the galah

What an amazing turnaround in form. The first ever runner from the T Dewe stable after moving there in the last couple of weeks. 17 prior starts for the A Hunter barn,for 3 minor placings in the lower grade of the non win races. Always very one paced. Today it seemed off its tree pre start,then comes out and runs 2.54 for 2400,and as the trackside presenter noted,looked like it wanted to do another lap as it took off again after the finish.

Doesn't seem so does it. You could try the help desk.I did recently but no help whatsoever to even a basic question.

I agree the chief sometimes twists things to promote his own of point of view and that can be a bit frustrating but have never felt anything he has said should discourage anyone with an opposite point of view from posting. You are so way off when you come to your comments about the other sites history with several posters on here.They have moderated and banned many simply for having opinions different from theirs. The worst thing they have done is give the personal details of who is posting under a non de plume to their mates who then make personal attacks.This site lets us express what we think,with no fear of the retribution you used to get on the other site.

Thats the point isn't it brodie. The last census in NZ in 2018 said only 4% of the population could hold a conversation in Maori,up 1% from the previous census. Whereas 90% can in english. The whole point of having language is to be able to communicate with someone. Today they kept playing maori songs on trackside,so i just turned it off.Whats the point in that stuff when over 95% of the population can't understand a word being said. Even if they reach their goal in 2040 of one in 6 being able to hold a basic conversation,that would still mean 83% of the population won't be able to. I have heard many times people say the same thing. Its an issue polarising and dividing people where there was none before. Its what the labour government is best at doing.

I believe the answer for addington is to run races with a decent $30,000 stake for the ones you can't attract because of the reasons discussed. For example run a couple of races every few weeks that excludes horses trained by trainers with a udr rate of over say 2.6,or trainers who train no more than say 25 horses or both..Something along those lines. To qualify they would simply have had to run in races anywhere in a certain time frame.Make them over 2600m.If the numbers are decent,run heats/final with the heats being penalty bearing. The winter rewards type races worked. Why doesn't addington give the smaller trainers something to aim at. Don't they run gallops over at randwick they call highway races,where the country comes to town,which excludes the bigger trainers. They are very successful.

I don't think the people who no longer breed their mares would be able to afford buying the best as you put it. So not a realistic answer.

Where we disagree is where you say "apart from a very small minority new zealanders have embraced the change".I would say a more accurate description is those with the loudest voices are driving change. So the wheel may have turned,but in reality has it? If you want the next generation to behave,think,talk as you think they should, then you do so by creating an education system that teaches them in a way to result in them believing what you want them to believe. History shows that. Those pushing agendas like how to defines ones sex,what is racist what is not,whether opportunity should be based more on things such as race or gender over merotocracy, etc are driving what is taught in schools. Maori language is part of their agenda.You say its a good thing,i say be careful what you wish for. And where does pasifika speakers come into the equation. Just under 10% of new zealanders are from pacific nations,yet they say only about 37% can speak their own language.Why does the maori language trump that when it comes to their education? When you refer to racists,a word i believe used to slur people far too easily,you seem to be coming from one side of the argument. But of course they exist on both sides.

Thats like saying its a good thing the industry now has only half the number of trainers there were 25 years ago,because the best ones still train.

I get that Maori language is an important part of Maori identity and culture and that it gives those with maori heritage a sense of connection and pride around their heritage. I fully understand that all maori should be encouraged to pursue that. What i don't get is how maori language has been allowed to become part of a much larger agenda by those outside maoridom that believe to be seen as inclusive and caring,you have to have certain attributes and knowledge,maori language being one of those. People should learn it if they want,but those teaching and informing us of what its really like to be maori and the significance of their language and their culture should have a close connection to knowing what it means to be maori. Ask yourself this. If in 15 years time the government reaches its target of having 1 million new zealanders being able to speak maori and knowing all things maori,are you going to be happy having the asian professor teaching your grandchildren everything about maori culture and language,the english opera singer singing the maori national anthem at the start of a rugby test,the american tour guide telling the tourists about the significance of the rotorua tourist attractions or visiting the site of some of the maori wars and talking about the history. Because to me that is where you may be heading. Having a pakeha talk on the news or on trackside as if they somehow have a sense of what being maori i find to be unauthentic and to a degree patronising.. It feels fake to me. I never commented on the correct pronunciation did i. I commented on you saying someone should be barred or moderated because they had a view that you interpret to be racist.That you somehow think you can tell from a couple of sentences that its ok to slur someone with that.

No surprise to see them win.If you go through the records of the last 4 months you would see the Telfers would have won about 60%,probably higher, of the races they have entered horses in. When they have runners that get beaten its normally in a race where they have provided the winner anyway. Their strike rate recently is similar to what the all stars would have been at their peak. Realistically, if they maintain that dominance and the all stars runners return to their peak,then you will only see a couple of other stables entering horses in races in which they enter. The times they run just kicks the heads in of the others normally. Last night you had aardies express win so easily in a 1.54 mile rate,while the rest,including a couple of handy horses were spread out like browns cows. You hear them on trackside wondering why trainers and owners don't line up at addington where they have the better stakes. Its so obvious people don't want to be the person that just makes up the numbers for the sake of a few $,and wouldn't put their pride and joys through the experience of watching other horses disappear into the distance . Watching good horses win is nice,but lets be honest and acknowledge the gap between the high achievers and the rest is huge, insurmountable in fact. People know that. Its a significant reason why people don't breed anymore,its a significant reason why they don't train or race anymore,and its a significant reason why,if they are still going, they sell their horses overseas.

I see this horse finished the length of the straight last ,down to a walk and a vet check found nothing wrong with the horse. Earned $1000 yet Couldn't even run qualifying time. It went almost 20 seconds slower than the winner. Whats the point in having to pay someone $1000 in stakemoney so as to get them to run in a race where their horse is made to look hopeless?

I see this horse finished the length of the straight last ,down to a walk and a vet check found nothing wrong with the horse. Earned $1000 yet Couldn't even run qualifying time. Whats the point of having to pay someone $1000 in stakemoney to get them to run in a race where their horse is made to look hopeless?

Calling someone racist because they say they prefer to hear a presenter on trackside talk in a language they understand instead of one they don't,is such an over the top comment. Suggesting his comments should have been moderated or blocked i think the stupidest thing i have ever read on here.

Thats one possibilty,but would that work? Southland put more money into the non win races,but they are struggling for numbers like elsewhere. While there are many reasons for horses not being persevered with there is certainly a lot of healthy horses at the time they are taken out of training,never to be seen on a racetrack I think the main reason is the bulk of professional trainers and their owners don't want to continue having a horse trained that can't win more than 1 race. Everyone must have heard that said many times.And of course they are talking about within the next year or so. Can you change that attitude. I don't think so because its obviously based on economics. The type of stables that value their udr ratings are of significance as far as what they do with their cast offs and how they could be encouraged to redirect them to trainers who would persevere with them. does hrnz run a registry for those type of horses that anyone looking for a horse could access or register one?would some of the more high profile trainers even use it if there was? Then the question would become are there enough trainers around who would be happy to train a horse who has had 2 or 3 preparations,But who is not seen as an economically attractive. The interest shown in that type of horse on gavel house auctions indicates there is still a demand for them,just hard to gauge the exact numbers. Then you would have to provide a handicapping system whereby those horses can find suitable races to compete in with lesser stakes than normal.To do that you may have to have the handicapper have the ability to give horses with say 5 or more unplaced runs in non win races or 1 or more win races the opportunity to be given a dual handicap rating based on their current form so they could then compete in races against horses of similar ability.Clubs would have to gaurantee they run races for them. Maybe there could be a late autumn /winter /early spring circuit for that type of horse with a couple of races each day guaranteed. A bit like the handicapping system we have,but additionally directed at a specific level. Would punters bet on them Absolutely. Obviously not everyones cup of tea,but there are some that find races with only 3 or so stables represented a real turn off. What i have suggested probably wouldn't get much support as many just say we shouldn't cater for that type of horse. Then in the next breath comment about the lack of numbers. There are many horses never made available for someone else to train.

I haven't taken my shirt off yet. Thats a funny thing to say.I had an uncle that used to say that. I know you happen to agree with me. Wouldn't matter if you didn't either. I'm not sure what part of my post made you think of the shirt coming off. Maybe it was the just think about that at the end.,but that was a general comment not directed at anyone. I'm just looking at this from the point of view of the horses concerned. Sounds like that is a top priority for you as well.I know,like everyone,that the people most upset about what has happened would be the telfers and the horses connections,as we all do. When you talk about just trying to be fair and not wishing to make snap judgments. Well i think thats what many on here from both sides of the argument are saying. I understand that. My point has always been that fairness doesn't eliminate considering logical possible explanations.

Its certainly relevant,but you don't seem to comprehend that it could be argued that it strengthens my argument. This information is open to interpretation either way. There are certain treatments used to increase red cell counts,and known to increase the risk of heart issues, where its documented that anabolic steroids are recommended be given as well at the right time to put the horse into a building state,so the treatment is most effective. So if given to a horse from a family predisposed to heart trouble,then obviously the horse is at greater risk. I have suggested its just logic to include my theory as a plausible possibility given the number and frequency of the deaths. I don't think we will ever be privy to what has actually happened here. I just hope that we don't have anything of this scale happen again to horses from any stable.

I see wandering eyes is reporting on another part of this website that the RIB is investigation the deaths. And so it should. Are they going to do toxicology reports on all the organs that may unearth possible causes. They could spend a bit of money,will they? That is relevant information to that horses death. I was talking to a vet about treatments given to horses last month. Her comment was words to the effect that horses can handle being given treatments legal or otherwise,but where you run into trouble is if you gave a treatment to a horse from a family which is predisposed to having certain weaknesses. Spatchcock gave a logical reason,but no it doesn't ease my mind.Why would it exclude anything?

Of course you could be right on both counts.Reasonable/logical explanation and dodgy. What seems to have got some on here annoyed,is you can't even suggest it may be a result of the telfers giving their horses a treatment that is known to cause deaths of horses in similar circumstances. In other words unintentional human error.That is because that would be to accept that they may be using performance enhancers,albeit while operating within the rules. Seems some think you are better to think the cause to be a result of poor training skills,as strange as that logic around perception of the telfer stable may be. Just think about that.

Well here is the facts as regards how many different horses they have taken to the races throughout nz from the 20th of may 2022 to today.I have gone through all the records. 34. Thats right just 34. Some have started more than once,most a couple of times. How many of the 34 have collapsed and died- 3. Here is the stipes report- cya doit- 20 may-commenced to give ground passing the 1200m and was taken to the outside of the track,before collapsing and was pronounced dead upon vet inspection. alta debonair-22 july-weakened final bend-upon returning to the stabling area the colt collapsed and was found to be deceased. seasider-8 september-commenced to give ground at the 700m,collapsing to the track near the stable entrance early in the home straight...and was pronounced dead on inspection by the vet. Samples were taken from all 3 horses and post mortems to be conducted. They are the facts.

So you have just said your commenting without even watching the races concerned. You say you don't know the names of the horses,but i gave their names in my first post. You say"to kill a horse you really need to overstep the mark by a fair bit."...So you do understand the points we have made. Yet you call our comments a disgrace. They have hundreds of runners you say,knowing we have been discussing the last 4 months. So stop making numbers up. What has training 4 winners in a night got to do with the subject being discussed. Does training winners somehow mean there horse deaths can be overlooked. I really don't get the logic of that argument you make there. So you have had 3 horses die in a year. Are you saying your horses dropped dead during a race yourself.If not,why say something that you know has no relevance to the circumstances being discussed. Is that the best you van come up with?Or did you bring that up because yours died in similar circumstances?If so,Are you kidding me!!! I've been following harness racing for decades.I've never heard or recall a run of racetrack deaths in similar circumstances,yet your leaving the possible inference that you had the same thing happen to you. No wonder you are so touchy around the subject. No i wouldn't shut them down. But proper harness leadership would have already issued a press statement to reassure everyone that an investigation was underway and being treated with urgency. Your have become like the chief. Twisting my words. I was asked what i thought was the cause. I don't look at the answer from the point of view of what can i say that will minimize anything the telfers may have done. That didn't factor into my answer. i'm not here to run defence for the telfer barn like you and others are.I just answered the question and gave an opinion that i think makes the most sense. One that anyone with an open mind would consider. The horses who died were two 2 year olds having their first start and a 13 start 3 year old. You can call my comments disgraceful,thats your opinion. I think your comments are foolish.

Just watched the interview you refer to. Gives even more appreciation of what a heart warming story that is. I do hope HRNZ put that link up for that as its a feel good story if ever I've seen one.Somehow,with what i've seen of your past video interviews,you get across what racing is all about,whether it be the high achievers or the grass roots.it seems a win/win if they post more of your input.

What a wonderful horse he is.170 starts . Won as a 2 year old and still winning at 12. His owners, m & t copland, b brice and miss f o'reilly must have received endless enjoyment out of watching him race. The trainers,the O'reilly's have done an amazing job,and must really have taken care of him as he still has the same will to win and wish to please his trainers as he has always shown over the years. We do still have franco huntington and four starzzz shiraz in the south who have done great jobs,but these type of horses are getting very rare these days.Its a shame because the likes of jerry garcia have every right to be called one of the stars of the sport,as they inspire participation and are recognised and admired just as much,if not more by the dwindling number of owners and trainers who don't have big teams. Whatever they do in the future,we know they will be always well looked after and that is another reason why the likes of jerry garcia is whats good about harness racing.

There is always new technology around ways to support better performance and recovery.Have you forgotten blood spinning being legal until they outlawed it a couple of years ago. That about sums up how you see things like this. If you suggest anything,even something as obvious as this, should be investigated then your not on team harness racing.I call that tunnel vision. I've expressed my opinions enough on this subject so won't comment further on it.

Come on chief,you must know that anyone who witnessed what has happened here would be left with an awful perception of the harness industry. And if they had the knowledge that it has occurred multiple times within a short time frame and that people within the industry just look the other way,without any proper investigation, because it just happens to be the leading stable,then SAFE will and should target the racing industry.

There are treatments to increase the red blood cells to increase oxygen supply. I assume not all can be tested for or are illegal.Thats my thinking here if you want to understand my thinking. One thing i have said previously about the telfer stable is they are very high achievers.But i have commented more than once on here that its a stable where their horses seem to have performances where you just scratch your head,realise you just have to ignore that run,and put the run down to the telfer factor. The reason i have said that before on here is because it happens. I just refer to it as the telfer factor in my records on horses performance. And it certainly doesn't relate to overtraining as those type of performances come out of the blue when the said horse is racing well.