Counter Punch

Horse might be the stable GP? Owners aren't paying a cent to have it racing but are getting appearance money and who knows one day the unthinkable might happen... If it's the GP for Missalyssa then it makes even more sense..

Hard to talk on a few of those subjects considering supression orders etc.. we're also not able to sit in court through hearings etc. Although we'd have more chance of staying in the room than some members of the RIU did... Track closures will definitely be on the agenda once next stage of calendar is released.

Cheers, Brodie. Just a couple of guys who have a passion for harness racing wanting to produce some content. We don't claim to be professionals at it and likely never will be. But we're giving it a crack and seeing where it leads.

The way Jazelle is going at the moment she'll be hard to beat in that race with a bit of luck. That being said, Payment Plan has been flying for Amber Hoffman. I agree, give me one of these any day of the week over some of the races we get especially the likes of those Galah has mentioned. It's not a bad ploy and with development will bring extra horses into the mix for the other races on the meeting. People might have the perfect horse for that series, but they'll fill the float to bring it there so more starters across the programme; ie Amber Hoffman and Co.

Big workout win at Methven last week by Lilac Star too beat Shadow Minister comfortably. I think you could do a lot worse than back Sarah O'Reilly all day. She's got a very good book of drives.

Quite a simple answer. What they usually get. Funding based on their total turnover across off course and fixed odds which will be used to allocate their market share of the available funds (if there are any remaining by then) when HRNZ dish out bulk funding for the new season. A rise in total turnover from last year at Cambridge last night I'm told. Plenty tuning in and having a play to fill the no live sport void. Could be a good turnover day. Who knows.

A great! Have many of Dave's stories clipped out at home. Including one incredibly entertaining match report of a cricket match between the Mt Hutt Trotting Club and the Mid Canterbury Strappers.

Ha! The Star? Who are now facing allegations of misquoting a well respected and long serving member of the industry in the very same story? The comment would have to suggest that you are either a Bennett, a Kennett or a Walton - or perhaps all three? Scum on the shoes of the industry, all three of you.

Was a forum last time I checked. Why do you ask?

Do I condone domestic violence? Absolutley not. But, I also don't condone seeing someone hung out to dry based on chinese whispers.

Be very careful, Major. Were you there? Did you witness it? Are you privy to all the information? Or, are you like so many others condemning someone based on industry whispers...

I don't agree, but know better than to get into an argument with you so will just leave it at that. Just wanted to explain what the most logical reasoning was with Gotta Ticket..

The horse has been listed as horse movement since after the Blenheim meeting. Each time it's raced since then it's been publicly notified as being an official horse movement to Ken Ford. I think the time frame is six weeks before it has to be an official trainer change. I think. You'd imagine the horse has been with the Fords to allow it to race in Canterbury/Otago and after this weekend it will head back to Blenheim.

Won the Derby at his next start? And since then has won a race and been twice placed, once in a Group One and once in a Group Three. Starts limited as mentioned above due to injuries and issues.

Lachie isn't in the best of health at the moment either. So a good result from her today would sure be a good pick-me-up for a couple of good people. Thought Jaffa was a good chance from the pole in a very poor maiden field and agree re Missmollygoodgolly although Rocknroll Max was excellent at Methven workouts.

It's just not that good. Go and have a look at its second day run. Had every chance and got to the top of the straight travelling like the winner and then went nowhere. Today it was unlucky. And driver admission was he should have kept coming out. But felt horse was best ducking and diving and feeling competitive when in amongst other horses and he expected the Dean Taylor horse to tire as it had done on the previous two days so went back to the inside but it kept trucking and the gap never came. Having helmet knocked over eyes at the top of the straight probably didn't help much either. As it came off the float tonight. "Will win a race at some point, just a bit mentally and physically weak yet, haven't had many travel as good as it did on the second day at the 400m only to be gone burger at the 300m." Perhaps the March trip might be more suitable.

Qualifying effort was very good. Started far too long but now it's far too short in a very good field.

Few I like today. #10 Smooth Debate in Race 2. #6 Native's Lasting Love in Race 5. #2 Claus in Race 6 Good day punting out there. Race 4 in particular will end up being a big form race. There's at least nine horses in there that could easily win next up. Cheapcheap was very good at the Methven workouts last week. Comes up against some pretty nice ones though.

One eyed? He is employed by them, so it's only natural the majority of his conversations involve that stable. A little bit like yourself with the McGrath stable.

Plan A should be don't go planning for Friday when race is on Saturday...

Thought the best value of the day was perhaps Destiny Jones at $26. She went massive at Kaikoura and was very good at Ashburton too. The $4 odd a place was quite nice considering her good draw and so many unknown factors in that race. One of the less straight forward Cup Days I can remember from a punting point of view. A few races which look wide open so should make for a good day.

Roughie for the day - Jaffa. Good run fresh up at Methven. Beat a couple of All Stars runners in a trial on the Rangoon track last month too. About $81 earlier this evening.

You're taking the piss, right?

Appearance wouldn't be the worst in Race 1. Also thought The Valiant might be the blow out in the last

Worth noting - and this, to me, is a major problem in some ways, but perhaps a positive for other clubs in another is that what money is spent on course nowadays is irrelevant for so many clubs. We've moved to a bulk funding model here in New Zealand, where clubs know from the outset of the season how much money they will receive for each meeting and then it's up to the individual clubs to budget how that money is divided across their meetings throughout the season. In the past a percentage of the on course and off course turnover was delivered back to a club post their race meeting. If they had an absolute cracking day and turned over $100k plus on course plus a huge amount off course and in fixed odds betting it could set the platform for future meetings to perhaps have a bonus increase in stakes whereas now, those sort of situations are less likely because there's no added incentive to drive higher turnover. Sure, if a club has a good day, those figures will be considered when it comes to revisiting their bulk funding payout for the next season - but unless a club has a bumper season in which they have no weather related issues and good big fields with lots of turnover it's largely a case of the good days doing enough to counter any potential losses on the bad days. Punters Clubs used to be a club's bread and butter. You could put one on - drive the hell out of it - get people on course punting and get the majority of the prize money back from what was invested in that room or area alone. Now it's a little harder to justify them because the direct result of their success isn't as readily evident as it has been in the past.