Shad

Hope all well up your way, given recent weather events, been a terrible run of weather you've had lately,

Yes nobody wins,major losses for owners an trainers, I also presume jockeys missed out on unpaid rides, heard it was cold down their, track looked ok,

Their barking up the wrong tree,

Certainly s few ramifications for some, but doesn't change anything for me, always stuck with nz tab, can see why some are upset with the decision, as effectively no competition for the betting $, but if nz racing benefits from it long term then I'm in favour, the old saying charity begins at home.

Yep sure is racing, gold definitely a safer investment, especially if you buy it at the right price, tining is everything,

Like taking a raffle albeit an expensive one, no matter what you spend the odds are the same, no guarantees, plenty of high priced will never make the races, then the lucky Joe bloggs buy a modestly breed one, and turn out a good horse, pay ya money take ya chances.

For me the the younger brigade only seem interested when it's a big occasion, eg cup meeting or karaka millions, how much they spend or don't, and I'm with the don't, most there for just the occasion no more, some others for the fashion prizes, which for me add zero to betting or turnovers, for me most younger ones that are keen on racing because they may working in the industry, or brought up with racing during there life, just my opinion on the generation of racing or more so lack of.

A trainer forgotten from the past, think he trained at Fairview from memory, trustum, dryden, another couple used to be down that way, also B Jones who I remember won a jarden mile with Johnny Alone, by un fancied sire Blue Vermillion, I remember giraffe was a grey horse by standaan, a very good sire of wet trackers, may have won more over the jumps than on the flat, aptly named.

Did she start riding with trainer Greame Jackson.

Great to hear, all ok, can't beat a positive outcome.

Yes I do believe it was, a horse called grand boy from memory paid over 300 to win back in the very early years but I know there was a big win div some years later at riccarton, was definitely an oncourse only meeting.

From memory oncourse only meeting had the record for one of biggest win dividends ever posted,.

He was a bit of an icon in those days,sold the art union tickets,then golden kiwi,used to bike everywhere, not sure if he was connected to a local horse called velebit, I think one of the locals from diggers hotel may have had a interest, but was a long time ago, not sure on the mundys, do remember chappie.

From memory one of my friends dad owned parkhouses book shop, his name was Bob Hawes,was a good rugby player,but turned to league,played for Bradford northern,wasn't the done thing changing codes way back then,his wife run another small shop called the buller book club, which was next to the queen Anne store, also called metcalfs was famous for there pies in the day, the secret recipe been handed down, and shop is known as freckles, and use the same recipe, you'd probably remember the local barber tobacco nist at the time, Peter Phibbs, also had an interest in the harness horses,

The craddocks well known trotting family in the buller, Trevor always trained the kdd handy one, remember the days if the DC3 coming to Westport, karamea grow good tamarillos amongst other things, very much warmer climate, Noel Simpson a former resident that arranged the Chiefs trip to America.