Racing: Course managers taking stand on penetrometers

It appears likely punters will have to do without penetrometer readings when tracks are declared heavy.

There is a common belief among racecourse managers that the penetrometer becomes meaningless once it reaches 4.6 which is the minimum reading for heavy.

Auckland Racing Club made a stand last Saturday when it refused to declare the penetrometer reading. The Wellington Racing Club (WRC) will follow suit for tomorrow's Masterton meeting at Trentham.

Neil Treweek, president of the Racecourse Managers' Guild, has canvassed his members and will be presenting a case to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR).

"Once the penetrometer gets to 4.5, I don't think there is any need to give a reading," said Treweek who is in charge of the Te Rapa track in Hamilton.

Treweek suggested it might be possible to include a new category of very heavy where a reading was over five. He also doubts giving penetrometer readings at all are relevant.

"The only time that the numbers really count are in summer time when trainers are worried about horses jarring up," he said.

If NZTR accepts the recommendation from the racing managers, it will be something of a back down.

The WRC failed to release a penetrometer reading for the first day of its winter meeting last year and was rapped over the knuckles and instructed to provide readings.

That led to Wellington issuing a penetrometer reading of 9.5 for the second day of the meeting last July.

The Trentham track has been cleared for racing after NZTR officials inspected it.

- NZPA