the galah

One thing john dunn does do is normally put them in the race.Same as blair orange . They move at the right time 98% of the time,and if they aren't good enough they don't knock them about. So few drivers do that on a consistent basis,even when on the better horses. Take the race just run at nelson. You had the favourite ,anamajor,,sitting at the back,over racing on an average speed, following a horse who was never going to move,then pulls out 200m out 10 lengths off the leaders. All the punter wants is for the driver to drive to the horses ability,not wait for another day. Having watched a lot of races in the last 12 months,i now believe you get a far better run for your money from southland drivers than anywhere else in nz. That's apart from mr mcclennan of course.

That's what you get when there are race fixing allegations before the courts involving those concerned.. Punters,rightly or wrongly,lose trust. Totally understandable.

Punters did their money cold on this one today before the race had even started. Was red hot favourite. Fancy letting a horse start who had fallen onto the track pre start. When a horse falls to the track before it starts they never perform at their best. As a side issue. How many times do you see horses galloping when the mobile goes too slow. Lots lately.

I noticed in the first 2 races yesterday Gavin smith steered his horses completely off the track when they got tired,out of others way. I don't thinki have seen that done before apart from when the stipes asked the question of him at addington recently. If this is the new trend it looks like the trots will look like those steeplechase racees where the jockeys take them out of the race if they are tired. I just wonder what the point of driving like that is. He really wasn't holding anyone up,and besides even if he was then would he do the same if he had a stablemate up front. I see he got 5 days suspension for another matter relating to one of those drives.I wonder what the trainers instructions were for that first starter? Personally I understand that suspension,but the other bit of his driving i have referred to I think was more of a worry,(except if you were connected with the horse in question)..

While ive worked out how to put different type of bets on it has many flaws and really is slow and tedious. Unless it improves a lot I can see it turning off punters. From those ive spoken too,they have nothing but negative comments. Maybe it is time to go elsewhere. Anyone know if the overseas agencies have websites that aren't as irritating? For the last 20 minutes I have been searching my bets for today to see what i collected on a particular race. The website seems frozen,and the previous 10 times ive looked through my bets I haven't found the one im looking for. It appears to have vanished,but I know it was there earlier in day.

I have worked out the phone betting banker quinella problem where it cuts you off. Apparently has the same problem on the website. I had previously rung the tab complaining about it several times over the last 2 years,however someone I know has discovered what the problem is after giving up the the website in frustration and going back to phone betting. It seems if you have more than 1 runner as a banker in your quinella the system cant handle it and cuts you off. If you have only 1 banker it will take it. Very poor indeed

I here that ape got so high he wandered into a minefield He's now called a baboom...

maybe its just me.,but if it was simple I would have worked it out. I dont know what I was doing wrong. The tab service is poor though. I tried to place on phonebet a multi banker quinella on the race just gone on 3 horses,banking the first 2 home. The same thing happened that happened when I tried the same phone betting option earlier today. It said there is a problem and just hung up.

Given up for today. Just not worth the hassle. Wouldn't let me put on my 5 horse multi,only seemed to want to accept 4. Spent 15 minutes trying to work it out.. The help part does not seem to respond.My selections have been going ok,just a shame. I still hate the colours.what was wrong with the white background? It makes the betting process very frustrating. Morons at the tab for not properly informing people how it works before the changes came in.

trying to work out how to put an each way bet on. I have worked it out now,but to me its not as simple as previously.I had planned to take a quaddie on race 2,but it was not shown as an option on the website . It showed the pool,but didn't have it as a betting option,at least not on the race 2 options that were above the race. Thanks

I agree. I tried the help desk several times in the last couple of days but have never got to speak to anyone. I had just got used to betting on line,but cant work out how to put a bet on under the current set up. ITs a total joke. I then tried on the phone betting for race 1 only for it to say there is a problem and it just hung up on me.

What do people think of the new website that appears when you go online to have a bet. Personally im not impressed and actually find if rather annoying that they have complicated what used to be an easy enough process of putting a bet on and gathering information.. The colour is also off putting. The emphasis on displaying sports betting is not good for me either as I have never had a sports bet,never will. Every now and again I may spend a few dollars on the aussie dogs, I have a bet on the lower grade meetings at certain tracks if there is nothing on tv. Well while I was successful in my first 3 bets,i just found the website so off putting with its colour and the steps needed to get to certain information I just gave up . To me it just makes the betting process a bit more tedious and complicated.

Really should have won. Having watched a lot of races recently, like you all, I am getting used to having a $ or two on horses who don't seem to get the right run,even when the gaps are there. Alvira hest just another example. I see the stipes report mentions the fact the driver angled out when the head on showed a gap big enough for two horses on the pylons where he just was. They accepted his explanation that he decided not to disrupt his horses momentum,although that is exactly what he did while he looked for a run out wider. Just another day at the office,another what might have been.

oh well,just another replay of about its last 15 starts. Doesn't matter whether its the owner trainer or g smith,always directed to 5 back the fence full of running,and seems to find the only horses going back from the 400m to follow. That was by far the weakest field it has run in for a couple of years. I think I will give up on this one as the bus has left

I too like diana harbour,maybe cliden clowrs the quinella. Todays the day

Pay the believers

I agree with you on that. Drivers have a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to ensure their drives get the best opportunity. Given the horse in question was known to have shown sufficient ability to be driven in a positive way combined with the tote support meant the question regarding tactics should have been asked. I don't however think that should have lead to any penalty,as poor judgment calls by drivers happen a lot. I don't think any of us really think Thornley is dishonest.

I think the stipes probably thought Thornley was trying and just gave a very poor tactical drive. I think they are probably right. It was just a dumb drive and normally he does better,and the person who put $4500 on just over estimated Thornley as well as the horse.

Yes it would be much better off in Australia,as runs like that take a toll on the body. It may already be too late after yesterday.. Whenever they run such fast times it always sets it up for an all star runner .They always get a second wind when others are gasping.

That was matt Anderson on queen bee bardon .certainly driven very hard. I guess that's what happens when you run in those races. Would not surprise if that has long term effects on the horses future performances. time will tell.

No doubt he would have if it had not been a dunn runner. You would think his job is to look after his horses interests,not someone elses no matter whether it is your mate or not.

Why did matt Anderson not go around the horse that broke in front of it in the false start. One of those things you wonder what he is thinking. Obviously wanted the false start.

I thought the fellow moving up in the parked position was rather surprised as well,he gave him plenty of time to come out .

Just there for a run maybe,at least that's what it looked like,certainly driven that way.. Trainer did say the $2 was a bit short,but irrespective of that sitting 4 back the fence on an average speed would be an average drive on any horse that had half a chance. They cant think its much good.

Mick Guerin did mention before the race that they had taken the half hopples off him and it could be a bit risky early. Shame about the early gallop. A bit like my wife telling me before the race that she thought it strange they had taken the blinds off the green 2yo, that eventually proved so costly. If only I had listened.