Chief Stipe

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If a handicapping system is fair it should be the same across all venues. Ok weight wins in Grp or Listed races more than others but don't involve money won. Handicapping is about providing even fields which should be performance based NOT on money won. Some Thoroughbred stakeholders believe a Saturday maiden win is worth more than midweek one. That's utter nonsense.

The point I was making was why show the same race on both channels when with decent scheduling you good have longer prelim coverage of NZ races.

Canberra M17 R7 on two channels!

How does that work?

PITMAN SAVOURING HONG KONG EXPERIENCE April 26, 2019 Enzo’s Lad working at Sha Tin this week HKJC Riccarton trainer Michael Pitman is enjoying the build-up to racing at Sha Tin on Sunday as his class sprinter Enzo’s Lad gets set to contest the HK$16 million Gr.1 the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m). The Kiwi conditioner is enjoying every minute of his time in Hong Kong, as he takes in what is a once in a lifetime experience. Pitman, who prepares the dual Group one winner with son Matthew, was happy to answer questions when attending a media briefing prior to the all-important barrier draw for Sunday where his charge drew favourably in gate two. “He’s got a good temperament and I couldn’t be happier,” Pitman said. “Up here it is phenomenal what the Hong Kong Jockey Club do for horses, they get so well treated. “He flew in from Sydney and within half an hour the vets had taken a blood test and within an hour we had the results, which I don’t think would happen in too many places in the world. “His blood was perfect after two days of travelling. He’s a dude, he’s pretty laidback for a sprinter, he doesn’t get worked up, he’s push-button.” Pitman said he was gradually trying to acclimatise his six-year-old speedster to the humid surrounds of Sha Tin. “We have got to go out and race in the heat,” Pitman said. “We’re in air-conditioned boxes and we started out at 21 degrees, but we’re gradually putting the temperature up to try to get him use to it.” The 63-year-old is understandably proud of his dual Group One winning sprinter, who earned his ticket to Hong Kong care of victory in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) back in January when winning the Trentham dash for the second time. “He ran 1:06 and change when he won the Telegraph the second time around and he had 58kgs on his back,” Pitman said. “He is the first horse since Mr Tiz, one of the best gallopers in Australasia of his time, to win the Telegraph back-to-back. “I couldn’t get to sleep that night wondering where I could run this horse. He was weighted out of New Zealand racing. “I rang Mark Player (of the Hong Kong Jockey Club) at midnight because they indicated he could have come last year. I said to Mark ‘you better put me in the hat for going to Hong Kong’ and we’re here. “At the moment, we’ve got a ticket in a NZ$2.5 million raffle and we’re here because we deserve to be here and I am pretty proud of that, to be honest.” While proud to be flying the flag for New Zealand on the international scene, Pitman is also a great advertisement of what a can-do attitude can achieve. The trainer has overcome several set-backs in his life, most recently battling bowel cancer that has lead to him shedding 33kgs, but the top-five New Zealand trainer has continued to make the most out of life. “Back in August I got diagnosed with cancer quite badly, but I’m all right. I’m a survivor,” Pitman said. “I had a massive operation in October. I was under the knife for seven-and-three-quarter hours, but the surgeon told me that he’s 99 percent sure that I’ll never have another problem.” Since his operation Pitman, with the help of wife Diane and son Matthew, has campaigned Savvy Coup and Sensei in Australia, in addition to churning out winners in his homeland and topping the NZ$1 million mark in stakes for a third successive season. “In the last two years we’ve won four Group One races in New Zealand,” he said. “It took me 26 years to train my second Group One winner, so I know how hard it is. “My wife and my son are incredibly hard workers, they just do so much work and I’m just steering the ship, that’s all I’m doing.” – NZ Racing Desk

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Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 5, the TELFER DRAINLAYING & NIND DAIRY SERVICES HANDICAP, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr McLaughlin alleging that B Murray (MIDNITE KAOS) used his whip excessively prior to the 100 metres. Mr Davidson, Stipendiary Steward, demonstrated on the videos ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of Race 10, the AK SWANN SOUTHERN CONTRACTING & BLAIN ALLEN BUILDER MAIDEN, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr McLaughlin alleging that D Turner (BEAM ME UP SCOTTY) used his whip excessively prior to the 100 metres. Mr Davidson, Stipendiary Steward, demonstrated ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Mr McLaughlin alleged that Mr Lowry (BY MAGIC) permitted his mount in race 3, the BARNES OYSTERS & JENNY PULLEY CATERING MAIDEN, to shift in when insufficiently clear of INDULGENT (K Chowdhoory) which was checked near the 1000 metres.View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) and Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 7, the Regent Car Court Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr Munro, alleging that Mr Shirley, the driver of SHUZI used his whip on more occasions than is permitted by the Use of the Whip regulations. Rule 869 provides as follows: (2) No horseman ...View the full article

I'm not that young Freda....but how long has it been reversed? 15 or 20 years? I'd say at least 15.

I assume you mean "ally"? No I'm not a supporter. Just pointing out that the Bichon (if it is a Bichon) at some stage belonged to someone. It must have a history. What is it's history?

Tone it down Mk2 and keep focussed on the topic Avondale! Shame where Avondale is heading - once was and still has the potential to be ten times the racing surface of Ellerslie.

OH....so although you were a party to that particular personal message thread i.e. part of the conversation you now say that "Pete was just a bystander"? "Judge Judy - in my defence I assumed that he was an equal party to the conversation and it was made abundantly clear that Pete and Hesi were equal partners. I had no reason to assume otherwise."

I'll move it to The Vent. Meanwhile there are two topics pinned on this forum each pointing to the very sad state of our industry. Perhaps we should ALL direct our attention to those issues.

Does your sanctimony know no bounds? Certainly your ability to keep spinning doesn't. This has been covered before. 1. Regarding the publishing of the content of a personal message. I specifically asked Pete If I could post that content. He said go for it. I assumed he was an equal partner in your latest venture but it appears he is just a lieutenant. 2. Your demands. As I've said before people can make their own mind up about whether they were demands or not. However from my perspective you made it quite clear that some points weren't negotiable and in my language such points are "demands". As for your "proposal to effectively combine the two sites" the only thing I saw proposed was when given substantial moderation control of this site you'd encourage everyone to come back that you had encouraged to move on.

Oh dear 2 hours later the "other channels" catch up.

When was the last time comrade Hesi actually posted anything of substance? He wants to CONTROL the narrative to his standards not CONTRIBUTE.

Bollocks your partner in crime gave the OK. But since when have you put anything in context.

Like what? State the "serious problems"?

If you are going to nail this then someone needs to find where the Bichon came from.

Where do you get nugget for red shoes?