December 5, 2014
by Ross Stanley
Due to overnight rain, Saturday’s Nanango Races have been abandoned. The next meeting at the Nanango Race Club will be held on January 17
As from last Monday, the national track-rating system has been revised for turf tracks.
Time will tell as to whether the categories are cut and dried or maybe the authorities have just made heavy weather of the task.
The following details, published on RISA, show the previous term, new term, numerical rating and the official description :
- Fast, Firm, 1: Dry Hard Track
- Good, Firm, 2: Firm Track with reasonable grass coverage
- Good, Good, 3: Track with good grass coverage and cushion
- Dead, Good, 4: Track with some give in it
- Dead, Soft, 5: Track with a reasonable amount of give in it
- Slow, Soft, 6: Moist but not badly affected track
- Slow, Soft, 7: More rain-affected track that will chop out
- Heavy, Heavy, 8: Rain affected track that horses will get into
- Heavy, Heavy, 9: Wet track getting into a squelchy area
- Heavy, Heavy, 10: Heaviest category track, very wet, towards saturation.
Synthetic Tracks will be “numerically rated” as Synthetic and also described as “Synthetic”.
Reports indicate that the methodology for sand and dirt tracks will be updated on March 1.
Given that there are subjective, qualitative words such as firm, hard, reasonable, good, some and not badly in the descriptors, there will still be variations in opinions from place to place and official to official.
The deletion of the word dead is wise, given that dead grass is lifeless and does not convey any sense of moisture.
If the same make of penetrometers was in use at all tracks with country tracks just required to take a minimal number of readings, an objective numerical figure could be obtained as is the case with thermometers.
The only exceptions would be the extremes when the gear (a) could not even begin to penetrate the surface or (b) sank without a trace.
It is pretty (oops, a subjective word) obvious what the situation is for those two surfaces.
One practical recent trend is that the notion of the track rating being in accord with its worst spot is heading towards being dead and buried.
If there was an area of concern at the 1400 metres, the rating could have been slow yet all races run short of that patch should have been classed as good.
Similarly, it is a nonsense that sand tracks on a normal day go into the computer as “good”.
A specialist at Gympie, Wondai and Bundaberg could rack up ten “good” wins but be hopeless on the grass.
Mind you, the smarties could clean up if such a neddy steps out on a heavy track. Its form line may show no wet track inkling at all yet it loves the sting out of the track.
Archives have been updated and form guides now use the new terms.
Nanango’s circuit for Saturday’s Shades of Christmas meeting was rated as a “Firm 2” on Friday morning.
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(Photo: Ross Stanley)
Robinson’s Stags Invade Lee Park
Beaudesert trainer Ben Robinson’s stable livery is a green jacket with a set of three golden stags on the front and back.
He has seven acceptors at Lee Park on Saturday so there will be a herd of 42 looking to dine out.
The motif is related to the Robinson heraldic design.
Jason Hoopert, who will ride for “deer” life during each of the five events on the Nanango card, has combined with Robinson 36 times this season for a 3-5-1 return over the four month period.
The duo are due to greet each other again at the winner’s slot.
Hoopert will be on Chinsky in the absorbing finale, the Star Power 0-60 Handicap (1600m).
The Catbird mare’s best form is around the metric mile. She is very fit and has drawn the rail.
Her stablemate Korta will again be handled by Mathew Dracos.
The pairing led and hung on for fourth at Dalby last weekend over 1788 metres in BM 55 company.
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Bits And Bridles
- Norma King has acceptors at Nanango and Thangool on Saturday, while James Curtain will take a trio headed by Amber Ale to Toowoomba.
- It is not unusual to see two-year-olds take on all comers over sprint trips late in the season. Surprisingly, Saturday’s metric half mile Maiden line-up at Nanango includes two juveniles making their debuts: Pick Of The Pubs, a gelding by Publishing. and the Ferocity filly Hamunaptra have drawn gates 1 and 2 respectively
- An often useful rule of thumb faces the test in the Nanango RSL-Pederson Memorial Class B (1000m). On paper it appears that Deagon mentor Steele Ryan and apprentice Faith Elliott are coming north on a swift sortie to give the topweight Spurred Up a soft kill. To date, the Jet Spur mare has always mixed it in city and provincial company. Her two runs after a six month lay off should have her cherry-ripe for a country assignment. Despite the wide draw, the task looks much easier than her previous set. And if she runs up to her pre-spell form, I think she will be too good.
