Northam Cup

freodockers · February 7

From memory my understanding if you run one race and the meeting is called off due to rain, lights or any other circumstance the club loses the meeting full stop.
However I suppose they could argue the point that the all weather mobile wasn’t available. Must be a serious problem with that new mobile.

JayJay · February 7

Who would know what the state of play is with the new mobile? Silence from management has provided fertile ground for all sorts of stories to be circulating. You are running a business okay, you spend a reportably large some of money on some new plant....months ago.....it doesn't appear to work, the only reference I have seen was in a stewards report citing "technical issues". No advice issued to the shareholders, so inevitably, all manner of stories circulate. Some are fanciful, some may be true but the lack of information is deplorable. The new mobile might not/probably wouldn't have saved Northam last night but who would know. No wonder people are giving up hope.

JayJay · February 7

Tabtouch unsurprisingly listing today's Bunbury/Bridgetown betting as "closed"....assuming that means it is off?

Edit: Abandoned

aussiebattler · February 7

JayJay said:
Tabtouch unsurprisingly listing today's Bunbury/Bridgetown betting as "closed"....assuming that means it is off?

Edit: Abandoned

text said Postponed

AbbysAce · February 7

JayJay said:
Who would know what the state of play is with the new mobile? Silence from management has provided fertile ground for all sorts of stories to be circulating. You are running a business okay, you spend a reportably large some of money on some new plant....months ago.....it doesn't appear to work, the only reference I have seen was in a stewards report citing "technical issues". No advice issued to the shareholders, so inevitably, all manner of stories circulate. Some are fanciful, some may be true but the lack of information is deplorable. The new mobile might not/probably wouldn't have saved Northam last night but who would know. No wonder people are giving up hope.

I remember Radley saying new mobiles ( i presume more than 1 ) were ordered and due here next month, that could have been 12 months ago. But hey, we are talking about WA, 2hours and 20 years...

Rocket_Reign · February 7

AbbysAce said:

JayJay said:
Who would know what the state of play is with the new mobile? Silence from management has provided fertile ground for all sorts of stories to be circulating. You are running a business okay, you spend a reportably large some of money on some new plant....months ago.....it doesn't appear to work, the only reference I have seen was in a stewards report citing "technical issues". No advice issued to the shareholders, so inevitably, all manner of stories circulate. Some are fanciful, some may be true but the lack of information is deplorable. The new mobile might not/probably wouldn't have saved Northam last night but who would know. No wonder people are giving up hope.
I remember Radley saying new mobiles ( i presume more than 1 ) were ordered and due here next month, that could have been 12 months ago. But hey, we are talking about WA, 2hours and 20 years...

They’re here there’s 2 and they don’t work we just don’t know why because they won’t say

maybeso · February 7

JayJay said:
Who would know what the state of play is with the new mobile? Silence from management has provided fertile ground for all sorts of stories to be circulating. You are running a business okay, you spend a reportably large some of money on some new plant....months ago.....it doesn't appear to work, the only reference I have seen was in a stewards report citing "technical issues". No advice issued to the shareholders, so inevitably, all manner of stories circulate. Some are fanciful, some may be true but the lack of information is deplorable. The new mobile might not/probably wouldn't have saved Northam last night but who would know. No wonder people are giving up hope.

From what I was told, the mobile was a bit skittish last night. The current mobiles are very heavily loaded at the back. As they have aged they have become less reliable at getting away when it is wet. They are getting old and tired.

I'd have thought the 4wd mobiles being used elsewhere in Australia would have been able to handle the conditions last night without any problems. The difference between rear wheel drive and 4wd is chalk and cheese.

curmudgeon · February 7

In the 24 hrs prior to Saturdays meeting information from the BOM variously predicted rainfall from the slow moving coastal rain bearing depression initially commencing at 5am Sat morning through to revised estimates of rain commencing at 7 pm Sat evening (12 midday Saturday BOM information).

At 4 pm consideration was being given to watering the track as no rain had fallen of any note and the track was dry and rolled hard. The revised BOM estimate had 30% chance of rain by 5.30.

Light rain commenced however at 4.15 pm and continued for 4 hrs at various strengths.

Races 1 to 3 were held as scheduled ( R1 delayed by Vet arrival being held up en route) Reports from drivers were that the track footing and visibility remained satisfactory. The steady rain was pooling in the surface in hoofmarks and flowing down the camber in patches but the issue became one of traction of the mobile upon acceleration at release point.

Upon testing of the mobile post race 3 there was a slight loss of control that led to the rest of the meeting being abandoned for that reason and the prospect of further rain...which did eventuate.

The track itself remained in condition to continue to race safely. In fact the club was approached by some trainers and asked if it was ok to hopple up their horses on it following the cancellation as it would assist them in their routines going forward.

The last meeting pre-emptive postponement in Northam was in Jan 2017 when a large ex cyclone as a rain bearing depression moved across WA and flooded many areas. That postponement was met with blue skies because it moved much slower than predicted ....and of course much hand wringing angst as to why the meeting did not go ahead as programmed from some quarters.

So there is a history of very similar scenarios that illustrate you can be damned if you do and damned if you don't surrounding the decision making processes involved here.

Given the events of the previous week it was not an outlandish thing to do in attempting to roll the dice and squeak through the meeting.

If that's as bad as it gets in 2021 the outlook should improve a bit.

savethegame · February 7

Was there any consideration given to abandonment of races 4,5,6, 8 9-----, run race 7 the cup in its correct time slot due to it being a standing -start. -. no mobile .

Plus is it not option nowadays regarding moving starts without a mobile with horse in gates 1& 6 Act as markers the others move in using them as sighters..

Stewards call all the drivers in explain the mobile can't be used, we are having moving starts, and anyone who has a 1/2L on the two marker horses prior to release pole will be fined 150.----You can scratch if you wish.. or vote if you wish to abandon. the meeting.

Markovina · February 7

I think the posters who are bagging the Northam Club are a bit out of line ( i do feel sorry for the trainers - but it was indifferent weather all day - so it is just part and parcel of the game )

North of Perth it was steady soaking rain all day - and it didnt let up - great rain if you are a rice farmer

How do you know what is going to eventuate - i bet Tassie harness - Frid nights Launceston meeting - you could not get a more diabolical weather forecast - " Heavy rain from late afternoon - becoming torrential in the evening " - so what do the club do - they took the punt and ran the meeting ( and there would have been plenty of trainers from Hobart who had made the 2 hr hike up ) and they got lucky - there wasnt that much rain at all

Like Curmudge - said - your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont

I think it is a bit of a god send - run the Nthm cup in about 3 weeks time -when this latest pandemic setback has hopefully settled - so be able to have a nice crowd in attendance - so alls good

freodockers · February 7

Don’t think anyone’s bagging Northam Marko.

KTQ · February 7

the mobile was ordered with an 8 wide barrier but needs 9 for GP.

freodockers · February 7

And that takes six plus months to rectify ???

aussiebattler · February 7

KTQ said:

the mobile was ordered with an 8 wide barrier but needs 9 for GP.

Perhaps GP should be 7/5 to align it with Pinjarra and Bunbury

There was issues with the auto controlled start as well lacking power or something from taking off from release point WA I think is the only state implementing that technology into the mobile other states run off a manual controlled speed from what I’ve heard they needed to fly a technician from the east to resolve the issue

Chariotsonfire · February 7

II remembered attending a meeting where it was agreed that wherever possible the 7/5 format should be used for consistency.. Fred Kersley was in attendance and was Vice President of GPHR at the time but GPHR eventually rejected it and were still pursuing 10 across.

savethegame · February 8

Always thought FRK. had alot trouble dealing with what was best for the industry & being fair.in the proccess.with total defiance in-altering his whip action,strongly opposed to drug testing of participants at one stage. He mentioned about sprint lanes if it was a big race and someone was getting up on his inside he would be tempted to worry about it in the stewards room later.

Like the 7/5 format a tool on its owh that can help push certain favourites out towards the black, in PBD----as we try to minimise odds -on favs. a small step in the right direction.

Markovina · February 8

FRK when he was right at his peak re Harness - about 20-25 years-

He wanted 9 across the front - no second line and he wanted standing starts abolished forever

That was his opinion

savethegame · February 8

Will check thought there was a mention of eight starters only. plus only ten drivers allowed to drive in metro area. With two emg.

Harness would have been long dead if that had gone done that path.W.A. always keeps tumbling into what the yanks do. That same drivers system using Allowed Hevre Filion to drive 15,000 winners & with that territory of same drivers comes the race fixing.which done irreparable damage to there harness. racing.

Chariotsonfire · February 8

Some bookmakers supported that idea but overall the WA Bookmakers Association strongly opposed it for the reasons you outlined.

AbbysAce · February 8

Markovina said:
FRK when he was right at his peak re Harness - about 20-25 years-

He wanted 9 across the front - no second line and he wanted standing starts abolished forever

That was his opinion

There are alot of races at GP now with no back row as they cant get full fields, I bet these races the turnover is lower.

And we will never know as the majority of turnover is fixed which the public never sees.

Chariotsonfire · February 8

The last extensive turnover survey done by Tabcorp showed turnover increased incrementally per number of starters from 9 upwards and peaked at 11 and 12 starters per race.

AbbysAce · February 9

Chariotsonfire said:
The last extensive turnover survey done by Tabcorp showed turnover increased incrementally per number of starters from 9 upwards and peaked at 11 and 12 starters per race.

Chariotsonfire said:
7 out of 8 races tonight at GP with no back row.

Chariotsonfire · February 10

freodockers said:
And that takes six plus months to rectify ???

Kerry Hanks was on One out One Back on Tuesday and said that they ordered two mobiles from Victoria. The licensing process is extensive and when finished the first mobile when tested had a flat spot and would not accelerate quickly enough. They are now waiting for the second vehicle to clear licensing so they can test it to determine if it has the same problem. They are hopeful that it does not and that the problem is just a mechanical one with the first vehicle. The manufacturers are from Warnambool and all sorts of issues in getting them to come across.

2lifetimewinners · February 11

Chariotsonfire said:

freodockers said:
And that takes six plus months to rectify ???
Kerry Hanks was on One out One Back on Tuesday and said that they ordered two mobiles from Victoria. The licensing process is extensive and when finished the first mobile when tested had a flat spot and would not accelerate quickly enough. They are now waiting for the second vehicle to clear licensing so they can test it to determine if it has the same problem. They are hopeful that it does not and that the problem is just a mechanical one with the first vehicle. The manufacturers are from Warnambool and all sorts of issues in getting them to come across.

The sticking point is RWWA Harness didnt want to pay for the technicians to quarantine for 14days at an approximate cost of $3k (at the time they could have gotten them over home quarantine at an Air BNB would have been fine) Now they have lost multiple meetings at the cost of 10s of 1000s of dollars because they are imbeciles. By the way, the original mobile that was tested and had the issues with acceleration arrived was tested in OCTOBER so its been 4 months. F*CK off Kerry, the licencing of the vehicles does not take that long so please stop **** in our pockets and telling us its raining.

freodockers · February 11

Assuming it’s a Hilux like the rest around the country.
Have they heard of a company called Toyota that could isolate the problem in a heartbeat.
Understand the vehicle has been modified but they could still pay Toyota to do tests on the vehicle.
It is not rocket science.

Gilgamesh · February 11

The other thing was when she was on the SEN show previously she said the lag issue related to the automatic system which no one else uses but they could over ride that and just do it manually, so why aren’t they doing that???

AbbysAce · February 11

2lifetimewinners said:

Chariotsonfire said:

freodockers said:
And that takes six plus months to rectify ???
Kerry Hanks was on One out One Back on Tuesday and said that they ordered two mobiles from Victoria. The licensing process is extensive and when finished the first mobile when tested had a flat spot and would not accelerate quickly enough. They are now waiting for the second vehicle to clear licensing so they can test it to determine if it has the same problem. They are hopeful that it does not and that the problem is just a mechanical one with the first vehicle. The manufacturers are from Warnambool and all sorts of issues in getting them to come across.
The sticking point is RWWA Harness didnt want to pay for the technicians to quarantine for 14days at an approximate cost of $3k (at the time they could have gotten them over home quarantine at an Air BNB would have been fine) Now they have lost multiple meetings at the cost of 10s of 1000s of dollars because they are imbeciles. By the way, the original mobile that was tested and had the issues with acceleration arrived was tested in OCTOBER so its been 4 months. F*CK off Kerry, the licencing of the vehicles does not take that long so please stop **** in our pockets and telling us its raining.

There was 2 -3 weeks in December Victorians could come to WA and not quarantine. You would have had the guy from Warrnambool (who Kerry mentioned they need to come over here to fix the problem ) booked on the 1st flight over. I have spoke to a mate whos job is to get new vehicles, agi trucks, cranes etc roadworthy and cleared to mine sites, he couldnt stop laughing when I told him about the 12 weeks quoted to get the mobile up to spec, I cant write on here what he said but i think everybody has a fair idea.

freodockers · February 11

I suppose what I was saying is that their “spin” does not make sense.
We have heard multiple excuses COVID restrictions, incorrect barriers, flat spot and transmission issues.
Normal organisations do not pay over $100.0k for a piece of equipment only to have it sit around for 6 months with technical issues and not force the manufacturer to rectify a warrantable issue.
It is against the law not to respond last time I checked.
There are local industries in WA who could troubleshoot the issue on behalf of the manufacturer if COVID travel is the problem.
To me if they are going to test against a second unit, suggests the vehicle/vehicles may be underpowered.

VillageKid · February 11

If only Nathan Lyon in the recent series against India could have produced as much "spin' as I heard in the interview!

JayJay · February 11

Was a rain shortened 20/20 match VK, the Geraldton races preview until 9.15am limited the number of overs.

G'day Punter!

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