Brando

Doesn't run Top 4 for mine ?

I don't recall ever rating Melody Belle. She just got caught up in the quotes, when referencing the Shark. I don't rate NZ trained horses until they turn up in Aussie and prove themselves by winning G1 races.

The Epsom was the weakest in years. Top weight at 57kgs had never won a G1 and 14 of 18 runners weighted 50-51kgs. In the Tramway, Shark was a length off the mare Eckstein in the straight, when he got clear running at the 200m; then took the rest of the straight to just edge the mare on the line for 2nd, 3L from the winner. The Shark's run in the Tramway showed he was just another hyped up Xtravagant and Hasslehoof: look good beating very average NZ opposition; only to be found out in Australia.

I'm not condoning Prior/Callander's actions over the sale of Lil Caesar. But you have to take into account; that Chris Waller took him back as soon as his disqualification ended, and gave him a job in his organisation.

Chief Stipe wrote: "I rate Te Akau Shark well above Melody Belle or Kawi. However history shows that Melody Belle has yet to beat much. The Livamol this year barely rated R88" The same can be said about the Shark: Yet to win a G1 - What has it beaten? What did the Couplands Mile rate? I recall a horse Tom Melbourne also ran 2nd in the Tramway before a 2nd in the Epsom. I think J Mac summed up the Shark pretty well when he decided to go with Very Ellegant in the Cox Plate: "Te Akau Shark is a really nice horse but he's been runnning in handicaps. I wish them all the best" Obviously J Mac's bar is much higher when it comes to "the best horse he has ridden" The Japanese horse is going to trot home in the Cox Plate. The Shark might be best saved for the Emirates(McKinnon) on a bigger track and a weaker field. So the possibilty of not making the Cox Plate, might be a blessing, so the marketing machine don't have to come up with an excuse for missing a place in the big dance this Saturday ?

I'm no expert on these things, hence why I'm asking. With comingled tote pools, especially with Hong Kong: Doesn't the winning money from those massive pools by a NZ punter, equate to new revenue when reinvested into NZ pools which Hong Kong punters aren't permiited to bet into?

With the plethora of wagering providers availabe to a NZ based punter, why shouldn't NZTAB incentivise with rebates, to retain their more valued customers whether they are winning or losing?

Maybe they should bet with a TAB account, then based on their turnover on Karaka Millions day, they would qualify for the Bronze Tier of rebates and rewards.

The take out rate is applied to every $1 wagered on the tote so why shouldn't it be applied to turnover?

I can assure you that Hayes, Hayes, Dabernig are not desperate "to be waiting to get a hold" of Weir's horses!

You should be congratulating the ex owner of Cambridge Stud for getting out at the right time. Luck of the Irish continues! ? For one of the big 2 premier studs, to not even make the Top 10 Vendors by average is unthinkable. The prominent Cambridge Stud female families are now last decade's news. Meanwhiles, Tavistock who was championed by many as "the next big thing" of the NZ stallions rank, finished outside the Top 10 Sires by Average at $134,925 off a $65,000 stud fee - with low points having lots sold at Festival Sale prices of $10,000 and $15,000. ?

Secret surveillance footage taken at Melbourne-Cup winning horse trainer Darren Weir's Warrnambool and Ballarat properties is at the centre of the investigation into the alleged use of illegal shock devices on valuable thoroughbreds. Weir, who was released without charge after being arrested on Wednesday, was questioned as part of a police probe into betting and animal cruelty that potentially saw electric shock "jiggers" being used to improve the performance of horses. It is understood still pictures were shown to Weir when he was interviewed on Wednesday by detectives from the Victoria Police's sporting integrity unit. While he initially co-operated, he refused to answer questions relating to the images. Meanwhile, Chief Commissioner(Police) Graham Ashton has weighed in on the investigation. Mr Ashton, who owns racehorses himself, said it was too early to say if criminal charges would be laid or whether the case would be referred to the racing regulatory environment.

Not really. The industry needs a major Syndicator/Training establishment. If Te Akau was to close up shop tomorrow, NZB and the big stud(s) would simply do another deal with someone and set up a new Syndicator/Training establishment.

Geez this bitch is lucky that it's only the "2nd' marring offence. Came to NZ with 1 marring offence from its very first career race and another 2 Unsatisfactory Perfomances which looked dodgy. And turned it's head before 1st bend in its last start in Aussie. Marring Offence - 1st start from the red: https://www.thedogs.com.au/resources/showvideoplayerracing.aspx?s=youtube&q=CMySVRBSdgQ Usatisfactory performance - 3rd start from the Box 8, wearing 9 rug: https://www.thedogs.com.au/resources/showvideoplayerracing.aspx?s=youtube&q=vMlxlJip_7Y Unsatisfactory performance from box 5: https://www.thedogs.com.au/resources/showvideoplayerracing.aspx?s=youtube&q=5KTBPSNBML4 Last Aussiie start Box 2: https://www.thedogs.com.au/resources/showvideoplayerracing.aspx?s=youtube&q=4u5Fbvxjn_o

The only senior riders at Kumara were Terry Moseley and Doni Pratisyou! The rest of the fields were made up with the "United Nations" of apprentice riders. For some of those internationals, riding "hands and heals" equates to flailing their arms up and down, unbalanced and not really effective steering or in riding a horse out ? Does the south island not have an apprentice master, considering that most south island fields are 75%+ filled by apprenctice riders? Someone needs to take repsonsibilty and teach them beyond the basics!

It seems reverting back to 375m was just temporary, while the PN club put it to members at the AGM to decide the future of 410m racing. Great news that 410m racing will be the distance going forward after Sunday's PN meeting. Also noting; the club will be making adjustments to the track and boxes' positioning to ensure it's fair for all starters of 410m racing. Credit where it's due, so the PN club must be commended for the trial and error period, and then members vote before decisions were made.

oooo blinkers and down in grade. Sounds interesting - what have I missed?

I haven't read anything in the Messara report that suggests the above. You can still be a rural dweller, mug punter, and own half a leg of three or four! And you can still be a small club administrator or volunteer; once the industry reaches a concensus on which small West Coast club(s) to keep! ?

Is being regularly competitive in Australia a new benchmark for TA? I can't recall TA ever being "Regularly Competitive" in Aus! Apart from the 2016/17 season with Gingernuts winning the G1 Rosehill Guineas and Melody Belle winning the G2 2yo race in Brisbane, you actually have to to all the way back to the 2008 Sydney Autumn; when Princess Coup placed in Stakes races. That would have been the last TA trained horse to be competitive in Australia. That's a long time between stakes performances in Australia! Melody Belle, TA Shark and TA's current 2 and 3yo team still have Autridge's polish and education, so I would suggest that a better measure of J Richard's success as a trainer will be with the result of TA's 2 and 3yo team in the 2019/20 season.

With every problem, there are solutions. Why can't it work here like in VIC and NSW? Isn't it up to the trainer's judgement which R65 Tier the horse is started in based on ability? Having a cursory glance: Te Rapa put on a R65 1400m for 30k on Saturday while Matamata has a R65 1400m F&Ms race for 10k on Wednesday. STITCH which is owned by Kevin Hickman(whom has invested plenty so would want the best RoI), and trained by Champion trainer S Autridge could have started in either race as neither had full fields. So why is it starting at Matamata? So I took a closer look and STITCH, has had 18 career starts and never raced in a Saturday Tier race. It would be logical to assume that her champion trainer has made the judgement that it is not up to Saturday R65 class. Yes, in NZ one can start a horse where ever it can gain a start as you say, but isn't it up to trainers to start their horses based on judged ability; for the best opportunity of RoI for their owners who pay the bills.

You are definitely misunderstanding ? My VIC example clearly shows that Tiered racing gives horses on the same rating band better opportunites to win based on their actually ability and not their rating, as judged by their trainer. Like I said earlier, the NZ Tier structure is far from perfect but, once done right, it will have its place in NZ as it is meant to work like in VIC and NSW. For now, I'll assume the trainers who work with their horses on a daily basis will know better than us. Thanks Freda! ?

I haven't claimed anything. Merely stating that the same rated horses can be placed at different tiers of racing based on their ability and not their rating, as judged by their trainers.

In Victoria, the same horses can go around for a 25k Provincial R70 on Tuesday or Thursday, a 40k R70 Wedensday Metro or a 100k R70 Saturday Metro. It is fair to assume, trainers with vast years of experience will start/place their horses where they think they will be competitive based on the ability and tier. Champion trainer Weir does this the best placing his stable horses with the same ratings, in different Tiers across Victoria and South Australia.

Freda, seeing that you are a trainer and have contact with a lot of other trainers, can I ask: Is it the opinion of trainers that: The Northern region horse pool is superior to the Southland region as you have stated above?

I was just wondering why you said an "Average R65" to a R65 at Marlborough and Ascot Park.