nod

Some will remember when clubs kept a flock of sheep -there was no long grass then and the only cancellations I can recall were for flooding.Strangely NZTR guidelines call for long green grass to look good and provide a cushion Of course in those old days horses were not kept like caged chooks and ran around in paddocks and did not need cushions

I see an Aussie horse returned a positive to nicotine I figure if I could get up to forty a day I could be a rough chance in the Auckland marathon

Yes, they will soon be history just like the N Z Derby and Oaks that used to be run at Riccarton.

Tayla is a claiming apprentice so you should not expect the polish of a J Mac She has good balance and can get them out of the gates as well as Sam Spratt I personally think she rode one perfectly yesterday

He could have straightened his mount long before the post -he made no attempt to do so which means deliberate or brain fade

It does not get any worse than that -it was blatant to an extreme Should have got 6 months minimum

In stead of knocking the scheme we should be thanking Daniel for yet another inititive He is a bright bugger

And Ivan Robinsons big team -I recall his three horse bracket paying 10 shillings and sixpence after two fell at Thames, Revolver, Sea Contour and ?

With eleven in race 1 at Matamata Mark Walker must have a rough chance of getting a winner. Who can remember when the horses in the same ownership were bracketed on the Tote? And in the trotting game all stablemates were bracketed?

Why did I think that Riccarton was leased to the racing club?

For years now I have taken a cut lunch -I go to the races to see the horses and to bet

Lots to choose -Dargaville, Thames. Paeroa, Te Awamutu, Te Teko. Pukekohe..............

I think he got off lightly for what many see as a display of temper He is still employed in an earning capacity just cannot race other than in trials Time will prove the merits or otherwise of him being relicensed

These AWT are maybe O K for training purposes but are unfit for proper racing They are very small turning tracks unable to host a reasonable sized field-why build goat tracks when they are meant for horses? And they offer unseasonable footing-think it through, note the restricted amount of racing offered to our winter gallopers I will not bet on them nor attend them nor race on them

That will sort things out to the complete satisfaction of the lawyers involved $$$$

Thank you for that Peter From what I have gathered over the years about English law it can be very difficult to void an existing tenancy -all things being in order. Doubtless you will be assisting the trainer/

Peter, is the rent paid up to date? just asking

Prices go up --in 1960 I was paying $1 a day, 1980s $7-50 and now $68 [plus GST] thats a top stable and there are no extras like vitamins, staff on raceday and public holidays, dry cleaning colours etc. Those that tell you they put the horse in 'the paddock'' after a hard race' should not be charging full rates for those 10 days I don't pay 10% on any sale as the trainer is aware that it costs around 70K to get a horse to the races and some don't make it--the trainer may get a reward

correct and he sure how to smack them

My bloke picked up a bit of black type also When I first saw Shinko I thought he was a pony stallion but a real looker

Has looked past her best recently

It always used to be the Stipes job to check brands and gear -no logical reason why it is not now But really nothing surprises me in three ships country -a few years back when the overhead gates were first used my 2yo was late scratched when she shied at them -she was properly educated but had never seen overhead gates before. So I went to the secretary [or whatever title now]and asked if we could have a practice and get used to them -I was told 'no way, she might damage our gates' yer, dinkum I had the last laugh when she returned to Riccarton and bolted in at long odds

it is not as uncommon as they make out In 1967 our horse was declared the winner -confirmed result and a couple of minutes later it was announced that the judge had made a mistake. I attempted to protest but was declined and told the judges decision was final, I still wonder which of the decisions was "final" I still hold the official photo In more recent times my horse was involved in a very close finish with 3 others and no way could the naked eye place them-I was happy to be 2nd rather than 4th but a fortnight later two stipes informed me that my horse had actually won but as the judges decision was final they could not do anything about it That was Tauranga also- perhaps they should clean the mirror I would like some compensation though.

children

It was plain stupid-should have got 12 months not a mere 7 days