Chief Stipe

I guess you have added this Topic to you never-ending loop of topics and we'll hear about it for the next two decades?

The race or the track? I've heard many first hand reports about the state of the track.

Since when have they been oncourse raceday at 7:30am? If they have been why do we get obviously bogus track ratings?

Yet you have had a good go at Opie Bosson and Lisa Allpress? Pot Kettle methinks.

Why wouldn't they be tradeable? When Clubs have failed to invest in their tracks and the risk of a meeting being abandoned has risen what other options are available but to move them?

Yeah but look up and the starry sky is amazing. Did that on the Nullabor.

If you measure the distance from each Coast to the Southern Alps it is a lot less than 100kms. From Timaru (East Coast) about 60km. From Hokitika (West Coast) about 20Km.

Geez @Gammalite a typical Australian only used to big skies. You can see the Southern Alps from both the West Coast AND East Coast.

Sorry I don't know you at all. I was just pointing out that sometimes there is no real reason for a particular name. But I imagine there was a shady (maru) cabbage tree (ti) in Timaru somewhere.

Timaru was named after a cabbage tree.

I'm not sure Phar Lap ever raced at Timaru.

I'm sure @freda is flattered by that comment.

@Newmarket watching the races. via GIPHY

They are only leading on wins not stakes. They have always been a volume trainer - over 800 starts this year. They had 100 more starts than the second placed Telfer stable and over 500 more starts than Purdon and Phelan (283 starts) who won $500,000 more in stakes!! So the last two weeks for the Dunns isn't "strange" it is par for the course for them! Anyway I can't be bothered counting but I would guess over the last two weeks the number of starters they have had would be down. Add to that the fact that Robert was very ill around Cup time.

A bit of Jing Jing in the pocket for some rum rum!

BTW @JJ Flash I don't complain about you NOT posting just the fact that the only time you do it is to have a dig at someone or a stable.

Well why does it seem "so strange" as you suggest? The current form for the stable is within the normal variance. You are just as bad as the Te Akau knockers and @Yankiwi use of stats. You choose the last two weeks of the harness season and call it a trend!! Or rather call it "strange"! You don't even bother to show the variance for the two weeks compared to their UDR.

Overall 3 wins and 8 placings in the time you mention. Plus a second and third in a Grp 1. On or about their average.

Here we go! The last conspiracy of 2024!

Wightman does have an account here. Something about @Transparency !!!!

Didn't she ride out her apprenticeship yesterday?

Well that analysis is a bit pointless as you haven't factored in track conditions. Wet tracks on the old surface played differently to the current one. Anyway regardless it is is a new ball game now with the new track. I just did a quick check of the 1200m winners on the new surface and draws 2,3 and 4 are winning the majority of the races. Only about 4 winners were drawn in double figures. Now given the surface is supposed to play even across its width and it apparently never gets worse than a Soft 5 that would suggest another factor. We have discussed that in another Topic but I'm guessing it is the shape of the iconic curve into the home straight that makes it difficult to improve your position. As was postulated before you either wait for an inside run to open up in the run home or you get your skates on from the 600m. Perhaps in the next Railway they OZZIE Jockeys won't sit back and wait but will put the pace on and attack from the get go. Unless of course they are on horses that have drawn 1 through 5.

The whips are cracking!!

As you were but made you look. The 13 barrier winner was a 2100m race. You needed to draw handy to have a chance. That's the way Ellerslie used to play and it seems like it will continue to play that way.

Ok you said 8 to 12k Quote: "Today I counted 8000 then gave up so I'd guess between 8 - 12 k there. Perfect size IMO" I guess they were the @curious types - not there for the racing or the punting but the entertainment.