Happy Sunrise

Maybe they should have sold the family favourite to the States to be passed around trainers and driven into the ground with no finish in sight and a home either....? Doubt that the case here.

If you have faith in something then keep going. That is where some of the wonderful stories of yesterday come from.

But you lost your driver Portfolio...and 4/4 in the betting! I hope a young Brodster didn't lose money on you lol.

Me too. But connections must think he still has something to offer. Maybe the big boy just likes racing?

Don't know but someone will. See it a maximum of 40m. Be impossible to win off 40.

Honeymoon period might be over? The Rocks might be sick of the Yanks....

Yip. He was a tidy horse from the get go. Ran in some very hard fields then dropped back to Vegas in the middle of Cup Week. Stuff of dreams.

Blair. For obvious reasons, I remember it vividly. I told the 'world' too so all my friends and family thought I was the bees knees lol. Don't do that very often but the 11s was breathtaking.

No world beater but always showed ability. Punters cleaned up on him massively at Ashburton in a lower grade race once. Opened at 11s FF and paid something like 4.50 tote. Still vivid. Oh, the good old days lol

See he is nominated for Rangiora. Now 7 years old, he is an old-time type of horse that has been through all sorts of injury. His effort to sit parked in the NZ Derby he won never gets the credit it deserves. If it wasn't for injuries he could have been anything as he was so tough. In this day and age of age group pacers and ones sold off overseas, he is almost a legend in my eyes.

It is just the stampede by members from RC I imagine. More serious note, magnitude 4, I see.

Personally, and a few will strongly disagree, I don't think it matters what price they are paying. A driver has to take all reasonable measures to give its horse a chance to win the race, favourite or not. Just hot pot punters get burnt so they have to appease the punters, or in this case and most cases....they don't! Wet bus ticket time. Note: Ricky Alfield who droves Sans Le Sou got fined twice to a tune of $400 for half carting for 400 metres and using his whip a couple too many times. What does that tell one about what is important?

Is somebody finally getting big bets on?

It happens all the time. My tip of the day, The Golden Boy, went back at the start, stayed there, went the rails. Stipes say held up early and middle of the straight. They obviously not trying to hammer the horse again after its last run at Blenheim but if it was going to win it needed to go off the gate like it can. You could tell in the score up it wasn't going to go off the gate...so that was that, especially if one is not trying to get into it mid-race. As Brodie said, there are heaps of poor or ultra-conservative drives at every meeting. Most times people just don't see them.

I agree. Makes it boring and mundane when it is the same old same old back patting and in some cases arse licking commentary. People want a bit of controversy and excitement in their lives on a grim Sunday afternoon - give them a reason to watch. How many partners around New Zealand hate having trackside on the TV because it is so monotonous. Turn Trackside into a TV drama..... As for the update. Odd indeed.

Clearly not plain to see for the stipes...

A good training run for the horse.

Soho Tribeca has broken down.

It is similar to the Box Seat. They don't push any boundaries these days. At least the Whale would go against the party line on occasions. I would rather listen to Jason Teaz and Matt Cross anyway. As for the drive, with hindsight and watching it a few times, she should have gone wide but the decision she made never unfolded for her. I don't think she can get a holiday for that despite the fact it cost punters a place return at the very least.

Oh Flag...the #MeToo protestors will be out in force at Ashburton today so the crowd may get to double figures lol

Someone has a crush on Sam Ottley...?

Not flash. Couldn't find a stipes report. Soho Tribeca no good either but ex kiwis to fore.

I like her a lot as a horse but was really disappointed by her run last week. You would be wanting a sound divvy to be rewarded with.

Not a lot that appeals to me tomorrow so what do others think about tomorrow? I like The Golden Boy in the last. Opened at 19 FF and 5.50FF. All the better horses are drawn on the second line so I would expect he will go forward as he has shown gate speed in the past and if he can't snuggle in somewhere he will press onto the lead. I believe he is superior to anything else on the front line. He is also a quite a tough horse so could take some catching. Drop back in class for him and has run times before. Into 16s now but still, a very good price as I'm sure he will give a sight.

Not sure if this counts as an answer but this result gutted me...sure burst a few bubbles as I really liked some of these NZ horses. Thank God Bag Limit couldn't run in the final or it could have been top 4 for the Aussies.