Chief Stipe

Of course @Newmarket you don't mention this win yesterday. Beautiful ride, horse jumped, fought a bit but Kah with those soft hands got it to settle, cuddled it up in a nice trail one out one back and went whoosh at the right time. 20240518DOOR05_V.mp4

Seems Kahs favoured ride in race 4 had an excuse too. I won't bother posting the video because you obviously didn't notice the horse didn't travel early and struggled late. DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) – Laid out in the early stages. Jockey J. Kah reported that in her opinion DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) travelled well during the early and middle stages, however, was under pressure from the 600m and attributed the disappointing performance to today’s racing surface. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no apparent abnormalities. Trainer M. Kent stated that he agreed with comments of Jockey J. Kah and would report back to Stewards on the condition of the mare in the coming days.

Seems there was good reason for Acid Wash not getting a better position early. Kah and horse lucky not to hit turf. Perhaps a lesser rider might have fallen. I imagine Kah used her considerable skill to rebalance and settle the horse. Perhaps though the interference was the reason it lay in when she tried to improve in the straight. ACID WASH – Leaving the 1200m, clipped the heels of ABOUNDING and blundered. Jockey M. Harley the rider of ABOUNDING, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding pursuant to AR 131(a) in that in the vicinity of the 1200m, allowed his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of ACID WASH, and as a result of this shift ACID WASH clipped heels and blundered. Jockey M. Harleys licence to ride in races was suspended for a period of 9 days commencing midnight the 19th of May 2024 and concluding midnight the 28th of May 2024. Held up for clear running from the 300m until approaching the 100m. Passing the 150m, was obliged to restrain off the heels of CHRYSAOR. Raced wide with cover for the majority.

I just watched the race and I'm not sure you did. It was slow away and settled back 3 wide with cover. No chance of improving from there early as it would have had to go four or more wide to do so. Kah settled it beautifully which is one of her skills. When Kah went to move on straightening the horse kept laying in and wouldn't come out. The horse that won the race, Amur came from behind Acid Wash. So who wasn't reading the track very well other than yourself? Watch the replay. 20240518DOOR03_V.mp4

Anecdotal evidence by its very definition is unreliable and often untrue. Frankly it's a more sophisticated term for gossip. Harness Racing is full of that gossip and most of it is malicious. As for the All Stars falling off their pedestal it hasn't happened yet. Their performance is still within their normal seasonal variance. Yes I'm saying early crow and wishful thinking by those who have often been their biggest critics. Time will tell if the Purdon dynasty continues.

Trialled at Menangle this week. Ran 1:50 for the mile so not too far away from a come back.

You don't because you believe they cheat yet have provided zero evidence that they do. Mind you given like @Newmarket you are a poor student of form analysis I guess you need fo clutch at straws.

So how do you explain that the horses that are winning now are running faster than during your so called "blood era"?

Acid Wash was paying $21's. Essentially finished where the book said it would finish. What's more it raced to it's normal pattern. I guess you expected her to ride it upside down. Hint: most horses unless they are very very good don't like that.

I see Kah has already booked her Melbourne Cup ride. As for today at Doomben - haven't watched a race yet but I'd be surprised if your analysis is anywhere accurate going on your previous form.

But you haven't justified your opinion and thus your judgement. Your UDR analysis is clearly inaccurate. We've argued this before however you continue to push an opinion that isn't backed up by the numbers. For example you don't take into consideration stakes earned per number of starts. Not to forget that there is still over 7 months of the season to go yet. Early crow you lot.

So what's the "other part of the reason"? Although I concur with @Gammalite that your analysis is way off and factually baseless.

Probably tightening their belt to pay for the AWT maintenance.

Aren't they called "colours" for a reason?

It didn't actually. The gambling dollar spent increased and there was very little scavenging that occurred. However unlike Lotto and Pokies Racing started closeing down community outlets and facilities. Increasingly legislative changes were bought in to favour the big breeder (not the little breeder) and racing itself was skewed towards that sector in terms of handicapping. It became increasingly hard to keep a good slightly above average gelding in work and the quality of our racing suffered. The days of Grey Way and Copper Belt etc were lost not because of Lotto or Pokies but descisions made by industry administrators.

BS @Gammalite the views of @TAB For Ever is reflection of the very attitudes and descisions that have got NZ Racing into this downward spiral.

Are you serious? You have no idea what made and could make this industry successful (again).

What website?!

They were far from perfect. No excuses for them. But as you've said you don't actually adhere to getting it right the first time. WHAT the TAB got TIRED?! If you believe that do you find it acceptable? Perhaps they should get jobs in OZ and travel hours to far flung race courses. They DID have cash in the bank. They were solvent unlike the TAB. Why would they move from their home track and disconnect from their local community? Why did they need to? The only reason is some suits saw a potential quick gain by grabbing their assets. Well that didn't happen did it. Actually has it happened for any club assets since the Mesara Report and Winnies land grab legislation was passed? Oh that's right "good things take time". Well there's another saying "time isn't on side".

Bollocks. The DNA argument is BS. OZ are the biggest gamblers in the world and race wagering isn't the largest recipient of that gambling in OZ. If we extrapolate the 1 in 254 own a share in a horse that equates to 20,000 people in NZ having a share in a horse. Quite achievable I would think given The Boys Get Paid approach to syndication. No we are customers demanding more service. What's wrong with that? Plus some of us have memories of other Australian carpet baggers coming here swinging their swagger and doing SFA.

Can you provide proof of that?

It didn't make sense. Didn't work for RACE did it? The Westland Racing Club was surviving quite well. Why close it down?

Whereas the administrative suits in NZ are intent on closing racing down in most of the towns. BTW how many tracks in Australia don't meet Mesara's unpublished standard?

Well compared to the rest of the world NZ ranks 5th in terms of gambling. Yes Australians lead the pack BUT the difference in NZ is we spend disproportionately more now on other forms of gambling rather than racing. So I don't think the DNA argument holds up that well.

Used to be in NZ's DNA - every farmer had a tax write-off broodmare and got their local mates in on a share to race the progeny.