Chief Stipe

You still have your first pay packet?

But they're all expensive to you.

There aren't any cheap ones.

The word is that the BGP may have run its course. The managers have run out of puff and Ellerslie wants their hospitality rooms back for other promotions. The next Karaka Millions night will be the last with special privileges and they won't be there Champions Day.

They game changers. As for the partying and drinking as least they are paying not like the self entitled old troughers who forgot to look after things instead of swilling. You have to start somewhere and they're not all attached to the establishment. However full credit to the likes of David Ellis employing young people. Well pull the lever on your lazy boy and stream yesterday's trials on the smart TV. There were a few good performances yesterday.

I have. A trotter called McShane. Saw him reading a racebook once or twice.

SOUTHSIDE RACING ACQUIRES EQUINETRAIN FACILITY AT PAKENHAM TRAINING CENTRE Share Article Share on Facebook Share on X Share with email Share link Southside News Sep 02, 2025 Southside Racing is pleased to announce the acquisition of EquineTrain, a privately owned, state-of-the-art racehorse training and rehabilitation facility that currently services local and visiting trainers at the Pakenham Training Centre. The facility will be rebranded as the Southside High Performance Centre and operate under an enhanced model, designed to further strengthen Southside Racing’s commitment to delivering world-class resources for participants, horses, and the broader racing industry. The Southside High Performance Centre will provide cutting-edge services to prepare, revive, and treat racehorses at every stage of their campaign - whether gearing up for competition, recovering from intense track work, or rehabilitating post-injury. With water walkers, high-speed treadmills, cold spas, and spacious day paddocks, the facility is designed to optimise equine performance, and Southside Racing are actively exploring innovative new therapies and technologies to further enhance horse welfare and recovery. Neil Bainbridge, Chief Executive Officer of Southside Racing, said: “This is an exciting step for Southside Racing. The Southside High Performance Centre will give all trainers and their horses access to the very best in training and recovery, enhancing the standard of care and performance across our racing community.” General Manager of Racing, Alastair Dwyer, added: “The acquisition allows us to build on the already outstanding reputation of the facility, while expanding opportunities for local and visiting trainers. It positions Southside Racing as a leader in equine performance and rehabilitation in Victoria.” Further details about the Southside High Performance Centre will be announced in due course.

The Monowai

He travelled from NZ on the Monowai. Phar Lap's quarters on deck of SS MONOWAI In November 1931, champion Australian race horse Phar Lap was taken to New Zealand, in preparation for a longer voyage to the United States to compete. On Christmas Eve 1931 Phar Lap boarded the MONOWAI on which had been specially fitted out with a comfortable stall and exercise yard. MONOWAI reached San Francisco on January 15, 1932. https://bitofayarn.com

The "stop over" was for 5 weeks!!!

https://bitofayarn.com

Looking at how it went first up in OZ I'd say it was a wise choice. Although a very expensive way of getting invited to the whales table.

Aren't most of your type posting from the grave? A stand full of them at the Karaka Millions. A fair few at the Matamata races. A zillion at Riccarton and Addington Cup Week. More importantly there is a lot of young talent coming along in the training ranks and the work being done with apprentices seems to be making a positive change. Get those gold sovereigns out from under the bed and buy a small share in a syndicate and meet even more young talent. Although young in your case is relative. You really need to get the retirement home bus to divert from the bowling green and the RSA and head to the tracks @Huey . If you ask nicely @TAB For Ever could drop by and pick you up in his limo the next time he heads to the track. You'd have to tidy up a bit and dust the garbidine overcoat, the paisely tie and the Beresford Tweed sports coat but trust me it will be worth it.

Everything is for sale at a price. I learnt my lesson when offered $180k 15 years ago for a poorly bred gelding and the other partner refused to sell. In between then and the next offer after another win the damn thing kicked itself in its stall! That's why I like the Tangerine filly contracts - it is made very clear that the syndicate partnership is dissolved by selling the horse at auction at the end of its racing career. Anyway if I had a horse today it would be on the market for a price even though the stakes are fantastic and racing has turned a corner for the best.

Another photo by Boyer. Trentham in better days! Shame the track wasn't irrigated! They sure cut the grass short in those days.

You're right. Why did he travel via Wellington? There are some notable luminaries in that picture! Even the photographer was famous! https://www.jameshargest.school.nz/brigadier-hargest/ James Hargest distinguished member of the NZ Forces in both World Wars. https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/coates-joseph-gordon-pc-mc Prime Minister following William Massey. David Jones - Minister of Agriculture and Mines - created Federated Farmers (initially a Union for Farmers!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jones_(New_Zealand_politician) Adam Hamilton - National MP - Postmaster General and Minister of Labour. First leader of the National Party. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Hamilton Oswald Watkings - In 1901 he was the secretary of the Wellesley Club. Resident of Lower Hutt at 54 Pharazyn Street by 1902. An accountant. President of the Racing Conference in 1931. He was a Hutt City Councillor at one stage. Died in 1936 aged 73 years Date 1931 Reference MNZ-2372-1/2-F Description Racing horse Phar Lap at Trentham before his trip to the United States, with his attendant Tommy Woodcock. Standing nearby are, left to right, Rt Hon Joseph Gordon Coates, Oswald Stephen Watkins, David Jones, Brigadier James Hargest and Adam Hamilton. Taken by Charles P S Boyer in 1931.

Always been the case. Here is a picture of Phar Lap at the Trentham Yearling sales 1927. LOL the building in the background is probably still in use!

Some trainers make a career out of getting horses up and running and flicking them. It has always been the case.

Well most young horses are for sale at a price. I find them to be far from boring. Excellent viewing when on track. Great for spotting a potential winner. Doesn't suit all horses and I see they ran the 2 yr olds with the rail at true and for the rest out to 20m. You would have heard on Saturday that it is still quickly cutting out and gets shifty.

Have you been visiting the doom and gloom site?

The Walker horses you CAN'T forget www.racing.com The G1 1600-metre classics of the Caulfield and Thousand Guineas are a little more than a month away but that hasn’t dulled the dream for a number of owners who on Tuesday paid the nomination fees for their still unraced hopefuls. The $3 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11 attracted 119 nominations by the noon deadline on Tuesday with 10 of those entries for horses yet to make their debuts. In the $1.5 million Thousand Guineas (1600m) on October 18, there were 106 nominations with 17 of those yet to have their first start. The clock is certainly ticking for these horses to be ready to run at 1600 metres in four or five weeks’ time, so expect to see a flood of them kicking off shortly. Among those entries for unraced horses are seven from star Cranbourne and New Zealand trainer Mark Walker. You’d expect most of these will start their careers in the next two weeks, so let’s take a closer look at them. MARK WALKER’S UNRACED THOUSAND GUINEAS ENTRIES Sattva (Savabeel – Mawzoona): Been placed in two of her three trials to date. Bred to run as has Black Caviar’s granddam Scandinavia in her pedigree. Merrow (Ancient Spirit – Erin’s Babe): Has not been placed in any of her four trials to date but in her pedigree is Patrick Erin, who won the 2018 G1 Metropolitan (2400m) for Chris Waller. May Be Bubbles (Lonhro – Tracy May): Unplaced in both her trials, she is the first foal of mare Tracy May, who’s granddam Tracey’s Element produced the Australian Horse Of The Year in Typhoon Tracy. Lyrics ‘N’ Song (Written Tycoon – Melody Belle): Has been placed in both her trials so far and will generate any amount of interest as she is the first foal of the 14-time G1 winning mare Melody Belle. Girt By Sea (Ocean Park – Baggy Green): Managed to be placed once in her four trials but is out of a great producing mare who has already had the likes of stakes winners Tofane, No Compromise, Benaud and Bradman. Get Honor (Savabeel – Honor): Unplaced in all three trials, she is bred to get some ground being out of the family of the likes of handy staying type Ecuador. MARK WALKER’S UNRACED CAULFIELD GUINEAS ENTRY Hostility (I Am Invincible – Shillelagh): Hasn’t even been to the trials as yet but bred to be a star as by Australia’s champion sire out of the former Chris Waller-trained mare Shillelagh, who won the G1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) in 2017 and the G1 Empire Rose Stakes over the same course at Flemington 12 months later. First acceptances for both G1 Guineas races are taken on September 23. TO VIEW THE CAULFIELD GUINEAS CONTENDERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE THOUSAND GUINEAS CONTENDERS CLICK HERE

Geez I gather you have been given the flick from the Anti-Racing Forum by the @Comic Dog ? Well at least the new management team here are consistent.

I'd forgotten about that. I knew she had some niggles. Very hard at the elite level in OZ. Only a handful of fillies or mares really dominate and you only need to be less than 1% off your game to not be in the first half dozen. Quintessa is by the maiden Cox Plate winner Shamus Award (by Snitzel) out of a High Chaparral mare so you'd expect her to perform better over further than 1400m.

As @hesi said some adapt and some don't. I spoke with a well respected NZ trainer about a particular horse that a friend has a share in about going over there. She made an interesting comment - she said about the horse "she is the type that will work it out". Some step up some don't. But if you have a horse which performed at the elite age group level in NZ then you have to try as if they do succeed the rewards are huge particularly with a mare. Quintessa has done alright over there and has increased her value considerably.

If you have seen what a band of horses running in the wild do you'd think racing was tame by comparison.