Doomed

I probably should have phrased it as never having had a bet. I think it may have been John Allen.

I don't think the recently appointed head of NZTR had ever held a racing job previously. Didn't we have a TAB or racing board head a few years ago who said he had never set foot in a TAB? People may well argue that a CEO's job is to manage people with the requisite skills. That may well be true, but at the same time they can't claim they have an affinity for racing at the grass roots level.

Sadly, it is virtually impossible to get back to basics and grass roots when a knowledge of racing, or even an interest in racing, is no-longer considered essential or even desirable to get a job in Racing industry management.

Yes, I think something paid around $200. There used to be some massive on course doubles as well when only one or two tickets struck it.

I think that was Riccarton

I have been to Riccarton Turf Club meetings in the late 70s and while they didn't have off course betting, they did have on course betting. They weren't equalisator meetings. Used to do massive on course turnovers.

Lets hope she goes well. It has been a terrible year for NZ trained horses in Australia. From memory all I can recall is Savaglee second in a Group 1, Alabama Lass impressive in a listed race and I think one of Roger James' won a Melbourne Cup lead up. I'm sure I must have missed at least one. With our increased stakes perhaps there is less incentive for handy types to head overseas, and those that do haven't really proved up to it, other than the three mentioned above. It must eventually put pressure on our group system when the form isn't being franked in tougher precincts.

You will have to pardon my ignorance, I am an old traditionalist. What exactly is betcha? I have certainly seen it advertised but never taken any real notice of it.

3rd placegetter in the Cup been going ok as well. We all know they won't even consider upgrading it to its rightful status. Merit doesn't come into it these days.

Once again, seems to be "big picture" stuff. Not much point having "big picture" thinkers if you don't have any "little picture" people to implement everything.

Its in today's Herald

Great to see the Timaru Cup form well and truly stamped in the feature today. Her stablemate a nice run for 4th in her race also.

The good old days of post race-day appeals. Total tangent here, but the one I always remember was in the galloping code. The 3yo fillies race at Oamaru, in the days when Oamaru was a respected track. Sea Princess beat one of the Dennis brothers horses and the result changed numerous times with protests, appeals and counter appeals. Can't happen these days. They changed the rules as it has the potential to be a bit embarrassing.

That's an even better memory than mine Gamma. I think they were the favourities and it was a tight finish. Might have even been a protest. Big fields in those days as well.

I think Richard might have driven Fouroux as well.

I do remember Malaz winning it. Not sure if he was before or after Inky Lord.

It used to be run on the big grass track of course and used to attract the country's best 2yos. The one I always remember was Fouroux, trained by Clem Scott, beating Melton Monarch sometime in the early 80s. Some of the greats won it, notably Inky Lord, Young Quinn and Noodlum. The best filly I remember winning it was Hilarious Guest. The most interesting filly to win it was Ar Miss who went on to become the mother of the brilliant Armalight. Sadly, I wouldn't be able to name a single winner over the last 30 or so years, but that is because I don't follow harness racing much these days. Inky Lord is probably the most recent winner I could name.

I don't recall the Sapling stakes being restricted to the males in the past. That seems to be a relatively recent thing. It does mean small fields for both races.

Well if they are it isn't obvious, and it isn't making much sense. Very little of the additional spend appears intended to maximise turnovers.

Some good contributions above. There are 3 or 4 harness contributors who always make well thought through intelligent posts. The thing that I can never understand, in both Harness racing and the gallops, is that Entain seem happy enough to just hand over the money and say to the codes "do what you like with it", but they never seem to then follow up by saying :Hey, hold on, we did think you would use the money to help boost turnovers." Neither code sees optimising turnovers as a priority with the cash windfall they have been given. When the money train runs dry there seems to be absolutely no plan B.

I'm pleased to hear that. It was becoming rather tiresome and distracting. I would like to think these places can become constructive forums, or at least fun places. A lot of the humour and fun seems to have gone out of it these days.

Quite a few in NZ given the reliability of most.

One of the despised ones isn't it? It does invariably seem to be in better condition than NP.

One of my favourite races. Track seemed to play ok to me. 5 starters but all reasonable types. Easter Cup only had 4 on Saturday. It's pointless trying to debate track maintenance with me. I know absolutely nothing about that sort of thing. I hop on my ride on mower and turn the key and go around in circles. That is the extent of my grass knowledge.

https://nz.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=grey+way+awapuni+gold+cup&type=E210US739G0#id=1&vid=83ea53f635f734caee0ca048a582da85&action=click