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Back in the 70s and 80s the "Cup" races at the likes of Methven, Ashburton. Timaru. Rangiora, Orari etc were class 4, 5 or 6 fronts, and they provided great racing as horses strived to get through to open class. That class of horse hardly seems to exist these days, and anyone can race in so called open class races. I'm not involved enough with harness racing these days to know whether it is a handicapping problem or something else. As a casual observer I do wonder whether the trots might be better served by reverting to a wins based structure so the general public know what's going on. For example, perhaps have 3 win fronts with conditions, so horses can still drop back a bit but the public can still understand it. Obviously the 2yo approach hasn't really worked. The real problem seems to be the lack of depth in the open class ranks. The days of having the likes of Bonnies Chance, Armalight, Locarno, Hands Down, Sapling, Lord Module etc regularly racing against each other are long gone. Ironically they didn't keep going year after year because of massive stakes but more because their owners enjoyed the challenge and the thrill of it. We really do seem to have lost our way. I know I no-longer find harness racing interesting at all, which is sad. The only really "innovative" thing that has happened in harness racing in recent years is the return to grass track racing. Perhaps they need to revert to some of the other "old" ways as well. -
The biggest problem is totally that there are very few new owners coming through! Does anyone know of any new owners in the last few years? I don’t, and that is one of the biggest issues that will see harness racing die out! the costs are just too prohibitive for the average person to be able to afford to race a horse for any amount of stake money! The stake money is also going to decrease massively once Entain decide they have enough of propping the racing up financially, as they will not be getting enough wagering due to their flawed business policies. Does anyone seriously believe that Entain’s involvement will ensure the future viability of harness racing in NZ? If so, why? -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Talented steeplechaser Raucous has continued to improve with age, and Paul Nelson and Corrina McChief Stipeal are hoping to have another successful season with the 10-year-old, kicking off on Saturday at Te Rapa. The son of Nom De Jeu lived up to his name in his early years over the fences, but a more professional version arrived at the races last year and the results followed with two victories and four minor placings, including third in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m). “He’s a lot saner than he used to be in previous years, so hopefully that’s a good sign,” Nelson said. “He’s had a couple of jump-outs and had a good school this morning with Hamish McNeill (jockey), Hamish came down and did about 12 others as well.” Te Rapa has been a happy hunting ground for Raucous, and he will travel from Nelson and McChief Stipeal’s Hastings base to carry the 70.5kg topweight in the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial (3900m). “He’ll probably need this run, there’s a couple in there that have had a run already and he could be found wanting a bit at the end,” Nelson said. “We’ll be looking to possibly head back up to the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) or something similar.” Six-year-old mare Foxalot will also make the journey north to contest the Modern Transport Group Hurdle (2800m), her second start over the fences and will carry the bottom-weight of 63kg under Portia Matthews. “I don’t like starting a maiden in with open horses, but she needs a run, and she’ll be running with experienced horses in a small field which will be good for her,” Nelson said. “Some of them are only one-win horses, so that makes it slightly easier.” Meanwhile, back in Hastings, Nelson’s star jumpers The Cossack and Nedwin are also in work, but will appear on the scene slightly later with the more lucrative features in mind. A son of Mastercraftsman, The Cossack is one of the highest-earning jumpers in recent years to come out of New Zealand, recording 17 victories, nine of those at prestige level, and north of $610,000 in stakes. “The Cossack won’t start jumping for a little while, we might give him a couple of runs on the flat if we can find a wet track for him and then he’ll start a bit later on in the season,” Nelson said. “Hopefully he’ll be there at the end of the season when all the money comes in.” The nine-year-old’s stablemate Nedwin made a strong case in his own right last season, adding the Waikato Hurdles (3200m) and Great Northern Hurdles (4200m) to his burgeoning resume, which also includes six successes on the flat. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Promising mare Pour The Wine is set to bring the curtain down on a successful season when she heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Prezzy Card Sprint (1400m). The daughter of Telperion has been a standout for owner-breeder Daniel Nakhle this term, having won three and placed in two of her five starts this season, including a third placing in the inaugural $350,000 Rangitoto Classic (1500m). She was runner-up behind dual Group Three winner Sacred Satono at Ellerslie last start and trainers Peter and Dawn Williams are hoping she can go one better in her final start this preparation. “She is going in with great form,” Peter Williams said. “The horse is well, she is in at the right weight and we have got a good rider on. This will be her last start, she will be going out for a spell after Saturday.” While confident in his mare’s ability, Williams said competing left-handed for the first time this season was his only concern. “She hasn’t done much left-handed racing, I think she only had one as a three-year-old,” he said. “She is older now and a bit more streetwise, so hopefully she can handle the left-handed way alright, that is my only query.” Pour The Wine has only been tested at stakes level on one occasion, and Williams is eyeing a return to that level next season in the hope of snaring some valuable black-type. “The Westbury Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) would be a nice race for her,” he said. While Pour The Wine will have to wait until next season for her stakes assignments, stablemate Out Of Exile will have her first tilt at that level this weekend when she contests the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m). The daughter of Brazen Beau, who also runs in part-owner Daniel Nakhle’s colours, was runner-up on debut behind race-rival Renovations at Te Rapa last month, and Williams is hoping she can sneak some black-type this weekend. “We are going to run her,” he said. “She is probably out of her league a little bit but there was nothing wrong with her first start, she was running home nice over 1100. “I know it’s going to 1400m and she is not very big, but she is in the race and there are a couple of nice ones in it, but if she is good enough to run third we would be rapt.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Pour The Wine will contest the Prezzy Card Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Promising mare Pour The Wine is set to bring the curtain down on a successful season when she heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Prezzy Card Sprint (1400m). The daughter of Telperion has been a standout for owner-breeder Daniel Nakhle this term, having won three and placed in two of her five starts this season, including a third placing in the inaugural $350,000 Rangitoto Classic (1500m). She was runner-up behind dual Group 3 winner Sacred Satono at Ellerslie last start and trainers Peter and Dawn Williams are hoping she can go one better in her final start this preparation. “She is going in with great form,” Peter Williams said. “The horse is well, she is in at the right weight and we have got a good rider on. This will be her last start, she will be going out for a spell after Saturday.” While confident in his mare’s ability, Williams said competing left-handed for the first time this season was his only concern. “She hasn’t done much left-handed racing, I think she only had one as a three-year-old,” he said. “She is older now and a bit more streetwise, so hopefully she can handle the left-handed way alright, that is my only query.” Pour The Wine has only been tested at stakes level on one occasion, and Williams is eyeing a return to that level next season in the hope of snaring some valuable black-type. “The Westbury Classic (Group 2, 1400m) would be a nice race for her,” he said. While Pour The Wine will have to wait until next season for her stakes assignments, stablemate Out Of Exile will have her first tilt at that level this weekend when she contests the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m). The daughter of Brazen Beau, who also runs in part-owner Daniel Nakhle’s colours, was runner-up on debut behind race-rival Renovations at Te Rapa last month, and Williams is hoping she can sneak some black-type this weekend. “We are going to run her,” he said. “She is probably out of her league a little bit but there was nothing wrong with her first start, she was running home nice over 1100. “I know it’s going to 1400m and she is not very big, but she is in the race and there are a couple of nice ones in it, but if she is good enough to run third we would be rapt.” Horse racing news View the full article
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