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well you have to have 2 yearold races at some stage Brodster. 8 youngsters went around in 2 heats at Pukekohe today. They went about 2 minutes to 2.01 so pretty good on that track. They Were a bit strung out though . But hopefully the programmer will give them a race soon. There are 2 scratchings in the Addington race , so you're being unfair on the Programmer , who is not going to pick that would happen.  was spose to be 5 starters. Why accept for a race then scratch? trainers should be fined for that sort of rubbish lol 😉😂  Hey the Two (2) x  maiden races are being run for 15k in races 7 and 8 straight after the 2 yearolds on Thursday. So is that the prize you thinking the 2 year-olds should run for instead of 17k that is programmed ? you're probably right. I'd only run ALL maidens for $9k races if I was doing it lol 🤣😎  save a few bucks that way. wouldn't be too popular with a trainers and owners though lol. 😆   they'd get used to it quick enough though and actually try and win a race to get better prizemoney when better rating.  that's the way to do it.

The thing is the programmer whoever it is needs to wake up and start making the right calls! There was never ever going to be many 2 year olds ready to race on Thursday night and yet they offer a stake of $17K???? There really needs to be a serious meeting called to discuss things and where they are driving the harness industry to? It seems incomprehensible that they have not realised what they are doing with the money they are receiving and spending it like it is going to be around indefinitely! Brad Steele needs to be talking to Entain about their plans at the end of the 5 years and what is required from HRNZ and the TAB to be receiving what level of stake money?? I challenge anyone from those 2 organisations to come on BOAY and explain themselves!

Jockey Declan Bates joined Pride Of Jenni in a gallop at Caulfield as the pair shed the kilograms in preparation for teaming in the All-Star Mile. Ciaron Maher took a small but select group of horses to gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning, including Pride Of Jenni who is preparing for a first-up tilt at the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 7. Bates, who has not ridden since December 6 after being injured in a barrier incident at the Ballarat jump-outs shortly after, partnered the mare in the work-out as he builds fitness towards a racetrack return, possibly at Terang on Friday. The Irish jockey suffered a fractured pelvis and sacrum in the barrier incident, describing it as ‘a nasty one’. “It’s a frustrating injury because you can’t give it any relief,” Bates said. “Sitting down you’re putting pressure on it and even lying in bed you’re putting pressure on it. “That’s why in the first month you don’t feel like you’re healing at all, so I was a little bit worried with the injury at first, but once it started coming good, in the last month especially, there has been rapid improvement and luckily, I’ll be back ahead of schedule.” Bates has been back riding trackwork just over a week and put ‘eight or nine’ horses through their paces at the Cranbourne jump-outs on Monday. He said he was looking forward to race riding again and in getting his fitness back up before partnering Pride Of Jenni in the All-Star Mile. “My fitness needs to tighten up a bit, but that’s going to come as I go along,” Bates said. “I was keen to get back racing two weeks before the All-Star Mile and that way it gives me a good two weeks of race riding before then. “Like me, she’s got a bit of fitness to come on, but she feels her usual self, enthusiastic in her work, and that’s what I wanted to see. “It’s good to have a nice horse to look forward to. You always want to get back as quick as possible and when you have a nice horse it really helps the motivation to get back as strong and healthy as possible.” Bates has ridden Pride Of Jenni in 19 of her 43 starts, winning four times at Group 1 level, including the mare’s memorable victory in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. View the full article

Major targets for two and dress rehearsals for others add up to an intriguing day’s racing for a talent-packed Wexford Stables contingent at Ellerslie on Saturday. Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott’s team is headed by Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Waitak (NZ) (Proisir), one the hot favourite for her elite racing debut in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and the other looking for more feature success in the Gr.1 Sport Nation Ōtaki-Māori Weight-for-Age Classic (1600m). Ohope Wins is one of three fillies entered for the New Zealand Oaks along with stablemates Acer and Clara Bow, while Yamato Satona and Genki make a double hand for the Gr.2 Eagle Technology (2100m), and likewise L’Aigle Noir and Panther in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m). Dominant performances by Ohope Wins in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Classic (2100m) at her last two starts have resulted in her being installed the favourite for both Saturday’s New Zealand Oaks and the Gr. 1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), scheduled for Ellerslie on March 7. That form has also meant a change in ownership for the Ocean Park filly, who now sports the increasingly ubiquitous Yulong Investments colours, which will also be carried in Saturday’s classic by second favourite and fellow Ocean Park filly Autumn Glory. While Ohope Wins is also highly rated for the New Zealand Derby, co-trainer Lance O’Sullivan is adamant that the current focus is this weekend’s assignment. “As always we’re treating it as one race at a time,” he said on Tuesday. “Any consideration for a Derby start will only come after we’ve discussed that with her connections and not until after Saturday. “We’re very happy with how she came through that last run at Te Rapa and everything has gone to plan since. “Joe Doyle came across to ride her in her main gallop this morning and she worked very well on the course proper. Clara Bow will be ridden by Warren Kennedy and she also worked well, as did Acer. All three fillies are very well. “Erin Leighton, who rode Acer well when she won the fillies’ race at New Plymouth and had a close association with the stable when she was in Matamata, will ride her again.” The stable’s star weight-for-age performer Waitak has not raced since his unplaced run in the Gr. 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day and has been freshened for the drop back in distance on the weekend. “We made the decision to back off and freshen him up, after all he had already had a big year with more to come,” O’Sullivan said. “That way he would get the opportunity to perform up to his best in the last two. “We’re very happy with him heading into the mile race, and that will work well for the step up to 2000 in the Bonecrusher Stakes.” Yamona Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) will be out to enhance his New Zealand Derby prospects when he lines up in the Avondale Guineas off the back of late-finishing thirds in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) and Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m). “Those were both very good runs and he’ll continue along that traditional Derby path on Saturday,” O’Sullivan said. “There’s still plenty of improvement in him and by the time he gets to his main target he won’t lack anything in fitness. “Genki is still a maiden but we do like him as a stayer, but first he has to get a start on Saturday and try and qualify, otherwise he’ll go to Pukekohe next week for a last chance to make the field with a maiden win.” L’Aigle Noire and Panther will both have blinkers added when they line up in Saturday’s Gr. 3 Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m), which for virtually all runners will be a final dress rehearsal for the NZB Kiwi (1500m) on Champions Day. A win by either could well secure Wexford’s slot for the rich three-year-old race, however O’Sullivan is not getting ahead of himself. “That was some run by Panther when he ran second at Ellerslie with nothing going his way and he’s coming to form at the right time,” he said. “L’Aigle Noir had nothing go his way in his last run either, but his form before that was very good. “They worked well together this morning and will go into Saturday sound and happy. We figure the addition of blinkers will sharpen them, so along with the rest of the team, it will be interesting to see how they go.” View the full article

You would have to question if 2 meetings on friday nights, 2 meetings on Sundays is in the best interest for turnover, off setting that though is would you engage people's interest if there was one Friday night, Saturday and a Saturday night and a Sunday instead, I doubt you could either, Rugbys on at night now too, maybe the 2 meetings engages people more, that's a hard one to know......probably not cheap sending a TV crew to some of these meetings, I doubt Sky or TVNZ would for some, it's another thing Entain have spent plenty on, the media, some have been moved on which suggest it's not paying.

There are now only 3 starters in the 2 year old race on Thursday night for $17k! This is farcical and seriously we need people who are programming with some common sense surely? It is just one of many races that are run at a big loss for the industry but then again easy to spend other peoples money ! Anyway it is what it is and the owners who get the money may as well take it while it is in play as it will disappear! Why dont they give the winning owner a $12k bonus as well as it would be coming from Entain anyway? You just couldnt make this sxxt up !    

The half owner of 1977 Auckland cup winner (Royal Cadenza) was refused entry to birdcage presentation as he was deemed not suitably attired... in shorts and jandals.

No Ashburton Cup this year.

But does it not seem that the owners and trainers are not wanting to race their horses early and therefore affecting the racing viability of their horses  later on? The days of the Gordon Middleton and Des Grice bringing out these early 2 year olds is not happening! The industry financially just can not be operating the way they currently are! Whether the industry survives or flourishes does not really affect me at all! However I am deeply concerned for the harness industry and the good people that rely in it for a living! Any comments that I make that can be perceived as negative is solely for the concern for what is going on currently. Speaking up probably will not make a scrap of difference to what happens when Entain pulls the plug but at least I will have a clear conscience. I personally do not believe that the decision makers really have the best interests of harness racing at heart for the longevity of racing!!