Happy Sunrise

This will be insightful regarding how the handicapping works as I don't pay much attention. Will Oscar B get a start even though it does not meet the conditions? And if it is given a start, will it get a 20m head start off the likes of Sundees Son? Is that fair when you don't meet the conditions of the race and there are enough starters anyway.

It was just that. The likes of Overzealous and UMC make harness mainstream, A shame the lack of competition among the categories is so weak as it doesn't lead to any debate or interest from seemingly any quarter.

Predictably cleaned up by the All Stars with Spankem leading the way. Sundee's Son and Belle of Montana helped stem the tidal wave. Nice to see the deFilippi's get rewarded for their service and Overzealous' win also recognised. Canterbury couple Colin and Julie deFilippi’s forty year contribution to the industry was recognised when they won the Outstanding Contribution To Harness Racing Award. Julie deFilippi was also recognised for her work with retired racehorses when she was presented the Outstanding Contribution To Life After Racing award. One of the most popular moments of the awards evening came when Overzealous won the Best Moment Of The Season Award.The trotter came back to win two races and run second in the New Zealand Trotting Oaks after being injured in a horrific road accident that left her trainers Margo Nyhan and Peter Davis with serious injuries.

I think you have misinterpreted what I was trying to say. I am saying you can speed up the process of knowledge as people have access to a knowledge base that didn't exist 20 years ago. One can pick up a method or theory in a matter of moments instead of waiting for some 'expert' to give a lecture in your area that in the old days might have happened once every few years. If I watch a rugby video on the internet in which Richie McCaw talks about openside play I have his knowledge in my hands. Does that make me an expert? No, but I have that knowledge and if I keep building on it then I will become an expert in a much shorter space of time. For the hell of it, I searched up 'How do the Goldolphin's train horses" There are a few videos there that give an insight into how a major stable do things. That is building knowledge which I maybe able to apply to my horses if I trained them. Of course, hands on knowledge plays a big part but those hands are better armed than ever before.

Good luck. I hope you find success Enjoy the ride?

How do you go about training a horse? Does one run it around a paddock a few times and then feed it or does one employ the most modern methods? I am big on transference of ideas from one arena to another as the principles are essentially the same. I think some trainers could learn about fitness regimes from not only the best harness trainers and thoroughbred trainers but endurance athletes, conditioning experts, nutritional experts etc etc. They say young successful athletes these days get on youtube and learn from the videos on there. It used to take years for people to become 'experts' but in this day and age you can learn from the best in a matter of moments. There are some trainers who make an immediate difference to horses in their care. I don't believe that is down to drugs (to be blunt) I just think they have methods which are transformational compared to the trainer who is happen to do the same thing over and over and over which only leads to slow incremental rises in performance and, worse, the same results. Applies to business, sport...you name it. When one sees the All Stars horse in the flesh, they are massive through the shoulder / breast / chest (?) I remember seeing Vincent and he looked like a body builder. How does one build that in a horse? Some horses look so underdeveloped. I read an article on Triple Eight being on a water walker for 6 weeks to strengthen up. I suppose not everyone has a walker so how does one improvise? If no one is there to help except a few training mates you might have to help yourself. Armchair on fire.

What do you mean?

Have you ever tried to develop a relationship with a South Island trainer to takeover some of their horses who have met their mark? How much do you value the North's grass track season? Getting some handy Canterbury grass trackers for a month or so for a hit and run mission could bring some success. Even some of the Southern horses could be a goer as they have next to no grass track racing. I notice the odd trainer makes the trek to Methven sometimes which is a long long way to go. Do you sell your horses? Would you sell if you got a real good one? I am just chucking simple ideas out there. No idea if they are valid or obvious. It is the armchair talking.

That is pretty sad. I would really like to be able to discuss things and bring a generic viewpoint to the discussion but we need someone who has some real inside knowledge. Where is Westview when you need him? (other than putting me onto good things ?) Would you ever buy South Island horses to kick start things?

Not an easy fix. Globe, what needs to be done?

Brodie used to take her there often before she was unintentionally gelded in a stable 'incident' After the very good day I had at Mot today I have set her up and sent her on her merry way. She said something about going to a 'ship with a pretty flag' but I couldn't quite hear right as she walks quite noisily. Must be a bit wet where ever she is going cos she was mumbling about an umbrella. Good luck to whoever the lucky guy is.

Your initial assessment was spot on.

How hard is it to break even for the small trainer? And do trainers feel like they have decent leadership? Who do they look to? HRNZ? ATC? NZRB?

I wonder if the owners of the 'closet' All Stars horses with different trainers will send them north to Pukekohe to race for the better stakes. The likes of Lone Star Lad etc.

Everybody is playing Rangatira today in his absence...?

My new favourite horse is Kardesler? Where is Newmarket?

After Prodigal Guinness got cleaned out at the start and Awesome Impee broke after the start I needed a change of fortune. Need to thank Westview for putting me onto him. His run at Oamaru looked very likely before the tyre came off. I am still going in the quaddie for 20%. Got 5 going but I have not studied the field and it was a bit of a stab in the dark.

To do that you need bigger horse numbers which comes back to the systemic problem of the north or is the handicapping system at fault? There are lots of southern horses up racing up north these days, is a quick fix to encourage more up there? The stakes at Auckland seem to be enticing some to send more north. I really do see the issue as being from the top down rather the other way round. W You mean the harness racing name? The north could do with a true champion to match the best stable.

I thought for a moment I was reading a Rangatira post.

Obviously the punter hasn't realised the odds are up early. They took a bit longer to get on this time.

It is quite a hard game to crack but that is typical of any sporting profession in New Zealand. Small pool of participants and facilities. Plus, the longevity of harness racing drivers and trainers can be decades long which means little turnover (no pun intended). And the obvious thing is racing is not expanding at all so employment opportunities are stagnant. What are some you would like to see and do you have a channel to propose them? I imagine the powers that be are distracted by the major looming (or already present) problems so little improvements won't even be in their sphere of thinking at the moment unless there is a solid management structure in place (which I also can't imagine because from afar harness has shown with simple matters that there is limited communication and systems) Normally you can make large change by fixing the little things but from what I can see it is the bigger picture stuff which is unsettling for northern harness. I really have no knowledge of who is in charge of it all. Are harness people in the north fearful for the future? Does HRNZ have overall authority? Is it possible the ATC could go insolvent? Does the ATC and HRNZ work together? Does the ATC have a public future plan for racing in the north? Does the Messara Report have any relevance for harness in the north? Where is Winny? Why can't racing as a whole just copy the model which seems so successful in some states in Australia? Do we need made for TV tracks in the north out in the country like Melton with training facilities attached to it and accept the reality of what racing is now? I am full of questions because I don't know enough to really put forward solutions.

Great little story.

Here is hoping.

We will get told off by the Chief if we continue this thread as it will go downhill pretty quickly and the racing at the mot has not even started yet! The 'big chop' reply can wait till after the last tomorrow ?

And your friends from the Cruz club flag....?