Happy Sunrise

Enough to be happy ?....but could be early an Xmas if quaddies and multis fall my way... Just popped outside to see if I could see the punting gods looking down on me...

I see Sheez Good has its supporters on the fixed odds. I thought Stompem would go well in that race too. Take After Me seems to have been around forever and he never stops trying that boy. He has been going good races too. Give him another 50 or so starts and he will the pacing equivalent of Sarah Palin!

TAB a bit tight as usual with not much to excite the betting veins... but Peggy Nova in race 2 at 4 20FF and 1 75FF are nice enough odds. You would think she is a shoe-in for at least a place. Nice way to kick off my multi's. and She's Outstanding in race 3 at 5 20 FF place. Terrible draw but may work out nicely being 3 back on the inside on a damp day at Timaru as First Joy will most likely lead the whole way.

In my eyes, if stablemates wore different colours, 99% of the time one wouldn't even bat an eyelid to the driving tactics employed. That is why stipes never ask questions. It is best to factor it into your punting if one even thinks of doing so, which the vast majority wouldn't anyway.

Quite, but the pressure early didn't suit a young horse with 4 going hard for the lead outside it and was slightly green at Rangiora. That was the thing, there was a heap of gate speed outside him. Still, obviously, a talented horse who is getting a bit of experience before hitting the big time in his 3-year-old season. The money was right but....

$9200 worth of big fixed bets on him. Someone confident.

After watching the sports news on TV 1 tonight and seeing the emotion and hearing the words of Lazarus' owners and Mark Purdon I don't think any decision on his sale was made lightly and would have had the horse's best interests at heart.

It must have ability to be this short. Not for me at this price and in this race. Rangiora didn't inspire too much and I never like young ones up against hardened horses. Looking forward to seeing what DD does at the start. Might steady and take a trail as there is a lot of speed outside him and none inside but could get buried 3 back or worse.

I see they have backed in the Dalgety 2 year old from 3.80 to 2.70. I suppose at that money you would want to see it lead and dictate. Might not be the easiest thing to do with the speed outside it and being up against some very seasoned horses. Is it just the Dunn/Dalgety combo that drives this punting? Thoughts anyone?

I am sure the knowledge base at the stable is enormous. I will be surprised if they are not successful at their new 'hobby' Be very interesting to see where it leads. What is your take on it, DR? Just a new challenge or a new direction?

Training all those Group 1 winners must get a bit the same. I can't see how it could not. They have trained and driven the best of the best so that mountain has been climbed so I can understand the temptation of trying their hand at a galloper. Be a nice change for them to apply their vast knowledge to something different but still similar. A great idea for them to have a crack. ...Odds on the All-Stars training a Cox Plate winner? Bit of a Yarn odds - 60 to 1 'Other Site' odds - 2 to 1 Sorry, couldn't resist.

Mighty American at 19 ff n 5 .50 is on ok ew bet. Bit of speed on front row could play into his hands and The Golden Boy too if he gets a run

7 ozzies coming I counted. Will be interested to see how many actually make it to raceday.

Ashoka is a very learned man so he will know the story of Happy Sunrise. Those punters could have bought 166 000 Happy Sunrises' with their winnings from that single season. I am suitably impressed.

Them: computer, drugs, bed, women and millions of dollars... Me: Ashburton, wind, rain, 2ew ticket, frozen hand.....and my horse breaks at the start...

They were in the middle of an epic winning season, up more than $50 million. Only after he won an enormous amount of money! Not $400 dollars off race 2 at Winton lol

The following year the Hong Kong Jockey Club phoned Benter at an office he’d established in Happy Valley. He winced, remembering the meaty hand of the Las Vegas pit boss on his shoulder. But instead of threatening him, a Jockey Club salesperson said, “You are one of our best customers. What can we do to help you?” The club wasn’t a casino trying to root out gamblers who regularly beat the house; its incentive was to maximize betting activity so more revenue was available for Hong Kong charities and the government. Now that is a good attitude.

Great read. That is inspiring stuff. Should be made into a movie. The Hong Kong gamblers, not Brodie....?

Money talks. And you can't blame them. It's a truck load.

A racecourse certainty.

Too true, DR. You could well be right and I hope you are too. I am unsure where the open class pacing ranks are heading, hence I put my some of my thoughts as questions rather than statements. There are plenty of good horses around but I just hope they get a genuine full field and not have 4, 5 or 6 just making up the numbers.

Summed up well. This was the fear, wasn't it? The domination at the top by a stable has led to a dearth of talent below the top due to sales and it has now been exposed when injuries and sales take its toll on the gun stable. Will be an interesting NZ Cup field. Dominated by 4-year-olds or has it just become another race which has lost its lustre? Is the NZ Cup is only propped up by tradition and the fanfare of Cup Week? Not sure, but the next few years may be telling.

I am hearing you, Brodie. Now the grass track season is over we are back to tight odds all round. Addington fields don't interest me at the moment. Forbury is likely to fields of 9 or 10 and with a few Anderson runners in there so unappealing again most likely. I need to get back into Southland harness ?

Hopefully, he is a successful sire and puts the NZ breeding industry well and truly on the international map.

A few close run things with the tips today. Close but no cigar. Enjoyable hearing what everyone thinks and spices the watching up too. ? Maybe Brodie could christen the site with a 'longshot' lol... Forbury Thursday!