any enquiry into todays disgrace at the vaal

Speak to your Vaal trainer big guy - the "club" idea is indeed a big stick (together)but from what i hear Vee and Roger have already met with the boys and progress has started on the programme etc so it seems that they are making things happen - let's see how they handle this incident - I for one am very upset that the meeting was not called off before the running of the first because if there was a risk to horse and rider then that should never have happened.

Mr H

Not fighting with you, but to say that 'progress has started with the program' is laughable; I bring up my tired point again of there being NO races over ground (1800-2000) for lower rated fillies around for the whole of June; so we were 'forced' to try our hand over Vaal 1600 sand - and got 'rained' out.

A real sorry state of affairs - and a real motivation for new owners to get into the game - aarrrgghh I give up

For your interest – when I saw this thread I had a chat to Patrick (Racing Executive). Basically how it works is (and I just learned a whole lot more about tracks):

The water level on the sand track needs to be at field capacity (that is, saturated) for racing because the water is the binding agent. The manager was watching the weather and amended his maintenance when he saw rain forecast and didn’t water the day before (which he would normally do). This is taking always a difficult decision because you could wind up with an under watered track should the rain not arrive - but it’s the kind of call they need to make.

There was then 10mm’s the night before and 4mm’s in the morning, giving 14mm on top of a near saturated sandtrack. This resulted in surface water in certain areas that was deemed unsafe following a complaint by the jockeys. The vets as the professionals in attendance then confirmed the surface was unsafe and when that happens the operator has to stop racing.


And unfortunately a days racing lost, which is always really bad news for everyone.

Thanks Margaret your input is appreciated. Can you ask Patrick why there were no puddles on the inside and outside of the track.

Hi Adios - I need to address your other questions seperately and will get back to you I need to chat to a few people first to get some information. (Still grinning at the use of Supremo).

Gajima - it's fun getting a technical person trying to explain how things work in layman's terms - I think I need to give Patrick coffee to say thanks for the explanations. Anyway, the irrigation system overlaps in the middle, which is why there are tankers that go on both sides of the track to lay down additional water but you do get that overlap.

However - laying water is not necessairly a problem as long as the base is sound. The 1st three races went down the straight but there was a problem at the 1400 metres where the patch went right across. There the rain had got in deeper and therefore the surface was inconsistent which is dangerous for the horses.

(Changed market to metres - oops)

so we have a breakaway group now speaking to vee and the boys about the racing programme and other issues..what happened to clyde and larrys organisation

margeret the 1st and 3rd races were around the turn over 1200 metres so that blows that theory out the water

my original question has still not been answered..IS THERE AN ENQUIRY INTO WHAT TRANSPIRED YESTERDAY AT THE VAAL

pirates Wrote:

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> so we have a breakaway group now speaking to vee
> and the boys about the racing programme and other
> issues..what happened to clyde and larrys
> organisation

Pirates this is a Trainers group - I think that it's good that the trainers meet as a unit with authorities about their problems - what does an owner know about the day to day running of the training facility? That's what we pay trainers for so I support them as I'm sure you do - I don't know how the tracks are prepared and the weekly times for grass gallops etc Let them work together with the operator to prevent problems for the owners and horse. Well done to Louis Goosen and his guys -
Frodo I sympathise with you and I know that the trainers suggested various changes to the program to cater for your type of horse. The guys are obviously listening as you will note that my pet problem(and many other owners' too by the sounds of things)- overated young horses - has been addressed and the MR has been adjusted. I'm just as sore as you cause we now have lost a race that was really our best chance to earn for ages but I'm happy that my filly did not run in those conditions so i'll have to pray the meeting is rescheduled or we can find another suitable race.

We can form a million interest groups and toyi toyi till the cows come home.

Other than a good man by the name of Graeme Hawkins, I don't believe one person employed in this industry gives a hoot other than protecting a soft job and a fat salary.As for the Board Members they are normally too busy suspiciously watching each other and stroking their own egos.

Has any body ever thought how many salaried people in this game are totally univolved at any level?? They go home on a Friday and don't even think racing - Damascus Hostess could beat Pocket Power and break the land speed record - it wouldn't even raise a murmur around the coffee machine on Monday morning.

Believe me, if 1% of racing staff are involved at any level, is is high. Zero passion and zero interest.

We need a Pirates or two at the helm to kick butt cause we are in deep trouble. Sadly he probably won't get a chance as he is too blunt and straightforward - and that don't work either!

mr hawaai i have no problem with the trainers commitee at the vaal but if you look at the advert for clydes old job all these points we are discussing fall under there so why havent the ra sorted it out yet and 2ndly do this vaal commitee have the blessing of the ra

I have no idea why they formed this group or if the RA supports it or not as I'm not involved with policy rather promotion of the sport on a small level- I think these trainers decided that they needed to do something for themselves particularly concerning the Vaal - My horses are based there so i'm glad they are doing something to help themselves and therefore ultimately me as an owner - sometimes I think that we as owners take on too much resposibility for racing problems that should be sorted out by our trainers and jocks because they have a greater understanding of the nuts and bolts of preparing a horse and I don't think we as owners should be too involved in things like programs and MR's as the trainers know what races they require and if their stock is overated - Do you guys in Natal have trainer groups that meet to put problems to the operator as a unified force