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Northam Trots Cancelled

Harness & Greyhounds
JayJayJayJay    7,672 posts
Harness & Greyhounds
Northam cancelled for tonight....opportunity for all the Lounge Chair track curators to take the pies out the freezer, warm em up and start chucking them. The fact that it has been bucketing down for weeks has nothing to do with it, nothing at all!!!!
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VillageKid likes this post.

Comments

  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    Probably inevitable after the Avon Descent was started at the 600m point stewards tower on Burwood  Park this morning JJ.  =;

    JayJay likes this post.

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,672 posts
    Yes, I know what a wet winter in Northam is like...one year when I was working there (back in the 70's), the old earthen weir wall was blown up of sorts as water was bubbling back up through the stormwater drains in Fitzgerald Street. I did 2 Avon Descents back in those days....made it to Katrine bridge the first time and Extracts the second, so it doesnt really count. Wettest winter I can recall and track staff at wherever are doing it very tough. But the loungeroom lizards will not be deterred.

    curmudgeon, VillageKid likes this post.

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  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,847 posts
    Think that Teeny Boppa won a race at Northam in the late 70s early 80s rsting 2:23 or thereabouts on a bog track.
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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    Probably inevitable given the usual dubious racing surface at northam. In recent times it’s been like a cat with nine lives and tonight was the tenth! If prepared well in advanced for inclement weather there should be little excuse given the reasonable camber. If the governing body of the industry is fair dinkum about looking after its participants n punters they would sort to rectify the issue to prevent a reoccurrence
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  • JayJayJayJay    7,672 posts
    I was the Timekeeper in those days....Fred Kersley bred and trained mare by Rising Scott. Haven't got all the records but racing mid winter in Northam was inevitably on a slow track...Gleaming won up there on a wet night going 2.12.9 ( from a stand) ...got the photo, Coulson in what looks like John Candy's white plastic golf pants.
    The Avon River flowing onto the track is I'd suggest a "non rectifiable issue". And on which fine sunny day last week would you suggest they "prepare well in advance"? Absolute humbug.

    VillageKid, TheDiva likes this post.

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  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,847 posts
    As you suggested JayJay the Lounge Chair Curators are on the move. The number of meetings lost in  the current era is minute compared to the 60s through the 80s and even 90s.

    More credit to the GP Curator when Our Angel of Harlem can run 1:56:0 with splash sheet and mud guards and run home in 57 after 68mm of rain in four days which represents about 10% of our annual average.

    cisco, JayJay, curmudgeon, Gilgamesh likes this post.

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  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    edited August 2018
    Northam has lost 2 complete meetings out of 125 in the last 5 years. Two other meetings have lost 3 races due to driver vision problems after downpours during meetings.The first complete meeting loss was when an outrageous 250mm of rain fell in 12 hours and the second was Sat night when after 3 days of continuous rain 38 mm of rain fell between midnight and 7 am and further heavy showers were predicted ( and duly fell )
    Northam has had the bonus as a dual use facility of having cross track traffic of machinery and vehicles daily since January as the greyhound track rail was replaced and the track refurbished and additionally for the last 3 months while Mandurah Greyhounds have had meetings diverted to Northam two greyhound race meetings and one set of trials per week with the attendant traffic flow across the harness track has been occurring. The meeting was called off after the Chief Steward and Mobile Barrier staff tested the track at 2.30 pm in heavy rain. The surface of the track was fit to race on but the concern was that further rain plus fields of 12 cutting into the track on a section of the track turning out of the home straight  could cause traction issues for the mobile. I am aware appropriate track preparation given the forecast for the week was completed at 8pm Tues for Saturdays meeting. Just a few related facts to ponder ..... but any track geniuses out there are welcome to supply their ideas to the NHRC and can cc the WAGRA with further ideas as to how, when and where they can prepare to race and trial on the interior greyhound track.....without setting foot on the harness track.....in any weather.

    JayJay likes this post.

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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    Suggestions are one thing, practicing and the willingness to implement them are another
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  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    edited August 2018
    As ridiculous as it seems the Northam club received a complaint that its track wasn't in tip top order for a trainer to work their horse on at 7.30 am on the morning after 5 inches of rain fell in 12 hours 6 am to 6 pm the day before. Gullys 4 inches deep had been washed into 2/3rds of it and machinery would have bogged on the surface if it had gone onto the track.
    Say no more...everyone is an expert track curator 
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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    If a harness track is competently maintained with fresh track material and that surface is managed to best slow the wearing process of the surface it should withstand that sort of rain without the surface becoming boggy/slippery. Rain should run off and through a fresh surface provided drainage is adequate. Ive seen as much n more rain fall on other harness tracks and still be safe to race on. It can be done, sometimes small changes in preparation can make a big difference
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  • JayJayJayJay    7,672 posts
    Oh Please....give a person a hand trowel and they can dig a super pit, talk about digging a hole along with accusations of incompetence and mis-management. And .......if the Northam Club had unlimited funds, if they had unlimited equipment, if they had unlimited manpower and time....and if they could put a bloody roof on the place, kick the Greyhounds out and stop it from raining non stop in the lead up to race day.......and I don't know, but I am guessing the track is probably maintained by a very small volunteer workforce under a head volunteer who may or may not be afforded a small honorarium....and who probably have day jobs to attend to.....and if they had access to your obvious expertise and experience, then they could clearly take advantage of your suggested small changes in preparation that could avoid them losing the 2 out of 125 meetings that they have lost in the last 5 years. I generally accept and respect all opinions and try (not always successfully) to not tee off on others contributions but I believe you are way out of order. Have you not been outside the last couple of weeks?

    curmudgeon likes this post.

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  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,847 posts
    What Northam need to do is to hire someone on a zimmer frame to take over as track manager.

    curmudgeon likes this post.

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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    Im not making accusations at anyone person jay jay! Nor will i make condescending and overblown comments similar to previous commentary on this post. Im just stating that it doesn’t require unlimited resources to prep tracks adequately for inclement weather. Unfortunately little consideration is given to racing surfaces until a meeting is lost! In many cases its more ‘good luck’ than ‘good management. Historically track curators are reluctant to vary or improve there practices at a cost to the industry.
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  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    edited August 2018
    "Unfortunately little consideration is given to racing surfaces until a meeting is lost! In many cases its more ‘good luck’ than ‘good management. Historically track curators are reluctant to vary or improve there practices at a cost to the industry."


    That is an absolutely baseless and derogatory statement. It impugns the integrity and efforts of a substantial number of people throughout the state. I am sure all club managers would inform you that as a general rule their curatorial staff have embraced any practice that benefits the track preparation process ...in all conditions....which requires constant and often subtle variation of method. It is in their interests to constantly adjust because no curatorial staff at any venue work outside of a number of constraints caused by competing priorities that can alter daily. Some venues have unique priorities and circumstances that impact them differently to others. To suggest there is a homogeneous method that can be easily run as a track maintenance template statewide is an absurdity both theoretically and practically.  I stand corrected on one point re Northam ....one of the two meetings I thought was previously lost in the last five years was in fact postponed and rescheduled so the only meeting lost there was last saturdays which means if it is not rescheduled a net meeting attrition of either 0.8 of a percent or 0 if rescheduled ....over 5 years. So they have either been extremely lucky year after year after year or your accusatory statement is factually unsupported vexatious rubbish.

    JayJay likes this post.

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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    Im sorry you have seemed to take some of these comments to heart curmudgeon. My intention was not to upset anyone just to bring some discussion and awareness of a neglected topic.
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  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    Just providing some facts rather than perpetuating a myth. The reality is that until a meeting is lost and the opportunity to earn goes with it no-one really cares about the wider aspect of track maintenance except the curatorial staff. As soon as a meeting is called off experts appear like mushrooms.

    Chariotsonfire likes this post.

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  • ZimmermanZimmerman    80 posts
    Yes its a subject few take much notice of but probably should do considering the time n money spent to prepare horses for racing in a multi million dollar industry on unnecessarily sub standard racing surfaces. Yes there are many well maintained tracks throughout the state with knowledgeable curatorial staff but from my experience some are just not up to standard for whatever reasons being lack of funding, man power or just not wanting to improve or change outdated practices.
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  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    You seem to be right across this Zed .... I can only recommend you submit a detailed critique to RWWA  along with a detailed proposal for remedial action.

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