Nowornever

Thats the sort of driver I want on the ones I back! Sacrificing his money to get the win. Well done Ricky although I thought you eased up a bit on the line there. Suppose if you got beat could just say due to the 10 hit rule I had to stop hitting. Nothing they could do.

I agree. On a $20 shot not many would notice or care, but on a $2.00 hot favorite that went around and sat parked last start and was narrowly beaten, to not put the horse in the race today deserves more than a slap on the hand. She would be doing a few days on the sidelines for that drive in other countries. I got a couple of dollars of the place six that would have been a quarter of the price had she placed, so I am like Brodie, she did me a favor in the end, but still would be good to see the stipes grow a pair in these situations.

" Miss Ottley explained that the three wide line had failed to progress forward resulting in her becoming poorly positioned towards the rear of the field" Thats why it was an incompetent drive she never put the horse in the race. Its not the other drivers fault for not moving it is her fault for not inching around the field to the death like last start. Gee the drivers must really have a good chuckle to themselves as they can literally say anything they like and the stipes just agree. Note to drivers: Put Sams comment in the excuse book the next time you find yourself in the same situation.

It was about 1985-86 when I got 2 units of the trifecta in the Rowe Cup the year Mairo Sultan won and Landoras Pride was second. Trifecta paid about $2500 from memory. 5K was a lot of money for a 14year old back then. Picked it straight. Those were the days.

If I had 50 of the best bred yearlings in the country I would throw away all the 1 and 2 winners and just keep the open class ones too. Makes sense to me. Why would you keep crap horses that might win 2 or three races and not pay the bills when you can race ones that can win a derby?

I am picking Ultimate Machete will be sub $3.00 on Cup day $5.50 good value for mine.

I say bollocks to that! I blame the lack of new young trainers in the North that could replace older trainers who retire, pass on etc. The price of land and the traffic in Auckland must also have an impact. One stable is not to blame for this.

It might be flawed but the truth is racing turnover in general is on the decline so the only way the guys on the big salaries can justify keeping their jobs is to copy the risk management style of overseas bookies to get the yield up in the face of dropping turnover. All I see for winning punters is lower restrictions coming or total bans all together.

The spirit of bookmaking ended with the corporate bookies in the UK several years ago and over the last 4-5 years has slowly permeated to firstly Aussie and now NZ. You are lucky if you can get get $5 on a horse in the UK now I hear.

Yes looks like it is a numbers game now, and profit comes at the expense of the spirit of bookmaking in years gone by.

Thats the way the fixed odds work! They will be getting pummeled on Mr Midnight and drifting all the others to attract some money and even up the books.

Simple rule of thumb: If the horse you like is too short on opening then wait until it drifts and clean up. If it stays the same price or moves in further then the TAB have got the price right on opening and there is little you can do about it. I would like Lazarus to open at 15s in the NZ cup too but it is not going to happen I am thinking. Agree the place odds open too short nowadays but I imagine they do that just to piss Brodie off.

Mmmm! Me thinks I have heard this topic discussed before somewhere but can not remember where!? Have you got any examples or will you pull out the usual (no every horse is too short) quotes! Every time I check the odds seem to open around 128% to 135% and close at around 122% for most races.

Would not surprise me if all of the above were true

Happy, I believe the TAB have quite a few contacts inside the major stables. Usually they are bang on with those Anderson shorties.