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Chill bill,, what will be will be, nothing we can do about it, wether we keep an eye or even two on the weather, and don't trust those forecasts, nothing like a good ole wet track to throw a few roughies, just the way I like it

Railway aside, it's hard to say much yet about the quality of those fields isn't it?

Alternatives are probably moot if they don't have the money anyway. Where would it come from?

Bargain buy Midnight Dart (NZ) (Derryn) will be out to get the party started for his throng of next generation owners when the Lisa Latta-trained juvenile contests the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The colt by Derryn was bought by Latta’s son Josh Herd for $20,000 from the Grangewilliam Stud draft at Karaka last year and was one of the first horses qualified for the Ellerslie feature when winning on debut at Trentham. Midnight Dart subsequently finished fourth to Karaka Millions favourite Kinnaird and enters the lucrative sales race as a $35 chance at his third start. Latta has already made her mark on the Karaka Millions stage, winning New Zealand’s richest two-year-old race with Fort Lincoln in 2011 and finishing second with Showmeyamoneyhoney in 2016, but a win with Midnight Dart would ensure son Josh doesn’t have to buy a drink for quite some time. Manawatu horseman Josh Herd Photo: Race Images PN “I went to university down in Otago, and there are quite a few mates of mine from Uni that are in him,” Herd said. “Some of them are from as far north as Kerikeri and as far south as Invercargill, not to mention mates abroad in America and another friend at college in Amsterdam. “There’s something like 75 owners in the horse and 45 to 50 of them would be under 30.” Herd returned from travelling abroad and completing the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship to take a senior hands-on role at Latta’s Awapuni stable and his longer-term ambition is to be a trainer in his own right. “It was great being able to travel the world and see different facets of the thoroughbred industry through breeding, racing and even working for a sales company like Goffs in Ireland,” Herd said. “I was able to learn things that I usually wouldn’t have been exposed to. “It’s great to be home and I have settled in well. It is always enjoyable when the team is going well. “Mum and I have a terrific relationship, so we both know what we have to do, and it just gets done. There aren’t too many arguments or any of that carry on.” In addition to being hands-on with the horses, Herd is also heavily involved in race planning and jockey bookings. “Mum allows me to put in my ten cents worth, which is good and we have a great bunch of staff as well,” Herd said “I definitely want to end up training, but I don’t think it’s any time in the near future and I’m keen to get some more international exposure.” Midnight Dart is by Grangewilliam Stud’s headline stallion Derryn, with his mother Ambitious Beauty a full-sister to the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) winner Ambitious Owner. “He was a strong precocious yearling and his full sister Shoes had run in the Karaka Millions 2YO and that was the goal when I was going to the sale, to try and purchase a horse to run in the race,” Herd said. “You never really know until you go to the races with two-year-olds as it’s always a bit of a lottery when they’re having their first start. “But we were pleased with what he had shown us and it definitely wasn’t a surprise to see him win on debut. “It’s a thrill just to have a runner in the race and I’m sure it will be a good night, win lose or draw.” Herd is keen to see more young people get involved in racehorse ownership and believes small shares in syndicates make it far more attainable. “I feel like racehorse ownership is something that older people get involved in once they have a bit more money, but through syndication, it has certainly become a lot easier for people of all ages to get involved,” he said. “We have a lot of good syndicators in New Zealand but I’d love to see a pathway for the next generation. “I’ll be looking to purchase another horse at the Karaka Sales next week with the aim to get back to the Millions again next year and hopefully, we get a good crew of young people involved again. The more the merrier.” View the full article

The stage is set for a trans-Tasman showdown in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, with Wednesday morning’s barrier draw strengthening the claims of some of the biggest players. A full field of 14 plus two emergencies has been assembled for the 19th edition of the Karaka Millions 2YO, including three Australian-trained raiders. As has so often been the case throughout the last decade, the local contingent is headed by Te Akau Racing. The tangerine powerhouse has won eight of the last nine runnings of this juvenile showpiece, with all of those winners purchased by David Ellis. Te Akau’s three-strong team for the 2026 edition of the race is headed by Kinnaird (Home Affairs). The classy colt held favouritism in the TAB’s Karaka Millions 2YO market leading into Wednesday’s draw, and he tightened further from $4.60 into $4.20 after landing gate two. Kinnaird boasts a perfect two-from-two record including the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) over the Karaka Millions course and distance on New Year’s Day. “He just keeps improving,” co-trainer Sam Bergerson said. “He only just won on debut down there at Otaki in November, but the trip away grew him and toughened him up. “His work has been really good leading into this weekend. He just has a fantastic attitude and is coping beautifully with everything we throw at him.” Te Akau’s other two runners, Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci) and Zaharias (NZ) (Super Seth), were less fortunate with the draw and will jump from gates 16 and 14 respectively. The biggest threats could come from across the Tasman. Torture (NZ), a stakes-winning daughter of Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State, will jump from gate five for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. She is second favourite at $4.60. Queensland’s Liam Birchley already has two Karaka Millions victories to his name with Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) in 2010 and Hardline (NZ) in 2015. He is back again with two runners in 2026, including highly impressive last-start winner Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca), who is rated a $5.50 chance after securing the coveted ace draw of gate one. Birchley’s other runner Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh) will jump from gate 12. Liam Birchly chats to Michael Guerin at the TAB Karaka Millions barrier draw. “They’re two really nice, precocious fillies and have handled everything really well,” Birchley said. “You need the right type of horse to even get into the race – you need an early-running, sound two-year-old. And then you need a bit of luck leading into it and a bit more luck on the day. That’s basically the formula. “Dream Roca’s drawn one, she’s in good form and should get all favours from that gate. She’d have to be one of the leading chances. The other filly is level pegging with her in terms of ability, but the barriers are important from that 1200-metre start at Ellerslie. I’m well aware of that.” Unbeaten, Listed-winning filly De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan) has drawn awkwardly in gate 10 but remains a well supported third favourite for the race at $5. The $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO will be run as the fourth race on a spectacular six-race card at Ellerslie on Saturday that carries total prize-money in excess of $4m. The scheduled start time for the Karaka Millions 2YO is 6.13pm. View the full article

Multiple Group One winner Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) will be a notable absentee from the Warwick Farm barrier trials after suffering a minor setback. Trainer Joe Pride reported the horse was being treated for a graze to his leg after seemingly becoming cast in his box, ruling him out of his scheduled 900m heat on Thursday. It was to have been his first appearance of the year and while not ideal, Pride said it should have minimal effect on Ceolwulf’s build-up as he prepared to return in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 14. “He must have gotten cast. He just has a graze, but I’ll scratch him from the trial tomorrow,” Pride said. “He’ll be fine. As long as I can get it right pretty quickly, we’ll get to our first-up run.” Ceolwulf closed out a consistent spring with back-to-back wins in the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington. He is being prepared for the major middle-distance weight-for-age races this autumn and Pride admits he’s disappointed the horse won’t get a rematch with Via Sistina following news of her retirement on Sunday. “It’s sad he doesn’t get a chance to compete against her again because he should have beaten her first-up last time (in the Winx Stakes) when Chad (Schofield), by his own admission, put in a bad ride,” Pride said. “There looks like a bit of a changing of the guard in the weight-for-age races, so I’m hoping there is a little lull there and a moment for him to really shine.” Cambridge Stud will offer a half-brother to Ceolwulf by boom young stallion Sword Of State as Lot 513 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales which commence on Sunday. View the full article

No-one amongst rival connections was prepared to say it out loud, but it was quite obvious their challenge became even more daunting when unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) drew perfectly at three for Saturday’s Listed TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). The Stephen Marsh-trained filly has become the increasingly hot favourite for Saturday’s $1.5 million race while sweeping all before her, culminating in another easy win in the Gr. 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November to bring her odds into $1.50. She also jumped from gate three in that race and when she returned from a let-up for a fourth straight win in the Gr. 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day, the scene was set for her biggest assignment. Bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson, who motivated Marsh to purchase the Written Tycoon filly on the Gavelhouse online platform for $80,000, gained further kudos when he drew three at Wednesday morning’s barrier draw in the Karaka sales complex auditorium. “I said to Dylan that I wanted somewhere between one and five, and he pulled out three,” Marsh said. “A filly like her, she jumps and puts herself there, so yes, we’re happy. “Everything has gone to plan, I was very happy with how she worked at Ellerslie yesterday, and now we just have to tick her over until Saturday.” Well Written, on whom early bets with the TAB included $500 at $5, did not budge from her $1.50 pre-draw odds, nor did $5 second favourite La Dorada when she came up with gate five. They remained the only runners in single digits, with third favourite Affirmative Action easing from $10 to $13 after drawing gate 10. That failed to deter trainer Pam Gerard, who holds the highest numerical factor with Romanoff ($27), who narrowly downed Affirmative Action in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, and lightly raced MAAT winner Now Not Never ($71) also in the Karaka Millions 3YO field. “That draw doesn’t worry me with Affirmative Action as he’s a far better horse coming off the pace,” Gerard said. “I’ve been watching him and Romanoff making all the right progress lately and they’ll go to Ellerslie on very good shape. “Now Not Never has had just the two starts and he won the second of them. He’s well and I’m happy to give him his chance. “She’s very special,” Gerard said in reference to Well Written, “but we’ll give it a good go. The draw also played out well for leading candidates in the Listed TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), with $4 pre-draw favourite Kinnaird staying firm after being allocated gate two and Victorian filly Torture likewise on $5 from gate five. In an even market, De Armas, who attracted a wide range of significant bets on the early market, remained steady at $5 despite drawing 10, while Dream Roca, one of two runners along with Vanzadee ($18) for dual Karaka Millions 2YO winner Liam Birchley, is well in the market at $5.50. View the full article

Yes they want more turnover but if that turnover comes at the expense of a lower yield then no they do not want that. If the TAB turns over $1 billion at a 20% yield, its gross profit is $200 million. Now remove restrictions. Turnover lifts to $1.4 billion, but with smarter money in play the yield drops to 13%. That produces a gross profit of $182 million. So despite an extra $400 million in turnover, the TAB actually makes around $18 million less. That’s why TAB operators obsess over yield, not just turnover and why lifting restrictions isn’t automatically the answer to lifting turnover.

Gamma, forums are for discussion and to be fair the ones you mentioned are far from perfect! Every comment from Brodie is made with the sole purpose of improving harness racing so that it can continue in the future! I do not believe that we should be accepting of mediocrity if racing is to continue!

The point I was making was that in the past we have seen a lot of stake money put up, and the usual line you see on social media is, they could have put up half that amount and still got the same field. Well this time, I don't think that applies. Good money attracting good fields. The only exception being the Railway, where the first 5 from the Telegraph are absent, which is disappointing

I doubt the amount of rain forecast will have much effect on that track, certainly no worse than a slow 5 or 6.

The biggest thing the TAB is doing wrong if they are looking at increasing turnover is RESTRICTING THE AMOUNT THAT PUNTERS ARE ABLE TO WAGER!!!!!!!K TAB, if you want better turnover, ALLOW PUNTERS TO WAGER!!! Geez, it is such a stupid policy they operate under. Someone has a bet that I do not consider large and they slash the crap out of the fixed odd so that no one else bets on it? They just do not seem to have the business smarts! It is going to get worse for them unless they have someone who knows how to operate a successful business!

Geez and I thought you had given up or passed.

Based on the search results, Auckland has had significant recent rain and more is on the way. This situation may affect the track conditions at Ellerslie for Saturday's meeting. ### 📊 Recent and Forecasted Rainfall Here is a breakdown of recent rainfall and the forecast for the coming days: | **Date** | **Rainfall** | **Notes** | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Jan 5 - Jan 20** | 91.0 mm (3.582 inches) | Total for this period | | **Jan 20** | 47.6 mm (1.873 inches) | The wettest single day in the period | | **Today (Jan 21)** | 72.8 mm (Forecast) | Forecast indicates **"Heavy Rain"** | | **Jan 22** | 3.8 mm (Forecast) | Patchy rain possible | | **Jan 23 & 24** | 2.1 - 4.6 mm (Forecast) | Patchy rain possible | **Important Note on Forecasts**: The weather details for January 21-24 come from a single forecast source. Weather conditions can change quickly, especially in summer. ### 🏇 About the Ellerslie Racecourse Track The track at Ellerslie has undergone a major renovation and now features a modern **StrathAyr surface**. Discussions among racing experts highlight two key technical points about this new track: * **High Drainage Capacity**: The sand-based track is designed to drain water very quickly. Comparisons are made to international tracks that can handle over 100mm of rain in an hour. * **Water Recovery System**: A large storage pond collects rainwater that drains off the track. This water is then used for irrigation to maintain optimal conditions. ### 🔍 How to Get the Latest Information For making decisions, I recommend checking these official sources closer to race day: * **Racecourse Updates**: For official track condition ratings (e.g., Heavy, Slow, Good), check the **Auckland Thoroughbred Racing** or **New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing** websites. They provide the most authoritative information on whether racing will proceed and what the track will be like. * **Latest Weather Forecast**: For the most current and reliable forecast, use New Zealand's official meteorological service, **MetService**. They provide detailed, location-specific forecasts and severe weather warnings. ### 💎 Summary and Suggestions In short, there has been substantial rain recently, with a forecast for significant additional rain today. The new track at Ellerslie is engineered to handle heavy rain, but the total rainfall may still impact conditions. As Saturday approaches, I suggest keeping an eye on official track condition reports from the racing bodies and the latest forecasts from MetService to get a complete picture. I hope this information helps you prepare for the race meeting. Would you like me to look for the official contact details for Auckland Thoroughbred Racing to check for updates?

They've already chosen several of the wrong tracks , screwed them up or the screw ups pending they dont care.

You be a bit worried if they weren't with all the $s being thrown at the night.

$500k wouldn't go very far fixing any track. Let alone the uproar if the "wrong" track was chosen. Fixing tracks should be the job of the Clubs that own them.

The latest salvo in the fight over the legality of a suite of Racing on Demand slot machine-style parimutuel games that were removed from Santa Anita by state Department of Justice law enforcement officers Saturday afternoon was fired Tuesday by the track, which filed a writ of mandate against the DOJ in the Los Angeles Superior Court. As first reported by the LA Times, the court filing by the Los Angeles Turf Club repeats several arguments Santa Anita officials have made in recent days, including how the three-by-three wager approved by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) in 2024 gives the track the legal cover to operate these machines, which use races that have already been run. The suit—also obtained by the TDN—makes the argument that both the state attorney general's office and the CHRB had a long window to render a decision about the legality of the machines either way but had failed to do so. “Neither the Attorney General's office, nor the CHRB, ever disputed [the track's] written legal analysis or stated that the [track] did not have the legal right to offer the 3X3 wager on concluded races,” the suit states, according to the Times. Interestingly, the filing makes the argument that in 2006, the California Office of Legislative Counsel issued a ruling on so-called Instant Racing (which is a form of pari-mutuel wagering on the outcome of concluded races via specialized tote terminals), rendering a finding similar in effect to what Santa Anita is arguing over their Racing on Demand terminals. “The Office of Legislative Counsel concluded that 'because there is no requirement in the California Constitution that races be live or simultaneous to be considered horse races under subdivision (b) of Section 19 of Article IV, it is our view that the historic races used by the Instant Racing machines would be considered horse races that may be regulated by the Legislature,'” the filing states. There had been 26 such machines in total operating in the Santa Anita grandstand pavilion since Thursday. They offered $1 bets and required gamblers to select the first three finishers of three random six-horse previously-run races. They were removed during a very public operation which saw state DOJ personnel wheel the machines out the back of the Santa Anita grandstand on gurneys during racing Saturday. That evening, Los Angeles Turf Club senior vice-president Scott Daruty issued a statement saying that state attorney general Rob Bonta received their legal analysis nearly a year ago. “His office had ample time to raise concerns. They did not. We proceeded on solid legal ground, and since the state is choosing to challenge that now, we're fully prepared to defend ourselves. We're confident the law is clear,” Daruty wrote Saturday. The suit also seeks the return of the machines, along with the money that was in them. In a “notice of intention to destroy machines and devices” issued to Santa Anita, the DOJ warned that the confiscated machines would be destroyed after 30 days unless there's some intervening court action. The 30-day window began the day the notice was posted, which is dated January 17. If the machines are ultimately destroyed, any money seized in connection with them will be turned over to the treasury of the city or county where they were seized, according to the notice. Santa Anita is in the City of Arcadia. The post Santa Anita Files Suit Against California Department of Justice appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ka Ying Rising has been rated the equal second-highest galloper in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2025, with the champion sprinter becoming Hong Kong’s highest-rated racehorse in history on a mark of 128. Unbeaten from eight starts last year, the David Hayes-trained superstar was second only to French star Calandagan, who was rated 130 after an outstanding year highlighted by Group One victories in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2,400m), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth...View the full article

weather anxiety... are the weather gods going to be?

i'm not sure,but think if they are related he may be her uncle. gamma mentioned n delany.He had a reasonable record when diving 3 or 4 years ago But these days he reminds me of the mother in law.She drives with her foot hard on the acclerator punctuated by lots of strong braking. Just like the car the mother in law drives,any horse delaney drives won't get many miles to the gallon. as to the c hackett drive. that drive of hers yeaterday reminded me of the mother in laws driving when she had a stiff neck and didn't bother looking to see whats inside her when changing lanes. Only difference was becker had no horn to toot to tell her he was going to crash if she kept coming.

January is the first month there are no end of month rebates for Entain Elite customers so that will be having an impact on turnover as well. The bigger punters will wait to see what offerings they get at the beginning of February in the way of bonus bets etc and if it isn't up to expectations then I suspect turnover will go way lower in the coming months.

Totally agree with you…. Had a few days betting after Boxing day mainly on grass track racing….but first time ever i have not had a bet last couple of weeks of Jan. Tab / Betcha offering very few promos now, not had a deposit match from TAB for many months…. so happy to spend my money elsewhere. Gee, once those NZ dogs are gone, Entain will pull out of NZ, hopefully Sportsbet get in NZ instead.

Yes, of course they should be following the Premier Racing site. Pleased they have now advised us that there is technical issues that they are hopefully working on. Not sure why they can not come BOAY to answer our concerns?

Canadian Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old male Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) (hip 1), sold for $575,000, topped the 2026 Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale which closed Tuesday evening. The sale, which opened Thursday, Jan. 15 and included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, racing/stallion prospects, short yearlings, and a stallion season, totaled gross sales of $4,514,500 for 160 horses sold. Dresden Row, Canada's leading 3-year-old colt in 2024, sold for $575,000 to MWG LLC from the consignment of Jeffrey Bloom, agent. In his most recent start, the 5-year-old captured the GIII Autumn Stakes at Woodbine Nov. 8. He has finished in the money in all of his 15 starts to date, which include three graded stakes victories, and has earned $448,803 to date. “The digital sales market that Fasig-Tipton has designed perfectly for our industry is second to none,” said Jeffrey Bloom, consignor of the sale topper. “It's pretty special to have the sales topper for my first time out of the gate as a consignor with a big assist to the crew at Fasig for their professionalism and skill at guiding me through every step in the process. Boyd Browning and his entire team are such a pleasure to work with. Dresden Row took us on a wonderful ride; I would like to thank his new connections and best of luck!” Other top hips included: Alisal (hip 22), a 3-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, sold for $260,000 to Rafter C Ranch. Alisal was a two-time winner as a juvenile and finished second in her stakes debut in her most recent start. She is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Secret Message. Alisal was consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Warrendale Sales, agent. Sugar Rocket (hip 18), a 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy, sold for $250,000 to MKW Racing & Breeding. A full sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Pinehurst, Sugar Rocket was consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by ELiTE, agent. Jacksmybrother (hip 9), in foal to Vekoma, sold for $220,000 to BF Sams, agent. A Mo Town half-sister to multiple Grade I-winning millionaire Jack Christopher, Jacksmybrother was consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent. “We started the year off with a bang,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Digital Sales Director. “Gross is up 45% from last January and demand for racehorses continues to exceed expectations. We had more than 1,000 registered bidders and offerings sold from Alberta, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. That kind of reach is truly impressive and a real credit to both our customers and our team.” Overall, 160 horses sold for $4,514,500. Twenty-two offerings sold for $50,000 or more. Full results are available online. The post Canadian Champion Dresden Row Tops Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article