Rusty

A friend of mine sacked one of his employees on the spot. Was a bit rough, as it over something minor. Well it ended up costing him the best part of $20k through an employment dispute (unfair dismissal). Was the best money he ever spent he reckons. Just to get rid of the guy!

I agree with JJ Flash and I am pretty sure the starter is employed by the club, not HRNZ. I recall Mr Donnelly being starter at Addington for a Cheviot meeting being held there, not that long ago (either March this year, or last year, I think). Even if Mr Lamb is employed on a permanent (not fixed term) contract, surely one would think there would be provisions within the employment contract to address performance issues. Then it would be just a matter of performance managing the employee, so that the employee either significantly improves in performance, or is shown the door, if the sub-par performance was to continue after a period of time. Easier said than done however, and it's an issue many in senior management sometimes fear to tread unfortunately.

Happy Sunrise, were you lurking around somewhere at the start, and P Lamb spotted ya? Why else would he have yelled out "Happy"?

Good on ya for having a shot at this Happy. It's always easy after the event, saying this and that, but to stick selections up pre-race is to be admired.

Dead right Brodie. 100%

They probably think it is better, and possibly safer, than bank interest! Class horse of the field. Race due to go at 10.32pm NZ time. Ballarat race 7, number 12. Lochinvar Art.

The 17s for UMC and for that matter, the whole market is all too ridiculously short. Reports outta the camp in late June were promising.

Not saying it would be easy, no Cup win is, unless your Lazarus, but UMC would have more than a runner's chance, if he stays sound. Put it this way, they will all know he is there, if he gets a run.

Oreti Beach is in Southland. Kirstin Barclay & Tank Ellis have a very special horse.

Yes.

Exactly what I said.

How many times has "Paul Court moved to Canada"? It seems like he has moved there half a dozen times over the years. Ever since he married that lass on the radio competition!

You are dead right Happy. You reckon they'd change the letterhead?! "Cran Dalgety Racing Stables" I wish the new partnership all the very best anyway.

Hi Michael, Do you still have the horse "Kruizr" in your stable? How's he doing, and will he be lining up anytime soon? Thanks, Rusty. Yes... That is my real (and legal) name, and we have never met.

Or even placed!

I read the heading; "it finally happened", and thought Aveross Spitfire had won a race!

Before a horse can start at the races, it needs to qualify, by running a set time over a specified distance. The purpose of this is to ensure that the horse is up to a minimum standard, and doesn't get damn near lapped at the races. And also that it can actually race in its chosen gait. If a horse puts in repeated sub-standard performances, sometimes it has to go back to the trials and prove it's ability, by obtaining the satisfaction of a stipe. Usually this is for bad manners (on the horse's part, not the driver nor trainer). There could be a case for a horse having such an awful record, that it needs to "re-qualify" for want of a better word, and run quicker than a set time over a certain distance. If it is not up to scratch then it loses its ticket and unable to enter a tote race. Harsh, but fair? I dunno. Just an idea. I feel sorry for the poor casual (not serious) punters, that back the horse, not knowing the horse is slower than the growth of mould. It would give them a certain amount of protection. But it is a case of punter beware I guess.

Well what a let down that was this arvo. I don't think there will be a book published about Aveross Spitfire. Having said that, has there ever been a horse with such a bad record, have so much written about it?

Brilliant idea. But why stop there? Let's go all out for TAB odds and special markets for Aveross Spitfire. Winning margin of the Spitfire... Spitfire removed from the market... Spitfire's winning time... Damn it all to heck, let's go crazy and and have betting options for the colour of the Spitfire's owner's dress worn on the day! Just like Ladbrokes does for Her Majesty The Queen at Royal Ascot. Now where can I purchase Aveross Spitfire t-shirts, polo shirts, caps, bottle openers, key rings, car bumper stickers, soft toys and flags, banners etc of the great horse?! Greg. Greg O'Connor, c'mon mate, what ya doing in your new gig? No need to give us ya lame suggested quaddie or $136 percentage pick 6's no more (that bomb out after the first leg), just give the fans what they want. Quality merchandise of the people's horse! What's that? You haven't started in your new role yet? Bugger it, jump on the band wagon quick mate. Unfortunately neither of my horses are in on Sunday, but can I use my stable pass to try and catch a glimpse of the great horse? Pre and post race. When will Aveross Spitfire arrive on course? Can one of the three remaining TV cameras on-course capture this moment? And will there there be a public meet n greet of the connections of Aveross Spitfire? Meet the owners, trainer, driver etc. Get their autographs and a selfie. Blair Nathan Orange; mate give the punters what they want post race. Don't immediately return to the stables with Aveross Spitfire. Trot the horse up to the top of the straight, and walk this champ past the masses. Throw your goggles into the crowd as you go to salute the judge. Isn't it amazing, this harness racing! Amazing what a good horse can do, to pull the crowds, from far and wide. Only three sleeps to go!!!

This spitfire horse reminds me of another old warhorse... the late Mustang Bullitt. He had over 50 starts, for no wins, and one second. Eight times third. I'm looking forward to Sunday's race. What odds are we expecting for the spitfire?

Iraklis? Is that you?

If Blair has his metacarpals all over these reins on the Lord's Day, I'm all over this too. Just like in the 12th man when Big Maxy hijacked the commentary box and they took a race from Randwick, watching Silver Sovereign... "Come on Brodie, help me kick this bastard home!"

Dead right mate. It's all tactics. I'm trying to recall a trots race in Aussie recently, where the winner of the race went so slow, the driver of the winner got pinged by the stipes, for going too slow during the running of the race!

Pfft... this new update look with the TAB's website is like putting lipstick on a pig. Looking through the fields for Addington tonight, and the muppets are still letting the punters down. I find something that Mr Blair Nathan Orange is steering with his magical hands, yet by looking at the website (on my cellphone) I can't see how well the horse goes fresh. Yet I can see it's grass track stats! I don't give a rats about grass track stats when horses are lining up at Addington! Unless of course the bloody thing is going to take a shortcut. But then it will just get disqualified. How is it the gallops can have details of "fresh" (and also 2nd up form from memory), when the harness code doesn't have that? Oh that's right, they are the code that is the dumb, stupid cousin. Before this dog of a website was introduced, harness used to have fresh form stats. And before anybody says, "oh it's easy, all the information is all there, all you need to do is click on extended form, or go to hrnz.co.nz etc etc", NO. No, no, no, no, no. You guys don't get it. One shouldn't have to. The key stats (such as racing in a fresh state), are exactly that, key. So they should be there, straight away, easily viewable and not having to go deep sea fishing to retrieve it. And yes, I am in a bad mood, tired and angry.