Chief Stipe

But wait there's more! Whoever is doing the numbers could be a GM at you know where.... Again according to the MOH (yep this was reported on their website) we have had 1,121 confirmed cases of Covid-19 1,180 have recovered. Wow that's 59 more recoveries than confirmed! Maybe Zero means minus something!

Maybe the numbers chap at the NZ Herald (or is it the MOH?) should get a job at the NZ TAB! "there were 5 confirmed cases but 6 were considered probable.." So we get minus 1 confirmed cases for the day.

Do you own the horse in both cases? That is if the horse is sold to say Hong Kong do you share in the sale?

Only if you say they are lies.

I rarely watch the TV news nowadays. For a long time I've decided to avoid it. Journalism is bad enough in this country without having it reduced to 2 minute sound bites interspersed with dubious subjective images and video. So while taking time out and watching a mindless TV programme on free-to-air (that wasn't a house buying/renovation or cooking show) I saw a news flash that "NZ has eliminated the Coronavirus say PM." That was followed by "only 6 new cases reported today." Uh?! Doesn't one statement contradict the other? I thought I'd better look a bit deeper into this "news" by going online and checking out Stuff and the NZ Herald. Why not, both news sites tout themselves as the purveyor of truth and investigative journalism. Although now that the Government has promised to flick them both a large wallop of cash Stuff has stopped badgering us with ads to "donate a dollar" to keep the "media free." It is reported that the Prime Minister said "we are following a strategy of eliminating not eradicating the virus" and that "elimination doesn't mean zero cases." Now I pride myself in having a good vocabulary, of being able to understand the definition of words and to spell correctly, but, I asked myself, aren't the definitions of eliminate and eradicate largely the same? Doesn't eliminate mean getting to zero of something? I started visiting dictionary websites and found as I thought that the meaning of eliminate and eradicate are essentially the same. Both are synonyms of the other. Both mean - to completely remove something that is not wanted or needed i.e. it means zero. As happens later in life a distant memory starts slowly whirring away in the cerebral soft drive. Haven't I read something some time ago about a system where words are given different meanings for the purposes of ideology. Suddenly the memory sprang forth. George Orwell's concept of Newspeak from his novel 1984. In Orwell's words, Newspeak was "designed to diminish the range of thought." Newspeak was characterized by the elimination or alteration of certain words, the substitution of one word for another, the interchangeability of parts of speech, and the creation of words for political purposes. The word has caught on in general use to refer to confusing or deceptive bureaucratic jargon. Coincidentally (or not) 1984 was set in a superstate called Oceania. Which would you rather have Transparency or Truth? Can you not have one without the other? Part of the Government's strategy of so called elimination has been to "randomly" test people standing in supermarket queues to determine if Covid-19 infection is more widely spread than the identified clusters. My BS antenna immediately shot up when I heard this - my university science training started whirring. The testing was hardly a random sample of the population. For a start those people queuing at the supermarket were well enough to do so. By Level-4 standards they were super well. After all if you weren't, why risk being ostracised and snitched on by 200 people outside the supermarket when you coughed? The point is the sample wasn't random. My science brain started to go into overdrive. I asked myself what were the tests they were doing? Yes Covid-19 but what type of tests? There are four main types of Covid-19 tests: RT-PCR - the testing for the virus RNA in nasal swabs; Antigen testing - the testing for the toxin or other substance given off by the virus that initiates an immune response. It isn't the virus itself and is normally taken as mouth swabs; IgM Antibody testing - IgM is the first antibody released by the body in its immune response. The "I" stands for Immunoglobulin which is produced by the white blood cells in blood. Testing requires a blood sample; IgG Antibody testing - IgG is an antibody created by the immune system generally after IgM and after the live virus has largely gone. Again requires a blood test. Tests 1 and 2 test for live virus i.e. "you've got it." Tests 3 and 4 test for the antibodies - "you've had it." We don't actually know what type of tests they were doing but reading what was reported and viewing the pictures of the testing we can ascertain that they were tests derived from the taking of nasal swabs. So what you might ask? Well nasal swabs were the first tests developed for Covid-19. They take samples of material at the back of the nose. The test is for LIVE Covid-19. Essentially the first tests developed looked for the signature viral RNA. (In simple terms viral RNA is like our DNA. It is the genetic signature of the virus.) The tests are called PCR-RNA or RT-PCR. They only need a small sample of the actual virus for testing and the test result can be achieved in hours. They rely on the amplification of RNA in a laboratory. There are some drawbacks however. The presence of the virus in the respiratory tract has been shown to be variable i.e. some people have the virus but it isn't present at the back of the nose. Also unless care is taken with the samples certain environmental conditions will destroy or at best fragment the RNA so it cannot be identified. The Antigen tests test for the toxins made by the virus not the virus itself. These toxins have a virus specific signature. The advantage of antigen testing is that the antigens are more stable and less prone to environmental degradation than RNA testing. Generally they are taken by mouth or back of the throat swabs of sputum. One could justifiably assume that the "random supermarket" test taken in NZ was the RNA test. So we can then hypothesise that the testing undertaken to date was for "active" cases. No mass random testing for antibodies has yet to be undertaken. So what you may well ask? The Government has been focussed on active cases and deaths. We don't know how much of the population have been infected, not detected and recovered. We are not testing for that. Data globally is starting to show a decline in the death rate. But note that that rate is being measured as a ratio of deaths to confirmed cases. Confirmed means a positive test for Covid-19 RNA or Antigens. As more antibody tests are being undertaken it is being found that the rate of asymptomatic cases i.e. those that have had Covid-19 but with no symptoms or very mild symptoms is very high. Is it likely that we have people in NZ who have had Covid-19 and not been confirmed as an official case? More than likely. Why aren't we seeing randomised testing for antibodies? It may not support the Government's narrative. Random testing of 3,000 people in New York City has shown that 1 in five (21%) or 2.7 million people have Covid-19 antibodies. That's nearly as many as the total Global confirmed cases. 12,000 people have died from Covid-19 in NYC. We know that the majority of those people had comorbidities. The death rate of people dead per confirmed cases is over 8%. But when you include the number of people that have possibly been infected then the rate drops to less than 0.5%. Now the figures are changing constantly and you may argue with the numbers used but what is clearly happening is that the more people that are tested the more the death rate drops. Shouldn't we be testing the general population more? Before we put the country in hock for generations to come. Before we are forced to change our way of life? Before we give up democracy? Before we start changing the meaning of words such as elimination and zero. Don't get me started on the inconsistency between the Politburo policy treatment of Covid-19 and influenza. Covid-19 may prove to have the same annual death rate as the seasonal Influenza. Why isn't Comrade Adern broadening Government funded Flu Vaccinations? It is free to vulnerable people and "essential workers". It costs the Phamarcies and GP's who administer the vaccine $9 a vaccine. Those not eligible for a free vaccine are charged $35. How many jabs could a trained nurse give in an hour at $26 a jab? The point is an infection of the Flu AND Covid-19 doubles the chance of serious outcomes. A shame our leaders haven't taken the Hippocratic oath as opposed to the Hypocrisy oath.

To the RITA Chairman/CEO and Board Members Now is the time to be completely transparent. If the industry stakeholders are to support RITA and the decisions made by the Board then now is the time to be transparent. You have the technology and it won't cost you anything. Switch from broadcasting the American Quarter Horse racing on Trackside and their non-existent tote pools and the Fixed Odds losses (let's face it your bookies know nothing about Quarter Horse racing) and BROADCAST TODAY'S BOARD MEETING. Let the stakeholders, whose support you need, hear what the state of the racing nation is WITHOUT the media manager syrup nor the vested interest of a few "in the know" people. Broadcast the meeting on Trackside. ;

Of course it makes sense. But you would need a different agenda for sense to prevail!

Well it is known to have a better surface in the winter than Awapuni. Wouldn't it be nice to see the Castletown Stakes back where it belongs.

What have they done in the last few months to make it so?

The jockey I feel sorry for is K Asano - apprentice. I would have loved to see him knock the premiership off.

They are going to increase the racing and trialling on them. Root them for the spring while we have tracks that will provide a better surface unused for trialling and racing.

You'd be surprised Huey how many trainers have in recent years based a team at Ruakaka during the winter. I'm starting to wonder which trainers were actually consulted and who were the 54 trainers - for example Gibbs & Bradley weren't consulted and they are 23rd on the premiership. Check this article out for Shaune Richies view: https://www.racenews.bitofayarn.com/ritchie-calls-for-track-additions-to-calendar/ He actually mentions spring racing. Or Gibbs and Bradley's view: https://www.racenews.bitofayarn.com/gibbs-prepared-to-make-the-best-of-challenging-situation/

If they have been doing as MPI has told them then those horses are still in a paddock or at best trotting around a track. They won't be fit until late winter for a slog around a heavy track. More importantly we are going to put pressure on tracks when they don't normally have racing and more frequently. To use one of The Diceman's phrases - come spring "they'll be rooted." As for boredom - I personally don't find horses slogging away up to their hocks spread over 20+ lengths as particularly entertaining. A better product to watch over the ditch.

Why couldn't they use Ruakaka? Last year many stables from regions south based there early in the season. They set up in caravans, horse floats and mobile campervans. The course has amenities that could accommodate 200 people keeping a social distance of 10 metres let alone 2 metres! The track is sand based and the weather is kind. Geez they are having the worst drought in a century and there is no sign of it lifting. FFS the Warriors are willing to base themselves 2,200 km away from home surely the racing industry can manage 285km! We know Tony Pike will get homesick but for the sake of a decent racing surface I'm sure he'll get over it. Am I talking too much common sense?

I'm starting to think this proposed calendar should be called the DAFT Calendar not the draft! The tracks they have lined up are terrible in late Winter/early spring. That's why they used Ruakaka and Taupo! Foxton would be better than Awapuni! Especially if you don't need a Grandstand! The fibre optic reason is just plain bullshit!

My mistake with Melody Belle. Te Akau Shark - yep an easy kill for a good stake. He did run 4th in the 2000 Guineas as well. Perhaps that trip south was part of his education before heading to OZ. It has often been reported that mentally he has been a slow maturing type. Of course he would find it favourable if the races were on his doorstep but equally if they were still held at Riccarton Te Akau would plan accordingly. Just as Pike would. He won the 1000 Guineas this season with Loire. For those who reckon the race at this time of year is hard on these horses then look at Jennifer Eccles! Incidentally Loire wasn't eligible for the Karaka Millions!!!!!

I don't think they do that with their key Guineas horses. Regardless some of those costs are fixed anyway e.g. training fees. Te Akau have obviously developed a formula that works for them when targeting the Guineas. It is also important to consider that most of Te Akau's stars have started during Cup week at Riccarton including Melody Belle and Te Akau Shark.

Why not shift the Hawkes Bay Guineas to Te Rapa or Auckland? It is run in the first week of October. It's at least a 5 hour float trip from Tony Pike's place. Those poor horses who are not really 3 yr olds and have to travel away from home. Maybe Pike should consider that racing in the 2000 Guineas was the making of Run to Perfection?

Curious are you serious? The Victorian Derby is run two weeks before our Guineas over a distance of 2400m. Their Oaks a week later.

You could equally argue that it is the making of some of those horses. Why not fly them out of Hamilton? Would be less stressful than floating them from Matamata to Auckland.

The Wednesday meeting will be ditched. That would put a significant hole in Cup week and in CJC's income.

Why would Te Akau support the shift? Under the current model they have won 10 of them.

What's Mills Logic with this statement: "The last few years with that Karaka Million race in place, there have been some tough decisions around getting to Christchurch or staying in the north to target the Karaka Million mile," Mills said. I thought the Guineas were in November and the Karaka Millions (sweepstake races) were in January. Are they going to move the dates as well?

GAVIN LANG FOUR TIME AUSTRALIAN LEADING DRIVER Born in 1958 and reared in a farm life at Romsey on the rural fringes north west of Melbourne, Gavin Alexander Lang was destined to become a horseman for how could he be anything else given his family environment. His father Graeme Alexander Lang, born in 1933, had taken up harness racing for a vocation in his youth and by the time Gavin was born his father was successfully breaking into the industry in Victoria. As young boys Gavin and his brother Chris were taught the rudiments of horse care and training, and were absorbing the quiet characteristics of their father's driving skills and tactics at trials, shows and the race meetings they all attended. Strong careers followed, confirmed by Gavin's three Trotting Grand Final wins in Inter Dominion Championships (1988, 2002, 2004) and his Hall of Fame membership. His excellence in horsemanship has also been recognized with a record three wins of the Harness Racing Weekly Vin Knight medal (2003, 2004, 2008). Although learning to drive from the age of six on the home track and in impromptu trials, it was not until Gavin was sixteen that he gained his licence and was allowed to drive. His first win at a race meeting at Kilmore on 2nd June, 1975 on Pensive Dream, trained by his father, was followed by a win on Rebecca Campbell in the Emerald Pace when his father was unable to drive. Gavin's first metropolitan winning drive came on Wilrose on 23rd March 1977 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. His father's clients, however, at this stage required Graeme to drive the Lang Stable horses and Gavin, although gaining some stable drives, created his own opportunities by travelling to far country tracks in Victoria in search of extra drives and experience. By 1979 Gavin's seasonal winning total had reached 34 whilst his father in 1980 reached his pinnacle of success with 131 1/2 wins to become Australia's Leading Driver that season. During the period leading up to that same season, Gavin represented Victoria in the 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1980 Australian Young Drivers' Championships – an indication of potential future achievements. In 1982 Gavin's seasonal wins totalled 78, and within another two years he had topped the century for the first time with 110 wins - a feat he has mastered for thirty-one of the following thirty-two seasons. From 1983, except for one season, Gavin has been in the top ten national standings including four listings as Australia's Leading Driver. In 2014/15, he recorded 229 wins for the season - his best so far. Gavin is noted for his "ice cool" driving tactics, seemingly adopting the business axiom of arriving "just in time". His driving is noted for judicious and sparing use of the whip and then only in close finishes if necessary. His humane driving tactics endear him to owners and trainers alike for they know that their horses are looked after in races and are able to back up in following races. By the end of the 2010/11 season Gavin had totalled 4,820 wins and was placed in almost 7,000 races in Australia and New Zealand. From 1975 to end August 2011 Gavin had driven in more than 25,770 races, winning prize-money in the vicinity of $33.7 million dollars. He is a regular driver in all the Grand Circuit and Classic races throughout Australia and has driven in New Zealand. His greatest successes have come when driving trotters - his two best being True Roman, with 60 of that gelding's 73 wins and earnings of $530,732, and Sumthingaboutmaori Tr 2:00.9 driving 26 of that mare's 31 wins and earnings of $461,499. More recently, Claudys Princess (Tr 1:55.5MS) has been a standout – with Lang driving 21 of 22 wins, and earnings of $362,990. True Roman won two heats and the Grand Final of the 1988 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship and then was unlucky in the 1989 Grand Final when second after claiming two heats. Sumthingaboutmaori was also an outstanding competitor in Inter Dominion Trotting Championships, capturing the Grand Final in 2004. Claudys Princess has five Group 1s at end 2015/16. The Lang family, father Graeme, Gavin and Chris seem to have an affinity with the Inter Dominion Championships - between them they have won thirty four Heats and Consolations plus seven Grand Finals. In fact it seems that the Lang family has been the bulwark of success in turning back repetitive New Zealand successes in the Inter Dominion Trotting Championships with Scotch Notch, Wagon Apollo, True Roman, Game Bid and Sumthingaboutmaori. Gavin Lang's record shows 18 heats and consolation wins, together with three of the twenty-three Grand Finals in which he has driven. Strangely his best performances have been in the Trotters section with three Grand Finals, one Consolation and eight heats, whilst in the Pacers section, he is yet to break through to a Grand Final win, although he has won eight heats and one Consolation. At a lower level Gavin has travelled afar to win races in all Australian States and New Zealand, and he moves regularly around Victoria driving sometimes at the rate of four or five meetings a week. Being a "catch driver" he is regularly engaged by some trainers for a particular horse but many of his drives are singles for the non-professional trainers who prefer his quiet style of driving. The Lang family, although having separate training establishments, have been a closely knit unit for some thirty years and when one is injured or suspended the others are utilized for the family trained horses. Gavin has driven his father's champions at various times including Wagon Apollo Tr.1:57.1 and Scotch Notch Tr.1:55.8, and they now share training responsibilities as well. Apart from True Roman and Sumthingaboutmaori, the best trotters driven by Gavin include Game Bid NZ, winner of the 2002 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship – when Gavin equalled his father's two Grand Final wins - and ID Trotting Championships finalists Maori's Glory, Maori's Dream, Kyvalley Prince, Sparkling Eyes, Euro Ringeat EU, and Lester Scott. His ID Pacing Championship finalists include Riverlea Jack, Ataturk, Jagged Account, Persistency, London Legend and Philadelphia Man. He also drove Yulestar, Grumpy Ole Man, and Rainbow Knight, to heat wins; Imperial Atom NZ was a Consolation winner but won 14 races leading up to the ID Championships. Many other performance horses benefited from his skills too. Other Performance Horses driven The season of 2005/06 saw Gavin take on driving Robin Hood P.3,2:00; 4,1:58.1; 1:58. Bred in Queensland by Fake Left USA from Surfer's Paradise P.2:00.7 by Vanston Hanover USA and taken to Victoria as a rising two year old, Robin Hood had 12 wins in his 3 and 4 year old career including 11 in country areas but only one at Moonee Valley for lifetime earnings of $63,163. Leading Victorian reinsmen DK Douglas and Brian Gath had been driving the colt, but the change was made probably when the owners realized that the Inter Dominion Championship in Hobart in 2006 was within their reach. Over the ensuing two months Lang drove Robin Hood to wins in the $20,000 Melton Plate, the $20,000 VHRC Cup, $100,000 Kilmore Cup, $125,000 Ballarat Cup and was placed third in the $500,000 Miracle Mile. His future for the Hobart Inter Dominions looked very promising. However, an inexplicable lapse of form with three unplaced runs in the $300,000 Victoria Cup, $50,000 Moonee Valley Cup and the $500,000 Hunter Cup put the owners' Inter Dominion ambitions aside at least for the Hobart trip. Gavin had some compensation when he won a heat of the Championships with London Legend NZ, and again finished in the Australian Top 10 Drivers for 2005/06 with 163 wins. The pattern of Lang's career continued through 2006/07 – with another 173 wins reinforcing his reputation as a master reinsman. His Group 1 successes included the Australian Oaks (All Promises), NSW Oaks (Miss Hazel), and Australian Pacing Gold finals - 3yo fillies (Miss Hazel), 2yo fillies (Kept for Pleasure). His versatility with different horses was further demonstrated with strong drives in the Inter Dominion Series (Tribute NZ, Foreal NZ, Robin Hood), but Robin Hood missed the final placings. In a different context, Lang also volunteered for the Leukaemia Foundation's annual World Greatest Shave fundraiser. He persisted with Robin Hood through 2007/08, despite the horse needing lengthy spells with troubled feet (quarter cracks); his reward came with a track record breaking win in the Victoria Cup (1:57.3) where Lang's characteristic driving style led him to bide his time until the home straight to upset Smokin Up and Sting Lika Bee. As Lang said, "I knew that if he could get a good trip he'd be in the finish" and it was a double celebration – Robin Hood gained a ballot exemption for the Inter Dominion semi-final and Lang added the Victoria Cup to his list of winning achievements. The Inter Dominion campaign was unsuccessful (January 2008), but Lang recorded another personal best in the lead-up and set an Australasian record with his 4000th winner. He went on to score a second Victoria Derby win (Tanabi Bromac) and the Victoria Oaks (Kept for Pleasure) – this made him the first driver in over thirty years to claim that double in the same calendar year since Brian Gath in 1977. With an overall count of 11 Group 1 wins in the season, it is understandable that he is considered Australia's premier big-race driver. (Refer to Major Races table below) A highlight was his record three wins from six Group 1 races on Breeders Crown day at Bendigo (August 2008) with Skyvalley; Keppel Bay, and Captain Joy. Again, his skills with both trotting and pacing gaits were on display, and his comment "It's a great finish to one of my most memorable seasons" summed up the result. Further success came with the Tabcorp Driving Performance of the Year award (Robin Hood – Victoria Cup) and scoring a second Australian Pacing Gold victory (Esprit De Kayjay). Overall, he recorded a milestone 59 metropolitan wins in the season, and claimed his maiden State metropolitan drivers' championship. A slow start to season 2008/09 due to a mystery illness improved pre-Christmas when a winning double at Kilmore (December) provided a belated 50th birthday present. The Inter Dominion Trotting championship soon followed, with early success in qualifying two of his regular drives for the final – Save A Sixpence and Skyvalley, but brother Chris took line honours with Sundons Gift in the final. A major place finish also eluded him in the Inter Dominion Pacing championship final, when he drove the early favourite Auckland Reactor, "a very special animal", after regular driver/trainer Mark Purdon was suspended. Nevertheless, outstanding results with Captain Joy were some compensation – this young son of Mach Three captured four Group One races among ten straight wins with Lang in a six months' period. These included the Victorian, Queensland and New South Wales Derbies and the NSW Breeders 3YO Colts & Geldings final – outstanding performances that led to two national awards – 3YO of the Year, plus 3YO Colt/Gelding pacer. A State Horse of the Year award was also received. Overall, Gavin's 169 wins from 807 races in his home state brought another top three finish in the 2008/09 Victorian State Drivers' premiership with over $1.53m in prizemoney, and he secured his second Victorian Metropolitan Driver's title in a last minute narrow margin from Chris Alford, again demonstrating his driving ability and consistency of performance. Further success and recognition came during season 2009/10 - with several horses prominent among his notable results. Established performers such as Sammy Maguire, Tanabi Bromac and Don King were strong contenders, along with newcomer Stunin Girl, with average prizemoney close to $100,000 each. Wins in two Vicbred finals came with Chateau De Ville (4YO Trotters) and David Hercules (3YO Colts & Geldings). Positive racing continued with Captain Joy, and a provincial Cup win over the reigning Inter Dominion champion (Mr Feelgood) in early 2010 was some consolation for a near miss in a ballot for an Inter Dominion pacing final's berth with Sammy Maguire. Lang claimed a third consecutive Victorian Metropolitan Driver's title, with highlight Group 1 wins in both trotting and pacing contests included in his tally of 32 first placings. They added to his national total of 201 wins – his second best result in the past 10 years and confirmation of his high calibre expertise. The arrival of ex- Kiwi trainer Brent Lilley in Victoria in early 2010 opened opportunities for Lang to drive at more meetings - "something I decided I wanted to do a year or so back". This showed in season 2010/11, when he equalled his personal best with 222 wins, which featured a majority of Country successes. Although he did not venture to Auckland for the Inter Dominion Championships, he was heavily booked, and highlights included triple wins on two occasions at the Melton raceway, both featuring emerging achiever Talaspring, and two significant Group 1 results with star performer David Hercules – the Vicbred (4YO Colts & Geldings) and the Breeders Crown (4YO Entires & Geldings). He also continued with pacer Village Of Dreams whose lifetime earnings passed the $265,000 mark. Lang's driving activities continued to favour non-metropolitan engagements in 2011/12, and his results often showed 2 wins per meeting, which contributed strongly to his 188 tally for the season, and another national TOP10 ranking. However, no doubt the highlight of his year was setting a benchmark as the first harness racing driver in Australasia to record 5000 wins, when Takeiteasyonme scored in August 2012 at Warragul where Lang was born. He "believe(s) every win is great" and is very proud of having "so many loyal owners and trainers who have stuck with me throughout my career". There was another tilt at the Inter-Dominion held in Victoria, when Save a Sixpence competed in the last trotting Championship, and registered the best mile rate (2:00.3) in the heats to win at Shepparton, but finished mid-field in the final. Better results came with Im Smouldering, collecting some $82,000 prize-money in four months, including the Group 2 Tatlow Stakes, followed by a Breeders Crown win with Glenferrie Shuffle (2YO Fillies – Group 1). That gave trainer Craig Demmler his first Group 1, and maintained Lang's position as the most successful Breeders Crown competitor, with eight "caps", including three in 2008 (another record). His popularity and achievements were re-affirmed in 2012/13 with a fourth award as Leading Metropolitan Driver (Victoria), recognising a winning strike rate of 15% from 261 races. Trainers such as Emma Stewart (Restrepo) and Brett Cargill (Jack in Flight, Our White Knight) partnered with Lang for several top results, and a highlight was the VicBred Super Series finals (July 2013) when Lang won $185,000 in stakes-money, including two Group 1s for 3YOs - Guaranteed (colts & geldings) and Im Smouldering (fillies). He also piloted Claudys Princess to victory in the 2YO Trotting Fillies (Group 1) at just her third start. He claimed two Cups - Shepparton (Our White Knight) and Mildura (Five Star Finish), and rounded out the season with another Breeders Crown “cap” – Whereibylong (2YO fillies – Group 1). His season tally passed $2million, with 224 wins and a national TOP4 ranking – his best in the past five years. Over the following three seasons Gavin maintained his dominant role as a top driver in both metropolitan and country engagements. Consistently strong results claimed twelve provincial/country Cups (both pacing and trotting), and a Country Cup Champion award (Yankee Rockstar 2015/16). Similarly impressive performances scored another twenty-three Group1 victories, and set a record career total of 86 between seasons 2002-2016 – his closest rival being C. Alford (60). These successes were further evidence of his versatility, with seventeen different horses involved, competing in races held at six different tracks across four states. Highlights included four Group 1s and two Victorian Year Awards with trotting star Claudys Princess, plus an amazing five Group 1s in the 2016 Vicbred Super Series over two days. Several new benchmarks were also set - Australasian mile rate record (2yo Heavens Trend 1:52.1MS) and track mile rate records (Philadelphia Man - Ballarat 1:55.3MS and Horsham 1:58.1MS). He maintained top ranking in Breeders’ Crown events too, moving up to 12 total, with three more "caps", courtesy of Claudys Princess (2015 4yo trotting Mares), Whereibylong (2015 4yo Mares) and Ideal for Real (2016 4yo E & G). The 2015 Inter Dominion carnival was hosted in Perth, with the traditional format of three heats and a final; Lang returned to the contest after a two year absence, and drove Philadelphia Man to victory in two heats, but missed major honours in the final. However, this outcome was more than offset by his continued Top 10 national ranking and Top 5 Victorian performance in the three seasons. He vied closely with Chris Alford for Leading Driver honours, and they tied for the State Metropolitan title in 2014/15, while Gavin was runner-up the other two seasons, also to Chris. By the end of the 2015/16 season Gavin had totalled 5,862 wins and was placed in almost 8,375 races in Australia and New Zealand; his career winning strike rate is a notable 19%. From 1975 to end August 2016 he had driven in some 30,750 races, winning prize-money in the vicinity of $45 million dollars. Gavin Lang has an enviable reputation in the industry, and his combination of professional excellence and endeavour has been recognised with a well-deserved Distinguished National Service Award (2012), and induction into the Victorian Harness Racing Hall of Fame (2013). Other honours earned include the national J.D. Watts award for Leading Driver four times (1992, 1991, 1988, 1986). He won more races than any other driver at the Moonee Valley track prior to the industry move to Melton (1029 – including the last), and his widespread popularity was confirmed with a vote as Australia's top reinsman in reader polls on the industry website. He relaxes in between big-race engagements with countryside rides on a recently acquired Harley Davidson, and is following his 2014 plans to continue driving "for at least another decade"; he looks set to record further success in 2016/17 and beyond. Other performance horses driven: Perhaps the first best horses of his younger days were Copper Leopard, winner of eleven races, followed by Marching Order Tr.-16 races, Our Real Force Tr, Young Trouper Tr, Crystal Sunset Tr-11 races, Sparkling Eyes Tr.-11 races, Exemplify Tr-14 races, Andandon Tr- 16 races, Poet's Corner Tr. His best pacers included Franco Tiger P-21 races, Hokum P-15 races, Black Duke NZ P-20 races, Bronsky Beat P-19 races, Aim First P-17 races, Persistency P-23 races. Other well known pacers which he drove at various times, included Lombo Skyrider, Mont Denver Gold, Manifold Bay, Sassy Sarah, Mister Roberts, Iraklis, Northern Brewer, Newsbreaker, Denver Gift, Golden Reign, Hyperstat, Provocative, Vanderport, Another Bart, Low Man, Sentinel, Table Card Tr., Our Navy Lady, Voight, Johnny Aigar, Lee Vegas, Aberdeen, Floreat, Innocent Eyes, Alabama's Idol Tr., and many of the Myrniong named horses.

Gavin Lang passed today.