Shad

Thought he was Jack's brother.

Heck, don't tell me the good ole days of the hedges are now gone, at least they used to provide a challenging jump for the competitors, they've always provided a great spectacle.

All the best to him for his recovery, have enjoyed his articles that he writes, keep us updated on his progress.

Every dog has its day, even the Clark barn scored a win with big al.not sure when their last winner was, but good on them both, one for the battlers.

Certainly a race to remember for all the wrong reasons, very bad smash, one of the worst I've seen, the good ole days of trotting, Basil Dean one of my favourites, a golden era of trotters,to which I feel we'll never return to, the days of big crowds an atmosphere, oh the memories, the novelty of the night trots at Victoria Park in greymouth, the only venue on the coast with the lights, now just a barron piece of land, the open class trotting race alway drew a top field, memories never forgotten.

Hope the starting gates in right place

Nice drive today on deceptively, just wondering if she never carries a whip, or maybe my eyes need testing, obviously a kind driver if she doesn't

Tough call, I on the other hand been the benefactor of two of her drives on the coast, with Sinai Sermon, first day drove for luck and got the gaps, reefton put him in the perfect trail, and drove him well today I guess we see what we want to and talk through our pockets, but I think she's drives fine, but each yo their own.

Yeah was some time ago, 80s, may haven been 50, but the few he had over the years were wet trackers, a filly by grey gull, how had ample ability, as a maiden even 3 win horses couldn't get near her at trackwork or trials, unfortunately the race day, was the total opposite, showed hardly an ounce of it, ended with a maiden win with Maurice Campbell aboard a second an a 4th, her half brother which he was tempted to buy, but being a colt, with a filly, not ideal he thought,won 17 races or thereabouts some over the jumps to, two others one by approval, the one by sucaryl, who showed plenty, but went lame, hewy rode him most of his starts, oh the memories and the heartbreak of race horses, thanks for your opinions, a lot of the old arts been lost forever.

You would think judging of pace would be a given, and a major skill of race riding, I know you've trained for many a year now, what in your opinion would you put it down to, lack of teaching, lacked interest, or just the need for speed, also do many trainers still use the stopwatch in trackwork, I remember my old friend had one that never left the pocket, even take it races day, he would send me to to the winning post on track work day, with it as a kid, instructions where the 800m mark was to click it on, his rule was you'd have be able to run a last half in around the 52s give or take to be competitive to go to the races, if they were to slow, he'd quip, well bring the alarm clock next time, watching some horses these days some wouldn't be close to these times on race day, hence why many aren't competitive, admittedly many other factors can come into it on race day, but from what I see sometimes I think, are these horses doing the times to be competitive, or are many going to the races on a whim and a prayer, at a cost to owners and punters. be very interested in your thoughts.

May not have the speed to get any closer.

They been watering all week, or the track running true, hopefully they get through the day with out incidents, or a late beaching.Take it with a grain of salt, or is that sand.

Maybe the age ole bounce, used in many older generation of cranberry growers, where's the cranny granny, remember seeing it on TV many years ago, certainly was a shocker of a ride, had to go back to see who rode it, horse had no show, how would you feel being the owner and watching that, no wonder it tossed the towel in very quickly.

Early days, could yet develop into a nice horse, tough game, pay your money and take your chance,no guarantees either way.

Keep searching brother Reon Murtha commentary priceless, he down to a walk, and now a crawl, he's broken up, never won a race from memory.