Walt

Nelson has always boxed above it's weight in all sports. Pardon the pun but Jeff Rackley another example of that. Great boxer in his day. I come from a well known sporting family. My dad was known all over NZ. When we moved back to Nelson in 2022, a neighbour asked my surname. He asked if I was any relation. I said yes, he's my dad. He then went on to tell me about a sporting action of my dad's that he witnessed in 1974 and how it was the best sporting moment he'd ever seen. I was tickled pink

Greg Turner prior to playing Golf was a very handy cricketer which is no surprise when you consider who his dad was. I was a quick bowler and Greg hit a big six off me which very few ever did and I'm still smarting about it almost 50 years later. It was the South Island Schoolboy Champs played at Invercargill. 1975 I think. We went to see the movie Jaws which is how I remember the year We won the Tournament of course. Nelson only produces winners

Jock had almost a cult following back in the day in his hometown Nelson. He enjoyed knocking the ball out of the ground at every opportunity like Lance Cairns. I bowled to him in my cricket days. Taken far too soon.

I can't find a valid reason to disagree with anything you've said Galah. I've always felt punters are often seen as a fickle lot and their frustration is quickly forgotten when they win a few quid off the same horse soon after. Will be very interesting to see how Mo'unga is driven in future, especially when the race has been targeted. I'll wager dollars to donuts Robbie won't be sitting as quiet as a church mouse in dead last position with 300 metres to run around 10 to 12 lengths off the leaders. .....especially if he's going as well as he was yesterday. Had he just run on fairly in the straight making up a few lengths punters would have just accepted what unfolded as "racing". That was most definitely not the case. We agree he's the best horse in that race and that he was going very nicely at the 300 in last placing with no realistic hope of winning. When he was finally asked to race he made up many lengths and finished full of running. That's the epitome of adding insult to injury. Another aspect that's "potentially" worse is the knowledge that at least some had prior to the horse even stepping onto the track that it was "Not tonight Josephine" for Mo'unga. How he goes tomorrow will be interesting but in truth, win or lose it won't make what unfolded yesterday any worse or any better. As others have pointed out there were numerous runners yesterday that weren't asked for an authentic effort until the race was virtually over. It "could" be a very enlightening watch to look at all the winners and runners up at Reefton tomorrow and then go back and compare how those horses were driven at Westport yesterday.

Hey Shad, Not giving him a gut buster first up made perfect sense and was expected by many. What unfolded yesterday was in my opinion blatant and at a different level than just a quiet run. Thought of you when I saw an avalanche of dosh coming for Sods Law. Never looked like being beaten. Hope you were smiling my friend

It has so very little to do with me losing a few quid Galah. If my wagers get rolled which they often do, I cop it on the chin. I'm not looking to blame anyone else for my gamble not paying off. What bothers me most here are the wide ranging implications, especially with the fact it was so blatant. It also amounts to an enormous "fxxk you" to every punter out there that know the horses ability, knew it's trial form, knew it was easily the best horse in the race and sent it out fav in good faith assuming it was there to "race" and obtain the best possible placing. I've been close up many times with horses I knew were given quiet runs because they just aren't ready to rumble. "Quiet" doesn't mean give your horse a 0% chance of winning. It is rather that if the opportunity presents to win without busting a gut it's taken. Sometimes horses can really surprise and make fools of us. Late last year a Canterbury trainer I've had a long standing friendship with told me about their trotter having it's fresh up run. Said the work was not flash in fact it was lethargic at times. It was expected to need one or two runs before putting his hand up. Result was he came out and bolted in surprising everyone. We know they are animals not machines. Here are some implications regarding the performance of Mo'unga @ Westport yesterday which I describe as blatant and disgraceful. 1) The fact people involved knew they could do this so blatantly and have no consequence. 2) How many of their other stable runners should be investigated for similar runs? 3) The fact Stewards never even asked questions of the driver is perplexing to say the least. Certain whip actions are deemed unreasonable and unacceptable yet the performance of Mo'unga is acceptable and reasonable. 4) What message does this send that what unfolded with Mo'unga was reasonable / acceptable and wouldn't even be questioned. 5) What message are you comfortable to send to to harness supporters that recognized Mo'unga was the best horse in the race and wagered on him in good faith? 6) Can harness racing afford to turn at least some of it's supporters cold and destroy confidence?

Back in the 80's Galah I was a fairly serious punter but these days not so much. I only had $50 on the trifecta and $50 on the treble. I punt enough to have an authentic interest while respecting my own wagering limits. I've seen enough over the years to know there is a reason it's called gambling ...we are not just backing our own judgement on the horses form and abilities and the form of the stable and driver etc etc. We know luck in running is also very important. That aside, it's the results that are decided before the horse even arrives on the track that irk me most. I've seen way too many examples of what Mo'unga did today. Never in premier races. There was another that ran at Cambridge last night. Should have won or gone very close but followed driver instructions that effectively negated any winning chance it had before the race even started. Still went out a warm fav. I'm becoming disillusioned with a sport I've been passionate about for 50+ years. I never thought I'd ever say that. Harness Racing is a magnificent sport with a lot of wonderful people involved. I have close and dear friends involved but if you want to turn people cold and have them find their jollies elsewhere, the performance of Mo'unga today is a fast track of achieving that. I won't be punting at Reefton on Sunday, in fact, today's effort has forced me to stick to the Premier days later in the year. It's a sad day when your happy place becomes an unhappy place. Had I driven to Westport today for the trots, I'd be even dirtier than I am now.

What unfolded there was very disappointing as it was so blatant. I put my trebles and trifecta's on early. Couldn't see Mo'unga beaten. Was easily the class horse of that field. 45 minutes before the race I got a call from a harness man in North Canterbury known to many. We ended up talking about Westport and Reefton and I spoke of Mo'unga looking a good thing. He said your tickets are worthless. It's "not today" with Mo'unga. I respect him and thought seriously about canceling my bets but decided to let it ride. Fact is I knew the horse was no hope before the race even started. It got the blows big time so others knew all about the "plan" also. This was deliberate. My shock was just how blatant it was. Turned me cold actually. Even with 300 metres to run and ten to twelve lengths off the leaders he still didn't move despite apparently going peaches and cream. Cardigan Bay couldn't win from there and neither could Lord Module. To then rattle home and make up so much ground in the home straight and with still plenty in the tank was an insult to all the mugs that backed him in good faith. Fine and dandy to drive like that in an actually non tote trial. Today was not a non tote trial. If what unfolded there with the best horse in the race is reasonable then our sport has lost it's compass. Serious questions need to be asked and answered. No perfunctory explanation accepted. Yep, I'm dirty. It's not the money for me. It's the blatant dishonestly hidden in clear view. Why did Mou'nga not turn up to win today? Longer term racehorse management? Bigger fish to fry in the pipeline?. To punt it when it suits the person making the call? Intentionally use the race as a quiet trial? I can't say but my cue goes back in the rack until NZ Cup day. https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/infohorsews/wsd06x?Arg=hrnzg-Ptype&Arg=RaceVideo&Arg=hrnzg-RacehdrID&Arg=9D57B5F3-E22F-41E3-8F01-FD26AD8B7230&Arg=hrnzg-rSite&Arg=TRUE

Good question. It seems the writing is on the wall. If the ATC was my business I'd want to know why our biggest city with a massive population of punters can deliver such an average product. Seems the ATC has strangled the goose that laid the golden egg. Harness Racing is a great sport.....but you'd have to be very keen to get excited about their meeting tonight and many other nights. There is so much competition for the discretionary entertainment and sporting dollar in Auckland but it would seem ATC are not interested in competing

haha money talks

You're doing well to drive to Westport in 2 hours Takes me an hour longer but I am a coffee snob so have to stop along the way. Funny you mention Victory. Our first house in NZ was in Toi Toi Street and we played a lot of our sport on Victory Square. The short cut to Tahuna you're referring to is Days Track me thinks. Used it every week as a boy and now it's about two hundreds from our front door. It is a million dollar view but work to be done for me to be a rich person. Will need a few more winners. The homes opposite Haulashore are mostly beautiful and a pretty penny these days. The Cliffs is the elite area of Nelson. Many homes north of 4 mil. The miserable gits took our winter meeting off us so it's just the summer meet in January. The facilities at Richmond are tired but the track is awesome. I've spoken with several prominent trainers and ex trainers that all rate the track at Nelson as one of the best. It's a sinful waste to only use the track in January. If you want locals to be interested in harness racing a smart call would be not to remove it. Hope my day picks up after Forgiveness blew to bits on the turn in the first when traveling good enough in fourth place.

I lived in the City of Sails for forty years which makes me feel even older today. I'm really fortunate that I'm so devastatingly handsome or I may appear to be in my 60's ffs. Modesty another of my many attributes. By the time I left Auckland in 2022 it would be more appropriate to call it the City of Snails...or even the City of Orange Cones. I spent so much farking time in traffic each day moving back to the Mainland was a given. Would love to go over to the Coast for the weekend but my better half is in Hawaii and I have a bunch of critters to look after while I work from home. Will be following the trots today and yelling driving instructions at the TV of course..... something akin to ......go now....now....go now ya bastard ....oh ffs what were you thinking Was a bit disconcerting to have rocks falling off the cliff again on Rocks Road. When things start falling down the hillside you can easily be reminded of the August 2022 storm here. We are right at the top of Princes Drive and our area was hit badly. Evidence of that still all around us. Weather is beautiful in Nelson today so no thoughts of flooding or slipping down the hillside. The Auckland meeting tonight does almost nothing for me. Will watch the 4 horse 40k Founders field go around but with The Iceman and The Chief in there it will be on mute. Would rather eat your toenail clippings than listen to more of that crap but you enjoy yourself

Speaking of Rick May's drives. I haven't yet got past race 1 with my homework. I found the betting on his drive Monaro Meg interesting. I had her as a 20-1 shot but she's at $4.50 fixed and dropping. Clearly, someone knows something. I thought the horse to beat was very much the mare Forgiveness. Paul Nairn as we know is the master with trotters. When he ventures to the Coast you know he has them ready to put their hand up. Ran a very nice second in a trial behind race winner One El who's been racing better fields than Forgiveness meets today. I note that she has blown to bits in previous races a year ago so Paul has had time to sort her out. Her trial run says he's winning that task. If she win's today I'd be backing up at Reefton on Sunday. I always enjoy Coast harness racing. To be fair, I'd take the meeting tonight Hands Down over the Auckland meeting tonight that has little appeal from a punting perspective. No doubt the Ribbon of Light will get a work over along with being all dressed up and nowhere to go. The Magic Man will be there with The Chief, The Wizard and The Ice Man of course but no sign yet of The Bogeyman and The Strawman

"Tongue in cheek" translated in this case = condescending. Pretty much sums up the NZ TAB

I believe my wife is related to Merv. I never met him but betting comparisons were made with Max Harvey who I met numerous times. The steel balls of his day betting wise. YEAR: 1990 http://www.hof.co.nz/images/History/MervDean.JPG MERV DEAN Merv Dean, who died at his home in Auckland just before Christmas aged 67 after a long illness, will long be remembered as the man who bought the great Cardigan Bay from the Todd brothers of Mataura. But there was much more to Merv than just that. Merv's parents ran tobacconists in Hamilton, and in his youth Merv assisted his uncle, Henry Lee, one of New Zealand's most notorious bookmakers. Lee operated a shoe shop at Frankton, but, it is said, sold no shoes. At one point in his colourful career he completely booked out the Duke of Marlborough Hotel at Russell and staged there an unofficial convention of New Zealand bookies. Merv moved to Auckland, where he became a billards and snooker hall proprietor. Armed with a wide knowledge of racing and its ramifications, he also became a keen student of breeding, an ardent admirer of good horses and good racing, both standardbred and thoroughbred, and an aspiring owner. It could truthfully be said that he fashioned himself into possibly New Zealand's most successful professional punter. Those closest to him, considered Merv's judgement second to none when it came to horse racing. Merv at times punted on a level to match the late Max Harvey, but, in direct contrast to that leviathon gambler, Merv shunned publicity and throughout his life maintained a very low profile. He never asked for a privilege to go on to a racecourse. He paid his way in, and never went onto a grandstand, preferring to go to the rail, as close as he could get to the horses that he loved to bet on. At Alexandra Park, scene of 11 of Cardigan Bay's 80 wins, including two Auckland Cups, Merv's favourite vantage point was on the rail at the two-mile start in the old Derby area, where he would buy a pie and rub sholders with the workers. Merv with his Mother raced the good pacing mare Ruth Again in the mid-1950s. The daughter of Dillon Hall was trained for them for four wins as a four-year-old by Roy Purdon (then at Te Awamutu), and later in life won them a race from Morry Holmes' Riccarton stable and another when trained at Pukekohe by Colin Hadfield. Rapt in the progeny of the imported American stallion Hal Tryax, Merv bought from the Todd brothers in 1961 a gelding by that sire named Motif. After this pacer had won at 40-to-1 at Claudelands in March 1961, he handed him to Peter Wolfenden, from whose Auckland stable Motif was to win four more races. Boosted by a good betting win, Merv soon after bought from the Todd brothers (for £2000 and two £250 contingencies) another Hal Tryax gelding, who, as Cardigan Bay, had won two of eight three-year-old starts and three of four starts at four. Registered in the name of Merv's wife Audrey, Cardigan Bay under Wolfenden became a champion, his numerous wins including the Auckland Cups in 1961 and 1963, the NZ Cup in 1963 and the Inter-Dominion Grand Final in Adelaide the same year. Cardigan Bay went on to further fame and fortune in America, where under Stanley Dancer, he became, as a 12-year-old in 1968, the world's first pacer to win a million dollars. One of Merv Dean's best thoroughbreds in New Zealand was Town Guard. At one stage of his career this good galloper was disappointing, and Merv's suggestion to his trainer was to jump him over hurdles in the centre of Pukekohe. His reasoning was that slipping and sliding on the heavy clover in the infield would teach the horse to run better on the flat. His theory was borne out when Town Guard immediately won the Stars Travel Gold Cup at Tauranga, beating Lampada. Merv then sent Town Guard to Victoria and successfully punted him to win a hurdle race in Melbourne. Brought back to Baggy Hillis' Takanini stable, Town Guard was one of the early favourites for a Great Northern Hurdles when he broke down on the eve of the race. One of Merv's closest friends, current Auckland Trotting Club president Cliff Koefoed, labels him "the greatest judge of horseflesh I have known...He had something like 70 horses, and only one failed to win a race," he said. Koefoed added: "Very tough in business, he was generous to a fault to down-and-outers. When he learned that the guy who assisted him in the billard room at Onehunga had five kids and a Morris Minor, he and Audrey gave the guy an open cheque to buy a decent car for his family." Koeford recalls accompanying Merv on whirlwind forays to Christchurch, Wellington and even Australia for assaults on the tote and bookmakers that were usually successful. "On a Trentham trip we put £200 on Mali Peter in the first leg of the double, and when he won we put the lot all-up on Golden Defoe," continued Koefoed. "They were £1 tickets, and had to be exchanged into five shilling units. They were still punching tickets for us after the second leg horse had won. We got £2500 each. We rang our wives, Irene and Audrey, and got them to book a table and meet us that night at the "Gourmet" in Auckland, I think it was the first time Merv had ever been into a top-class restaurant to have a meal." Merv Dean is survived by Audrey. Credit: HRWeekly 9Jan91

Good point Freda. I remember watching Popular Alm who was another might warrior and thinking Vin Knight was not shy with the whip. Different era of course with different rules but as you say they wouldn't allow it now. They'd still be magnificent horses but the rules would have applied to all so unsure how many races these champs would not have won with todays rules....if any. If we go back to the 1985 NZ Cup, you'll see some great performances from the winner and runner up both driven by champion drivers who I have considerable respect for on and off the track. Having said that, if that race was run today with today's rules, both would have been DQ'd.

He was a beauty alright with a big ticker. I wondered how tempted they were to grab a few more wins and take him up to the 100 mark. Very few ever reach that mark. Gammalite in an era of magnificent horses deserves to be called a champion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOjzB0cDNsE

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/26/nash-says-labour-govt-softened-stance-on-gang-asset-seizures/

snap

Back in the day Gamma I felt a $50 wager was almost a waste of time. If I liked a pony enough to wager on it then I felt I should back myself. Then that all started to change. As you correctly point out, $1000 or more is a lot to lose when there are so many other demands on your dosh. If I was to be completely upfront I'd admit my good lady had influence on me. She's conservative and risk averse where as I'm a risk taker. Explaining to her what happened to my 5k place bet that ran an unlucky fourth was no picnic. I started keeping my bet sizes from her and at the same time, my punting enjoyment lessened. When I won it was a relief as much as anything. That's not a good mindset. Eventually I stopped wagering altogether but never lost my love of light harness. Now it's $50 a win or $50 on a trifecta or treble. Doesn't matter if I've won my last six or seven bets. I still only bet $50 and feel comfortable with that. If I'm unlucky, I don't lose a moments sleep over it. I respect the way Brodie punts. It works for him and he's making a quid while retaining his sanity and his adoration of Jacinda Ardern and the Covid vaccine

As you know many horses can't burn the candle twice or more in a race and still expect to show their best at the finish. They need to be covered up doing as little work as possible and then hope the gaps open up for them at the right time. Often those gaps don't open up and the horse is denied a run and appears unlucky. When the same horse is often unlucky I'd say it's more to do with the way it needs to be driven than anything else. From a betting perspective, I'd much rather have my dosh on a horse than can work and still be in the finish than one that often appears unlucky. That aside, every race has a leader, a trailer, a parked runner, a one out one back runner, a runner buried on the inside etc and a tail ender. It's just not possible for every horse will be in the ideal position. Where they are in the running can be as much to do with circumstance as it is by design. Tony Herlihy finds the one one sit more times with his drives than any other NZ driver I've ever seen including Peter Wolfenden and Dexter Dunn but even those great drivers via circumstance found themselves in a position they can't win from. I have a lot of time for Kimberly as a driver and would happily have my money on her drives. Her drive to win on Didjabringthbubbles at long odds for Coaster earlier in the month was a peach as was her winning drive on Bullit Train last month at Wyndham. None of that surprised me as she is from a harness dynasty that without exception produce wonderful results. If you put her on an All Star top liner we'd all be talking about her as a driver from the top drawer. As we know she doesn't have those sorts of horses to drive. Tane JJ on average wins once every 15 or so starts and is due a win that will likely / hopefully come soon. Will still need Kimberly's skills to get home as the horse is no world beater and there are always other similar type horses in that grade fighting for the win.

and not unexpected if the betting is a guide. Pretty sure I saw 12's F/O fairly late

Old Clint's character on the face of it was a grumpy old racist so I didn't enjoy that comparison from my daughters ffs but scratch a bit deeper and and you see an old school principled guy with a sense of humour and a back bone. I'll take that comparison as a positive Saturday's TAB debacle was just a repeat of what punters have become familiar with. It happened during the week also but apparently that mainly just impacted results. On Saturday many couldn't get their wagers on so it was a complete shitstorm. Most involved with the TAB would have been aware of that even if they weren't betting. Aside from your TAB arse lick user name, you have solid input so will skip past the brown tongue. Ellerslie seems to have arrived as the place to be which I also embrace. Having said that, I was a big fan of the hill and looked forward to the Northerns like many others look forward to the Cup and Railway. NZ racing is poorer for the loss of the hill. Seems our fathers like many others were our introduction to light harness. I recall the old Hutt Park days also. From a punting perspective, any horse that traveled up and crossed the Cook Straight to race was a heads up to get on. I recall old George Shand as a uncompromising driver that you knew exactly what you'd get. On the track similar to Neil Brady and that's meant as a compliment. I fear the glory days of NZ Harness Racing are behind us. I hope I'm wrong. Hugely disappointed in the decision to shitcan the Easter Cup. Such a time honoured event and the best indicator of who could win our best and most important race, the NZ Cup. I hope they reinstate this feature sooner rather than later.

Interesting Galah and perhaps correct but a good discussion It's called a "race" so that's what they should do. It does my head in when all the drivers sit back and let the leader run soft sectionals and then leave them standing in the home straight. I'd much rather see what John Dun did last night than that. The reason I ask the questions of this drive was due to him then running last which was predictable and the stablemate getting up. The Stewards saw fit not to ask the question so it would seem my perspective that a question should have been asked was not shared. Both Heisenberg and Dashing Major began quickly. I feel the plan was if that occurred to lead trail. Unfortunately for JD, The Falcon began better and took the front leaving him posted. Three choices were have a dig for the top, sit parked quietly or drag his arse back to last. It made sense to try for the top. I felt that attempt went on for just a bit too long. I don't blame Gerald at all. He got the front fair and square and has raced very well from there previously. Handing up loses control of the race. Had Gerald handed up, JD would have been looking for a breather. Another lead change was then on the cards. The Falcon could have gone from the premium spot to three back. The new leader then walks and he's farked. Interesting to share different takes of the same thing. https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/infohorsews/wsd06x?Arg=hrnzg-Ptype&Arg=RaceVideo&Arg=hrnzg-RacehdrID&Arg=0F8314C3-AB6B-410C-B906-BFD2CCD119FC&Arg=hrnzg-rSite&Arg=TRUE