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Bit Of A Yarn


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    • TAB For Ever
      The Dennis bros day at Invercargill

      By TAB For Ever · Posted

      Aaaaahhhhhh the memories Doomed... Having lived next door to Show Gate for several years I have kept a few of the 'articles' to remind me of her uniqueness ! And pottering around with Gatekeeper too quite 'fun' for a very young chap.Fortunately he was a quiet stallion with good nature [and a dip in his back] Unsure if he even raced ,may had had a couple but I know the Champ sire down the road at Andertons ,Mellay was unraced ! Mellay [mum of The Pixie] was NZ leading sire in 1976-77,2nd the previous year and two years following including 1978-79 when Gatekeeper was Champion NZ sire. Show Gate won the Timaru Cup in 1976 ridden by Nick Harnett the day after winning Dunedin Gold Cup [2400m] ridden by Chris Ramage who could not make the Timaru weight. Nick Harnett worked at Andertons but often went to Gordon Thomsons later in morning to ride work ! Andertons often used Gordon's 1600m track [the old Wingatui/Mosgiel racetack] to exercise horses in the afternoon. This was kinda a contra deal !   1977 Timaru Cup won by Greek Magic [Ray Harris]..Grey Way 3rd as 7 yr old. 1978 Timaru Cup won by Catastrophe part-owned by Dunedin mayor and fish-baron Cliff Skeggs ,from Polly Porter a very good Gatekeeper mare trained by Prue Wright[Winton] 1979 Timaru Cup won by Grey Way[Aka Cowan] a 9 yr old. From Tuis Lass , a Gatekeeper mare who won the NZ St Leger [2800m] at Trentham ,trained by Jim McKay who was the local Horse Transporter !.Third was Napiat..... sire Taipan spelt backwards. Gatekeeper did a great job as a sire , Gordon must have served 10-15 of his own mares annually then took limited outside mares. Dandyman was another good Wingatui horse.[ Cec Wallis/ JD Pankhurst ]. Many of his best were mares...Artifice ,Annenic etc Gatekeeper was related to Rain Lover [ Melbourne Cup in 1968 and 1969 ] Gatekeeper was by Alcide from Hortentia [by Precipitation] Rain Lover was by a sire Latin Lover who was by Ribot from Hortentia. Gordon Thomson studied the Stud Books. For a time he was the only chicken-sexer in the South Island . Great memories !
    • mikeynz
      Matamata = Gone

      By mikeynz · Posted

      Ascot Park have had 10 days or so of hot dry days and I think tomorrow some early rain, what are the odds? And with rain developing Saturday afternoon in Auckland, maybe a book on that as well.
    • the galah
      Just Holla - Just why??

      By the galah · Posted

      I think trainers who had horses rated 55plus,and were considering starting their horses in otago and southland in december or january,would have looked at the conditions of upcoming races and thought there were more realistic winning options with their horses,than running in a race where high class horses could start as close as 15m. It seemed both a programming and rating issue.  I think horses like one change would be suited to having races programmed like they do in western australia at the gallops. They are always running 0 metropolitan win races,or 0 metro wins in last year,or two years or whatever,or use stakes instead of wins. As tabforever has said,its important horses like one change are able to run in races where they can still earn.Horses like him are the type that are needed to get the high class races off the ground. 
    • Chief Stipe
      Matamata = Gone

      By Chief Stipe · Posted

      Surprises me.  I've walked that track about 4 times in the last year.  The horse slipped but didn't fall. Rather than look at the slip on the track perhaps they should look at something else...
    • SLB2.0
      Matamata = Gone

      By SLB2.0 · Posted

      Another meeting bites the dust What should we set the over/under for total meetings abandoned this year? 

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