Once again a fiasco with bettor information and a reaction to a clearly slippery track made after this important G3 race (rather than before when it matters) towards several looking to continue down to G1 at Riccarton. It is an insult to the intelligence let alone eyesight of bettors when it is drizzling for hours and the track is proudly posted and maintained as Good3 all day. Three horses slipped in this G3 event at the start, with the winner O’Marilyn knuckling over but recovered swiftly though the second and third finishers Vinnie Eagle and Turn Me Loose slipped badly. Bettors are getting their money done cold. Staggeringly one fifth of all runners on the day at Te Rapa, a known biased and shifty track underfoot, either were slow, awkwardly away or slipped/knuckled at the start. That percentage alone tells you something. The race before this G3 feature saw Wisecrack tardy but then most tellingly it slipped across the top and went from third last back to the rear before running on late. After the debacle in this race where bettors copped a raw deal can you believe the track was harrowed (said club used machinery so what else?) at the starting areas of the last two events and both just happened to be the same (one mile) point. Too late for bettors and the track being kept at a Good3 is simply keeping up appearances. When one-fifth of the entire card leave the stalls disadvantaged then you know a massive number slipped either badly or scrambled away for their footing. Te Rapa is the most biased track in New Zealand and it is manmade through excessive sand-slitting and absurd rail movements so nothing compacts at all. Add water to sand and then try to take off explosively like a 500kg thoroughbred and the grip is not there and never will be on such a cosmetic surface. It is an unnecessary risk and if any of these 3yo’s had there season affected (more can come out of this debacle yet) then we have a problem. The start should have been machined or whatever they use at Te Rapa for the 1400m G3 feature and common sense should have ensured it happened. What are the stewards doing when a horse slips across the top the race before and so many runners every single race are either slow or scrambling away early? It is an unprofessional look and the form therefore now becomes dubious from Te Rapa though it often is being such a manmade biased track. Slippage is a major problem at the venue and when dry the sand kickback is stinging on horses hence so many massive failures here. These same horses form reverse at their next outing on more normal soil and turf tracks so often it makes for compelling proof. O’Marilyn was the least affected of the slipping triplets and did get all favours to the home turn thereafter and never had to go around a rival. She is fast and strong plus is now effective with a sit then pounce so is building up several dimensions too her already bulging racing arsenal. The time of 1:22.07 was solid but remember this track is cosmetic so slick times with some rain on the track are meaningless and especially if a third of the field slips in the G3 feature at the jump. Vinnie Eagle was huge in defeat and if he could get a fair launching surface would get a mile against his own age group. Not many if any of his age in New Zealand could do what he did as burning the candle at both ends is an understatement. Turn Me Loose, a violent puller and leader, was three lengths last after the jump and bettors were thinking they get fairer odds at a casino as the roulette wheel never slips or something such as gate fails to open! His sustained surge from the back wider around the home turn augurs well for his next assignment at a mile. It must be stressed here that damage to runners can still surface between now and Riccarton as thoroughbred horses are not meant to scramble and push off at funny angles. Stratocaster ran on as he does solidly late and will be salivating for the mile. Prince Mambo, the stablemate of the winner, ran a strange race for fifth after being in the box seat fourth the inner early and outer across the top. He hit a big flat spot at the 200m then got a second wind and actually ran on well the final 50m. Twya was okay but Avisto was poor and she may need wet ground as in mud rather than sand. Amun Ra was slaughtered wide throughout but is a wet tracker only and Jet Trac was outclassed. All in all the result looks iffy as one third of the field were affected to varying degrees by a slippery Te Rapa that was still apparently a Good3 for even the last race! Information is key for turnover and confidence but misinformation or under-reporting or keeping up appearances is a turnover killer and leads to mistrust and a loss in faith. Bettors are not being protected properly yet still and thoroughbred racing wonders why they have lost half their customer base (at least) and turnover locally has collapsed beyond belief. It aint rocket science!