The abandonment of the Ashburton gallops meeting on Saturday was unfortunate. The subsequent abandonment of the meeting on Monday was frustrating at best.
When I say frustrating, I don't mean the meeting should have continued - far from it. The tragic events of last week, with two jockey deaths in Australia and one in the United States, reminds us all of the perils jockeys face when they climb aboard a horse.
And when an experienced jockey such as Kylie Williams tells Trackside on Monday the track is no better than it was two days before, it's clear the right decision was made to call the meeting off.
Not all has been lost for trainers looking to prime their horses for New Zealand Cup week, with the Ray Coupland Stakes - a vital lead-up race for 3yr-olds heading towards their respective Guineas races - being moved to tomorrow's meeting at Riccarton.
The $200 payment per horse will go some way to covering travel costs, but I wonder whether a double payment would have been more appropriate, considering the potential 16-hour travel logs for those who travelled from Dunedin - twice.
Never mind the jockeys who went back - again twice - for nothing.
Back in the saddle
Paul Richards and wife Leanne might be heading north for a new chapter next month, but it looks like ''Snooze'' is flicking back through the pages of his history as soon as he gets up there.
He is one of several former jockeys who have agreed to take part in exhibition races at Te Rapa in November and December.
Provided the farewell parties don't get too out of control over the next month, I'd back Paul to be one of the fittest of the ex-hoops - which include Bob Vance, Jim Collett, Bruce Herd, Linda Ballantyne and Stephen Autridge - seeing as he still rides plenty of horses in work.
Place your bets
The New Zealand TAB bookmakers continue to up their game by releasing place markets for the New Zealand Cup and Dominion Trot. Not THAT easy to find value this far out, but I think the $3.80 for Franco Nelson in the cup is certainly worth a couple of gold coins, while Irish Whisper at $3.20 could fly in under the radar among South Island punters.
Lazy Fiver
All Cash provided a little bit of the folding stuff on Sunday, doing the job at Methven at the win price of $5.20. Bit skinny considering it was a 12-horse field, but bank it and move on.
Strong field for the Coupland's Mile trial (race 9) at Riccarton on Saturday, but get on Wingatui galloper Ridley. Sorry for the jinx, Joanne, but the run at Wingatui was too good to ignore.
