Your thoughts on watering the track

[Shaun]

They have been saying that the Divi will not run unless the track is watered from my understanding right now the track is a good track i see no reason to water it just to keep one horses trainer happy what are your thoughts should they water or not.

[Chrome Prince]

Both Freedman and Weld are saying if it's a fast track they won't run their horses.

You race and cope with the conditions, they should not expect the VRC to accomodate them. There are other horses which like very fast tracks, I'm sure the VRC would not dry it out for them.

Only if it's unsafe should they step in.

What are the odds the VRC will give it a light water just to placate the trainers and keep the horses in to draw the bigger crowds?

[Shaun]

I think if they offered odds on the watering it would be 10/9 on

[BORDI]

its my understanding the vrc has a policy to water the tracks. it is not to suit the horses, its a policy they have undertaken in the past 4 yrs. a very hard track is unsafe and as freedman mentioned, no trainer wants a hard track. makybe will run on a good track, any harder is unsafe. the track should be made to be 'safe' for every horse running... softness in a track will rarely do damage to a horse..

[mad]

Aqua sin gas

[Shaun]

Yesterday morning they were sticking an umbrella in it and it didn't seam hard.....a light water is fine....but to give advantage to the Divi is a bit much and the fact they have made threats if the grass is not watered is a joke

[BORDI]

they are not threats. if you had a mare like her you wouldnt be risking her either. she is priceless....

[Chrome Prince]

The VRC has had a policy because the internationals have been here that long and demanded it.

How is Fast unsafe?

There are many horses in the Cup who like a fast track including the Japanese horse.

Wasn't Freedman the one yelling last time Weld wanted it watered?

strewth!

[La Mer]

The VRC has had a policy because the internationals have been here that long and demanded it. How is Fast unsafe?

That's not quite correct Chrome - the policy on watering when necessary applies to all Victorian race tracks and not just those on which the overseas runners complete on.

Racing Victoria, about four years ago, instructed all race clubs to have tracks rated as no firmer than good but not fast.

As it is, two horses that raced last Saturday suffered problems/injuries because of the firm track conditions - Barely A Moment who broke down badly and looks as if it will be retired and Fields Of Omagh who didn't handle the firm track according to his jockey.

Given the weather forecast for today and tomorrow, the track manager has no option but to water so as to comply with the Racing Victoria instructions.

[BORDI]

yes u tell em la mer

[Chrome Prince]

That's not quite correct Chrome - the policy on watering when necessary applies to all Victorian race tracks and not just those on which the overseas runners complete on.

Racing Victoria, about four years ago, instructed all race clubs to have tracks rated as no firmer than good but not fast.

As it is, two horses that raced last Saturday suffered problems/injuries because of the firm track conditions - Barely A Moment who broke down badly and looks as if it will be retired and Fields Of Omagh who didn't handle the firm track according to his jockey.

Given the weather forecast for today and tomorrow, the track manager has no option but to water so as to comply with the Racing Victoria instructions.

I stand corrected then.

Don't the trainers want it dead to slow though - that's a hell of a lot of water!

[La Mer]

I stand corrected then. Don't the trainers want it dead to slow though - that's a hell of a lot of water!

There is no doubt that both Freedman & Weld want the track dead if possible but it is unlikely their wishes will come true as the revised weather forecast for tomorrow is 31 degrees.

I think that they are planning to water the track tonight from about 6pm onwards - the track manager was on the radio earlier today and stated that the track will probably be rated as dead when they do the penetrometer @ 6am in the morning but he expects it to be good by the time the racing commences at 10.20am.

[dundas lane]

There will be some trainers yelling "Conspiracy" if the 2YO Fillies in race 1 hit the course proper after coming down out of the chute and clods of dirt are seen flying in all directions all the way to the finishing post. Do I think this is a possibility of happening?, surely not! To use a football analogy, the team is always more important than any individual/s.


dundas lane .........

[punta]

im no pro but dont tamper with mother nature

if she gives us rain resulting in a good - dead track then so be it

if she doesnt and its a fast track then let it be

whatever happens, happens

i perosnally think "their" favouring the diva

id prefer to let mother nature take care if the track with whatever weather she gives us

there's my two cents

[Raw Instinct]

I might be part of the minority here but I am all for them watering the track to a degree not to suit any horse in particular but to keep it safe. Go back a couple of years when Media Puzzle won it was as hard as a rock Media Puzzle couldn't race for nearly 2 years following it Vinnie Roe was out for about 12 months Prized Gem never really raced again and there were a couple others who pulled up very badly aswell.

When you look at that I think in fairness if they can get it to a dead rating for the start of the day that is all they can do if it is 32 degrees it isn't going to matter anyway.

[Shaun]

Any worse than dead and they have stuffed the track and the race

[Better Loosen Up]

I believe that at the start of the day they should try and have the track on the slow side of dead. By the time the Melbourne Cup starts the track would then be dead to good which I believe would be ideal conditions for every horse in the race and a much fairer result. I think it is also very important in the interest in the horses safety. I'm sure every trainer would prefer to walk away from the race, win or lose, with their horses still in good condition unlike other Cups in the past where the track has been rock hard and horses have either broken down or suffered badly to the point where they have never regained their form or have been retired. I don't believe that watering the track is just catering to Makybe Diva but it is a necessity.

[Filante]

That's not quite correct Chrome - the policy on watering when necessary applies to all Victorian race tracks and not just those on which the overseas runners complete on.

Racing Victoria, about four years ago, instructed all race clubs to have tracks rated as no firmer than good but not fast.

As it is, two horses that raced last Saturday suffered problems/injuries because of the firm track conditions - Barely A Moment who broke down badly and looks as if it will be retired and Fields Of Omagh who didn't handle the firm track according to his jockey.

Given the weather forecast for today and tomorrow, the track manager has no option but to water so as to comply with the Racing Victoria instructions.

Spot on.

The track would be like concrete by the end of the day if they don't water it.

[moeee]

DEAD!
Hasn't rained for four days.
My Goodness.
The way things are going a budding entrepeneur out their could make a killing providing gumboots suitable for horses.Snowshoes even.