Chief Stipe

Plus 6 or 7 trial meetings with anywhere between 12 and 22+ trials. Over 150 horses went round at the trials in July. With the proposed rationalisation of tracks that will only get worse.

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The Shark goes looking for winners at the Addington meeting tonight. Race 1 5 Kruizr: Too be fair, there’s been a whole lot of luck lately and most of it’s been bad. That should change up here. Will roll forward and look to bully them into submission. 2 Koromiko Eyre: Drops into amateur grade after tackling some strong assignments recently. Picks up a good draw and gets a hand hoop in the sulky which gives him a live chance of success. 10 Russian Express: String of seconds in the form line indicate confidence levels are well up. Trickier from the draw, but won’t die wondering here. Great place bet. 3 Barkley: Another coming into this grade off the back of strong efforts recently. Handy draw to work from after some tricky marbles so can certainly play a role in tonight’s assignment. Selections: 5-2-10-3 Race 2 9 Ascalabus: Put them to the sword inside the final 800m last week and went down fighting by narrow margins. Fitter and won’t leave anything to chance here, just needs a clean beginning. 3 Prodigal Guinness: Handy family lines and a solid trial effort recently lead everything to pointing towards a strong run here on debut. Can give it a decent shake on debut. 13 Emmersyn Lee: Strong trial win recently and stable doesn’t usually step them out unless they can win. Tricky wee race to debut in but looks a strong each way chance. 6 Lennox Bromac: Caught the eye a bit with most recent trial. As long as the occasion doesn’t get to him, he’s a good hope of causing a bit of an upset in this line up. Selections: 9-3-13-6 Race 3 9 Rocknroll King: Had the sweet moves rolling out a long way from home on Sunday and most importantly kept the feet going smoothly. Dangerous when doing things right and nothing here to scare him. 8 Dark Rage: Handy type stepping back out for the new season here from a strike-rate stable. Not a super strong race to kick off in so needs plenty of respect. 12 Let’s Hustle: Kept coming at them late last week after getting back with no clear air. Won’t set the world on fire, but usual honest type of effort tonight should be expected. 4 All Nuts N Bolts: In good nick is the old boy, last run was very good. Will likely punch forward here and give them all a bit of cheek with the right man in the bike. Selections: 9-8-12-4 Race 4 7 Palisade: Warmed up beautifully at Rangiora to finish second from well back fresh up. Should be stronger, fitter and more confident for tonight’s assignment. Looks a big winning chance. 9 The Player: Now in the Dunn stable and domiciled in the South. Good form around him throughout his career and a strong recent Rangiora trial has him primed for a big run here. 6 Eye Of The Tiger: Manners a big issue on debut, but there’s no hiding from what’s under the bonnet, its impressive. Needs to trot but can certainly give this a shake. 1 Maranatha Atlas: No superstar but good form on the board and manners seem solid too. Shouldn’t be too far away from them action and won’t do any extra work from the markers. Can place. Selections: 7-9-6-1 Race 5 8 Fabrizio: They climbed out of the Cathedral ruins to back this one last week but it came unstuck with a mid-race gallop. Allow a shot at redemption here. 11 Marianna Bromac: Smart type back from a spell and strong in a recent trial. Will be ready to rock and roll here tonight and can push the favourite close. 3 Skreemr: Hasn’t has much luck in two starts to date and finally gets a decent marble. Should make the most of the opportunity and get right into the thick of it. 13 Manly Olsen: Has got better with each appearance at the races in the career to date. Tricky here from the draw. But will get the best chance to be competitive again. . Selection: 8-11-3-13 Race 6 7 Madeleine Stowe: Given a bit of a freshen up after taking on some smart types last time out. Can bounce back here against a small even looking line up. 3 In Sequence: Orange chooses this one over #7 and the second effort behind a classy open class trotter last week at the trials suggest a big return to the races is on the cards tonight. 5 Trick Star: Genuine performer who will do everything right and if in the right spot turning for home can give them all a big fright. 6 Zeddie Marit: Two runs for two nothings so far this time in. Manners are always the key, with them here. It’s game on. But that’s a big if. Selections: 7-3-5-6 Race 7 2 Glenthorne: In a really rich vein of form at the moment, as is his driver. Loves to be on the speed and drawn to be there tonight. Will take some running down. 1 Uptown Lady: Big run last time out and drawn to get the most sweet of trips here. Will follow the speed and look to reel them in late. Capable of doing it too. 8 Melton Reactor: Very impressive win first up for a new barn last time out. Low-flying in workouts prior to that. Can go on with it and take the step up here. 9 Mucho Macho Man: In these selections for nothing else other than he’s a first up runner for the Michael House stable, with Blair Orange in the bike. That strike-rate demands inclusion alone. Selections: 2-1-8-9 Race 8 10 Copperhead Rose: Big win fresh up in junior grade last time out. Tough as old boots and won’t leave anything to chance in this line up and can run them into the dirt. 5 Only In America: Delivered in fine style two very strong performances to win last two starts. Manners seem good and will be looking to make them chase once again. 7 Rollova: Good in a fresh state last week and will be better for that run. Should be up to giving this a really good shake tonight with natural improvement. 9 Secret Bet: Not bad last week after doing a bit of work. In good nick and a swift beginning here makes the chances look even better. Selections: 10-5-7-9 Race 9 8 Diana Harbour: Stand start put an end to the strong run of form last time out. Mobile conditions here change things considerably. Can get things back on track tonight. 6 Quaestor: Mobile racing is the key to this one at the moment, thrives on it. Good second last time out at Rangiora and will be right in the mix here again. 3 Crusher Collins: Will appreciate the barrier draw and the mobile and look to get handy and give them all something to chase here tonight. Can give a bit of cheek too. 9 Sugar Cane: Humbled down south last time out, but form here prior was good enough to be a player in this. Likely to look to get across them early and get onto the speed. Selections: 8-6-3-9 Race 10 2 Invisible Girl: In great form at the moment and again a little unlucky last week. Nice draw and an even looking field make this race the perfect opportunity to get another win on the board. 1 Motoring Major: Has come back from the freshen up in fine fettle. Drawn to get the sweet trip and can make the most of it up the lane late in proceedings. 4 Matthew Eyre: Stepped up fresh up and delivered a strong performance to win then a little unlucky last time out. Will be right in the middle of things again tonight. 5 Good On Ya Kiwi: Better than the form lines probably suggest. Even field and a potentially positive drive will make things very interesting. Selections: 2-1-4-5 BEST: 10 Copperhead Rose (Race ? NEXT: 8 Fabrizio (Race 5) VALUE: 2 Invisible Girl (Race 10)

It would appear so. Add's validity to the argument that you can't keep hammering the same tracks over and over.

It is up to Thomaas if he reforms or not. If he doesn't then it supports the theory that he writes the way he does to wind people up and to create ambiguity. NOT to convey succinct and readable opinion.

Do you find his use of "there" - irritating, infuriating and or difficult to comprehend?

Ellipses

I thought Taupo was a great track? Why did the track become a problem after four races?

The poll went up this morning NOT 20 hours ago.

Rule Number(s): 869(4) & (6)(b) & (c)RACEDAY JUDICIAL COMMITTEE DECISION Informant: C M Tibbs, Stipendiary Steward Respondent: M J Anderson, Licensed Open Driver Information No: A11221 Meeting: .View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) & Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 8, Mico Plumbing Handicap Trot, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, against Licensed Open Driver, Mr I R Cameron, alleging that Mr Cameron, as the driver of BRIGHT GLOW in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than allowed under the whip .View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869 (2) and cl: (b) Whip RegulationsMr Jones was charged with a breach of r 869(2) and clause (b) of the Whip Regulations following race 4 the Glamour Hooves Racing Stables Fillies & Mares Pace, at the Kurow TC meeting on the 18th August 2019. The Information alleged Mr Jones…”used his whip more times than is permitted under Clause (b) .View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869 (2) and cl: (b) Whip RegulationsMiss Cameron was charged with a breach of r 869(2) and clause (b) of the Whip Regulations following race 9 SBT Marketing (2009) Ltd Junior Drivers Mobile Pace, at the Kurow TC meeting on the 18th August 2019. The Information alleged Miss Cameron…”used her whip more times than is permitted under Clause .View the full article

I'm not concerned with any perceived bias in my poll. As for excessive, 100% of his posts (except the one's I recently edited) have 3 or more ellipses. If you have been trained to read correctly then his posts become unreadable and irritating. It is for his benefit to change. If he used the ellipses tool correctly AND less frequently he would find people would view his posts more favourably. For example one use of ellipses is to infer "read between the lines." When someone who has been well educated, e.g. Reefton, points this out Thomaas hides behind "oh that isn't what I meant." He can't have it both ways!

I've added the option of "No" just for you. I'm trying to help Thomaas so he doesn't get as bad a rap has he does.

The three little innocent-looking dots of an ellipsis (…) probably carry more power to annoy and confuse your readers than any other punctuation mark. Apostrophe mistakes look harmless in comparison. Nobody seriously reads ‘orange’s 45p’ and assumes that the orange must own a small amount of loose change. Ellipses, by contrast, can completely change the tone and meaning of what you write. And people who misuse them often don’t realise what they’re doing. Here are five ways not to use an ellipsis. 1. Using them … like a written ‘erm’ … Trailing off in the middle of sentences in spoken conversation is common and almost unavoidable. (Unless you’re Oscar Wilde – WB Yeats said Wilde was the first person he’d met who spoke in perfect sentences.) But it’s rarely necessary to do this in writing. In spoken conversation, you can rely on various cues to tell you whether the other person understands what you’re saying, and clarify as needed. But in writing, you need to be clear first time. Many writers use ellipses like written equivalents of ‘erm’ and ‘er’, but this can be confusing and frustrating for the reader. To avoid inadvertently creating a ‘fill in the blanks’ puzzle, force yourself to finish your sentences. This might mean you have to do a bit more work before pressing send – quite possibly work you were trying to avoid. But just console yourself with the knowledge that you’re sending out a little more good sense into the world. Compare these emails: ‘I haven’t had the full invitation to tender back yet … whom do I talk to? … no idea about the competitors … haven’t started the tender … not sure about our solution or details.’ ‘I haven’t received the full invitation to tender document yet. And I only know the bare bones of the solution we’re going to propose. At this stage, I don’t even know whom to talk to about getting all the necessary information (about costs, materials, people) together. Do you have any suggestions?’ Concrete writing like this will naturally take longer than simply typing the first things that come to mind. But the extra time you spend focusing on what you’re actually saying, and why, will help clarify your message both for you and your reader, and ultimately increase your chances of getting the kind of response you want. If you need to create a pause (a purposeful one, not an ‘erm’), consider using an en-dash instead of an ellipsis. It feels much more confident, especially when you need to link related parts of a sentence – like this. 2. Trailing off for no reason … An ellipsis at the end of a sentence implies that the writer has trailed off. But why has the writer trailed off? Are they suggesting something? Does it represent a nudge or a wink? Those three little dots suggest something is going on, but give the reader no clue about what it might be. This can make otherwise straightforward sentences confusing and (occasionally) somewhat unsettling. Compare these sentences: ‘It’s not a problem for us to meet on Monday.’ ‘It’s not a problem for us to meet on Monday …’ The trailing off in the second example could suggest the writer is having doubts (perhaps it is a problem). Or maybe it expresses confusion about why a meeting is even necessary. Or, if the writer is a chronic ellipsis-abuser, it may mean nothing at all. The reader must then judge what the meaning might be, or ask for clarification. If you’re unsure about meeting on Monday, say so and explain why. For example: ‘It’s not a problem for us to meet on Monday, but I’m not sure if that will be helpful because John won’t be here and we need his input.’ 3. Three is the magic number Some style guides recommend writing an ellipsis as three full stops: … Some prefer three full stops with spaces between them: . . . Whichever you use (we prefer three full stops without spaces, except on Twitter), all style guides agree that ellipses are three dots long. Not four, or two (and five is right out). You may see what appears to be a four-dot ellipsis at the end of some sentences (eg ‘And then John fell asleep ….). This is in fact an ellipsis with a full stop at the end. You may also sometimes see three dots, a space and then a further dot (eg ‘And then John fell asleep … .). Again, style guides vary on this. 4. Omitting crucial parts of a quotation You’ll often find that you need to condense quotes, and you can use an ellipsis to show that you’ve removed parts of the original. But be careful. To be completely transparent, you need to be sure that you’re not changing the meaning of what somebody has said. Take this remark from US President Coolidge and the often-quoted condensed version: ‘The chief business of the American people is business’ ‘The … business of the American people is business’ This changes the meaning of his sentence. The original version says that business is the most important concern, whereas in the second it sounds as if business is the only important thing. 5. Implying you have more to say when you haven’t This is a very particular kind of trailing off, and possibly the most annoying of all. It often implies that what needs to be said is so obvious to the (knowledgeable) writer that it should be obvious to the reader, too. This can backfire badly – at worst, it can appear smug or condescending. For example: ‘That’s a good plan, but there are important considerations …’ This kind of ellipsis is more suited to enigmatic status updates on social media (’OMG some people are so annoying …’), not that we advocate that sort of thing. For business it’s better to spell things out. Ask yourself why you’re tempted to use an ellipsis, get the answer straight in your head, then politely say that instead: ‘That’s a good plan, but I’m worried about how expensive it is. We’re also working on so many other projects that I’m not sure we’ll have the time to spare’. Use with caution … Like many of the best things in life, ellipses are fine when used well and in moderation, but troublesome when used recklessly. (OK, OK, we’re sounding like your dad now.) So keep using them, if you wish, but do so consciously. And if you catch yourself dot-dot-dotting to cop out of saying what you actually mean, take a moment’s pause. What is likely to be the most positive approach in the long run? At work, usually, clarity is king.

There is a "Don't care" option. As for comprehension I've post the grammatical rules for the use of ellipses: Definition An ellipsis (plural: ellipses) is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. Use an ellipsis when omitting a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quoted passage. Ellipses save space or remove material that is less relevant. They are useful in getting right to the point without delay or distraction: Full quotation: "Today, after hours of careful thought, we vetoed the bill." With ellipsis: "Today … we vetoed the bill." Although ellipses are used in many ways, the three-dot method is the simplest. Newspapers, magazines, and books of fiction and nonfiction use various approaches that they find suitable. Some writers and editors feel that no spaces are necessary. Example: I don't know…I'm not sure. Others enclose the ellipsis with a space on each side. Example: I don't know … I'm not sure. Still others put a space either directly before or directly after the ellipsis. Examples: I don't know …I'm not sure. I don't know… I'm not sure. A four-dot method and an even more rigorous method used in legal works require fuller explanations that can be found in other reference books. Rule 1. Many writers use an ellipsis whether the omission occurs at the beginning of a sentence, in the middle of a sentence, or between sentences. A common way to delete the beginning of a sentence is to follow the opening quotation mark with an ellipsis, plus a bracketed capital letter: Example: "… [A]fter hours of careful thought, we vetoed the bill." Other writers omit the ellipsis in such cases, feeling the bracketed capital letter gets the point across.

A year after a spike in equine catastrophic injuries at its spring meet, Churchill Downs saw those injuries greatly reduced at the corresponding meet in 2019. Speaking at the regular meeting of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Aug. 20 in Lexington, Ky., KHRC interim equine medical director and chief veterinarian Bruce Howard reported numbers that saw Churchill cut the number of equine fatalities in racing or training in half this year. Howard said there were three equine deaths in racing, only one of which resulted from a musculoskeletal injury; and three in training. At the Churchill spring meet last year, there were six equine deaths during racing (five musculoskeletal and one sudden death), and six in training. When compared with the 2018 Churchill spring meet, the numbers mark a 50% reduction in equine deaths overall and a 64% reduction in deaths following musculoskeletal injury. In terms of racing, the numbers are even more impressive as the 3,140 Thoroughbred starts at this year's meet were up 8.5% compared with 2018. The fatality rate at this year's meet, 0.95 per 1,000 starts, is well below the meet's 2018 rate of 2.07 per 1,000 starts. It's also much lower than the 2018 rate for North America, 1.68 per 1,000 starts. Asked by KHRC vice chairman Mark Simendinger if there had been any changes this year, Howard said there weren't dramatic changes but they saw better compliance in reporting of shockwave therapy and the track was in very good condition throughout the meet. Beyond that, he said the veterinary staff continued to be vigilant. There were 33 vet scratches at this year's spring meet, 18 pre-race and 15 on-track; up from 19 vet scratches in 2018. "We're going to continue to err on the side of caution in those decisions," Howard said. • Chief steward Barbara Borden said that in the initial weeks the voided-claim rule has been in place in Kentucky since May 31, it has resulted in five claims being overturned at Churchill and Ellis Park. Under the rule, if there is a post-race issue that requires a claimed horse to go on the vet's list, the claim is voided. (The exception being if someone specifically requests on the claim slip that they want to claim the horse even if the horse is placed on the vet's list.) Borden said she hadn't seen any disputes following any of the voided claims. She said the stewards are communicating the voided claims to trainers about 20 to 30 minutes after the race. • The final fiscal year numbers are in for historical horse racing in Kentucky and it was another record year as total handle nearly doubled to $2.028 billion, up 86% from the $1.092 billion wagered in 2018. Wagering on historical horse racing generated $13,977,415 for the Thoroughbred Development Fund, up 97% from $7,109,908 in FY2018. BloodHorse estimates that the commissions on historical racing in Kentucky for FY2019 will generate about $33 million for purses.

Not a wind up. Your use of Ellipses IS irritating to those who have been taught correctly how to read. Try writing without them. For example your last post if written without them reads a damn sight better: Only anal retentives would have this problem and it's moi's style to get to the point. ok??  Release the ridiculous three dot ban now or I'm outa hair. ok? Aside from the inherent dribble contained in the posts which to be frank is no different from some other posters I couldn't work out what was so irritating about Thomaas's posts. I then did some research on the use of ellipses (...) and re-discovered how I had been trained to interpret them as a child. Since Thomaas uses them incorrectly when reading his posts my subconscious was continually trying to interpret something that wasn't really there. So I experimented with a few of his posts and discovered that removing the ... actually made his posts less aggressive and easier to read. A damn sight less frustrating as well.

HOW TO MISUSE YOUR ELLIPSES AND INFURIATE YOUR READERS Have you ever imagined that something as seemingly trivial as a punctuation mark could completely change not only the meaning, but the entire tone of a sentence? Sure you have. As an example, consider the ellipsis. You know, this thing: … First, let’s establish what an ellipsis is properly used for. You can use it to abridge a quote as long as you retain the meaning of the original. If you’re writing dialogue, you can use it to indicate that the speaker is trailing off or that his statement is left hanging without an immediate response. If you’re writing dialogue for a JRPG, you can use an ellipsis on its own to indicate that a character is brooding and doesn’t want to respond to another character’s questions, or that he’s secretly a bad guy posing really unconvincingly as a good guy, which will be revealed by the game long after you’ve already figured it out on your own. Set aside the usual questions of whether the periods should be spaced and how many there should be (common usage says three dots, but some style guides like the Bluebook dictate four.) Those rules aren’t all that important. What is important is the meaning of the ellipsis, both intended (by the writer) and perceived (by the reader.) This mainly comes up in writing meant to directly communicate information and ideas – personal emails and messages, office correspondence, etc. An embarrassing example Let’s look at an example sentence, first with standard punctuation and then with an ellipsis shoved in its place. In this scenario imagine the person being spoken to has just had his secret collection of My Little Pony dolls discovered by his girlfriend and she told their mutual friends about it (Note: this is not me I’m talking about. I just have some friends with strange interests.) In an email to said guy, one of the friends in question writes: Don’t worry; nobody thinks you’re weird. A direct statement that seems to mean what it says. Nobody in their common social circle thinks the My Little Pony-having guy is weird. This statement may not be believable, but at the very least we can infer that the writer himself doesn’t think his friend is weird. Now compare the above statement with this one: Don’t worry; nobody thinks you’re weird… Suddenly the tone of the statement has changed. Those two extra dots suggest the friend is trailing off here, that he doesn’t actually believe what he is saying. Perhaps he’s being sarcastic. Or it could be that he’s serious, but he is dismissing Mr. Pony’s anxiety here as silly. Another possibility is that the writer really does mean what he’s saying, but he simply doesn’t understand that the ellipsis here throws the meaning of his statement into doubt. Therefore, the use of an ellipsis here changes “Nobody thinks you’re weird” from a direct statement of fact or opinion to a statement that could mean a few different things depending on how the writer meant the ellipsis to be read. Even if, objectively speaking, the person on the receiving end should rightfully be ashamed of his actions, this kind of confusion is still a very bad thing. You see how frustrating the ellipsis can make simple communication? You don’t even have to be a grown man who watches shows for little girls to suffer the ill effects of such confusion. Texts and emails dealing with business matters can, if they use ellipses recklessly, actually hurt business. Clarity in language is vital, especially when you’re trying to get things done. So what’s the message here? If you don’t want to come off like a passive-aggressive prick, don’t use ellipses to end your sentences. They are not substitutes for periods. When used in place of periods, they cause confusion, frustration, anger, hurt feelings, wailing and gnashing of teeth. Have respect for punctuation. Use ellipses where they’re actually needed – otherwise, give them a break. And if you happen to be a serial ellipsis misuser, it’s not too late to repent your ways.

Head of Racing Greg Kerr resigns Head of Racing Greg Kerr resigns Greg Kerr has announced his resignation today as Greyhound Racing New Zealand's Head of Racing and will be leaving in mid-September. Greg has accepted an exciting opportunity in Australia. He has always had a passion for dogs and has made an exceptional contribution to the greyhound industry, not just in racing, but also in the important areas of welfare and integrity. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Greg for being a much valued member of GRNZ for the last six years, and to wish him well in his new position. Sean Hannan Chair, Greyhound Racing New Zealand Posted on 20/08/2019 2:05:07 PM

You obviously don't understand the legislation and where the buck stops. Delegating the responsibility would not absolve the Employer from culpability.

Can we center this discussion on the systems, processes and industry support rather than focus on the individuals involved in this case? The Trainer in this case was no doubt doing what many other trainers do daily in the NZ industry. Unfortunately for all those concerned an ACCIDENT occurred that has far reaching consequences for those involved. Where is the NZTR response to this issue? Some posters have highlighted a paucity of training options within the industry. What is being done to fix that? Or is the unnecessary closing of race courses the priority? As for the legislation that supports WorkSafe I don't have a high opinion of it when one outcome is for every corporate office having to test on a regular basis each "jug cord" (power cord) that connects to every device to ensure workers are "safe." I couldn't believe it when the ancient router (which had no jug cord attached, no lights on and no network cables) I used to elevate my computer screen to a suitable height was tested and certified. Yes the hot water jug in the kitchen was also tested. BUT no testing was done on the fuse panel!!!

Who were the "Experts"? If they are "Industry" participants perhaps they could tell us what constitutes adequate "formal training"?