the galah

Is that what you meant.I guess youv'e got to tell yourself that. Easier than facing up to the truth i suppose.

And here i am thinking it was you with the extreme bias. Where have i ever said riddled with cheats. Certainly there are some,but riddled is just your way of undermining my argument. As for your comment about House. Clearly House has upset some because of his vocal support of the enforcement of the rules which maintain integrity.

Credit to Tim Williams. He used his initiative to get around the field when the pace was slow,while others sat and waited. $14 for an all star horse that had trialed up really well was the only surprise.

While the article is sad,your questioning Smolenski's motivation is just as sad. No doubt your no fan of house as well. You,and others with similar views need to come to grips with reality.

Do you think they should have a referendum on ecstacy(mdma) as well? What about p? Most people that go to the local nightclubs are on it(mdma),so everyone tells me.

I don't mind the colour as easier to see.I see the pending bets are now available to look at.

Anyone know how to see what pending bets you have running. Only the win/place seem to be available. Is this just another basic thing they have got wrong?

I see they have changed this a bit. One positive is the 'a' has been changed. It used to look almost exactly like an "o". To some this may not be a big deal,but to me its progress.

You criticise someone for what you say is personal criticism,then you go and do exactly that yourself. If you had referred to my wifes looks as suggested in your example,i would know it was personal as i know it not to be true. But the proof you were wrong would be there for anyone to see,so i wouldn't waste my time reacting to you. If you did refer to me or my wife as a thief,then i would know you to have an ulterior motive to the lie,i would then be your enemy,and i would make a point of holding onto the contempt i had for you..Some say let it be,i say sometimes you have to embrace the hate as that is what is deserved. But back aveross spitfire,i think it has improved since Brodies has started posting. And each time it runs it adds a bit of interest to the race it is in. I say go aveross spitfire,but i'm not holding my breath.

While i don't agree with the brodsters view on aveross spitfire being retired simply because it has poor record,i think his comments express a view that some might have ,and i find them entertaining. Some might take it as a personal attack on its connections,i don't believe that to be the case. I don't see a problem in someone saying what they think,if they don't intend to make it personal. How others construe things is really up to them. Having said that i understand that making honest observations will result in negativity towards the poster,but no one should be influenced by that.

Part of the reason Mcgrath has so much support is because he would never sell anyone out. Always thought mcgrath would be the type of bloke you would want fighting alongside you in a war. I do wonder if the "i will go to the media if you(hrnz) don't back me when i appear in court'' approach has been used before. Certainly not a south island approach,but would be,or maybe has been an effective approach.

Like i said hunter,i know your a fan of hers. You say i'm bagging her. Can't i state my view on the way someone drives without someone taking offence? Manipulating someones views on something into portraying those views as being a personal attack is often the way its played by those taking offence,or those in the media. Focus on what i said,not what you make out i said.. If saying tactically a couple of drivers get it wrong a bit is enough to take offence,then those people are going to be upset a lot. Like i said hunter,you've got the wrong person. I tell you that again so you don't go undermining the wrong person.

I know it was kerryn that drove mordecai. I assumed hunter was asking about the other part of my first post where he asked me who i was referring to.,which was her sister. I prefer these sunday meetings over the fridays to bet on and to watch..It was only a couple of sundays ago that the race with horses north of somewhere,and south of somewhere had a win pool much higher than all other recent races. From what i read of the article that b lichter wrote about turnovers for the first few meetings,there did not seem much difference in a friday and sunday turnover per race. I really don't think it bothers punters/enthusiasts much whether it is high class racing,or lower class. Some punters/enthusiasts like one and just as many like the other. The novelty waning aspect of racing is just as applicable to any other sport that has returned.

I agree,i think the lead was clearly there,but i was saying the driver of mordecai simply hadn't cottoned on to that. Ben Hope has become rather one dimensional when it comes to nearly always handing up the lead,and as a result often finds himself being taken on for the lead by horses that he probably doesn't want to trail.He sometimes goes too slow when in front as well.Having said that I'm sure he knows the form. I also think he is a very good driver of trotters. At least his results indicate that,which suggests the criticism he gets for being a bit active in the cart,is more about looks than results,as his results are pretty good. S Tomlinson is the driver who i was referring to. I know she is one of your favorites,and there is no denying horses run for her,its just i think tactically she gets it wrong a bit. Ellie Barron is another driver i think not too good tactically ,its against my religion to back her,yet she too can get a horse to run. I think the likes of M Hurrell,j morrison,ben hope are my favorite junior drivers. I think the likes of s thornley is an up and comer if he gets the oppurtunites. Everyone has their favorites,thats just my opinion.

Do you think the driver of the horse parked was awake to that? It might have seemed obvious to you,and probably most watching and driving,but quite simply some drivers are more switched on tactically than others,and that's just the way it is. I actually backed the horse sitting parked for a place,and wasn't surprised at all. Besides i would rather be on one that is parked than one 4 back the fence . There are also some drivers who when they end up parked always have a go for the lead,even though you know the horse in front will not give it up. I can think of one driver that does that,but the same driver 95% of the time never pulls off the fence if they end up there early. And that person gets a lot of drives and drives a lot of winners. It really just comes down to the punters state of mind at the time as to whether they get annoyed,and how much they have on.

Whatever Luella was whispering in johnny cox's ear he seemed to take offence too. It looked like the couple of head butts Luella got from johnny cox put it off her game,so maybe it can be forgiven for that run.I guess we will know next time.

Geraldine does have 2 meetings,and there is a huge difference in the crowd size. I have just pointed out the obvious reasons for that. Personally i think waimate people supported their race meeting in greater numbers than did geraldine. Much of Geraldines crowd came from places like Timaru. Perhaps if someone from HRNZ could tell everyone what amount of industry funds were being saved by doing away with these once and twice a year clubs,and where those funds are to be redirected, then we may be able to make a more informed judgment call either way. The reference to trials and workouts. i'm not sure your presumption that geraldine would not want them,or be able to run them is correct. My comment was in relation to Mr Markham saying the methven track would not be able to cope with the extra trials and workouts.I was giving options which need to be considered. Ashburton and timaru grass tracks are just as good as the others.Just a suggestion,but probably wouldn't fly as the gallops people at those tracks unlikely to work in with the harness clubs. I remember the days of the ashburton trots on the grass,and the huge crowds they used to get. My other point about whether tracks like geraldine promote local participation outside of racedays i think is very relevant. The use of the geraldine track for training by some was prevented by those running it for quite some time. Maybe that had nothing to do with it,maybe it did,can't have helped.

I actually agree that the penalty was a bit too harsh. But whether he would have it reduced if he chooses to appeal the sentence i guess is open to debate. Tell me,do you think he did this type of pre race activity often,or do you think it was a one off and he just decided to do it at a time when he must have known he was under close scrutiny?

Maybe you should have told all those caught in the USA about that. Obviously those cheaters not up with the play like you are.. Were they sitting on the JCA that decided the penalty?

Agreed,and from a viewing point of view the public were able to get close to the horses,it had greater atmosphere than a lot of tracks because of that.Also there is a tranquility about Orari which most tracks don't have.

I know you love geraldine happy,but part of the reason it has such a successful day in late november is because it has a prime date and is part of the xmas at the races promotion. Why can't workouts and trials still be run at this track?To say they can't seems a bit premature. Has anyone making those comments asked the group that runs the racecourse? No doubt they would want to receive income,now that their income has been reduced due to the loss of the race meetings.. Why can't Trotting clubs use the grass tracks at the likes of ashburton and timaru. Other clubs like oamaru do. Is it because the galloping codes at those tracks are not interested in working together with harness?Isn't it about time those clubs did. Some of these smaller racecourses actually are run like a privileged few's private track.As to geraldine,trainers may have access to the use of the track now,but go back 3 years and you will find that for quite some time many were not allowed access to train horses there,and they kept the track locked. That actually got a bit of local media coverage. Not saying that the trotting club had any input in that,but that is how it was run,and how many of these smaller tracks are still run.

Gee,half the races today only have 2 dividends,with 3 races only having 5 starters. Is that karma for the club who gave preference to the cole kennel over the locals? I guess it just highlights what happens when you have one kennel providing so many of the starters.

Not RIU biased. I have been critical of the RIU for a long time for the lip service they paid to those who said they didn't do enough to detect the use of performance enhancers. Even on multiple occasions i had posted asking why they didn't use surveillance to gather evidence of wrongdoing,as they do in australia. I'm consistent,even if i do annoy some. The dope smoking comment? Beats me what i would have to do with that. .Your loyal to mcgrath,loyalty is a good quality,i'll give you that. 8 years for" no evidence of any wrong doing". I think your take lacks a bit of perspective. If you look at what Jeff gural,meadowlands owner,is saying about the big scandel in america regarding the use of performance enhancers.He's saying testing is not the most effective way to gather evidence of illegal activity.He says it must be done in conjunction with Surveillance,wire taps,using private investigators,working with federal authorities etc. Thats the way of the future if you want o catch those that cheat. He should know as he has been a crusader on this topic for years.Thats my final comment on this topic.

I didn't say cheating is widespread. You refer to the current testing regime not being effective. I agree,which is why i believe covert surveillance is a tool that should be used by the RIU more,in circumstances where it is the most effective way of gaining evidence of wrongdoing. The Mcgrath case is an example of that method being successful. Any unbiased person should see that.

You said alleged,i responded by saying he was found guilty,now you say there is a difference between pleading guilty and being found guilty.Either way its semantics,its not alleged as you claimed. You say he could have defended that charge,but then say that he would have got off in the courts,but not the racing jurisdiction because of the lesser burden of proof. Well that may be true,but the charges were laid in the racing jurisdiction,so that's no doubt why he pleaded guilty. You say members of the RIU uncovering activity is harassment. Is that what you call it? And here was i thinking it meant they were actually doing their job. You say most of the harness racing world have had a gutsful of someone doing things like hiding in the bushes. I say the reason many have had a gutsful is because it has exposed what some get up to. Have you ever considered that many have had a gutsful of competing against other trainers who they think have an illegal advantage over them. Have you ever thought that some trainers resort to pre race treatments because of that very reason? Have you ever thought that uncovering illegal activity is a good thing. Have you ever thought that many have had a gutsful of listening to people focus on how someone was exposed,as if they were the guilty party,all the while defending the person who has been charged. Can't people see that is wrong. You say his behaviour was in response to the harassment. Here was i thinking it was because he didn't want them to take possession of what he was about to give his horses. Some say the RIU should have waited and caught him in the act,well the reality is either way he faced very serious charges as a result of not co operating. You refer to TCO2 testing. Come on. seriously. Do you really think everyone who pre race drenchs a horse with performance enhancers is going to get a tc02 level above the legal limit. I do agree that the resources put into tco2 testing is far too much given the lack of results. I do agree with you that a lot of stables would have tubing equipment close to horses in training. Then again some trainers would not.