Happy Sunrise

Was the Awards ceremony at Omakau??

Very interesting.

Answer: Blair Orange It is a good read, including the defence laid out by Blair Orange. Do the RIU write down the conversation as they go or do they record it on their phones?? http://www.jca.org.nz/non-race-day-hearings/non-raceday-inquiry-riu-v-b-n-orange-decision-dated-30-april-2020-chair-j-h-lovell-smith 1. The respondent Blair Nathan Orange is a licenced Public Trainer under the Rules of New Zealand Harness Racing (HRNZ). He is 41 years old and first held a HRNZ licence in 1995. 2. At 2.54pm on Saturday 14 March 2020 Racing Integrity Unit Racecourse Investigator Kylie Williams and Steward Scott Wallis attended the property of Licensed Public Trainer, Nigel McGrath. 3. The purpose of their visit was to serve McGrath with a document and request items related to a Harness Racing matter the previous day. 4. The matter under investigation had no relevance to Mr Orange whatsoever. 5. McGrath was present in the stable’s courtyard with Mr Orange and former licensed person Jamie Keast, drinking alcohol. 6. Mr Wallis said “hello” to the group and in reply Mr Orange said, “What the f... do you want?” 7. Mr Wallis replied, “We are here to see Nigel”. 8. Mr Orange continued to look at Mr Wallis and said, “you should just f... off” and then looked at Mr McGrath and said, “tell them to f... off”. 9. Mrs Williams and Mr Wallis engaged in conversation with Mr McGrath. 10. Mr Wallis had his cell phone in his hand and Mr Orange said, “Put your f...... phone away Scott”. 11. The conversation between Mr McGrath and RIU staff continued for a short time and at 3.02pm the staff went to leave the property. 12. As they walked past Mr Orange on their way out Mr Wallis said, “Goodbye Blair”. 13. Mr Orange replied, “just f... off”. 14. Mr Wallis kept walking and said, “I don’t know why you are like this with me, I have done nothing wrong to you”. 15. Mr Orange replied, “well you haven’t f...... tried to help us”. 16. The pair continued walking towards their car with Mr Orange continuing to tell them to “f... off”.

Would make for a good episode of The Box Seat......but hell would have to freeze over for them to skate on that ice.

The proof will be at the yearling sales early next year. That may tell us if the bottom has fallen out of the industry, which after the breeding numbers recently, could have serious implications a few years down the track.

She seemed to show genuine concern for the general well-being of the wider industry. Instead of HRNZ or Guerin doing interviews about the best horse you have ever seen etc ...answer: Winx..(surprise me) He should be doing Q&A about ' What is your number 1 suggestion to change harness racing for the better'? of every trainer. Even by email and present the results. I would be interested in that.

Natalie is just dying to let rip in that interview. She did well not to drop a few hundred f bombs. Her thinking is like many it seems. Pretty blunt assessment, especially about the communiciation. Listening to that, it does surprise me how little public griping from trainers there is in NZ about the state of the game considering her obvious frustration and passion. I also wonder how, HRNZ etc don't utilise the knowledge of these 2 people and others like them in decison making. For them to be left in the dark is extremely poor. If stakes are any lower than normal in the new season I can imagine them setting up a satellite stable in OZ and their focus will be increasingly over there. Wouldn't blame them. If only racing in NZ was run as professionally and successfully as the All Stars.

To buy horses from claimers or to buy any horses at all? I asked the question what happened to claimers, not bring them back.

I suppose if you wanted to sell you could always put it up for sale on a website. Probably a good thing owners are attached to their horses. If it was just about making money in harness racing then everyone would be royally screwed.

I don't think anyone has the balls.

They might be aiming to get some wins and then on sell some of their second and third tier horses who are not viable financially from their stable. Some All Stars owners might be having a clean out but if the stable has too many horses at Addington congesting the fields they may not be able to do that. You would think the top liners would be resting in the next few months. I find ti somewhat ironic that the ATC are pretty vocal calling for this and that about what should happen in the next few months when they are in such a mess themselves. It will interesting to see how long it takes them to get back to their pre virus stakes. Hasn't happened yet so unlikely to start now.

What do they end up on?

Must be more than that surely. Double?

It used to be heralded as a saviour for battling horses didn't it? Obviously not worth persisting with as a concept as no one sees it as a viable.

Tis the measure of a man. ?

Probably the next Minister of Racing once he gets demoted from his current position.

Who drove it? Dexter or Blair or both of them....?

Not that good. It got beaten at Forbury, though in unusual circumstances....

Waimate? ? You have hit the nail on the head there with your summation. The question to be asked of all venues.

The big punter might be Brodie, he has been down to Otago recently.

Have you been on the Harness Owners facebook page?

Not really. To get improvements in the game the shitty questions have to be asked and difficult conversations have to be had. Personally, I hope no tracks close but you can tell the cost cutting is going to stronger than ever after this virus. Ludwig, How do you see harness racing progessing in the future? What tracks could close and what ones should stay? What would your criteria be?

One is viable and liquid and one is sinking like St Clair.

I was thinking the new type of building they have at Waimate would serve as a design for Forbury. Knock the stand down that is before the winning post and have a simple design of a one floor rectangular shaped building along the striaight with cover at the front of it for bars and food with betting available. I think I am stuck in the 70s or 80s. Dreams are free. Something like this black structure. Simple but could house a few people watching at Forbury.

Certainly reads like she works for the RIU.