Chief Stipe

So I express an alternative opinion as the reason for your hard luck story? Note that opinion would have been the presented as a reasonable explanation if the Jockey had been questioned by the Stipes. He wasn't. As I posted earlier if it had been NZ Harness then the Stipes would have questioned his decision making even betting records would have been analysed. As @Joe Bloggs has pointed out in OZ questions would have been asked and there have been a number of examples recently where JMac has been literally interrogated for his decision making. Arguably he being one of the best Jocks on the planet at this time. Perhaps you should now direct your ire at the Stipes who in my opinion are doing nothing to improve riding standards hence the carnage we are seeing. Horses are getting galloped on constantly because there is no pace in races. Surely a Jockey who slows a race to a canter in a Group race should have questions asked of them.

With or without cover?

Have you looked at the sectionals for her races? They ran the first 1400m of the 2000m yesterday in 1:34. Probably enough reason to press forward. So even though she was wide she wasn't doing much. They ran home in 33. Typical of what we are seeing in our big races - walk, stack em up, sprint home.

Rubbish. You are making a lot of assumptions about how the race would have played out. Perhaps it might have been two lengths if it had drawn 6 (which the winner did) instead of 10. As @Joe Bloggs said - two options pull back to last, risk the horse fighting you, then hope you get the gaps or be out in the car park turning for home. Second option use the gas and push forward for the lead hoping no one takes you on and that you can tough it for the rest of the race. He chose a third option - accepted he was planted three wide, hope someone moves forward to give you cover or relax the horse and conserve energy as best you can. Getting stuck 3 wide happens all the time at Ellerslie over 2000m.

Actually you might be onto something. I doubt a horse can see images on a TV screen but those big screens do generate a lot of magnetic, micro and or radio waves. I bet if you stand next to it you'll hear one he'll of a hum emanating from it.

I take it you are a sore loser on the punt. I guess you didn't take insurance on your bet by nailing the $5.90 place money on offer. $5.90 being a great winning dividend in any punters books. Greed is not a good attribute for being a successful punter.

I could too - I was actually saying out loud "don't go there"! However it is a combination of issues. Lack of pace in races, stack em up sprint home, poor horsemanship and sporting behaviour when on a tiring horse. The latter accentuated by head to head betting and paying graduated stakes too far back. I remember clearly times when our Jockey chose discretion over valour and being grateful when we went home without the chocolates but a sound and fit horse. More than a third of the riders in that race were apprentices and I don't think any of them are JMac's. Should there be limits on apprentices riding in Group Races? Should there be a minimum of rides and wins?

Interesting how one day a Jockey is bagged for not having confidence and being aggressive enough but nothing is said about those who are over confident and too aggressive. There has been some very poor horsemanship shown so far over the summer. I wouldn't be surprised if some top Jockey's retire early this season as they weigh up the unnecessary risks created by others poor choices.

Beaten a nose?

There was some substandard riding and options taken in the race. Report 2022-01-01 Auckland.pdf

Every horse Rogie has is a Champion because Rogie knows it and says so.

So pull back to last and give away 6 lengths or more. That would cost more than the extra distance covered sitting quietly 3 wide. Not much seems to be coming from off the pace today. Will be interesting to see where Levante is ridden. The risk with that is if those underneath you move forward as well. But probably the better option given how the track is playing. The times aren't too hot. As for making a decision the Jockey did - settle the horse and conserve energy. Who knows what the riding instructions have been.....

With your years of Group Race riding experience what should the Jockey have done differently today? Note the 2000m start at Ellerslie is a price of a start with a big field. A short mad dash to the tight bend on the rise out of the straight. Quite often when drawing midfield or worse and jumping well enough you end up wide in no man's land.

It is speculation what the witness has actually said as is what has subsequently happened to the statement. If there is still insufficient evidence to lay charges and the swab tests are clear then Johnny Nevits should be allowed to race.

Still wrong whatever the outcome. The Kerr case is hardly a fair comparison. Kerr committed fraud and the time to prove that could have been substantially shortened if HRNZ had proper ownership checks and balances in place. Justice should be swift - not a fishing exercise by the Prosecutor where they use their considerable powers to break people financially and emotionally. What is the official reason for Johnny Nevits not being allowed to race? Has a positive been returned? Have the Trainer and Owners been given a reason? If they have, have they been gagged? Will it go on as long as the Wigg episode has?

They put in some quick sectionals mid race which didn't give the back markers a hope. The rest of the race wasn't as quick but a case of who outstayed the others best. Krug and Bettor Twist would have had to have run a National Record to win off 20m.

If you "understand" then you must be privy to information that hasn't been made public. Now if there is already a case to answer why haven't charges been laid? Why do "these things take time"? It isn't as if the RIB don't have considerable resources and capacity at hand to do the job quickly.

You have a point however the prize money on offer in OZ is astronomical. Hell if I was younger I'd say to @Freda let's get a float full of horses and pillage the bush and country race meetings in OZ. Would beat trying to find an average Jockey to ride your above NZ average horse on a shyte track for SFA stake money.

Do we know who scratched it? It's racing status is "clear". Only Johnny Nevits is stood down. I really hoped that the new RIB regime would see a change for the better but so far it isn't looking promising!

When was the last European bred stallion that really clicked down under?

But English racing and their tracks are quite different to OZ which is where the market is down under. Who wants to breed slow track Derby winners?

Why would more disappear? The prize money and opportunities in OZ is going ballistic. Or is the market saturated with too many stallions and Studs in a certain sector of the market?

No more or less than the so called Journalists. However applying common-sense and a bit of horse training knowledge and one must get close to a plausible story. As I posted earlier how long does it take to find enough evidence to lay a charge? What horse was scratched at Rangiora?

It makes sense from a security point of view and for educating horses.

The Stewards said "nothing to see here - move on"!