Chief Stipe

Rogie had the horse less than 2 weeks. Not one of his best efforts in my opinion. It is a sign of New Zealand racing that it got a start in the first place.

Legendary racing trainer Barbara Blackie dies at 100 11:43, Sep 02 2019 DON SCOTT Barbara Blackie tended her horses at Riccarton Park for 45 years. The racing community is mourning the loss of legendary Canterbury trainer Barbara Blackie just weeks after her 100th birthday. Blackie - a licensed trainer known around the tracks as "Mrs B" - died at home in Christchurch last Friday. She will be farewelled at a funeral service on Thursday in a lounge at the Riccarton Park race course, where she trained many winners in her long and successful career. Blackie, who turned 100 on July 20, received a New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) service award in June after almost 45 years as a licensed trainer. She was New Zealand's oldest trainer and NZTR said her record "might be unmatched in the racing world". Blackie - born on the same day as Mt Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary - had a lifelong love of horses, and became a trainer in her 50s after raising three children. She trained her first winner, Lurkio, at Rangiora in 1976 and never looked back. IAIN MCGREGOR Trainer Barbara Blackie and her horse Ayrgo prepare for races at Riccarton race course in 2009. Blackie had a number of successful horses in her stable over the decades, with the most successful being Ayrgo, a gelding by Sumayr out of Fair Petingo, which won 10 races from 49 starts. Her last win was in Timaru in 2003, on her 84th birthday. Until her late 90s, Blackie would rise at 5am to tend her horses and clearing muck at the Riccarton racetrack. She spent last Christmas at the stables and only eased back her workload after suffering a suspected cracked pelvis earlier this year. Blackie's daughter, Angie Brott, told Stuff in July, that her mother had been "so looking forward to her birthday" and had desperately wanted to reach 100 while till holding her trainer's licence. "Family and horses. That was it for mum," Angie Brott said. Blackie was awarded a Queen's Service Medal for her voluntary work with Riding for the Disabled in 1983.

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 1 (Chris Hay Farming LTD 2200), an Information was lodged by Mr Balcombe alleging a breach of Rule 638 (1) (d) in that Leah Hemi (DO THE TWIST) allowed her mount to shift outwards in the home straight when not clear of WHOLETTHEFOXOUT which was checked. At the outset of ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 649(3)Following the running of Race 2 (Ultra Scan 1100), an information was lodged by Mr D Balcombe alleging a breach of Rule 649(3) in that Lisa Allpress the rider of CROWNING STAR failed to draw the correct weight on weighing in. At the outset, Rule 649(3) was read: A Rider must not weigh-in at a weight ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 648(3)Following the running of Race 2(ULTRA SCAN 1100) an information was lodged with the Judicial Committee requesting a ruling in relation to Rule 648(3) in that CROWNING STAR be disqualified after the rider weighed in 1kilo underweight. Rule 648(3) reads: if, on being weighed in, a Rider cannot draw the ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following Race 4 (Summit Haulage 1400) Mr Balcombe lodged an information with the Judicial Committee alleging a breach of Rule 638 (3) (b) (ii) in that J Baillie used the whip excessively on NUBIAN SMILE prior to the 100m. At the outset of the hearing Mr Baillie confirmed that he understood the Rule ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of race 1, Michael Pereira supporting North Haven Hospice, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (3)(b)(ii). The Informant, Mr Williamson, alleged that Mr Hashizume used the whip excessively prior to the 100 metres when riding HE’S CAVALIER. Mr Hashizume said that he understood ...View the full article

Compare the Altanta Peach pre-race comments with the Channel 7 presentation of the Ming Dynasty and the interview with Andrew Forsman and the comments from Radley and Dufficy. Both before and after the race. Another first up in OZ Baker special missed by the punters!

I notice some have been using Shamus Award the maiden that won the Cox Plate in 2013 as some form of justification for starting Aalaalune in the Tarzino. It isn't a fair comparison and the placement of the horse by Danny O'Brien was done very well when compared to Aalaalune. Breeding: Shamus Award a colt by Snitzel out of a Success Express mare. Snitzel is well known as a sire of precocious horses. Aalaalune a filly by Reliable Man out of a Fastnet Rock mare. Reliable Man progeny seem to take time and like their sire are more likely to be middle distance horses i.e. Derby and Oaks types. 2yr old starts: Shamus Award - one start in the Grp 2 Sires Product in March 2013. Finished 2nd beaten a short neck after being run down late. Aalaalune - 6 starts as a 2 yr old all in NZ stakes races. Best effort was probably her 2nd beaten a short head in the Sistema Stakes Grp1 at Ellerslie runing 1:12 for the 1200m on a Heavy 10. The two horses she shared the finish with Yourdeel and Aretha are yet to race this season. Both look like they will head for the 3yr old classics. 3yr old starts: Shamus Award - 4 starts leading into the Cox Plate win. All against his own age group and stakes races. 2nd in the Stutt Stakes Grp2 at Moonee Valley beaten by a short head and lost a protest against 1st. Run down late. 3rd in the Caufield Guineas Grp1 at the next start. Then went on to win the Cox Plate. There was another 3yr old colt in that race Long John who incidentally had beaten Shamus Award earlier in the season. Two starts later Shamus Award won The Australian Guineas Grp1. Arguably Moonee Valley suited his style of racing - getting to the front early and hanging on tough. Aalaalune - 2 starts so far. First start a maiden 3yr old over 1000m at Ruakaka. Finished second beaten a short neck on a Dead 6 track. The winner of that race started next in the Northland Breeder's Stakes at Ruakaka (same day as the Tarzino) finishing 8th seven lengths from the winner. The 3rd horse from that maiden finished 9th also trained by Rogie. 2nd 3yr old start - WFA Tarzino against hardened horses with form. Going up from 1000m to 1400m...... Is there really a comparison?

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Catalyst - Hastings M4HBAYR05310819TB.mp4

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I don't imagine they are on speaking terms at the moment. But give it a couple of years (mayber sooner the way Aalaalune is being raced) they may well have a few words in the breeding barn! Endless Drama was caught out wide the whole race on what was a fast initial pace - was at least 8 wide turning for home still plugging whereas Aalaalune chucked the towel in as soon as the rest of the field set off for home. Endless Drama finished 7.5 lengths from the winner, held its ground down the straight and would have been closer if Innes hadn't sat up which was understandable as the horse wasn't going to be in the money. As was reported when it won the Foxbridge Endless Drama races better when held up for the last dig at them from a soft pozzie. Given the run it got Endless Drama performed admirably on a D4 run in 1:22. If you watch the race again and follow Endless Drama you'd say it was a gutsy run. So you can't compare the two. As for Aalaaune's "very good 2yr old form" two of the best horses she failed to beat, Yourdeel and Aretha, have yet to race this season. Both are trained by trainers that are great at placing young horses. Jamie Richards in the case of Yourdeel and Murray Baker in the case of Aretha. When was the last time they placed a young filly in a WFA in August?

Why is it "somewhat rich"? Racing is no different to Sport where we all have opinons. For example your post before the race seemed to rate her better than an $80 shot. Why at one stage she was as low as $18 is anyone's guess. As for Aalaalune being entitled to race in the Tarzino I don't think anyone has denied that the conditions of the race "allowed" her to race. Whether she was "entitled" is another question. The fact that no official has asked "any" questions about her racing before OR after the race is concerning. I would go so far to say that some of the posters on BOAY who have experience with racing horses would say racing her in that particular race was bordering on cruel.

Na Weasel that isn't a traditional approach to running in the Cox Plate for which Aalaalune has a nomination. Seriously though draw a comparison with Royal Popcorn yesterday at Randwick. The powers that be thought hard about not allowing it a start. A start against it's own age group NOT WFA. A factor must have been there were only 7 acceptors down to 5 by start time. Somehow it ended up 3 wide for the journey and faded out to last. Why weren't questions asked about Aalaalune? Have questions been asked afterwards? Why was it ridden against its normal racing pattern?

One way to break a horse's heart I suppose.

I suppose you are right - she has a lot going for her - still a two year old, yet to win a race so must be due, second up which is always a good pointer to improvement, big pull in the weights, only just beaten at Ruakaka in a maiden first up. Drawn wide so will keep out of trouble. Must be better than the 3 yr olds we've seen racing so far today. Yep offload on her.

The mind boggles

Yes as a harness stalwart I'm pleased with the banter here.

Thanks for your positive contribution Newmarket. If you have any ideas on monetising the site I'd be happy to hear them.

Mmm this looks dodgy. When do we see the accounts?