Chief Stipe

Memory lane? Most it was about the last 12 months!!!!!

Just trying to point out that you should count yourself lucky that your horse is racing at Hawera instead of Otaki.

10 wins 7 between 1400m and 1800m. 5 at 1600m. Perfect 1600m horse. Runs high speed even sectionals.

2000m is not her go. 1600m and she can beat anything.

5 of the top 10 Harness Drivers on the Premiership are Juniors! Is that a first?

Why aren't you commenting about Blair Orange's drop in form?

Marist?

I was being educated by Sisters of Mercy on the West Coast. One of my favourite footballers played for Linwood one William Fergus McCormack. I was given one of his All Black training jerseys by my Uncle who was an All Black tour manager.

Nope as has been proven time and time again increased Stakes doesn't correlate to increased participation. On Saturday on one race at Riccarton was less than $35k that being the Maiden race which was $20k Even @curious's horse battled her way round for $2k for running fourth.

Why wait for the report? You realise how the problem arose in the first place don't you? The AWT customers didn't inspect the track they were using nor join together and demand maintenance occur when it should of. A bit like those moaning about the "dangerous AWT at Riccarton" on Saturday who obviously didn't bother to inspect it and see that it was in good condition. As I've said many times before Trainers are part of the problem. As an Owner representative I've tried to walk nearly every track prior to their horses racing (except those in OZ). As I did 20 years ago it still amazes me how many Trainers or Jockeys don't bother.

You have my sympathy. I can't fathom the rationale of the decision on the grounds of safety. What was the point of thrashing Ashburton to save Riccarton Turf if you are not going to use it? The only reason you would transfer is if: The weather forecast was for more foul weather and the likelihood of surface water was high - which it wasn't; The track was unsafe - which no one said it was probably because it wasn't. I do find it amusing that the institutional propaganda was working over time to say how beneficial it all was on the day.

And everyone has to travel to Trentham.

So they charge per km? I would have thought there was a base charge and then a distance charge. I.e. the further you went the base charge dropped as a percentage. What lost earnings? Otaki has been transferred to Hawera to a better track. I know where I'd rather race a horse.

What were the trainers going to walk them to Otaki? Some will win some will lose on the distance. Very few would have walked out of the training stable and into the birdcage anyway. On the one hand you can't complain about a lack of tracks which are all distant from each other and then complain about having to pay transport to get to them. As for the transport cost it is excessive but what do you expect when there is largely a monopoly.

True and you fit into the wind up category at times. You wouldn't last 3 posts on some other sites. Where I draw the line is when it becomes one rule for one group and a different rule for a other. Based purely on the fact that one has a different opinion and nothing else.

You miss the point. There is a proportion of horses that have stamina but not top line speed. Horses that don't mind slogging in the wet. Is the NZ Thoroughbred racing industry in a position to effectively write them off? As well as the tracks that support them?

So is the price wrong or does @Special Agent "doesn't know what she is talking about"?

Trentham barely had anything. The HB still have a racetrack amd training is continuing on it.

Regardless of how he is doing it. It is a bit petty isn't it.

Georgina.

Tom, Harry, Charles. They all had the same first name. George. Guess what their sister was named?

I remember well my boss at a company called Apple Fields saying - "We are in big trouble if we start believing our own propaganda!" The first time I'd heard that saying and I have never forgotten especially when it was so prophetic with regard to that company.

Which was in response to this comment by Colin Wightman about Lucy In The Sky's win on the Poly. I guess Lindsay and Wightman won't be sitting together when Pivotal Ten lines up in OZ! Poor horse. Obviously the mercenary owners don’t care too much for its future. To think that some poor bugger at a horse sale in the future will be conned into buying a near relative not knowing that the black print attributed to Lucy In The Sky is Clayton’s, against a desperate field of 8 only shit track tried horses.

I see Tony Pike just posted this online: Tony Pike Colin Wightman ok people I don’t want nor like getting involved in these discussions. Each to their own. Synthetic tracks are now a world wide phenomenon. We came to Riccarton on Sunday with a purpose of gaining some black type at the end of her preparation. She flew down Sunday. The weather bomb arrived and she would have run on either surface. You talk about the poor horse. If the race had been run on the CP it would have been extremely testing we may have won or we may not have handled the ground? Looking at the result based on form coming in the best two horses have more than likely run one two in the race. My filly has pulled up perfectly. We use the Poly in Cambridge extensively when the weather is poor and it is a great asset. I have been in Sydney recently and they use the synthetic tracks more than the grass tracks. It is a consistent surface. Anyway you can choose whatever tracks you wish to use but please do not come in any public site and say poor horse if associated with my stable. We look after and care for our horses to the ninth degree!

I see it still hasn't been answered why @curious aka Leggy was being moderated in the first place!!! I'd love to know why but I suspect it is because his cogent and accurate rebuttal may have made someone look silly!