Selwyn Times: April 15, 2020

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10
Gardening
NOURISH: Fertilise your lawns in autum but make sure you have taken care of
those pesky weeds first.
Focus on your lawns
throughout autumn
AUTUMN CREATES
favourable conditions
to renovate and repair
damaged lawns.
Summer has a habit
of leaving its mark on
the garden; it’s often first
spotted by patches that
develop into a brown, dry
looking lawn.
Autumn brings welcome
rain in addition to cooler
air and soil temperatures
which
are conducive to healthier
looking lawns. Lawns have
many recreational and
health benefits.
They provide a place
to exercise, an area for
children to play or a
space to entertain and
relax. Financially, a well
maintained lawn has
proved to add value to
properties.
The environmental
benefits of having a lawn
are often overlooked.
The grass in your lawn
helps stabilise the soil
Wednesday April 15 2020
(preventing erosion) and
keeps the soil healthy due
to the microbial activity
(worms and all the good
guys that work under the
soil).
Autumn tips for lawns:
•Repair bare or
damaged areas
Bare patches in lawns can
be created in high traffic
areas, from pets, garden
equipment or furniture or
caused by long dry periods;
these problems can be
easily fixed.
It is best to start by
spraying any moss or
weeds in the area and
raking out.
Create a nutrient rich
and stable foundation.
Rather than buying a large
bag of lawn seed look for
seed which is specifically
designed to repair damaged
and bare patches of lawn
and produces even grass
growth.
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
•Spray for weeds and
prickles
Use a selective lawn weed
spray to control broadleaf
weeds and prickles in one
application.
Apply in autumn and
spring when weeds are
actively growing and
before they become well
established.
If moss becomes a
problem manage with
moss control sulphate of
iron.
•Nourish now with
lawn food
Lawn fertiliser is a blend
of nutrients formulated to
promote the establishment
and growth of lawns. It is
high in nitrogen, which is
responsible for promoting
lush, green growth in
lawns. Also contains
phosphorus and this is
good for establishing and
maintaining root growth,
which is the foundation of
a lawn.
News
Top horse trainer barred
from race tracks
after doping allegations
• By Louis Day
HIGH-PROFILE harness
racing trainer Nigel
McGrath has handed in his
trainer’s licence after being
charged with numerous
offences including
attempting to administer
a banned substance to a
horse.
McGrath is facing five
charges and has been
served with a notice banning
him from entering
onto any racecourse.
His West Melton property
was raided by Racing
Integrity Unit officials last
month.
He has now been
charged with:
• Attempting to administer
with another person
a prohibited substance to
Steel The Show.
• Refusing to
make a statement
to inspectors regarding
his actions.
• Obstructing
a racecourse
inspector(s) in
their attempts to
seize evidence.
• Failure to follow lawful
direction when instructed
regarding Steel The Show.
• Failure to follow lawful
direction when requested
regarding production of
evidence.
McGrath’s property was
raided hours before Steel
The Show and another
horse Cloud Nine, were
due to race at Addington.
RIU inspectors found
tubing equipment, used
to administer substances
to horses, and McGrath
and another man at the
property.
Steel The Show
and Cloud Nine were
immediately banned from
racing at Addington.
McGrath did not return
calls to Selwyn Times. His
lawyer Pip Hall QC said he
would not be making any
comment.
McGrath’s horses have
been transferred to other
trainers’ stables.
It is not the first time
McGrath has been charged
with horse doping
offences. In 2004
he was caught up
in the blue magic
scandal, being
found guilty
by the Judicial
Control Authority
for administering
propantheline
bromide to horses
before racing.
McGrath was also caught
up in the ongoing police
investigation into the racing
industry, codenamed
Operation Inca.
He was charged with a
race-fixing offence which
was later dismissed in the
district court.
The charge came after
raceway stipendiary
stewards launched an
inquiry after a race at
Addington Raceway in
March 2018. They were
concerned by the manner
McGrath had driven
one of the two horses he
trained in the race – Star
Commander. His other
horse, Sheriff, won.
Nigel McGrath
SELWYN TIMES
The matter was then
heard by the Judicial
Control Authority, during
which details of a phone
call between McGrath and
a big betting businessman
associated with his stable
emerged for the first time.
During the phone call,
McGrath is asked by
the businessman if Star
Commander would beat
Sheriff. “Nah. Oh, if it does,
it won’t. If-if it ah. Nah,
don’t worry, don’t worry
about Star Commander.
Star Commander won’t get
in Sheriff’s way. You don’t
want that.”
Betting records showed
the businessman bet
$27,252 on 19 bets involving
wins, multis, quaddies,
trebles and a double on
Sheriff to win $37,057.
After originally pleading
not guilty to a serious racing
offence and a charge
of improper driving,
McGrath changed his
plea to guilty for the lesser
charge of improper driving
on the second day of the
hearing.
He was suspended from
driving racing for six
months and ordered to pay
costs of $11,500.
The businessman is
facing criminal charges
in the district court. He
has interim name
suppression.
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