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Romantic Warrior To Clash With Laurel River, Forever Young, As Likely Saudi Cup Fields Released
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TDN Takeaways: January’s Graded Races
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Valiant Force Back in the Groove at Dundalk
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First Reported Foal For The Antarctic
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Thomas Huet Joins The Arqana Bloodstock Team
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Sam F. Davis Stakes At a Glance
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By Chief Stipe · Posted
Suggest you give Chris Waller a call. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Adam Hamilton Cran Dalgety summed up Republican Party’s Hunter Cup draw the best. “It’s the draw he needed to be a winning chance in such a hot race,” he said. “Drawing the pole is a hell of a bonus. It’s the quickest way home.” Republican Party firmed from $12 to $4.60 after drawing gate one for the $250,000 feature at Melton on Saturday night. Defending champion Swayzee ($3.60) is next door in gate two, while Leap To Fame ($2.40) has six and NZ Cup hero Kingman ($4.40) is off the back row (10). Dalgety said Republican Party would be a lot fitter for last week’s second to Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Kilmore Cup. “He went from a chance to blowing out in the last 80m, but we sort of expected that with five weeks between runs,” he said. “He blew up a lot over the back and the run will bring him on a lot. We needed a good draw this week and we’ve got it.” Leap To Fame may have to do what he couldn’t do last year to win a $1 million bonus in the Hunter Cup. Mighty stayer and arch-rival Swayzee is the most likely of the big guns to find the lead from gate two and Leap To Fame may have to sit outside him. Swayzee used a better draw to lead, smash the track record and beat a gallant Leap To Fame in last year’s Hunter Cup. It was the second time Swayzee had led and beaten Leap To Fame. “He’s going to have to earn it now, that’s for sure,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said. “The draw isn’t perfect, but we’ve had more difficult ones. The way I see it, there’s as many positives as negatives. “I rate Kingman the hardest to beat and the back row isn’t good for him, so that’s a help, but then you’ve got Swayzee and Republican Party (gate one) drawn inside us. “Republican Party is the biggest winner from the draw. As we know, especially at Melton, the fence is gold in these races and he’ll be on the fence, either behind the leader or three pegs. “We’re going to have to be right at the top of our game, but all the signs are he is.” Leap To Fame is lining up for his fifth start in as many weeks, but Dixon said it suited him. “That’s where he’s different to most horses, he just thrives on it and bounces out of a big race looking for the next one,” he said. “This is the third time he’s had an extended stint down in Melbourne and it’s by far the happiest we’ve been with him. “He seems as good as this as he has all trip. He’s really bright, holding his weight and eating up. “We’ve just got four more days to keep him this well.” Leap To Fame’s three latest wins in the Ballarat, Cranbourne and Kilmore Cups make him the only horse eligible for HRV’s new $1 million Summer Carnival bonus if he wins the Hunter Cup. Victory will also give him a share of the record for Group 1 wins by Australasian pacer on 16 with former greats Westburn Grant and Lazarus. While most expect Swayzee to take advantage of gate two and find the lead, much focus will be on what Emma Stewart’s trio Oliver Dan (gate three), Miki To Success (four) and War Dan Buddy (five) – all fast beginners – do at the start. If one or more of them crossed Swayzee early, it could aid Leap To Fame’s cause. Superstar trotting mare Keayang Zahara’s quest for a 13th Group 1 win in the Saturday night’s Great Southern Star has been aided by a good draw (gate five) in the first heat of the unique race. Unlike any other Australian racing, the Great Southern Star consists of two heats early on Saturday night with the final about two hours later. View the full article -
By Murray Fish · Posted
to the question: "re the above I am now interested in, including around the world, as well as NZ. Use among professional athletics? doe some use more, say for ones that are involved with sports that involve danger and speed? race car drivers? jockeys? motor bike riders?" Cocaine use among professional athletes, including those in high-speed and high-danger sports, is a documented issue governed by strict anti-doping rules. The clearest documented cases are in horse racing, where there is official acknowledgment of a potential problem. ### 📊 Cocaine Use in Specific Sports Here’s a summary of the information available for the sports you mentioned: | Sport Category | Key Evidence & Cases | Official Stance & Notes | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Horse Racing (Jockeys)** | Multiple jockeys suspended for positive tests. A disciplinary panel stated concern that **"cocaine may be endemic in racing"**. | Zero-tolerance policy. Use is considered dangerous due to the high-speed nature of the sport. | | **Motor Sports** | 1. **Historical Allegation**: A former F1 doctor once claimed cocaine use was "rife," but this was strongly denied by drivers.<br>2. **Linked Crime**: A notable 1980s racer (**Randy Lanier**) funded his career through large-scale drug trafficking. | The FIA conducts random drug tests; no F1 driver has ever tested positive for cocaine. | | **Motorcycle Riding** | A study of fatal crashes found that riders who used alcohol or drugs had **higher odds of not wearing a helmet**, indicating a link between substance use and risk-taking behavior. | Focus is on public safety and accident prevention rather than professional competition doping rules. | | **General Professional Sports** | Cases exist (e.g., in Australian Rules Football). The **World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)** prohibits it **in-competition**. | Classified as both a **stimulant (S6)** and a **Substance of Abuse**. Bans can be reduced if out-of-competition use is proven. | ### 🧪 Why is Cocaine Banned in Sports? Cocaine is banned in competition for three main reasons, even though its practical performance benefits are debated: * **Potential Performance Enhancement**: It is a stimulant that can increase alertness, energy, and confidence while reducing feelings of fatigue. * **Health Risks**: It significantly raises heart rate and blood pressure, which is especially dangerous during intense exercise and can lead to heart damage, stroke, or death. * **Spirit of Sport**: Its use violates the ethical principles of fair competition. An important distinction is between **in-competition** and **out-of-competition** use. An athlete who tests positive on a game day faces a harsher penalty (up to a 4-year ban) for potential performance enhancement. If use occurs out-of-competition and is deemed recreational, the ban can be as short as one month if the athlete completes a treatment program. ### 💡 Finding More Information While the search results provide clear evidence of use, they don't give overall prevalence statistics for these sports globally or in New Zealand. Most data comes from publicized positive tests or studies on related behaviors (like the motorcycle study). If you are interested in **specific anti-doping rules** for a particular sport or country, or want to explore **public health data on drug use and risk-taking**, I can help you search for more targeted information. Would you like me to look into either of those areas? -
By Murray Fish · Posted
Cocaine use in New Zealand has seen a significant increase in recent years. While it is less common than other drugs like methamphetamine, its use is growing rapidly, particularly in certain regions and among specific demographic groups. ### 📈 Key Usage Statistics & Trends Recent wastewater testing, which measures drug residue in sewage to estimate community-wide consumption, shows a sharp upward trend. | Metric | Q3 2025 Data (Latest) | Comparative Context | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **National Weekly Consumption** | **6.4 kg** per week | 43% above the previous year's average | | **Per Capita Use vs. Australia** | Lower than Australia | Australia's per capita consumption is over **4 times higher** | | **Long-term Increase** | Substantial growth | Consumption surged by **229%** in recent years | ### 👥 Who is Using Cocaine? The available research provides some insights into the user demographics: * **Higher Income Groups**: The 2025 New Zealand Drug Trends Survey indicates that cocaine use is **disproportionately higher among people in higher income groups**. * **Regional Concentrations**: Use is particularly high in major urban centers and specific regions. Recent data points to very high per capita use in **Queenstown**, **Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau)**, and the **Bay of Plenty**. * **An Emerging Market**: Despite the growth, the Massey University survey notes that cocaine remains an **"emerging drug"** in New Zealand's overall drug landscape. ### ⏱️ How Often is it Used? Evidence suggests a pattern of occasional, rather than habitual, use for most people. * **Low-Frequency Use**: The frequency of cocaine use is generally **low compared to methamphetamine and cannabis**. A UN report cited by financial news also notes that wastewater analysis suggests most users in the Australia-New Zealand region consume the drug **occasionally rather than habitually**. * **Context of Growth**: The surge in total consumption measured in wastewater is linked to **increased supply and availability**, allowing more people to use it, even if infrequently. > **Important Note on Statistics**: There are conflicting figures on overall prevalence. A global ranking site claims 0.13% of New Zealand's population has a cocaine use disorder, while a UN report cited by a financial news outlet states 3% of people (aged 15-64) in Australia and New Zealand used cocaine in 2023. The latter figure is likely more reflective of any use (including occasional), while the former refers to a diagnosed disorder. ### 🌍 Context: Supply, Harm, and Support The rise in use is happening against a backdrop of increased international drug trafficking and public health efforts. * **Increased Supply**: Authorities attribute the growth in the domestic market to **increased supply from international criminal networks**. Recent major seizures, like the 4.2-tonne intercept in the Pacific in February 2026, highlight the scale of the trade targeting the region. * **Harm Reduction**: If you or someone you know is using drugs, it is important to know that **free and legal drug checking services** are available in New Zealand. These services can test the chemical content of substances to help prevent harm from adulterants. I hope this overview gives you a clearer picture of cocaine use in New Zealand. If you are interested in more detailed data about a specific region or the trends for other drugs, feel free to ask.
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