Rusty

Upon hearing the result of that category, I immediately thought of a different word, but also beginning with the letter B.

Except for Isola Racing Stables beating Boys Get Paid in their respective category. How that happened God only knows.... should have been a stewards enquiry into that result, but good on them.

No chance UMC would get that far back in the Cup Hunter mate (excluding bad luck or breaking). Good thing is he won't be off a handicap. If UMC gets a smidgen of luck or even a lot of luck and lands the trail for the last lap/mile, he will give the field a decent shake. Exciting times as he is still learning the game. Just fingers crossed his legs hold up!

That was the best run for 3rd I have seen in a while. Maybe the best run for 3rd, since a horse ran 3rd in his first race in open class company (New Brighton Cup) before going out 2 months later and winning the NZ Cup by 10 lengths.

Those thoroughbreds had to be "put to sleep" largely because of the communist government's anti-gambling stance on horse racing. Love horses, but not the gambling side of it. Rumour has it they wanted all racehorses to wear the number 8 saddle cloth in every race. Was never going to work.

Be better guesses than G O'Connor's selections!!

Dead right it is a stupid comment by a licence holder. And then for another party, also a licence holder, to say "agreed", one just has to shake their head. Unbelievable, but not really at the same time. Newmarket, these private messages or posted within a Facebook group?

What the actual f

"Booking fee" - yet another rip off. Agreed, $25 is a cheap day out. Money and it's purchasing power today is nowhere near where it once was on time gone by. The number of racing purists that would want to pay $25/$45 for a day out at Addington on Cup Day, with it's CURRENT facilities and experience on offer, is in decline. The fat cats in suits need not forget who their core customers are, and do their best to cater for them. They also need to move with the times and not be stuck in the 80's like most racing clubs.

Good work. Think they go up in price closer to the event to $35 for a period of time, before the pre-sale period ends. It's a good incentive to get in early for the people that want to see and be seen.

The Met have lost touch with the everyday, common punter/race goer. The average punter back in the day paid a reasonable price to get through the gate on Cup day and watched the races from the grandstand. Now, they get ripped offed big time with the admission, few years back they couldn't even pay the admission via EFT-POS (was cash only) and they don't even get a seat at the race course. Get ripped off again if they want a beer and a pie. Just about need to remortgage the house. It all started to go down hill when they introduced the "painted ladies" competition on Cup day about 15 years ago. Do they have a painted fellas competition as well these days? Inequality and all that. Just got out of hand now. Man I sound like a old boring fart. Maybe I am. The Met are too try hard and wanna be like the Victoria Racing Club, but the reality of it is, they are polar opposites.

Good stuff Westview thanks. It seemed like a bit of an overreaction from another Facebook group that took the video down from their page. I'm not sure what your reaction was to that overreaction, but please do not let that get you down (if it has), as you are doing a good job and giving the punters what they want. It's a credit to you, so keep up the good work.

UMC should really eat that field and handle them on his ear, along with every other bloody thing on his ear. Admittedly, he will be far from screwed down, but great to see him back on the track, win, lose or draw, and by all reports has been working up well.

Money grabbing bastards. Would hate to think how much they will sting the poor punter for a seat in the (temporary) "grandstand". I just tried looking it up but one needs to sign up and register just to see how much they wanna rob you. At least a bank robber has the courtesy to say "this is a stick up" before they rob ya. The Met won't be getting any of my coin. Hope it pisses down from a great height on Cup day. It won't. But I hope it does.

It would be great if he can keep his unbeaten record intact for as long as possible, however I and I am sure many others, would just like to see him step away nicely and go a good race. In a roundabout way it may not be a bad thing if he did get beaten, as a lot of pressure will be mounting after each successive victory. I recall Peter Moody saying the same thing with his mare a few years ago. Best of luck to connections, bring on Cup day!!

Pretty sure he is in the NZ Hall of Fame along with his mighty warhorse White Arrow.

Dead right Dougie, they should really educate the punters more, and they wonder why betting turnover is in decline. I guess their thinking may be that if they did post the results of the final field top three, it may confuse people, as the odds would fluctuate a bit, even though they are fixed at the time of the bet placement. So if they did post the results, it would have to be the odds at the time of tote closure. I think the NZ TAB changed the three horse payout for final field (or sometimes incorrectly referred to as "fixed odds") when they renamed the betting option "top 3" and dropped the "place" wording. Not sure if it is just a NZ thing, as Vic don't do it either.

Not trying to stick up for the TAB here, but with the Final Field divvis they pay out on the first three home, opposed to the tote, which will only have 2 place divvis due to the smaller sized field. Having said that, it's still a bit of rip off with the odds quoted. Some punters are unaware of the Final Field place divvis paying out top 3, even with 7 runners in a field, so thought I would post for the benefit of others.

He may own a few donkeys, but not those two that I posted.

If I had known the fields were going to be this bad, I would have sent both of these guys to Forbury!

I'm picking Pat's Delight won't make the field this year. Would need more than blood spinning... Would need cryonics, and then the ability to run well in a "fresh" state.

I think there's something in B Orange electing for the Corona and ditching the Rake. He likes Rake, but it looks like he prefers Corona. Rake a good price for the place $2.80 final field too, so might back both.

Dougie - I have some free advice for you with your lady friend; Do what I do, especially when the nags/jockeys/drivers/trainers/track conditions have let you down badly.... Make your good lady a card. Like the ones you made in primary school. Works whatever the occasion. Trust me she will love it. It's heartfelt, it's personal and the ladies love it. And you'll save good coin by not having to shell out money on a card from a shop. Why part with a fiver to buy a card, when you can make a card for free and then you can use that fiver that you saved, to go again, chase ya losses and invest it in the next at Snake Gully, Addington or like Happy says, Seoul! No need to thank me mate, just some friendly advice from one battling punter to another. Better Living everyone.

It may be time for a programme to be introduced. May I ask how much does a track work rider get paid on average, for someone just starting out with no/little experience? Is it usually paid "per ride"?

That was a god awful performance, Dougie was onto something there I think.