OLDWHITEMAN

I can believe it. The track has been on borrowed time and now the reckoning is here. It might be sad but I don't care as I never attended a meeting there in past few years despite living in Blenheim. What will the club do now, sell the land? It would be worth plenty. It is sad for local trainers including, M Gill and Anne-Marie Best, but closure was inevitable. Nelson will now struggle to survive. I think it will be lucky to last another two or three years. I don't think many trainers will venture north just for two meetings especially now that Addington has increased it's dates five-fold.

On the money mate. I can see the day when Addington will be the only track holding harness racing regularly and that day is not far away. NZMet will be able to afford to carry on because of the piss-up "look at me" NZ Trotting Cup day to subsidise the rest of the season. Stakes won't be as high as now but the club will continue but it will like a small cottage industry. Just a few local trainers winning most races and probably little on-course or off-course turnover.

On the money again my old mate. Bandaid fix at best. Little for trotting in the crook Peters handout as far as I can see. Peters will be gone next election leaving the communists to govern alone with the Greens. Racing will be doomed then... if it lasts that long.

You are right Brodie. Most horses will be spelled now that the Harness Jewels at Cambridge are cancelled. There is little point in having a horse in work because no one knows when racing will resume. Bigger stables like the Hopes, Dunns, All Stars and Tony H. will probably enjoy some time off from their usual hectic schedules. Smaller stables will struggle with little income coming in and could go bust? Owners will still have to fork out for agistment fees, feed, covers, blacksmith etc etc. With winter approaching is also not the ideal time for a horse to be turned out as supplementary food, lucerne hay, oats, chaff etc, will be needed meaning more expense for owners. Testing times ahead for the harness industry. Hope you and your family get through this unscathed my old mate. All the best

What affect will the looming four-week country-wide lockdown have on harness racing? Horses will still have to be fed, exercised and need vet treatment. Will owners be prepared to keep paying bills when there is no chance of their horses racing for at least a month and possibly longer? How many harness trainers and owners will be lost to the industry due to the lockdown? What will punters do with nothing to bet on? No pokies either. Perhaps on-line casinos will get more business? What will my old mate, punter extraordinaire, Brodie do for the next four weeks with no betting? I will be stuck at home with Ms Oldwhitewoman. Will I survive? At least I will still be able to go for a solo run or cycle in the wide open spaces of Marlborough.

The horse was drawn out by the hedge, pretty tough to win from there HP, no matter how good you are!!

If these allegations are true then it appears Mr McGrath is a VERY slow-learner.

On the money again my old mate. Winston's phone will be red-hot with calls from his racing cronies. Will he help them? You can guarantee the thoroughbreds will get most, if not all, of the assistance if it comes from government.

Winston where are you? Don't expect the government to do much about this. After all they are not really concerned about businesses as they got little in the virus package. Unemployed got a pay rise while businesses left to fend for themselves. Harness racing will be the most affected because the sport is already struggling. Sadly, I think that plenty will be leaving the industry soon. Is there a way back for harness racing?

So what? Waimate is a back water meeting with the same old slow horses that trundle around the lesser tracks week after week. I wouldn't cross the road to see any of them nor bet on them. Few of the slow horses on display at Waimate would be paying their way. No on-course spectators or betting... what will the Waimate TC get out of this meeting?

This is hardly a surprise my old mate. Harness racing is in trouble and the programme was probably too costly to justify producing any more. I doubt the show was watched by many either. The shows canning won't be the last calamity to hit harness racing this year. I don't like to be a gloom merchant but harness racing is in freefall and the industry is going to be decimated over the next few months.

No, not even owners now allowed on courses during the virus shutdown, only trainers, drivers and stable staff.

I agree to a degree but not Motukarara, which is one of the worst tracks in the country in my opinion. Rough, terrible crossing and poor viewing. Maybe Addington and Methven?

Unfortunately, the locals or anybody else will be unable to be on-course to see slow horses battling around the Waimate grass track.

Might not make too much difference. If large gatherings are banned it won't affect racing because few turn up to watch these days. The only events that are popular are more about alcohol, fashion and being seen... NZ Trotting Cup etc. Can horses get the virus?

Not sure about Viagra my old mate. Wouldn't it be too expensive to give to a horse as you would need a large dose? There have been other masking agents that were widely used in NZ harness racing. Probably, the most well known was the arsenic "tonic". Since that has been banned the number of winners from some stables has dropped dramatically. Just a coincidence of course. ?

I thought Trevor Casey was a good businessman. I wonder if he is regretting his decision to open at Alexandra Park?

Tick, tock... we warned them mate. No one is listening!!

Derek Balle the only face I recognise. He's probably the only horse person on the committees? Joke.

My old mate, no one is listening to us. We have both pointed out in recent weeks that harness racing is in serious trouble particularly in the North Island, and especially Auckland. Fields are small and are not worth betting on. I don't agree with you regarding mile racing. I think with the low number of horses up there that mile racing should be better as it is not as hard on horses and they should be able to race more often? A five race card is a disaster and not sustainable financially. How long is Auckland harness going to last?

Thanks CP. I guess your explanation makes sense but I agree with Brodie six weeks is far too long before an official trainer change is notified. I am so confused that I am not going to back Gotta Ticket today.

Who would you like to sponsor the show?

I have got no idea that is the problem. What the hell is going? HRNZ say M. Gill trains, but others say K. Ford now training. Who knows? Now I see that T. Williams is driving Gotta Ticket on Friday. He's a good driver, perhaps he will make a difference. Or is the horse now being trained by the Allstars?

Exactly. That is the point I am trying to make. Officially Mr Gill is still the trainer. If he is no longer the trainer why is he still listed as such? Get your act together HRNZ. My good friend Brodie is right this is a shocker. Punters should be informed immediately, not weeks/months later. ?

I agree mate and you'll get no argument from me that this is wrong. What a HRNZ doing? You are probably right about the difference in training ability too. However, if the horse has been with the Fords for a few weeks as some suggest it does appear to have made much difference to the horses' form? To be fair, the stock that Mr Gill trains are poor. I don't know why he persists with the horses he has. Sack them, go to the sales and get a decent bred horse and start again.