the galah

You obviously are a thinking punter who invests based on their own knowledge. The TAB seem to use the whale to cater to the casual punter who has no knowledge,so in some ways the TAB is dumbing down its audience and showing they consider the casual punter of more importance. Which type is more likely to return as a consistent customer? I'm not a mick guerin fan He insulted the unvaccinated and gave them a lecture on how they were bad people,and how ,because of their choice,they deserved no consideration or respect. I just switch channels when he has any input.always will. The other trackside presenters i have no problem with as they are just doing what they are asked to do. They are generally easy to listen to, although i don't take much notice myself either.Presenting wall to wall racing from who knows where means they have to be a bit robotic most times. Thats why the channel 83 that they had been showing was such a point of difference for harness racing.Its format reconnected the viewer with the product in a way trackside never will.I like it that jason teaz has the knowledge to tell us steve clarke is good at getting any horse away from a stand,that teaz helped matt purvis get hold of victor bravo,tells us when chris butt drove his last winner,etc,etc ... I also like the way they go through each horse pre race,video replays of previous wins,replay of last half of race again after dividends,etc,etc. On the main trackside channels half the field never get a mention.If you have one of those horses,theres no connection for relations,or work mates,or friends who have tuned in to watch. No excitement watching the recording to see what is said about the horse you spend a good part of your week attending to.

Another good nights viewing tonight. I look forward to it returning again soon.

There is so much history there. Wouldn't it be great to have some entertainment between races from someone knowledgeable talking from the commentators box discussing historical events which have helped shaped the local community and their landmarks.Kapa haka groups,punters with losing tickets going into draws to be invited to a hangi,.Sponsors you would think could easily be encouraged to give a bit more to have their names associated with races appropriately named in conjunction with local groups,with the extra sponsorship going to provide assistance to the groups supporting the days expenses thus encouraging participation. Would make the racing day more interesting.Dreams are free i suppose.

The biggest problem i have with him is he influences the dividends so much.As brodie and nowornever have said,he often tips hot favorites,but when he doesn't he always cuts the price in half. Its not his fault that he appears to have such a following.Its hard to work out whether hes good or bad for turnover as he encourages many to bet while at the same time discouraging many.You either love him or you just mute him. We do have channel 83 for the moment..

Actually i've been thinking there are many ways they could have promoted the day with the involvement of the local community,but it would have taken a bit of organising,and in reality would the local maori community be motivated enough to make a race meeting the centre stage for promoting their culture and local history? Who knows. But there has to be some type of substance behind it. Personally i think the increased use of the maori language being promoted by the media and the government is partly just tokenism. Call me cynical,but its just one of the many things the "we know best" woke crowd that are starting to run things are promting now days,and when you look at what else they promote it just turns many off.

Do you actually believe it when you say "have at least a race named around matariki and make the day special". Can you explain how that works?

6 months ago st john reported they had stood down 314 paid and volunteer staff due to the vaccine mandates. 20 full time and 59 volunteers(ambulance),plus 6 paid and 229 volunteer non-patient facing.So just look to the government for who helped create part of the problem.

Do you know what the betting figures on the amateur races are in comparison with other races?They used to say they held up pretty good in comparison.So,if you are worried about turnover dropping,then you should be encouraging them to run these races,especiallu given they got good support from trainers.Its up to you whether you participate betting wise. I guess whether you like them or not depends on whether you can back the right one.Thats not as easy as picking the best horse,thats for sure.You do have to factor in the drivers.But this weeks series has the best amateurs in nz driving,so each of them should be able to give their horse its chance. The non win trots i think are probably the races i have the most success on. I didn't used to like them,but nowdays find them the easiest races to select. I guess the reason for that is there is a greater gap in current performance from each of those in the fields. Finding value is getting more difficult these days.I don't bet on every race as much now days. The races i always give a miss are the races where the whale tips one the same as i select. I personally don't get why he has such a following,as anything he tips pays well under what it should. He does know his stuff,but backing a horse paying $3 when it deserves to be paying double that makes no sense. When i hear the trackside presenters continually giving him big wraps,i just think they are just blowing hot air. Thats one of the reasons i much prefer marc cookson to the whale. He knows just as much and no one over hypes him.

Last week dr bloomfield said only 20% of patients in hospital with severe respiratory symptoms had covid,and over half had the flu. So half is more than a third,but who knows what they are saying today as they have always manipulated figures to paint the worst case scenario. While i don't normally listen to talk back radio,when i was channel surfing tonight on the way home,they were talking about the nurses and doctors who are still, even today, losing there jobs,this time because they hadn't taken the booster within 6 months of receiving their previous jab. All at a time when they complain about nurses and doctor shortages. Just another example of a crisis created by the current government.

I see Adern today pleading for people to get the Influenza jab and to wear masks to take the pressure off the health system. Given just last week we had dr bloomfield tell us we had more than double the number of people in hospital with severe respiratory problems from the flu than covid,shouldn't we be asking why the inconsistency in the government approach. Surely if they still believe they were right to sack all the employees who hadn't taken the covid vaccine in workplaces like the health sector,then why not sack all the employees who haven't taken the flu jab. Clearly,as predicted by many,the flu is more of an issue than covid. Either adrens government aren't doing the right thing now,or,they have come to realise they were wrong about the covid mandates. Isn't that the only logical way to view it?They clearly have two contradictory policies for the same problem.

Obviously an error of judgment.But what difference does or should it make? Motive,or lack of isn't required to prove the charge. That may have some relevance when it comes to penalty if the person concerned had a history of similar drives. I don't think i have a bias. Not sure who you think i am defending. I'm just judging it on its merits in my opinion.

Maybe instead of the photo's,just stick up a video of the horses last 4 runs. The 3 winning ones and the one where he went to the rail,instead of taking the option of getting a clear run,and most likely winning . The charge was did he take all reasonable measures,and it looked a no brainer to me.Thats no doubt why he admitted it. No one was saying he wasn't trying,just he made an unusually poor tactical decision ,especially by his standards. You in an earlier post on the inca cases suggested the stipes should have been the ones who had properly policed any driving that looked questionable.At least thats what i thought you said. And i agreed had they done so there would never have been an operation inca. To me this article just totally misses the point.

Im genderfluid tomorrow and will be using the pronouns she,her and hers when i visit the changing rooms at the netball.Thanks for asking. Yes,you have to wonder when you hear of people still getting more jabs after having 3 jabs and then catching covid. Obviously they have forgotten about natural immunity as well. Don't suppose you will be attending the celebrations in a couple of weeks. There will be some interesting sights if you do. The council is flying the flags,and even painting zebra crossings. I like a bit of colour.

No doubt those in charge have seen that ,and are working on a 5th and 6th shot.

given the endless adds we continue to see and hear,it makes you wonder how much they have received from the government. The media pretty much were in boots and all on the government message,without any encouragement anyway. Even the nz media is heading down the woke path,and pushing the message that the current generation somehow have more righteous values and beliefs than any previous generation.Its all about indoctrination through the education system.They have been very effective in achieving that,and it will only get worse as more like minded woke types get embedded in the system. Today theres a news article on the internet relating to two recently advised dog positives to meth in aotearoa greyhound racing. There is a link which talks about another story involving aotearoa greyhound racing. I just checked and its still called nz greyhound racing. I suppose its just the person writing the article,but the push to use the maori name for everything continues to accelerate. Last week i read the headline in a local newspaper. Seems the main story for that district that day was the announcement that the provincial rugby team would wear jerseys with the "pride logo" on. Seems there has been a big push by nz rugby to promote the message of inclusion.So its not just the labour government,its institutions like nz rugby which have already gone woke. Thats nz today,give it another 5 years and we will see an explosion in people identifying as gender fluent. I was talking to someone this week who goes to a local mental health group each week and they told me 2 new people attended who had recently come out as being transgender. Just look at soap operas nowdays,

and brodie is right when he says influenza is more of an issue. to quote our dr bloomfield today....."'interestingly,currently of those people who are admitted at the moment to hospital with what we call SARI,severe acute respiratory infection,only20% have got covid. Well over half have got influenza,and its the influenza type that is rampant out in the community" In reality its just what they have been saying in the uk for months. So, instead of our government admitting the flu is currently more of a concern than covid,this government strategy is to hype up the risks of influenza. So they are encouraging everyone to go out and get their flu shot,and while they are there they can book in the 4th covid jab,which has just been made available.

Covid has warranted at times extreme government action,but the extreme approach hasn't been watered down as the threat became less of an issue. The failure to recognise that and the manner in which they have encouraged a lack of respect for one another ,no matter what ones opinion,and the continued emphasis on promoting fear,well its something that is just so very sad. Another thing that has surprised me is how many people have had closed minds. Its as if once they have made up their minds,thats the way it is,irrespective of whether the data has changed. I personally haven't taken the vaccine,and from what i've seen,i believe i have made the right decision. But i also recognise that those that have taken the vaccine have done so in good faith and with the belief they are doing the right thing. So good on them for doing so as well. Just as i thought we should respect an individuals choice to not take the vaccine,we should also respect an individuals choice to wear facemasks whenever and where ever they think appropriate.People obviously wear them because they believe it is an extra layer of protection,so everyone must respect that choice.Thats the massage i believe we should have been getting from our government throughout the last couple of years.

At least you got to go in the store. There was a time,not that long ago,when only vaccinated people would be served in many places,and those who chose to not take the vaccine based on their own personalised health issues,were treated just like you experienced. Then you have all the people who lost their jobs based on their vaccine status,that every day live with those consequences. The message we are still getting with the endless adds on all media is one of fear and discrimination.So in some ways,its to be expected. Whats the difference in what you experienced?Both are wrong,but thats the world we live in.

I have just read the news from a district where some family live. And after reading the main stories,it just confirmed why we think the government is run by imbeciles. It seems their firefighters no longer have the staff to keep things running,with some contiunually working 80 hour weeks. As to be expected,they are getting well and truely tired of doing that. Then the other headline is the hospital ward of what is one of the biggest rest homes in the district has been closed for 6 months because of the very same reason. No longer enough staff,and those that they had are totally burnt out. So that means most likely 29 residents will have to be moved out of the area away from family,,as there was already a shortage of beds. It seems they will take 6 months to recruit new staff,in other words get them from india or the phillipines. Now the government imposed the vaccine mandate rule that has seen large numbers leave those work forces,and the carnage they have created effecting so many as a result,all to make people take a vaccine that never stops anyone from getting it anyway.

Paul gallagher used to train and sometimes drive hi foyle,not that i ever saw that myself. I was speaking to paul one day and he told me a story that i may have told previously, not sure,but its worth repeating and its a true story. He told me about the day a horse he trained managed to be first past the post at hawera, while still wearing its blue cover. I have seen the photo. It finished a neck in front, apparently coming with a fast finish through the centre. Now your probably thinking how did that happen? Well paul told me he had a small team competing at the hawera meeting and after one of them had raced he put it in a paddock near the bend out of the straight,where other horses were also in paddocks. Then he went and saw some friends and together they watched the next race.Well as they went down the back straight the last time a friend yelled out,look theres a horse following the field. Well paul said he looked ,and to his dismay,he saw the horse had a blue cover on. He immediately knew it was his as he had recently bought his horse a cover,and unlike everyone elses who had green covers,it was blue.He realised it must have jumped the fence where he had put it. So the horse came through the field and crossed the line a neck in front of the rest. As i said,i have seen the photo,which was published in the newspaper.. Another story was one told to me by my uncle.He had worked for pauls father who was a top trainer going back a few decades. Anyway,they often started horses twice in a day back then. The horse in question,broke and took no part in its first run on the day,so p gallagher senior didn't bother following the field round given he was so far back,and just waited at the top of the straight, then when the field went past on its final lap just followed them to the finish. Well the owner came round after the race and told everyone what a wonderful race his horse had run as it had made up so much ground after being miles behind them after the start.Apparently no one said anything to the owner,and just thought it very funny. Well low and behold,the horse came out and won at its second run on the day,paying a decent dividend,and the owner came round after and gave out slings as he had punted it and couldn't see it beaten after its earlier run.

brodie,i know its off subject,but just wondering if you have had covid yet?I assume you are still unvaccinated. It seems virtually everyone i know who took the vaccine has had it. I met someone at the weekend who was unvaccinated who told me his whole family was unvaccinated and none had covid yet. A bit like us.

So you didn't get that i was talking about 2 different events?Obviously not. We are going in a bit of a circle again around this topic. Those who see things as you do sort of wear down those expressing opposing views to the point you create an environment where the only ones happy to engage in discussion are those who agree with you. So it then all becomes an echo chamber,which then leads your supporters to think they are right and in the majority, which leads to them telling those they support that they are always in the right and are being persecuted. Then that in reality leads to extreme pressure being placed on those who have to deal with authorities as they deal with a sense of injustice,real or not,and understandably that leads to some struggling to cope with that pressure. All the while you make out you've got their backs,but its them under the pump. When real injustice is there,and it is sometimes,because you've helped create the them and us environment ,does it limit the chances either side will compromise or back down a little even if they recognise things aren't what they say or what they thought they were? The question i think you should give some thought is,no matter how well intentioned you are,have you helped or hindered those who you support? And do you sometimes deny things even if you think they are true? Also ask yourself,which of us frustrates the other more when we get into topics like this? Who knows.I think both of us are pretty thick skinned anyway.

Who knows. i also know of one small time trainer who was questioned as to what,if anything he knew,months after his horse had won. He knew nothing and was surprised he was part of an investigation.I just had a look at the video,and the 2nd horse should have won had its driver been serious about asking it for an effort in the straight. That was 20 years ago. Like i have said,that was then and prior,now's different. But the point is you need proper and adequate enforcement to discourage even the thought of such activity. Where i think there is disagreement ,depending on what side of the argument you support,is what the definition of proper and adequate enforcement is,and who is the appropriate body to take such action.

Well you must be able to guess that one if you've been around harness racing. I'm not going to give a name.The previous race he drove another hot favorite,which took no part. Just before i went to give him the colours the owner of that horse went into the stall with the horse,its trainer and the driver and asked what happened. All he got was laughter while he repeared his question a couple of times. He walked back out,shaking his at and said to me its a waste of time if you want to get any sense out of them.It was at a time it was well known that drivers wives had a syndicate that struck some pick 6"s. Thats why i continue to say harness racing today is more honest than its ever been.And part of the reason is enforcement.

We often listened to 3zb as the canterbury races were broadcast through there. Racing had a high profile,and the only time they delayed a broadcast was if the news was on or an important part of a shield game.One of the announcers at our local radio station used to give precedence to a race call over the news sometimes. The late 70's and 80's were a great era to be young and a lot of the focus if you were young was on sport,and harness racing in the south island was a big part of that. Talking about saturday radio covering sport,i remember driving to addington one saturday afternoon listening to ken anderson on 3zb give his normal outstanding,colourful coverage of a ranfurly shield game. I remember him saying how dark it had become on a wet afternoon,then a couple of seconds later the canterbury 1st five put up a high ball,and anderson described how as the opposing fullback waited to catch the ball, he had one eye on something coming towards him",its victor simpson,the outstanding Maori centre,with only the whites of his eyes visible,and oh he's dropped it,and who wouldn't drop the ball if they saw that coming at them." He had a way with words.Everyone loved it ,but now days he wouldn't be able to say stuff like that. But back to harness racing,for it to attract new customers,it needs to firstly somehow have those new customers experience what it has to offer. Personally i've always believed that the focus on attracting younger customers has been a strategy doomed to failure.History also shows that. We aren't australia. I've always believed any business should analyse who their current customers are,and then use that information to expand the numbers, by using their resources to target like minded,like circumstanced people.Thats what makes sense to me. Whats the point in focusing on trying to attract people under 35 who don't have the financial means to support an interest in racing.The best way to get initial exposure to that group,and their children is to encourage their parents or grandparents who you have attracted,to make racing a family event. Thats part of the reason why grass track racing has such an important place.They are places for extended families to attend. If resources are somehow to be used to focus on young people, harness racing needs to works its way into receiving exposure in the education system. Not just one off visits. For example say approach schools,organise with each of them visits to individually chosen stables,and vice versa and make it say a 2 monthly thing,and as a sweetener for participation in the programme from the school,it is receive from sponsors,or a horse's owner or a driver part of a selected horse/drivers purse which would go to a fund raiser to support some type of worthy school project. Access be given to pupils to any websites,and emails obtained from pupils so regular updates can be sent to them on the horse or driver who is representing the schools progress. Stuff like that.