Chief Stipe

This is worse than it looks. The punting revenue covers the stakes paid only on a few races in New Zealand . All race stakes are subsidised by Pokies and Sports betting directly or indirectly. There is increasing pressure to return the latter solely to Sports and the latest legislation enforces that. The changes to duty still isn't enough to pay racing's way let alone increase stakes significantly. Sadly they are dreaming if they think our product is attractive to overseas punters.

What happened to the New Zealander Blue Breeze - a long long last.

We're struggling to fill fields.

Yeah but you can still put you selections up and not bet.

6 days ago it wins at Rosehill today wins at Wyong. How do we get on for the Caulfield Cup?

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 1 (Taranaki & Wanganui Owners Assn Mdn) Information No. A11623 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged by the Informant Mr Balcombe that Ms Hirini the Rider of HANDSOME BLUE used her whip excessively prior to the 100m. Ms Hirini confirmed that she understood ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 4, Betavet 1400, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Stipendiary Steward Mr Jones, alleged that Mr BR Jones permitted his mount BREAK THE RULES to shift in passing the 1200 metres when insufficiently clear of SHARWING which was crowded and ...View the full article

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When it is posted like that I can see the rationale behind the on the day price. Crowd control being one of them. $25 isn't too bad for a day out.

I watched a Western Rider break a thoroughbred in in about 6 hours. No hurting the horse at all. Before he sat on the horse he had it changing direction on one long reign cantering around a yard with just the slightest input to the horse. He said you needed to teach them to turn like a train not like a boat - never quite understood what he meant but something to do with turning the head and neck. I remember having a yarn with Chris Rutten about horses that have issues. His view was that you can break any habit without using violence or hurting the horse. Interestingly he was the horse trainer on Lord of the Rings and no doubt had to train a few precious actors as well.

Apparently the chap doing the tutoring is a genius at it and is a legend in OZ. I didn't intend to sound smart but with any educators there are very good ones and not so good ones. Another quote was the horse trainer that trained the 36 ex racehorses up for the film felt it was easier to train the horses to be around people and handle all the filming paraphenalia than it was to train the 100 or so people to be around horses. Which takes me to a long held opinion that there is a huge variation in horse breakers and early educators. I note they don't have to be licensed. Some horses turn up to race training with bad habits already.

This wil get Brodie going but in those days the stakes spoils were spread around quite a bit. Lots of competitive racing. Geez you had to win trials to get race day starts!

Yep I remember him. Ian Thomas bred and owned him initially. Same era as Dunhill. I remember having Dunhill in the sulky and Double Smooth on a lead doing the 40min jog. This was after big money had been offered for Double Smooth and a lesser amount for Dunhill. I remember coming back from working them and saying "Geez I had just had $300k in my hands." Dunhill beat Family Fun, Lyndon Robert and Borana in a 3yr old race at Timaru.

If you listen to the behind the scenes video in the Michelle Payne topic it is mentioned how someone last name Patterson gave the actress who played Michelle 9 lessons and had her riding like a jockey for the film. Had never ridden before!

Yeah the stable went through a purple patch for a period. Single Lord, McShane and a number of others I can't quite remember. All bred by the stable. Single Lord and McShane were 3/4 brothers. Single Lord was by Lordship and McShane was by Johnny Gee and both were out of Single Girl. A mare gifted to the Hill's by Ted Lowe.

Dunhill. He was more than useful but unfortunately started to hit a knee. Beaten the thickness of a credit card in the Orari Challenge Stakes by Nostradamus which won the Messenger. Ran in the Derby - ended up parked and finished 5th. Won a few races. Ted Lowe had a drive of him on his home farm track and ran a furlong in 12. Ted said he was the fastest horse on that track he'd driven. I can't quite remember but Jim Dalgety had a close association with Johnny Globe when he was racing. Jim pointed out that Dunhill had exactly the same dapple across his back as Johnny. He was the first horse I ever drove at speed in pace work. I didn't have much experience but the faster he went the more you had to hold onto him. You could feel it. I remember his first race day start at Kaikoura. The big punt was on but unfortunately things came unstuck. He raced in a penalty bearing non-tote race at Blenheim the Saturday before the Monday meeting. Went straight to the front and no matter how hard the driver tried to hold him nothing would or could go past him. So got penalised 30m for tote start. When we arrived back at the track on Sunday morning and went to his stall/yard he wasn't there. Someone said oh is that your horse? He was found running around the track and he's tied up in a stall. The bloody horse had lifted the yard gate off it's hinges! He was a bloody houdini and had also a habit of unlatching the gate using his lips and teeth. We made a big iron u-bolt which we took with us everywhere. Onto Kaikoura and a typical maiden race where horses were breaking left right and centre he tacked on to the main group at the end of the back straight and his driver said stuff this I'm off. Went from last to first around the bend but hit his knee just before straightening and broke! The plans of mice and men! Weird though how the mare kept throwing to the sire line. Dunhill's full brother was an identical twin to his sire Lordship - the small white markings Lordship had were exactly the same size and position on him. I was fortunate to see Lordship in the flesh at stud. Unfortunately the horse had heaps of talent but had a muscular problem with floating something or rather that would have required an expensive operation to fix.

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 4 (ATI Engineering 1200) Information No. A12294 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged by the Informant that Mr Mansour allowed his mount LILY D’OR to shift out tightening KING KHALID and OUT OF THE PARK, which were checked near the 150m. Mr Mansour said that ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 642(1)Following the running of Race 2 (Taupo Pak’n Save Fillies 1100) Mr T Pike the Trainer of the second placed horse KALI lodged a Protest against the first placed horse JENNIFER ECCLES alleging interference in the home straight. The Judge’s Placings were: 1st No.8 JENNIFER ECCLES 2nd No.4 KALI 3rd No.6 ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(2)Following the running of Race 9 (Tarzino Trophy Group 1) Information No. 12296 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It was alleged by the Informant Mr Oatham that Mr McNab made a Celebratory Gesture prior to the finish of the Race. Mr McNab said that he understood the Rule and confirmed that he admitted ...View the full article

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