General Yarn

Track at Washdyke a soft 5 at 4 30, should come up just nicely for tomorrow.

i think part of the reason  many in the south island have a negative view of northern harness racing is because they see the support hrnz is giving them,knowing hrnz is doing nothing to tell them they are going to need to operate in a way that doesn't drain the overall industries(especially the south islands)future  financial resources. i personally think ,because hrnz is so away with the fairies,auckland and cambridge,instead of facing reality and looking for solutions,instead are looking for handouts. in other words,all that is happening is hrnz are bailing them out until hrnz themselves will have financial issues in maintaining stake levels everywhere. so theres no doubt those clubs have huge issues,but they don't need to spell the end of the clubs,quite the contrary.they still are asset rich,for the moment. they should be using their current crisis to restructure and come up with a plan for a sustainable future.But they aren't because hrnz is allowing them to continue to operate irresponsibly.it can be done if they had to. as you've said many times brodie,what business would ever allow itself to be run in the way hrnz is running things currently.Thats where i think the main problem is.

Not just racing and an ageing population, it seems people these days are very quick to put a label on something, that absolves them from personal responsibility. Recall during Covid, the number of kids that just never went back to school.    

Promising three-year-old Kygo Star (NZ) (Wootton Bassett) overcame a wide journey to come out on top in a tight finish in the Allspark Electrical Maiden 3YO (1400m) at Avondale on Wednesday. The Chad Ormsby-trained gelding was impressive on debut at Taupo, storming home late to finish second behind Oratia Beauty (Too Darn Hot). Finishing third in that contest was Magic Carpet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who came out 10 days later to win the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Te Rapa. Despite the form coming out of the race, Kygo Star opened at $9 with the TAB, but that was swiftly snapped up by punters and he closed a well-supported $3.70 favourite ahead of Shoma (NZ) (Contributer) ($3.90). Kygo Star jumped positively from barrier nine but was unable to find cover, settling three-wide in the open for jockey Tayla Mitchell. He was still travelling strongly into the home turn and fought hard to get on even terms with Shoma at the 150m, but coming hard to his inside was Miss Parker (NZ) (Circus Maximus), who looked like she was going straight past. Showing tenacity in the final bounds, Kygo Star lifted off the canvas to hit the front right on the line, pipping Miss Parker by a half-head, with Shoma less than a length back in third. Mitchell had been on board in his first raceday outing and saw plenty of improvement in the son of Wootton Bassett. “He’s a really lovely horse, I really like him,” she said. “It probably didn’t go to plan, I was three-wide but they’ve been quite messy races today and I didn’t have any interference, so it was pretty good. “I think he learned a lot from Taupo, he was a bit green coming around the corner there and letting down, but he definitely let down today.” Cambridge-based Ormsby was similarly impressed, having expected the step up to 1400m to suit. “I just like the way he was beaten at the 100 but he really showed a big effort and grit to win by a half-head,” he said. “He’s always been keen to get on with the job and he showed that grit in his last start and probably ended up winning the race after the line there. It was always encouraging going that bit further.” Racing in the colours of breeders Jamieson Park, Kygo Star is out of a Camelot mare Star Karen, who placed in a Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m). View the full article

Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto)  will be on a mission to put an interrupted campaign back on track when he takes his place in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill. The Group 1 winner has missed scheduled starts in the 7 Stakes (1600m) and Shannon Stakes (1500m), both times due to poor blood readings, although trainer Ciaron Maher says they have been the result of a mild virus rather than anything sinister. “There are a lot of viruses around this year and it was just unfortunate that he got one,” Maher said. “But he seems good now. You never really know where you’re at with that sort of thing but it should be a nice race for him to kick off. “He could even end up in the Big Dance.” Gringotts was being aimed towards the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) on Saturday week but the missed runs have all but forced Maher into a campaign pivot with the gelding’s new potential target, the Big Dance (1600m), at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day. View the full article