Walt

Indeed but given he ran motherless and the main benefactor of his drive was the stablemate it wasn't a great look.....unless you backed Heisenberg.

I respect your take Gammalite. I don't believe there was anything dodgy only that given the circumstances, a question should have been asked. I stand by that.

I have considerable respect for John Dunn and the Dunn family. I admire what they achieve month after month, year after year.......but that does not stop me from asking what I consider reasonable questions. John's drive on Dashing Major in Race 6 @ Addington tonight. I will declare my hand prior to asking questions. Whenever I see a stable with multiple runners in the same race, my eyes are always open to the possibility of one stable runner "assisting" another stable runner in some small way, or perhaps in not so small a way. It makes no difference who the stable is or what the family name is. Diamond Stables had three runners in Race six. Will focus on two. Heisenberg who enjoys a good scrap in a fast run race. Dashing Major who is down on the top form he's shown previously. The Falcon is in very good form and has been hard to beat once he finds the lead. Tonight he found the lead. It didn't seem likely he'd hand up. Sitting right on his back is Heisenberg. John Dunn has a play for the top with out of form Dashing Major despite it being unlikely Gerald won hand up. John not only had a crack for the lead but kept the pressure on for a lot longer than many would deem reasonable under the circumstances. Meanwhile, Blair sat behind The Falcon smoking the pipe which would be a fact JD had full knowledge of. Blind Freddy could see Dashing Major was a million to one and drifting prior to the business end. He ran last. First question could / should be asked. Was Dashing Major driven to obtain the best possible finishing position? The Falcon ran out of fuel late in the race. Dashing Major's stablemate Heisenberg got up and won. Second question. Did the driving tactics of John Dunn not only cost The Falcon victory but in doing so assist Heisenberg in achieving that victory? Whatever the case may be, from this form analyst, it wasn't a great look.

He's the obvious front runner but in reality, he's probably the wrong colour. That aside, they stick together like shit to a blanket and their agenda is marrow deep. To dump Hipkins is a vote down for everything they are about. It probably wouldn't matter to them if Hipkins was on 5%. He does a great job of pushing a hopeless losing agenda. When they finally do dump him it will mean the agenda is over and the Labour Party will return to representing the hard working blue collar workers of NZ. They are showing zero signs of heading towards that. Hipkins still can't understand why New Zealanders sent Labour packing. That's what happens when you live and work in an echo chamber. New Zealanders in big numbers are sick to the back teeth of Labour prioritizing Maori, Te Reo, Pacifica, low skilled immigrants, gangs, the unemployed, rug munchers and shirt lifters....while they tell everyone else to go suck eggs.

You're determined to show the eggplant aspect of your nature. I don't have an issue with nicknames in general. I know a shit ton that have nicknames. In all cases they are humourous and appropriate. Two I know are never referred to by their given name. There is a time and a place for using nicnames / pet names and in my opinion that time is not during a race and especially not repeatedly. Brent has had the nickname Mango since Jesus was in short pants. Even someone with half a brain can see why it's there so I'm confident you'll know. Todd Mitchell and David Butcher are both top drivers with records to be proud of. They are however not Wizards and Chiefs. Those pet names are bloody ridiculous and dreamed up by someone wanting to curry favour and set some type of trend. Maybe Aaron has watched a few too many episodes of Game of Thrones. The fact he pointlessly uses those absurd names during race calls is bad enough but he does so repeatedly. He's determined to abuse listeners ears in the hope they will follow his lead. 100% fail. The fact you think that's ok is your choice but Auckland Harness has been going backwards in recent years and this action does absolutely nothing to enhance his calls. Never has and never will so why the fark do it? My actual name is not Walt. It's my user name / nick name. Have you seen the movie Gran Torino? The character in it is Walt Kowalski. My daughters, wife and numerous mates are adamant he's my twin. My email reflects that as does my user name. I will share a bit of person background for you. I farking hate your user name. It's an affront to me. Akin to a burglary syndicate that burgled my home and then returns several years later advertising the syndicate as if it's mothers milk. I've wagered in numerous countries around the world but especially in the UK and Australia. I'd have no hesitation is naming the NZ TAB the worst betting agency I've dealt with. One of my pet hates is the dictatorship they run and the negative impact it's had on others. I know of two bloody good guys that were effectively ruined by the NZ TAB. I had many chats with Micheal Dore back in the day pushing to have racing bought into the living rooms of NZ punters. It was just too big a gamble for them to press on. The irony of that was not lost on me or many others. I had the same frustration pushing sports betting. I was a serious punter in the 1980's. My biggest ever wager was 20k on a Rugby World Cup final but had no problem putting 5k bets on. They were mostly put on via a bookmaker I've known for many years but some through the NZ TAB via a good mate running an outlet who was once a successful trainer. The TAB would send me a courier parcel of VHS tapes every week showing replays of the previous weeks racing. There are a lot of things I don't do know that I did in the 1980's. Betting big numbers is one of those things. My bets these days are $50 and I'm happy with that amount. Some years back the NZ TAB shafted me via wager for an amount North of 50k. Their blunder was owned to me privately lower down the chain but top floor refused to do the right thing and honour what they'd farked up. Didn't leave a good taste and neither does your user name. That's unfortunate as you clearly have some good knowledge dating back. Back to the subject matter. Mighty Gay didn't win ten races so in that sense at the time he wasn't Cup Class but routinely raced against all the top liners. I have a nice memory of Toris and Peter Shand. Not sure if it was Labour weekend or Easter but I do know he raced twice that long weekend back in 1985. I punted him left and right for both days after the heads up about his work being his best ever. He won both days. He never won another race. Pointer Hanover was a beauty and won a hatful. He raced against all the good ones in the late 70's. He produced Frances Jay Bee who won half a dozen for Stu Campbell along with a host of other winners. Frances Jay Bee produced One Kenny, One Under Kenny and One Over Kenny who won a staggering sixty plus races between the three of them. Eastwood Jaunty was well known to punters in the 2000's. He'd race most weeks to the point some believed he was over raced. When you compare him to some going around in recent times on both sides of the ditch he wasn't over raced.

Try naming your horse that now Galah Are there any horses or dogs racing that have a name reflecting the gender fluid bullshit? Could have some fun with that I remember a horse in the 1970's that George Shand had called "Mighty Gay"....he was by Gay Gordon and made it to Cup Class....A bit erratic from memory but you can live with that if they win 9 or 10 races for you. I doubt very much the name Mighty Gay would get through now. George raced a few decent horses in his day. He also had Borana prior to Pete winning the NZ Cup with him in 1985.

Cox tucked in behind looking for a gap

bed wetting losers = labour party

You're very slow on the uptake but that would not surprise from a they / them who's farcically promoting an organization that would need to lift their game considerably just to reach mediocrity. You are aware that professional horse racing has been around since 1750 but the NZ TAB didn't arrive on the scene for another 200 years? Horse racing is an exciting sport that the TAB do a superb job of nullifying and turning into a snore fest, much like your input. They do more to promote greyhound racing and compulsive gambling than anything else. Quantity over quality has been the ethos for many years. I have absolutely no issue with nick names as long as they are clever, funny, appropriate and not repeatedly rammed down throats. This is where Aaron White falls over. The Chief and The Wizard are not funny, clever or appropriate nick names. They are obsequious and very boring so it's no coincidence that you gravitate toward them. Aaron White has been using them repeatedly during race calls for many years despite only one eggplant in NZ supporting that. It provides absolutely nothing to enhance the quality of his race calls or promote the sport. Harness Racing and it's supporters need it like a boil on it's nose. Using the absurd nick name The Wizard a staggering seven times during one race alone was like sunburn on sunburn. Why do something that is turning patrons off when the sport in Auckland especially is clearly in decline? Race callers traditionally focus on the horses and what's unfolding during a race and that system works very well. Aaron White's incessant and relentless attempts to change a successful model have been a fail. Part of what makes the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" so good is the narration. It sets a tone that informs and entertains the viewer. Race callers are gifted a platform to do similar. Unfortunately, that has been lost on Aaron. Yes, a professional appearance when it comes to the higher profile people playing key roles in promoting harness racing via media is important. They also need to be relatable and stimulating. We do have such personalities in our racing media but they are invariably sent packing until what we have left are with a few exceptions a cure for insomnia and are past their use by date. Sadly, the clock is ticking on Auckland Harness but those with their head stuck up a darkened orifice will not see the light. Any thoughts on the diabolical and shambolic performance of the NZ TAB last Saturday which has become all too familiar for punters in NZ?

Richard Brosnan had a superb nickname...one of the best I've heard

All the nicknames you mentioned were age old, fitting and widely used. Very rarely were they used during a race and never repeatedly. Bill Skelton earned the nickname "Bustling Bill" but once again it was rare to ever hear that during a race call. Blair being called "The Postman" was fitting and I had no issue with it. Once again, it was very rarely used during a race. How is David Butcher "The Chief"? How is Todd Mitchell "The Wizard"? Both total bullshit nicknames and only ever used on and off the race track by one person. Aaron White. He not only used the names during races but does so repeatedly.

I appreciate talking about another person's weight can be a sensitive issue. Happy to own the fact I ate way too many fruit mince pies over Christmas. That aside, many people battle with their weight and I'm sure they don't need others pointing fingers at them. Now that I've got that bla bla bla out of the way I can share my take on it. Morbid obesity can be a minor issue with some employment positions but not all. I have some friends that really enjoy pies and I'm confident they haven't seen their own willy since Lange was Prime Minister. They are good fellas and their weight means squat. If however you're wanting / needing to portray professionalism via your appearance, obesity is a definite negative. Who is the future of harness racing? Young people. They will struggle to relate to a big boy wearing a long sleeve shirt that's not tucked in.

a former Prime Minister dropped 10 points in the preferred Prime Minister Poll? Even ex PM's that have retired still don't suffer that sort of drop. Mrs Ed took a big nose dive in the polls but she was so far ahead at the time it doesn't compare. Hipkins despite being weak and pathetic managed to play a big hand in dividing NZ while smiling like a Cheshire Cat and munching on another sausage roll. His position as Labour Party leader is absolutely untenable. 10,9,8,7........bye bye Chippie. Thanks for nothing. Preferred prime minister (results compared to previous survey, taken 7-10 October): Christopher Luxon: 25 percent - steady Chris Hipkins: 15 percent - down 10 points Winston Peters: 6 percent, up 1 point David Seymour: 4 percent, steady Chlöe Swarbrick: 4 percent, up 2 points Jacinda Ardern: 2 percent, up 1 point Nicola Willis: 1 percent, up 1 point James Shaw: 1 percent, down 1 point Marama Davidson 1 percent, down 1 point

Welcome to the new New Zealand. I've seen more or less the same thing at Auckland and North Shore Hospitals but it wasn't in favour of Maori. It was heavily bias toward certain immigrants. Ironically, they even promoted an employee from the same part of the world to do the hiring. Either by design or otherwise, that person discarded every applicant that wasn't from his country of birth regardless if they were a better qualified candidate than the those being hired. Higher up the chain were fully aware this was the status quo and were comfortable with it. .

I spent decades in Auckland and am very familiar with all the barbs from Mainlanders that Jaffas and dorklanders etc all believed that New Zealand only went as far South as the Bombay Hills. In most cases It was just friendly banter to stir up rivalry. Grass track harness racing has huge appeal with many and is a big fav of mine ......but I also can't stand the crossings that are often just a train wreck waiting to happen. Grass tracks don't necessarily equate to slow nags. Not a fan of passing lanes. On big roomy grass tracks luck in the running is less of an issue. As for opinions, mine is that your user name is a turd sandwich. I assumed it was a piss take. Our TAB is a bag of festering turds. I would expect anyone that kisses the arse of the NZ TAB also rides on a special bus and presses their nose up against the window.

YEAR: 2020 http://www.hof.co.nz/images/history/LOCHIE-MARSHALL.jpg Lochie Marshall – A club man through and through Harness racing stalwart Lochie Marshall is being remembered as a tireless worker for the industry. Born “Lachlan MacArthur Marshall” he died in his home town of Geraldine this week after a battle with Leukaemia. He had a long association with the sport, as a race-caller, trainer, and administrator. He was a past president and life member of the Geraldine Trotting Club, which is currently celebrating its 150th year. “He was part of the club’s fabric,” says current Geraldine president Mark Weaver, “the sort that makes every club stick together.” “As a builder his skills were handy …... and the number of trials and work-outs he organised, well god knows how many.” As a commentator Marshall was described as a “chanter” and he was a regular at racetracks and on the airwaves. He called his first races in 1964 as a 19 year old and while South Canterbury and Central Otago were his most common gigs, he did have stints further afield at Forbury Park, Hutt Park and Riccarton. He commentated until the early nineties, about the same time he started training winners. He had 13 wins from 196 starters, exclusively with trotters. His most successful association was with Missie Castleton. She has had 81 starts for six wins and $62,701 in stakes. Marshall trained her up until his deteriorating health forced him to transfer her to other stables. Harness Racing New Zealand says “Lochie was very well known and very respected throughout the industry and his craft will be sadly missed by all.” Credit: NZ Harness News, 24 Mar 2020

Had your user name been anything else I would take your input more seriously. If I went to a Political blog and changed my user name to "Chris Hipkins is a fabulous leader", you could guarantee there would be no rational discussion not riddled with blatant bias and misrepresentations. The fact NZ totally rejected Hipkins is completely lost on "Chris Hipkins is a fabulous leader". Pretty sure I stated previously that I feel Aaron White is a good caller for the dogs and gallopers. ...but just like "The Whale" he is well past his use by date. If they are the future faces of Auckland Harness then good luck. Interesting that you state he is accurate. I can only assume from that statement you don't pay close attention. His calls are often riddled with errors. I cross paths with many in the industry and you're the first person to state they felt White's use of pet names for drivers was a positive. Many I've spoken to consider it meaningless and bereft of value where as others find it obsequious and nauseating. The one common denominator was that it adds absolutely nothing of value to his calls. Over the years I have enjoyed nicknames for top line horses. Big Red, Cardy and Pocket Battleship are just three that come quickly to mind. They do add value and were appropriate. Furthermore, it was not rare to hear others repeat those nicknames on and off the racecourse. "The Chief" and "The Wizard" are two of the most inane, ridiculous and inappropriate nicknames for any harness driver. Once again, I've never heard a single other person in harness racing use those names. It is however common for White to use those names multiple times during his calls. It seems clear he's attempting to curry favour with those drivers and set some type of trend. After years of this, it's become nauseating. If Harness Racing in Auckland was flourishing and patrons were giving positive feedback then fair enough. That's a fail on both scores there so why do it? Your claim that many that post here regularly are "Anti Auckland"... The first Auckland Cup I can remember was when DG, Jack and Rod won the 1969 edition with Leading Light. The first Cup I went to was in 1984 when Enterprise beat Our Mana. From 1987 on when Master Mood won, our kids came with us on New Years Eve. It was a family tradition until 2016 when Dream About Me won. I was a strong supporter of Auckland Harness. From one month to to the next I'd often go to the better meetings with a mate. Interest in Auckland harness went down hill from there. There is a list of things that have contributed to the decline in appeal. Feel free to put patches over both eyes on that score and blame people who no longer get excited about Auckland harness but you're missing the elephants in the room. Taking a Saatchi & Saachi approach may succeed in an echo chamber but will likely fail elsewhere. As for the "Good" races on Friday. Firstly, the 150k 3 year old fillies final. What a poor indictment that race was for Harness Racing. 150k for a race like that when you have really exciting races around NZ struggling to get even a half way decent stake. The quality of the field was ordinary for such a big stake and history will prove that. The numbers were small. The race was boring until the last 10 metres when it looked like any one of three could win it. Ultimately, it was a predictable lead, trail, parked result. Then you look at the 200K 3 year old feature. Best two horses in the race were obviously Chase A Dream for Mark Purdon and Cold Chisel for Barry Purdon. The lead trail was quickly established with those two so the result was a done deal after 100 metres. There was excitement over which one of the two would prevail late in the race but there was a touch of the same old same old about the entire race. Happy to admit I cashed in on what I felt was a predictable result. Best race of the night to my eye was the 25k 3 year old race won by We Walk By Faith. Stirring up interest in Auckland harness will take more than bigger fields in my opinion. I wish it wasn't so but Auckland trotting has been headed in the wrong direction and are now reaping what they've sewn. The Golden Goose is no longer. Re your statement about no positive feedback. I enjoyed Dr Luk Chin winning the 40k Breeders with Jasinova .......... but on the score of no feedback. The TAB website is a disgrace and at times impossible to have confidence in. A mate told me he waited almost three to find out what he'd won with three wagers last week let alone get paid out. It was a complete shambles. I went to put a wager on the Champions League Football the following morning only to see the "Closed" sign up for apparent scheduled maintenance. No bet placed. What unfolded on Saturday with the TAB website was a disgraceful and embarrassing indictment that's sadly become very familiar to NZ punters. Impossible to have confidence in it. I was very keen on two horses at Rangiora. Both won. I'm not a big punter but put $50 on each of them. The site said my wagers were not accepted......but my balance dropped by $100. After the horses won I assumed my balance would increase by $510 but what happened an hour later was my $100 was returned to me. What a debacle. Despite your user name cheerleading the TAB, it's noted you gave zero feedback here on this diabolical situation. Head in the sand may get the job done in an echo chamber but nowhere else.

In business, we are constantly evaluating what is working and just as importantly, what isn't. Two of the Elephants in the room. I'm going to gravitate toward the negative here, but I feel two high profile people at Alexandra Park are consistently sending a boring same old same old message to patrons on and off course. Craig Thompson and Aaron White. I don't want to be unkind. Just sharing my perspective. Both guys are obviously passionate about Harness Racing and have carved out their own spot in the game doing exactly what they enjoy doing. Good on them......but The saturation point with Craig Thompson was reached some years ago. He's the "expert" at every harness meeting around NZ. I'd be ok with him if he was just used for Auckland or Cambridge via the studio or his home, but he's everywhere, even Gore ffs. Is there no other option for the bottom half of the South Island and another expert comments person for Canterbury? Craig's appearance, mannerisms and sound would be right at home as a funeral director or Minister of the Church. Unrelatable to virtually every younger person and a cure for insomnia for many others. Yes, he does his homework and has earned a place in the game but not the high profile spot every week at every harness meeting. He's more a trackside issue than an Alexandra Park issue but you don't see or hear him and feel enticed to go on track. Aaron White is a good caller for the gallopers and doggies but I find him difficult to stomach at Alexandra Park. He's the "Voice" of the Park so sets the tone. Unfortunately, it's the wrong tone. His focus on the drivers rather than the horses has gone well past it's use by date. I don't know anyone who refers to David Butcher as "The Chief"...it's obsequious, boring and utterly pointless. He used the term every time I watched a race. If you were to speak to David, would you address him as David or The Chief? It's a nauseating attempt to curry favour and set some type of trend. Tony Herlihy has been a wonderful driver for decades. Very good man. I can't see him and not think of Forest Gump ....The "Iceman" term is pathetic. Todd Mitchell has been a superb driver for decades. He's no Wizard ffs yet Aaron is determined to throw that pet name in at every opportunity. I watched a race a year ago and heard him use "The Wizard" seven times in one far king race. wtf? I've liked Maurice McKendry as a driver for many years. He's had a grand career and is still in the game achieving fine results but he's no Magic Man. I only watched five races last night and the last two were on mute. They got rid of Tony Lee but retain Aaron White? Tony would be superb @ Alexandra Park. Did a sterling job @ The Jewels some years ago. Look at the Canterbury caller and compare Aaron. Matt Cross is a good marketing image for harness racing. Young, relatable, presentable, not morbidly obese, and usually focuses on the horses during the race rather than the drivers. I don't mute Matt while he's calling races I'm watching. I wish both Craig and Aaron well, but not as the faces and voices of Auckland Harness Racing.

I also found the drive on All Cashed Up late in the race a bit puzzling. Crystal drove the horse quiet and pretty. Was going beautifully at the 400 but didn't move. Only really asked the horse for an effort at the 75 metre mark when not close enough to win. Horse finished faster than every other runner in the race. Watching thousands of races over many decades confirmed to me the horse still had plenty left in the tank. With a degree of confidence, I feel if Crystal had asked for an authentic effort earlier in the home straight, All Cashed Up would have at least run second. My judgement was either All Cashed Up was at risk of blowing to bits so the driver was keeping the horse from losing it.....or there is a more important target on the horizon...aka "managing the horse" Interestingly, nothing was said about the drive but David Butcher with the runner up Liaison was questioned over his lack of vigour in the home straight. To my eye, his drive was consistent with the way David drives and several other factors which he explained to the stewards. All Cashed Up on the other hand was fav and the question should have at least been asked. My conclusion. I've either forgotten how to read races .....or the Stewards were too busy focusing on Butcher on Liaison to even notice All Cashed Up. I speak via observation rather than pocket. I had one wager on the night. Chase The Dream https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/infohorsews/wsd06x?Arg=hrnzg-Ptype&Arg=RaceVideo&Arg=hrnzg-RacehdrID&Arg=7C9F0B39-13B6-4DE9-B282-D75E6685551A&Arg=hrnzg-rSite&Arg=TRUE

I'd be interested to see what the demographic is with the patrons at both venues. I went to just about every Auckland Cup since Enterprise and Wolfie beat Our Mana and Dillon Dale in 1984. Down the track were Hands Down and Delightful Lady. Personal observations back in the day were a mixed crowd age group wise. For the last 10 or 15 years or so that changed. Mostly the 50+ age group. Most people I knew would happily go to sporting events or music gigs but no longer had enthusiasm for a night out at the Park. Then I go back to Addington and the place just felt alive. No shortage of the 50+ age group or even the 80+ but an army of young people. Chances are many of those young people didn't give a monkey's about the racing but they were there and obviously felt Addington was the place to be. To my eye, Auckland are struggling to retain even the older patrons let alone entice the younger crowd. That's not a good sign. From a viewing perspective, the racing @ Addington was a much better watch. Auckland trotting just doesn't rock for me anymore for a list of reasons. I'll happily tune in to feature races but the week to week stuff just has no appeal. .

You've put some very relevant points on the table Gammalite. What a champion Seymour is. He's wrung all he can from "his" horses exactly like they were nothing more than a cash card and then sends them to a person he knows will likely cheat with them and then when they can no longer win in Tasmania, they are slaughtered in a heartless grotesque manner if credible reports are to be believed. I've heard stories that are just to farking awful to repeat. It's Seymour that can make a tangible difference but to do so he'd have to give a shit. Compelling evidence says I have more chance of winning the lotto. Leap To Fame is an excitement machine....but at what price do other equine athletes pay for that?

Without contradicting myself Chief, the knackers yard can be a reasonable and practical option .....providing the horses are treated humanely.

What a tragic indictment on an industry we love Gammalite. Out of sight, out of mind. The only priority is a few quid. I have no regard for the protestors that turn up on Great Northern Steeplechase day or Melbourne Cup day......but if those same protestors turned up in a high profile manner outside the Yole property, I'd say fair enough. If we want the public to turn their back on harness racing, all we need to do is condone or enable oxygen thieves like Yole to profit from cruelty and abuse of harness horses.

You may own a horse or a dog etc but that ownership comes with responsibilities does it not? Where do we draw the line? Is it reasonable to sell your ex racing greyhound to a dog fighting ring because you own the greyhound? Is it reasonable to send your horse to a trainer with a proven diabolical record? We have a responsibility of care to our horses. If we leave it in a paddock with no access to water, we know what the outcome would be. Disputing the charge on the basis of it being your horse ......will carry no water. Apologies, couldn't resist the pun .

It was only hypothetical Chief but you're conceding that if Ben Yole put 20k into your account, you'd send your horse to him knowing it will almost certainly be neglected, abused, subjected to cruelty and be involved in cheating?