pete Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 A message from NZTR COO, Darin Balcombe and Head of Tracks and Infrastructure, Tim Lambert. No images? Click here NZTR’s Chief Operating Officer, Darin Balcombe, and Head of Tracks and Infrastructure, Tim Lambert, would like to provide an update on the track issues experienced in the past week and the expected Return to Racing for those venues. Hastings Racecourse Following the partial abandonment on Thursday 25 January, an investigation has taken place, considering information from the Racing Integrity Board (RIB), Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. and an independent report from NZSTI. After reviewing the reports, NZTR can confirm that the the 18 February meeting will be scheduled to be held at the venue, as programmed. Jumpouts were held on the day following races, but the identified area was coned off to alleviate any concerns. The main concern raised on the day was with the consistency of the track where old hoof holes were ‘blowing out’ during the race meeting on Thursday 25 January. These holes have been addressed post-raceday and with good growing conditions in Hawke’s Bay, the track will have enough time to bed in. Before the meeting scheduled for 18 February, horses will be required to gallop over the ‘problematic area’ that was identified 12 metres off the rail. RACE Trentham Following an investigation regarding the Trentham partial abandonment on Saturday 27 January, NZTR are working with the Club to find solutions to the area that is currently unable to be irrigated. The incident that occurred on raceday was outside the irrigation line, on a much harder surface. After 10mm of rain Saturday morning, this created a vulnerable surface out wide, which resulted in ZACKERY slipping in Race 4, near the 600-metre mark. NZTR will continue to monitor the situation at Trentham over the next couple of weeks, to ensure the best possible outcome for the industry for the March 9 raceday. As always, the ability to provide a safe racing surface will be at the forefront of any decisions that are required to be made. If appropriate solutions to this area cannot be found, NZTR will assess the pending programme and venues and may look for alternate venues, to ensure race meetings can take place safely. The inside six metres of the track has been renovated and the rail will return to the true position for Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks Raceday on Saturday 16 March which will negate the issue of the area rounding the turn. Ellerslie Racecourse Immediately after Saturday’s race meeting at Ellerslie where some Jockeys experienced movement after 3mms of rain fell during the race meeting, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) undertook a review which included Frank Casimaty from Strathayr. From that review, it was identified that a thick layer of roots had caused the issues experienced, it was agreed that Jason Fulford, Track Manager for ATR, would use appropriate machinery this week to break down that thick layer of roots just below the surface to ensure the horses get a better purchase on the track. Following the completion of this machinery work, jumpouts will be held at Ellerslie for Auckland based horses. The jumpouts are scheduled for Monday, 12 February. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 The Ellerslie one gets more confusing, the surface tension theory seems to have gone. My experience in horticulture says, if you have a thick layer of roots just below the surface, then you are irrigating too little too often 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Frank Casimaty by the way, is the head honcho at Strathayr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 16 minutes ago, Hesi said: The Ellerslie one gets more confusing, the surface tension theory seems to have gone. My experience in horticulture says, if you have a thick layer of roots just below the surface, then you are irrigating too little too often I was going to say the same about 'surface tension'. Also no mention of stuffing up track preparation which was admitted by Wilcox on Weigh In. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 10 minutes ago, pete said: I was going to say the same about 'surface tension'. Also no mention of stuffing up track preparation which was admitted by Wilcox on Weigh In. A thick layer of roots just below the surface would certainly increase surface tension by preventing water infiltrating, but how could they not know it was there? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 I note in the Strathayr promo video, they lay the tracks in Aus, like they do ready lawn here, but on a grander scale. The Ellerlie track has been seeded (I think), but the same thinking applies, deep watering to get roots to penetrate deeply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 14 minutes ago, curious said: A thick layer of roots just below the surface would certainly increase surface tension by preventing water infiltrating, but how could they not know it was there? I still don't understand this surface tension thing. Surface tension is a caused by very weak forces, miniscule compared to the force that a galloping 600kg horse could exert???? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turny Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Similar issues in Australia, in fact some lifted ….. interesting times … we may not have a silver bullet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 For the techo minded, water has a unique molecular structure that give rise to Van der Waals forces. These being the reason why water expands from 4 down to 0 degrees and bursts pipes, stuffs roads, forms droplets and pops the top off your bottle of fine ale if you accidentally leave it in the freezer too long, which seems to happen a bit to me these days 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turny Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 27 minutes ago, Hesi said: I note in the Strathayr promo video, they lay the tracks in Aus, like they do ready lawn here, but on a grander scale. The Ellerlie track has been seeded (I think), but the same thinking applies, deep watering to get roots to penetrate deeply. Aus have similar problems Hesi but can’t confess to know the background Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 23 minutes ago, Hesi said: I still don't understand this surface tension thing. Surface tension is a caused by very weak forces, miniscule compared to the force that a galloping 600kg horse could exert???? I don't think that's the point. Not that you'd find many 600kg horses going round. As I understand it, the higher surface tension pre`vents the water from light rain, such as Ellerslie expēriēnced, penetrating that surface so you have much wetter soil and/or surface water in the top few mms causing a slippery surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 3 minutes ago, Turny said: Similar issues in Australia, in fact some lifted ….. interesting times … we may not have a silver bullet I believe it can be fixed quite easily, but it will take time, you cant get roots to go deeper in a hurry, that is nature, so I expect definitely the Avondale Cup meeting will be transferred, but I am picking also the March 2 day meeting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 3 minutes ago, curious said: I don't think that's the point. Not that you'd find many 600kg horses going round. As I understand it, the higher surface tension pre`vents the water from light rain, such as Ellerslie expēriēnced, penetrating that surface so you have much wetter soil and/or surface water in the top few mms causing a slippery surface. Yep I can understand that, but it is not what you could call surface tension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 There is one simple way of getting around surface tension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown fox Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 I thought surface tension was what I saw on my wife's face when she caught me doing something wrong😣 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 3 minutes ago, Hesi said: Yep I can understand that, but it is not what you could call surface tension Well, I might be wrong. I think you are taking it as meaning a quality of the water but I think Strathayr are using it to mean a quality of the track surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 4 minutes ago, curious said: Well, I might be wrong. I think you are taking it as meaning a quality of the water but I think Strathayr are using it to mean a quality of the track surface. I still don't get it, and I don't think many do. Maybe friction might be a better word, insufficient friction between the top layer and the next layer down because the roots have not penetrated deeply enough, a bit like what happens with slips/erosion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Friction or a lack of it is maybe the result but it is the surface tension (of the track) that is restricting the water permeating causing the lack of friction between that water layer and the surface below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 Ellerslie Jump Out Results - 12-02-24.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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