Interesting Observation

[Hesi]

The Anzac Mile at Awapuni on Sunday, a $50K race, with no group or listed rating, has drawn a better field than the much heralded Easter Handicap at Ellerslie the previous day, a G2 race with double the stake.

Also about 7 northerners are in the Anzac Mile field, maybe only 2 with superior left handed stats.

So much for better tracks drawing betting fields

[ngakonui grass]

The Easter Handicap not being held at Easter sought of sums up the problems with NZ Racing at present.Too much tinkering with programmes,make believe triple crowns and exclusive  2 year old,and 3 year old million dollar races.

We are going down the gurgler so fast not even those at the top can notice it.

[Freda]

I don't know if I agree about the 'better field ' .....I guess it is pretty subjective.    There will be a winner whatever position you take on things.

But, wrt the Easter Hcp not at Easter...I was told by our CEO Tim Mills, about just that issue  [ although with reference to the Riccarton Easter meeting]  that having a fixed date made it easier for horses to be prepared/set for the race, rather than having the variable date due to the Church calendar.

[Hesi]

2 hours ago, ngakonui grass said:

The Easter Handicap not being held at Easter sought of sums up the problems with NZ Racing at present.Too much tinkering with programmes,make believe triple crowns and exclusive  2 year old,and 3 year old million dollar races.

We are going down the gurgler so fast not even those at the top can notice it.

Easter can fall anywhere from March 22 to April 25, so difficult to schedule a meeting on Easter Sat each year

[Hesi]

1 hour ago, Freda said:

I don't know if I agree about the 'better field ' .....I guess it is pretty subjective.    There will be a winner whatever position you take on things.

But, wrt the Easter Hcp not at Easter...I was told by our CEO Tim Mills, about just that issue  [ although with reference to the Riccarton Easter meeting]  that having a fixed date made it easier for horses to be prepared/set for the race, rather than having the variable date due to the Church calendar.

Easter Handicap average rating 78.5

Anzac Mile, excluding the ballots 79.7

I rest my case🤩

 

[ngakonui grass]

18 minutes ago, Hesi said:

Easter can fall anywhere from March 22 to April 25, so difficult to schedule a meeting on Easter Sat each year

Correct me if i'm wrong but in the past i think that they did just that.

[Freda]

5 minutes ago, ngakonui grass said:

Correct me if i'm wrong but in the past i think that they did just that.

Of course they did.

But, now it is deemed to be too difficult.    And, we now have a population [ even though the majority couldn't give a toss about horse racing ]   that cares little about religious festivals.

[Freda]

25 minutes ago, Hesi said:

Easter Handicap average rating 78.5

Anzac Mile, excluding the ballots 79.7

I rest my case🤩

 

Sad, isn't it?

[Hesi]

11 minutes ago, ngakonui grass said:

Correct me if i'm wrong but in the past i think that they did just that.

Not sure

[Hesi]

You're going against tradition mate.  The race has been held since 1874(about when you were born), and won by some of the best horses to ever grace the NZ turf

[Hesi]

The Easter Handicap was held on Easter Sat 2004, 05, 06, so must have changed in 2007, when it was renamed the Champions Mile for a year, and reverted to a mid April date thereafter, and was actually run on Easter Sat in 2009.  Renamed from the Landpride Easter to the Manco Easter in 2012.

Many will also remember that there used to be a 2 day meeting at Ellerslie over Easter

[pete]

22 minutes ago, Hesi said:

The Easter Handicap was held on Easter Sat 2004, 05, 06, so must have changed in 2007, when it was renamed the Champions Mile for a year, and reverted to a mid April date thereafter, and was actually run on Easter Sat in 2009.  Renamed from the Landpride Easter to the Manco Easter in 2012.

Many will also remember that there used to be a 2 day meeting at Ellerslie over Easter

It was changed when the Derby and Cup were changed. It always used to be Easter Saturday prior to that.

[Hesi]

Last Derby on Boxing Day was 2004, won by Xcellent, then next Derby was March 2006

[Hesi]

Anyway, the point I was making, was that Ellerslie upgrade their track with radial drains every 5 m, the entire circumference, have a G2 race worth $100K, yet get an inferior field for what is, or was a signature race on the NZ calendar, to a club with a noted bog track, inferior facilities and a much lesser stake.

Interesting observation on NZ racing