Happy Sunrise

My spies on course tell me an owner of Majestic Man is sweating up badly in the birdcage...Good luck Globe....hope you win.

Normal transmission with Eamon winning. 5 now for the machine... Good for Graeme Anderson and co-owners. See they saying Eamon onto Cup. Will be a serious player. Also, Seeing Matty Williamson in front with Tiger Thompson gave me confidence, although the horse couldn't see it out. That lad is really coming into his own as a driver I reckon.

Best race yet. That is the sort of finish you want to see if you had a few non-race goers at the track with you. Another big All-Stars win. Driven by Tim Williams who has his detractors.

Paul Nairn is a good trainer isn't he. Aussie came home well but many hopes and multis might be crushed by Enghien's misbehaviour. A bit of drama nonetheless.

Good aggressive drive by Mark Purdon which gave her a chance. Best finish so far. My early roughie in the week, Opoutama, nearly ran the place I wanted it to. Bonnie Joan, another one who needs a rest.

You would have to be off your rocker to go against them. Not sure one will get rich, BofL. Unless... Partyon wins this ?

3 out of 3. Easiest of the lot so far. Better Joy has had enough of racing this season and who can blame her. When will we get a close finish? ( Asking nicely CrossCodes ?)

Ugly wasn't it.

keep going...just tell us who are you backing the next so we can all stay clear lol ?

Race 2 and another stroll in the park for a Purdon runner. How much was the All Stars winning all 9 races paying?!

Princess Tiffany a class above.....about 5 or 6 classes above even taking into account the interference in the field. If you had Kayla Marie for the place in a multi you would be feeling sick at the moment. The Aussie overhyped it seems. Very poor.

I agree with you here too. Nothing in it. They had to cover themselves because who knows what those stablehands could have done while under the influence. However, I can't understand how you think I am bitter when I disagree with Newmarket over what would Jewels day would be like without the All-Stars. If there is more to it if you could furnish a reply with where my bitterness is I would be happy to respond.

Yes, CrossCodes, I am very bitter. I clearly wanted the world to fall in on the All Stars judging by what I have said. I have even agreed with you. Your choice to believe what you do. I just don't believe the All-Stars are the be all and end all of harness racing in NZ.

Was racing ordinary before the All-Stars? I think not.

I would just hope (dreaming) that what the All Stars did would be normal practice by any stable. Maybe, very naive, but in a perfect world one would hope.

better still, I hope Winterfonged is 'ALL FONGED UP AND NOWHERE TO GO' Be a sight wouldn't it.

What is your opinion OLDWHITEMAN? I have given mine, right or wrong, I don't know.

What alternative did they have other than doing what they did? Honesty to me is when you have a choice, in my eyes they didn't. Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen are very savvy and intelligent people from what I can see - they did what they had to do, no choice involved if you are clever.

Very true, Kakama. But in my view, it is not being honest as such, it is more a protocol thing - standard practice. It was hardly as though they were giving themselves up and admitting anything. They all tend to plead innocence and ignorance when actually caught.

The cheque will be in the mail to Mr Orange then!

If there isn't one maybe some of these punters could start one.... Hats off to Blair Orange for winning the Premiership.

Yes it will and they have done the honest thing but it will be blown out of all proportion. They still had on their staff, drug users who were in charge of their horses. Also interesting in the original release was the list of Purdon horses but not Dibaba. Maybe she didn't count for much and was an afterthought for the All Stars. Saving their own bacon before others.

An article from The Herald by Mick G A failed drug test by a now former staff member of New Zealand's biggest racing stable was behind the shut down of TAB markets for Saturday's Harness Jewels meetings. But both the trainers involved and racing officials expect all 10 horses who were drug tested today for fears of contamination will be cleared to start at the $1,275,000 meeting. Nine horses from the leading stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, known as the All Stars, and a horse that travelled from Canterbury to Waikato with them last Sunday were tested by the Racing Integrity Unit yesterday after Purdon raised concerns they could have been in contact with two staff members who were suspected of recreational drug use. The concerns were first raised after the staff arrived with the horses on Monday and after seeking legal advice, Purdon and Rasmussen asked the two staff, who had not been employed by the stable long, to undergo drug testing. One refused, the other supplied samples to a registered drug tester which were later found to be positive to at least two recreational drugs. Both staff have since been dismissed. "We didn't really know what to do next but we knew we had to advise the Racing Integrity Unit for our safety in case something went wrong and to make sure the horses hadn't been contaminated," said Purdon, the long-time champion trainer in New Zealand. The RIU took urine samples from all nine horse trained by the All Stars today and one, Dibaba, trained by fellow trainers Terry and Glenys Chmiel as it was on the same transporter north. The RIU also asked the TAB to suspend betting on all the six Jewels races which have horses who have been tested in them and they are likely to remain suspended until results of the tests come back on Friday afternoon. With pre-raceday fixed odds betting only a fraction of total turnover the suspension is unlikely to greatly affect overall turnover on the meeting. "It is very unfortunate and has made for a long week but Natalie and I believe we have handled the matter the only way we could both legally as employers and also in regards to our obligations to the industry. "But we are hopeful and confident the horses haven't been contaminated and will all be cleared to race." The Harness Jewels feature nine group one races for a minimum of $125,000 to be run at Cambridge Raceway with a crowd of up to 5000 expected.

While some swear by this place and use all the information on it to extol the virtues of the stable to the heavens I find it quite smug and condescending. The rant that was on there a wee while back about the rating system was an example and now there are further examples at the moment. How self-absorbed is it to put in that betting is suspended on the jewels in a communique about drug testing? History demands it? Please, pass me the bucket. My goodness, even the marble of chance is not allowed to stand in their way of winning. The website has more than a touch of arrogance and rudeness that does not befit the way stable is run.

It is a storm in a teacup that disappears at 4 pm today.