Shad

I'd rather a small country meeting anyday, as said your so close to the action, the atmosphere usually always great, if you want you get closer to the action down on the fence, you go to riccarton seems like hardly a crowd unless a big feature meeting, so no atmosphere, the horses seem a mile away, so best option to watch a monitor, I mean one may as well stay home and see more in your lounge, with a drink an cigarillo, which would you choose.

Yes she was a top mare, not many win 24 races around the south island, Our Gene's won many races as well, certainly don't come across to many as good in the south as these two

Agree with the comment on the time age race, certainly not the strength of the mares from yesteryear, who could forget the grand mare covered n grey, just one that springs to mind, she won 20 plus races and may have won this particular race 3 times from memory, I'm sure there's a few more that I've forgotten, but this mare was class, left a couple of foals that won a few but nothing outstanding, usually the way.

Yes that's usually the general consensus, was a couple of races where some ran on from the back may have been the immigrant race, also zoolander came from fare way back.Regardless was a good day out, and I a big crowd I thought, good to have Mr grylls riding there for the first time,

They won the last race but not much else, just goes to show just as hard to win on the coast as anywhere else, race book named the judge from reefton officiated, surely that wouldn't be right..

They'd be well paid one would think, most of them seem to do it for many a year, so must be a good number, I wonder if someone dobbed him in, I see the Westport trotting club had a younger assistant judge this year.

Remember Eddie had one called best dream, and I thought it may have been a free legged pacer, was many a year ago.

Should be a good day's racing at greymouth today, let's hope they get through the day unscathed in all areas, there's always that thought of doubt heading to the races these days, especially if your traveling, alas I'm only a punter at this time, alot tougher for owners and trainers.

Walks from the judges box to I don't know where with documents I guess from the race , or at the greymouth gallops lowers documents by fishing rod to kids at the bottom of the stairs to the kids who do the running, also maybe another set of eyes to double check the photo finish. That's all I know.

Interesting story that one, I remember Jim Keenan was the president of the club for many year, really enjoyed that meeting down there, was some tidy horses won races there over the years, remember decoy lad winning there, won a grand national hurdle I think, back to the rules, they've obviously keep it in for a reason, he maybe should have snuck into the local tab or on a internet tab site, saved the rigmarole.

Thought this rule been around with anyone in an official position with in racing, some may say it's a draconian one, but rules are rules, do you know the person involved, I think he's from over the coast, be interesting to see what penalty will be served.

Aren't the rules straightforward on this, I always thought they were not aloud to bet, will be interesting to see the outcome and penalty imposed, what's your opinion on the matter.

I thought restricting the girth improved performance, that's what a girl told me once, must admit was long long time ago.

Yes and a few more finding the 3 starts less than a week, tough ask

Was always a good meeting up there, but sadly joins a long list of scratchings of successful small meetings, started at Nelson they had a nice galloping surface, and and wide track, Westport also a tidy course, and now are joined by many more recently, I enjoy the smaller racing circuits, nice to be close to the action.

Very good article written some time ago, he was called a horse with a thousand owners, but only had the three, good article but definitely a few inconsistencies in it, but certainty was a golden era of trotting.

All good, I get things wrong quite often, E Walsh traveled with him on the plane to America as a young man, he even recalled the story to me on the day he was gelded, they had got him of Mrs Marie Craddock, after the first horse being called envy, who qualified but injured and never raced, that's when she said there's one left on the island and take him as a replacement, the rest is history sorrys to all as I've bleated on and detracted for the original thread heading.

The 93 year old is a very close relative, and I can tell you he owned the horse along with Bert Woodcock and Moyna Handsby, his great uncle claude didn't train the horse but possibly had input along the way being related in all , yes was driven by Bill Walsh most of the time, but had a change of driver when traveled to Auckland, great story after winning the two dominions and being handicapped out of nz racing, boated to Australia boarded a flight with other gallopers, one being very good horse called up n coming, also two kangaroos, was the first nz horse to win in USA at his very first start, hardly any preliminaries there at the time hardly time to warm up, he recorded 47 win to add to his 14 nz wins 68 placing, continued to preform at trotting exhibitions at the ripe age of 21, was finally put down in 1981 at 29 years of age great chapter on him in book unhoppled heroes, and you are correct Don is related to the Walshs on the coast, and a very good trainer in both codes. Great story on a champ, was often quoted as the horse with a thousand owners, that's how popular he was in his home town.

He got a 6 holiday for that drive was a very poor one to be, that's probably an understatement

Was good racing with some tight finishes, track played fairly I thought, usually follow my first day picks, but a buggar when two in same race, eg superfast gorsy and turakenga, both average runs first day, would have been an easy trifecta for me, but find it hard picking one let alone three, ended up taking superfast, the 9s a place, odds better on the other horse.Great to see the Durban Chief trot, with his 93yr old owner on course at the presentation. A legend of a trotter he was.

I see this was 380k purchase price, just wondering how much it was syndicated per share.

See he racing over the coast on boxing day, certainly likes the coast too,, small fields again but there is 12 races, there's a race on the second day, called the Durban cheif trot, shame it's taken so many years to recognize the ex champ, who won two dominions and 30 plus wins in America.

Like the old days of kumara, when they'd disappear for a short time over the back straight.

Apparently always light on the westcoast, hopefully they take your advice, will need plenty of horses, harness saturation points present, last week Geraldine and another on the Sunday, oamaru this week addington tomorrow rangiora Sunday and ashburton coming up, be a few tired horses or a few light fields, and punters as well ,hopefully I'm wrong.

You'll be chanting keep up the good work