Racing: Riccarton debacle inquiry today

Today sees New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's inquiry into Saturday's earth-shattering, as it turned out, starting debacle at Riccarton.

It's doubtful anything in New Zealand racing in recent years has attracted - as unwanted as it was - as much attention in mainstream media.

Starter's assistant Aaron Taylor was horrifyingly knocked down when caught in front of the horses in the starting stalls, when the start of a race was made prematurely at Riccarton and the vision was splashed across television in Australia and New Zealand.

Taylor escaped serious injury in an incident that could have been life-threatening.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's (NZTR) inquiry today will determine what action will be taken over the incident.

NZTR has already moved to limit the possibility of a repeat of Saturday's worrying incident by directing the official starter at race meetings at courses which use the same enclosed barriers as Riccarton - Ellerslie, Trentham, Riccarton and Waterlea - to start races from an elevated position in front of the starting stalls.

In New Zealand, starters have traditionally been positioned on a ladder behind the starting stalls.

"I can't say it's universally popular with the official starters at the moment to have to start these races in front of the barriers, but it's the only element of common sense," chief stipendiary steward Cameron George told the Herald.

George does not foresee a problem with races being started from an elevated position behind the starting stalls when the race club is using the non-overhead, cut-off barriers and they will continue for the time being to be allowed to be started from behind the gates.

"We'll assess how that goes, but at the moment I don't see a problem starting those races behind the barriers.

"From what I've observed you get very good vision of what's happening with that type of starting stall.

"All the starters say the same.

"It's a different story with the overhead gates. The vision the starter gets is not the same."

The significant difference, apart from vision, between overhead and non-overhead barriers is that with non-overheads the power to start the race is not given to the starter until the last horse is loaded and the starting attendants are clear.

For the overheads, the power to start the race is with the official starter right through, even before the first horse has entered the barriers.

George said he was insisting that all starters ensure that the procedure is as sharp as possible.

"Everyone has to be held accountable. The assistant starter has to be able to convey to the starter that the last horse is in and the field is ready go.

"The manual we released is very clear on all aspects," said George.

* South Auckland trainer Stephen McKee will have a lot to say in Saturday's $85,000 Travis Stakes at Te Rapa with the two highest-rated horses in the group two event: Culminate and Boundless.

The latter left little doubt she was back to her best with her Hawkes Bay Cup victory on Saturday and Culminate is in close to the best form if her career. Both are in the running for a Queensland campaign.

Easter Handicap first and second place-getters Time Keeper and November Rain are in the $35,000 3-year-old race over 2000m. November Rain is also an acceptor for the Travis Stakes in which she receives a handy 2.5kg from the older mares.

The Te Rapa fields have shaped up as enormous betting contests, particularly with a $500,000 Pick6.