Chief Stipe

I'm more aligned to your assessment than the others. Thought the King of the Stars drive was odd but the horse wasn't travelling that well to put the heat on anything.

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=AP191220&html5lightboxshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww-harness-org-au.akamaized.net%2Fqld%2FAPC19122001.mp4

Te Akau Shark has been retired. Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images HORSES Star Kiwi galloper Te Akau Shark in shock retirement Article Author Mitch Cohen 12:47PM21 December 2020 0 Comments Group 1 winner and Cox Plate placed Kiwi star Te Akau Shark has been retired after the popular gelding failed to make a full recovery from a rare eye condition. Connections of the Jamie Richards-trained six-year-old announced the decision on Monday morning. Te Akau Shark remained in Sydney after this year’s The Championships to undergo surgery to insert optic implants for a chronic eye issue developed during the carnival. A lung infection post-surgery then proved to be another setback for the ultra-talented son of Rip Van Winkle before he was transported back home to New Zealand in August. Te Akau Shark with jockey Opie Bosson, part-owner Paul Gallen and trainer Jamie Richard (L-R). Photo: Jenny Evans/Getty Images While back in his homeland, there were hopes Te Akau would be able to make a return to racing but those dreams were crushed due to ongoing complications with his vision. Te Akau Shark retires a two-time Group 1 winner with victories in the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa and Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick with a further two placings at the top level. He spent the bulk of the past 18 months campaigning in Australia against the best weight-for-age horses in the country. One of his most memorable performances came when the classy chestnut surged home from the back to finish third in the Cox Plate behind Lys Gracieux and Castelvecchio in 2019. His last run was a fifth placing in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick this year, narrowly beating home star stablemate Melody Belle. Te Akau Shark started just 14 times but left a lasting impression in a short space of time, developing a large following on both sides of the Tasman in winning seven times and finding the placings on another five occasions. He banked $1.5 million in prizemoney for connections, which include former Cronulla Sharks captain-turned-heavyweight boxer Paul Gallen.

Put $50 up spread amongst the first three for a picking competition and you'll get more posters. Often a forum is a reflection of the community thinking as a whole. Times are tough, we have inconsistent Stipes and rulings, shyte starts and many people hurt by a vindictive INCA investigation. So we see that angst reflected in the posts.

Great effort. Probably right up there with one of the greatest NZ sporting achievements. I hope the publicity is all positive. I doubt though that many younger people will understand what it takes to do what CWJ has just done.

Really you think NZTR would brief Thomass? Are we now led to believe that there were no previous notifications either? BTW isn't it a "notification" not a "request"?

In all the races it wore Visors or just the one that it won? Seems Thomaas only noticed after it won. As I said the trainer may have notified NZTR but the system has been incorrectly updated. I guess the new $1m plus computer system will fix it.

Actually is this a system failure as opposed to a trainer pulling the wool? For example has NZTR not updated the records?

What the FBI are in on this? What's more they actually give you the time of day?

Rule Number(s): Rule 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of the DUNSTAN HORSEFEEDS 2100 an Information was lodged by Stipendiary Steward Mr A Coles against Apprentice Jockey Mr M Hashizume alleging that Mr Hashizume as the Rider of VEDO ROSSO used his whip excessively prior to the 100 metres mark. Rule 638(3)(b)(ii) provides: A Rider ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 638(1)(d)Following the running of the FULTON FAMILY 1200 an Information was lodged by Stipendiary Steward Mr A Coles against Apprentice Jockey Mr C Jones alleging that Mr Jones as the rider of MORE THE BETTER permitted his mount to shift in near the 1000 metres mark when not clear resulting in crowding to SEAJETZ ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 4, the Dave & Jill Quigley/Stackhouse Farming 2200, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr M Davidson, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr A Balloo, alleging that, as the rider of BLUEY’S CHANCE in the race, he used his whip excessively prior to the 100m. ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

LOL maybe the Judge has indicated he should get his affairs in order as there is likely to be a custodial sentence handed down.

But YOUR point IS?

Your point JJ Flash?

Thanks JJ Flash for that contribution.

If what I've heard is true then all the history points to a pattern.

Anyone heard what was handed down? Strangely gone all very quiet.

https://community.betfair.com/australian/go/thread/view/93998/28513119/mrc-ceo-robertson-exposed-in-the-age-today#flvWelcomeHeader

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/racing/racing-club-chiefs-rocky-relationship-with-media-20110414-1dg0e.html LAST week's public outburst by Melbourne Racing Club chief executive Alasdair Robertson was not the first time he has been caught up in media controversy. Robertson's attack on a female ABC reporter, when he said he would rather his daughter grow up as a prostitute than a journalist, sent Melbourne into a media frenzy. But it appears that last Wednesday's behaviour is just one of several attacks on the media. The state government declared Robertson's behaviour grossly inappropriate, and since first-hand accounts of his irregular behaviour towards the media have flowed from Western Australia.

Alasdair Robertson - was it him that stole the horse ambulance? Does this add to the list of people we have had as administrators who have OZ racing on their CV?

Can you give us a clue Mikie?

You would probably lose your license to train!

But why keep track? Are dogs and cats going to become vegetarian? Or do we ban them? The approach being taken is adding oil to the already slippery slope to the end of horse racing in NZ. We all love our horses (more so the good ones) but do we throw away pragmatism and the facts of life when the day comes to sack the useless slow ones? Why not let them loose in the Kaimanawa's? Every three years or so the Government will cull the crop and hardly anyone will protest because it is saving tussock lands and native flora. When I worked in a stable we used to joke "that one is heading to AB Flutey's soon if it doesn't shape up!" I'm sure the dog smiled and licked its lips when it heard that. Although a joke that is what actually happened from time to time - we culled the unproductive part of the herd. We didn't have acres of spare land to water, graze and supplementary feed (during a hard winter or dry summer) the unproductive members of the herd. Why would a new owner sign up to a new horse for 30 years? Reminds me of farming family friends who always named the pet lamb - Lamb Chop (was called Dog one year) or the two Bobby Calves - T-Bone and Eye-Fillet. The children were made well aware that they were destined for the dinner plate. I must say that those children have grown into fine young adults.

So 3,000 horses a year at 20 years. 60,000 horses to be housed.