Chief Stipe

So Zahra didn't illegally whip Without A Fight in the last 100m. I would have thought it was the last 100m when it counted?

YAWN … WHIP RULES ONCE AGAIN FARCICAL Fair enough the stewards gave Mark Zahra a massive whack for his whip indiscretion in the Caulfield Cup – to the tune of $50,000! Now that's a decent slap if ever I've seen one but without going over all the old ground once again, why have whip rules when it seems to be accepted they don't make a horse go faster? If it's deemed the whip use does improve performance then take the race away, or at least lodge a protest. Stewards deemed Zahra's offence made no difference to the result (he won by a head) but still hit him with a $50k fine. If the excessive whip use never improved the horses performance one bit then what was Zahra doing when he hit Without A Fight nine times before the 100m? It's simply a ‘persuader' would be the argument I suppose. I give up. By Stephen Brassel 08:03am • 23 October 2023

I see other agencies offer fixed odds.

Oh OK. But TABNZ commingles with OZ does it not?

Me or Holey Pasta?

Can anyone stop Imperatriz? | RACING.COM www.racing.com While Saturday’s Cox Plate continues to be an intriguing head-scratcher before the final field comes together on Tuesday morning, the day’s other Group 1 at The Valley, it seems, carries no such mystery. The Kiwi star Imperatriz is marked the $1.60 favourite to take the $2 million Manikato Stakes (1200m) and her trainer Mark Walker could give her potential rivals little to look forward to just six days out from the sprint feature. “Everything is good with her, she hasn’t missed a beat,’’ Walker reported. “I know our mare is really happy within herself and she’s fit and sound, that’s the main thing,’’ he said. Imperatriz is unbeaten at The Valley, having won the G1 William Reid (1200m) last autumn before astonishing wins in the G2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) and G1 Moir Stakes (1000m) to start the spring. WATCH: Imperatriz's last-start win in the Moir Stakes at The Valley “She seems to love that track and she’ll love getting back to that sort of trip (1200m), so we’re looking forward to it,’’ he said. But Walker’s not taking it for granted. “We all know G1s are never easy to win, especially in Australia, so she’ll go there in great order and we’re expecting her to run well.’’ Imperatriz then progresses to the G1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington, where, if successful in both races, she would go to the paddock with the extraordinary record of 23 starts for 17 wins, nine at G1 level. With Schillaci Stakes winner and Moir Stakes runner-up Asfoora likely to miss the Manikato, Imperatriz is at $1.60 with Sportsbet ahead of $9 chance Uncommon James, I A Me and Bella Nipotina.

So what did you back in the Caulfield Cup?

Yep as would I. The comment relates to horses that look lame but aren't. They are just lazy at lifting their feet.

So only the tote running on the TABNZ for Hong Kong? I guess Entain can't pay time and a half for their NZ bookies.

His Underwood run was fantastic. To win either of the Cups you need to have a turn of foot and a good weight. As I said I was confident until I saw him walking and read about the vet checks. I guess he is a bit like you @holy ravioli a bit of a lazy slouch. I'm sure @Freda and @curious have seen horses just like him.

Well the way it walks was very interesting but like most socialists you are a lightweight. What proof do you want that I picked Without A Fight to win the Caulfield? Not that I frigging care.

WTF is YOUR problem? No opinion on the way the horse walks? The vet checks? The controversy over the Victorian vets and horses racing in NSW instead? You're a one dimensional Troll.

Do you want references?

Still would have won on protest. Did Spencer get put out for causing interference in the last 100m? Just do away with the whip rule altogether.

So this time @the galah you are not joining @Archie Butterfly in inferring that there is some special Woodend potion involved?

I'd never seen Without A Fight in the parade ring before. Having told everyone to offload on the nose before seeing it in the parade ring I thought I'd have to hide for a month. He would have to be the worst walker I've seen. One leg in particular he barely lifts and trips over it. Had the vets confused but hell he can gallop!!!

Without A Fight should ‘have a crack' at Melbourne Cup redemption Mark Zahra celebrates after winning the Caulfield Cup aboard Without A Fight. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images By Gilbert Gardiner 07:29pm • 21 October 2023 Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight has Melbourne Cup redemption on the agenda after a stirring triumph on Saturday. Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight lapped up the fast ground on Saturday and a perfect ride from emerging Cups specialist Mark Zahra to deny West Wind Blows. Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Gold Trip, set to back-up in the Cox Plate on Saturday, placed in a second straight Caulfield Cup – an ominous sign of more spring riches to come. Zahra, who won the 2020 Caulfield Cup on Verry Elleegant in front of empty grandstands, thanks to Covid restrictions, enjoyed the moment before a crowd of 25,121 on Saturday. • Mark Zahra denies great mate Jamie Spencer in Caulfield Cup epic Zahra, slugged a $50,000 fine for a whip breach in the Caulfield Cup, stamped Without A Fight's Melbourne Cup potential. "You've got to have a crack," Zahra said. "That was second-up from a spell. A great training performance from the Freedmans to get him right today so you think there's got to be a little bit of improvement. "In Brisbane (during the winter) I thought he won't run past 2000m so I said send him to the Cox Plate … he just came back so much more relaxed, so you've got to have a crack." Without A Fight and Mark Zahra (left) edge in front of West Wind Blows and Jamie Spencer. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images Zahra "pulled the right rein" last week, committing to ride Without A Fight despite a looming threat of opposing his Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip, and again on raceday. Calm. Composed. Cup winner, again. "It is good when you have the results at the end but you have to choose them beforehand," Zahra said. "What a moment. I'm so happy. "I don't really celebrate much but with the week I've had and the things that have gone on … had a beautiful run and he did the rest." An emotional Sam Freedman lauded Zahra's commitment to the horse. "What a call. He's pulled the right rein," Freedman said. "The horse is brilliant on top of the ground." Sam Freedman and jockey Mark Zahra kiss the Caulfield Cup. Picture: Michael Klein Freedman brushed off the veterinary drama around Without A Fight on Thursday and Friday. Racing Victoria vets deemed Without A Fight lame in mandatory pre-Caulfield Cup safety checks. The horse was cleared after a second inspection on Friday. "They made the right call. We were never worried," Freedman said. "As a trainer you would never send a horse to the races that you didn't feel was ready to go. "This horse, we know his so well and all the staff, they work tirelessly to get these results and so when you've got that nervous wait, you're feeling for them. "They're putting in the hours and it has been a tough enough six or twelve months … I'm sure the old man would be at home and getting a bit emotional." Freedman's father Anthony was involved in brother Lee's four Caulfield Cup triumphs in 1992, 1994-95 and 2003. On the 20th anniversary of family favourite Mummify's success, emerging iron horse Without A Fight added to the Freedman Caulfield Cup tradition.

Barely the width of a credit card between the first 3. Geez the Randwick track goes off badly during a day's racing. Need to be handy or forget it

I get notifications via email never in the app. The thing I hate about the notifications is that you still get them when the horse is scratched!!

All good Chazza. Obviously there is no correlation between surface, rail strike and injury.

Speaking of software any news on the $2m NZTR software upgrade? I wonder if that's where the apprentice claim and form info comes from.

The inference is it is an infrastructure problem when it would appear to be a software issue.

I've been complaining about it for years. You click on a horse and look at its detailed race form and then exit while still in the race field and you can watch and suddenly all the claims disappear. It's like they are somehow connected to the odds refresh.

But Chazza's stats says the track is brilliant! The problem Greyhounds have is the way that you vet dogs after a race and publish the results. Dog racing seems inherently problematic with regard to injury.