Doomed

Some people shouldn't really be allowed out to have a bet. I think you should go and have a wee lie down.

Quite a few newish trainers coming through in the South. Now it just needs the rest of the industry to exhibit the professionalism they deserve. And make sure the structures are in place to make it a viable profession.

There is no real point debating the subject with you Gamma as you really just don't understand how the whole industry works. Your whole focus is on smaller fields meaning more money for the owners. You don't seem to understand where the money comes from. The money comes from the punters. Without them racing would come to a dead stop. Harness punters do tolerate red hot favs more so than galloping punters, but even harness punters can't get excited by 6 horse low grade fields. And incidentally 6 horse fields aren't "around 8 horse fields". Even the interdominion grand final on the weekend would have run at a massive loss. $1.20 winners don't do a lot for betting turnover.

It's a terrible look isn't it. The new way of doing things is totally beyond me. I'm used to a world where turnovers were supposed to generate enough income to cover stakes. These days, turnovers seem to be irrelevant and stakes money is just dished out regardless of performance. In the galloping code a meeting with that number of acceptors would have been abandoned. The gallops are hardly a model for how to run a successful racing industry, but at least in that instance they usually get things right. Do any people actually go along to these meetings? The atmosphere must be quite strange.

It must be very hard for clubs like Timaru to remain enthused with NZTR trying to get rid of them and giving them no support at all. With your memory of the 70s and 80s you will realise that Timaru probably provided better racing than Ashburton and Dunedin back then. The Timaru Cup was one of the great races every year with a string of high class winners. I remember the 3yo Greek Magic and all the Dennis Brothers winners, and Grey Way himself. Now, because of the ideological bent of NZTR, Timaru gets no feature days and they see all of the money being poured into Wingatui and Ashburton. If I was on the committee I would probably give up, so good on them for hanging in there in the face of incredible adversity. And the training ranks in Timaru have possibly never been stronger. There must be almost as many winners coming out of there as Wingatui.

That was quite an extraordinary heavy track meeting at Oamaru. Appeared to be no bias at all. Winners came from all over. Good to see the $6,000 Timaru trifecta in the fourth. Not very often the same trainer and owner combine for a $200 quinella either.

I think the previous year was very wet, hence the increases. Its a wonder NZTR hasn't tried to take the day off them, give them a day in July and give the dec date to riccarton to race on the AWT.

Certainly, if you know who's going to work to the front and lead all the way it is a great day out. I just don't follow NI racing enough these days to have all that knowledge.

The day I have a bet at NP on a wet track is the day I give up punting as I will know I have lost all control.

To be honest I doubt that many people would even know the ranfurly shield is on, I certainly didn't. I didn't even know Taranaki held the shield. I presume it is Taranaki defending it? Who is challenging for it? Manaia sounds like a bit of a two horse hick town, so they can't be expecting a very big crowd.

Which probably indicates that the dogs are even more refined than the gallops, and certainly the trots, and would never stoop to such lows.

It was probably largely intended for the trotting fraternity. They tend to be a bit more fiery than us mostly refined galloping types.

Not many of them have travelled all the way from Southland to Canty in the middle of winter. And northern trainers know there will be another race-meeting along in a few days and generally NZTR will put on extra races for them. No such luck in the South.

We desperately need Savaglee to come up as a 4yo. Our top 3yos have had a terrible record at sustaining that form over recent years. Savaglee looks pretty special and reasonably tough to me so it would be great to see him have a successful 4yo campaign.

I've actually forgotten her name. She won the slot and a sales series race and not much else, but lots of money. When I get a moment I will look up her name.

We have a not totally dissimilar situation in NZ this year. The biggest stake earning 3yo this season had a group 3 third as her best effort in a real race from memory. Based on traditional ratings she would probably be the 7th or 8th best 3yo for the season, but she did win the most stakes money through wins in restricted races. It will be fascinating to see if she gets a nomination as top 3yo and whether anyone has the nerve to vote for her.

The irony of Ellerslie having the winter off while Wingatui keeps going. I bet some old-timers wouldn't believe you if they were told that is the way we do it these days. Climate change must be about to take effect.

The theory seems to be that in our brave new world SI racing can basically survive through the winter months with the AWT and Ashburton, with the Riccarton turf popping up every now and again if really necessary. Obviously the trainers weren't consulted about this theory. If they were consulted it would be interesting to hear what they think of the idea now.

I'm really struggling with your logic here. The Pitmans have 12 starters at Riccarton on Saturday, Furlong has one. Without the Pitman runners several of those races would have only two dividends. The Pitmans have won at least $300,000 more than any other SI trainer. Are you suggesting that doesn't matter because they had a few more starts to do it?

So you are arguing that the Pitmans are the most important trainers in the context of SI racing? Without them some races may not have got off the ground. Andrew Carston also crucial, albeit with a poorer strike rate.

Pitmans also by far the biggest stake earners. In fact the only SI trainers to pass the $1m mark. Many would consider that much more important than strike rate.

I thought I saw you there.

I was going to mention the same thing myself. Very interesting finish to the season. And the poor buggers don't get many opportunities. Only 8 races in 11 days just at the moment. Incredible they have kept their strike-rates so low given the lack of opportunities and how hard it is to place a horse properly.

They are all pretty similar really. Mostly between 5 and 8, one at 11.

She was a very good flat rider as well if I recall correctly. I seem to associate her with Clipper Run for Pat Corboy.