Chief Stipe

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"!

His sire line is dominated by turf winners internationally.

Spellbound is an odds-on favourite in the 4YO Mares Final on Vicbred finals nights at Melton. By Adam Hamilton 11:56am • 31 December 2021 Top former Kiwi horseman Nathan Purdon thinks he can give himself and punters a New Year’s Eve to remember. Purdon, who made Lara near Geelong home just under 12 months ago, trains two of the big guns at Friday night’s Vicbred finals night at Melton. Spellbound is $1.80 favourite to win her Group 1 4YO Mares Final, while younger stablemate Amore Vita has been crunched from $2.80 into $2.40 to win the Group 1 2YO Fillies Final. “We’ve exceeded expectations in the first year, but not by as much as much you’d think because I’m a person who sets the bar pretty high,” Purdon said. “When you leave home and try something like this, it has to be successful to make it all worthwhile. “Having these two horses going into the big races as big winning chances has certainly helped give us something to focus on and look forward to. “We’ve got high hopes for both without getting carried away because it’s Group 1 racing. They are both as good a show as each other, whichever gets the best luck in running will be the better hope. “The best part is, they are both as good as I can have them at the right time.” While many think the jury is out on gate one for Amore Vita, Purdon is almost adamant she will lead and hold the front. “Her gate speed is a little bit underrated, she’s faster than most people give her credit for,” he said. “Early on she was a bit green and took a bit to get going in the first 50m, but she’s grown through that. “I think she’ll leave pretty strong. It will take something very quick to get across. "I hope and expect to lead and hold it. Chris (Alford, driver) has looked after her in lead-ups, but she’s peaked now and ideally we’ll see her driven like the best horse.” Amore Vita has been well supported to win the 2YO Fillies Final. Picture: Stuart McCormick Spellbound has cruised through her heat and semi with soft wins, which has been exactly what Purdon hoped. “I spoke with Stuey (McDonald, driver) about wanting her to do nothing more than she has to through the qualifiers and he’s done exactly that,” he said. “For three to four weeks I wasn’t overly happy with her, but past two weeks given me the feel she’s as good as she can be again and that’s exciting. “I don’t we need to burn out from the wide draw, just keep working forward. If he she finds the front then great, if not, then she can still control the race from outside them. “It looks like she and Maajida are the class runners and it helps Maajida has drawn inside the back row and needs some luck with traffic.” In other stable news, Australia’s champion mare Amazing Dream won’t race again before the Group 1 Ballarat Cup on January 22. “We just gave her a week off after Cranbourne. She’s had a lot of brutal races going into it from bad draws before that and it was just starting to catch-up with her a little,” Purdon said. “We’ll get her ready for Ballarat and then onto the Hunter Cup (February 5).” Purdon is optimistic Amazing Dream may stay Down Under long enough for a crack at the Ladyship Mile and maybe Miracle Mile at Menangle in late February/early March “There’s no departure date yet and those races are getting closer. I’d love to get her up to a Ladyship Mile,” he said.