessions that I still keep today was when I won my first race with a horse back in the 1970s. It was a claiming race. The horse was very inexpensive, but the horse won and I can still remember how I felt today.