Taku Umanga

Telfers (I think)

Yep - one tap too many cost one of my nags a 2nd placing at Cambridge back in the day

$15 winner ....

Stable changes between 18/04/2024 and 16/05/2024 (hrnz.co.nz)

Ashburton trials today = 61 starters Rangiora trials today = 67 starters Along with three race meetings in Canterbury this week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). Cambridge races Thursday night = 83 starters (and three of them are from Canterbury). Good luck with Tuesdays in the new season!

Dear Taku, Harness Racing NZ is releasing the 24/25 calendar at 3pm today, but we wanted you to have an advance copy of the media release and the calendar we'll be sending out at that time. It's not the usual calendar release - it's the first step in a major set of changes designed to inject fresh life and confidence into Harness Racing. They've been developed after intensive work together with our wagering partner, Entain. More meetings, more races for low to middle grade horses The calendar is our biggest asset, and we need to use it in a way that will grow wagering. Together with Entain we've made major changes that will be of significant interest to you. The key points are: Alexandra Park will have 45 race meetings in 24/25, up 14 from this season, and a total of 422 races (up by 128), mainly on Friday Cambridge goes from 28 to 41 meetings, with 338 races (up by 88), mainly on Tuesday Manawatu has an extra 7 meetings taking them to 19 for the season and 142 races (up 50) Addington will have 65 meetings (up from 58) and 611 races (up from 557) Timaru goes to 5 meetings (up 1) and 49 races (up 10) Winton will now have 13 meetings (up 2) and 125 races (up 17) Invercargill goes to 15 meetings (up 2) and 136 races (up 9) For all other clubs there is no change from 2023/24. Friday Night Lights Our wagering partner's Managing Director Cameron Rodger tells us "we are big believers in the Friday Night Lights brand. With our recent move to Free to Air, and with the investment we are making in our Trackside Broadcast we believe there is an opportunity to create a high quality, highly marketable harness racing product that appears in living rooms consistently each Friday night with Alexandra Park and Addington racing together." Major new initiatives are Coming With Entain, we've developed a major new programme of initiatives built around the new calendar. Again, these will be of benefit to clubs and kindred bodies. Watch out for it in mid-May. We're at a critical juncture in our history, and future. This is the opportunity we've long been waiting for.We need to grab it with both hands. Phil Holden Chairman

Agree totally

He used to work for them at Pukekohe. For a short while anyway.

Sell Alexandra Park, resurrect Avondale with an all-weather track inside the grass track, and race twice a week. Build some barns for trainers and find some way to increase horse numbers ..... before it's too late!

Show Me Heaven & Act Now – Maryborough Withdrawals & Investigation - Harnesslink

Temporary move due to trainer injury

Duh - that fact totally slipped my mind - cheers.

His first tote win incurred no rating penalty (he stayed on 48) which I don't understand, and his second win incurred the full 8 points. He hasn't dropped back because he's consistently finished in the top 4 since. Overall, I can't see how he's been unfairly punished (probably the opposite unless the free win can be explained). There are ways to get points discounts, like putting a concession junior driver on to earn half points only - if the owners choose not to, so be it.

7 day suspension

Mogul was unreserved and the others had all met reserve - there were genuine bidders having a crack at all four from memory

Was purchased by Bob22, who bought 4 lots that remained in the House stable under existing ownership, so assuming were "buy-backs" and not genuine sales.

Pretty sure Michael has indicated on Facebook that this season is likely to be his last campaigning at Palmy - ferry issues have been the killer.

Ben is a polite young man and a credit to you and Greg - I know it's hard to do, but please just ignore the faceless few that frequent these sites and seem to enjoy belittling others

I doubt many owners travelled their horses to Blenheim (or any of the other holiday venue) "to keep regions with very few local horse populations going" .... I reckon they did so because they enjoy the trip away and having a horse running around is a bonus

Once HRNZ comes up with the paperwork for claiming the subsidy - I'm told it's still in the pipeline

Yep - I know a few trainers that aren't travelling due to costs and the fact there is plenty of racing closer to home

Four starters and the race gets off the ground - embarrassing really.

Perhaps the plug should be pulled on Auckland judging by this week's fields - Manawatu will get more participants next week?

Yep I recall a number of the All Stars team racing with hogged manes

Most of the trainers from that region that used to regularly travel to Manawatu have either moved further South to Canterbury, retired or passed away unfortunately.