Happy Sunrise

Very true to be fair. They could have done with more detail on their website response to quell speculation instead of the news outlets but fair dues to them.

It's hard to believe because those stablehands work in a leading stable so one would expect they are of good character. They are also responsible for the wellbeing of millions of dollars of horseflesh who could win hundreds of thousands of dollars in the next few days. One would have hoped they would feel some responsibility towards their employers, the owners and, last but not least, the horses themselves. Who was to get the horses off the float? Employable?

Winterfell is on the list......wonder what someone on here is thinking....

Let's be positive...(excuse the pun) any news is good news. The profile of the Jewels just went up several hundred notches.

From their website. What a load of mumbo-jumbo. Anyone facing a positive turns up the bullshit in response. A complication involving the oversight of some horses on their float trip from Auckland to Hamilton which might result in a possibility of contamination of any tests likely to be conducted on All Stars horses at the Harness Jewels, has been quickly publicly confronted by All Stars stables. The contamination would have involved human contact with nine All Stars horses during their travels and the remote possibility it could lead to irregular results in testing procedures. Natalie and Mark have moved to cover this possibility, however remote. "We have advised the appropriate bodies of the possibility and all our horses will be urine tested on Thursday. We are not expecting any adverse outcome from those but we just want to be sure and keep everything out in the open" Natalie said. "The incident goes back several days but we want to be absolutely sure there is no possibility of our horses being compromised as a result. We are not expecting withdrawals from any of the races. We are just taking every precaution"

Contaminated to what and how? Who transported them? Were other stable's horses exposed or was it just an All-Star ride? How exciting.

Incredible. A field day comes to mind. Hope all those who slag the Dunns and Dalgetys et al treat this the same way but hell will freeze over I imagine. The Stewards have been advised by the Trainers M Purdon and N Rasmussen that the following horses may have been exposed to a possible contamination during their transportation to Cambridge for the Harness Jewels. So many questions to answer! What if they are all scratched! What a disaster that would be.

I hope to hear you yelling over the crowd on Trackside at the end of the race on Saturday....?

Still fizzing Globe or have you peaked too early? Hope Majestic Man is more relaxed in the running than you are...?

If the Williamson's start selling to the Purdon owners you can kiss that goodbye FU.

I see it is reported on HRNZ of his passing. He was 94 so that would explain why I thought he was old 30 years ago lol. I probably never saw him at his peak with horses but whenever he lined one up or drove it you always had to respect it. His trotters of the era when I watched of Jenner and Yankee Loch always ran well. I used to consider Game Paul a favourite of mine as I remember it coming up from the south and then racing for him. Always liked the southerners coming up in those days as it was not as common in those days. Another legendary name to pass.

The stranglehold just gets tighter, doesn't it? Another adopted one to line up in the All-Stars colours on Saturday. Still, we live in a free market so shouldn't complain too hard. Oscar Bonavena sold By Michael Guerin One of New Zealand’s most promising trotters has been bought by one of the legends of the industry just days out from the Harness Jewels. Which means Oscar Bonavena will join the All Stars army for Saturday’s massive meeting at Cambridge. After having looked an outstanding talent in just two start for trainer Phil Williamson the two-year-old colt was sold to former Kiwi now US-based trainer Chris Ryder and the godfather of New Zealand harness racing Roy Purdon. Roy’s son Mark will be the new trainer, with partner Natalie Rasmussen to drive Oscar Bonavena on Saturday in the $125,000 two-year-old trot. “He is a lovely colt and I was very impressed at Addington last start when he finished second to our other horse, Enhance Your Calm,” said Purdon. “So we are thrilled to get him for Chris and of course for Dad.” While no trainer likes to see a horse as good as Oscar Bonavena leave the stable, Williamson was all smiles yesterday. “It is a good sale and I hope he turns out to be a champion for them,” said Williamson. “It is a very good price, which it needed to be as we had a lot of interest in the horse. “And obviously he is going to a great home.” Williamson got a kick out of Roy Purdon taking a half share in the son of Majestic Son after he came out to watch Mark trial Oscar Bonavena on Monday. “I said to Mark at the time, you are not bad having a bloke like him (Roy) come and give you a second opinion. “But I am thrilled Roy got a share in him, he is the legend after all.” Usually any horse joining the All Stars days before a group one race would shorten dramatically in the market but with Williamson one of the most highly regarded trainers of trotters in this part of the world, any great price slash for Oscar Bonavena would be an over-reaction.

Race 4 Opoutama at 4 FF place Back to the girls' race and the draw has turned good with the scratching. Disclaimer: I'm no expert on Jewels Day

So you deserve the praise!

...and I hope it doesn't happen in the Jewels next week or further action will certainly be required!?

An interesting situation today at Rangiora involving the horse Red Terror. Stewards investigated the correct starting position of RED TERROR which had inadvertently started from the outside of the front line instead of the inside of the second line. Starter P Lamb stated that he was unaware there had been a late scratching on the front line and as such started RED TERROR from what he believed to be its rightful position. Upon further investigation, it was established that Racing Manager Miss W Muldrew had failed to communicate the late scratching to Mr Lamb. After taking into account all factors including the run RED TERROR received during the running and its finishing position no further action was deemed necessary other to speak to Miss Muldrew advisedly. Miss Muldrew undertook to ensure measures are put in place so that there would not be a repeat in future. So what further action would have been taken if it had not received a decent run? That is my million dollar question. Also, I am not sure 'the run' it received can be a factor in the 'actions taken' as it is so much based on perception and not from a punter's perspective I bet. Does anyone know other cases like this where 'further actions' were taken?

In my eye's Blair Orange showed his class on Mighty American last night when he drove it to win. It had disappointed a few time times burning out of the gate and getting into the trail to only not run on. So a couple of starts ago it was not driven off the gate, moved up to be on the pace and then ran second. In its race last night Orange got the chocolates with a very similar drive. I don't often notice things like this as I don't study the videos enough but this I saw. I am presuming it was intentional so I will attribute it to the driving class of the man. Just reinforces why a good driver can make a horse better.

....and there have been people who have said they are innocent but given capital punishment for crimes later proven they did not commit.

Would take more than a couple of maiden race wins to a pay for that place. Nice pool.

He has made no impression on Blair Orange's lead for months. It only got below 20 for a moment and then Palmy raced again. It was a foregone conclusion an age ago.

Very true but you get tested you get caught don't you?

With caffeine, a known and detectable banned substance? Would caffeine guarantee a win? Defies logic if any trainer did it. But again, who the hell would know.

Sad though, if the allegations about nobbling, even if unproven, were true. Who will ever know?

Fair enough, Arsenic. It is all cloak and daggers with this sort of thing so if you aren't in the gossip loop one would never know what is happening.

Good luck to him. Lucky fella. He needs to get off the grind of the local circuit to keep himself fresh. I'm jealous.