Dougie

Central Otago has never been a massive harness region but why not, the amount of wealth in Queenstown/Cromwell/Alex etc there must be thousands of potential owners floating around there...... Huge crowds at Roxburgh and Cromwell yet the suits only give them a couple of token race meetings each year which are HUGE in turnover and crowds--- why couldn't Cromwell grass hold meetings in March/April or November/December too, 100% sure would get 12 full fields. absolutely no reason the Friday/Sunday 2 day thing wouldn't work here, plenty of Canterbury trainers would come, yes wouldn't get the same crowds outside of the holiday season but turnover would still smash what they'd get at Forbury or Invercargill. For this whole area looks like not one real public trainer now - Ginger Woodhouse and Lionel Sinnamon just train there own horses and are on the mature side of life!!!!! I'm an old prick but can remember when Murray/Marcus Hamilton had plenty of horses, hobby trainers like Buckley who I think trained at Queenstown along with a few others who might have 2 or 3 but now pretty much nothing from Queenstown to Dunedin.

Yip today is off and with the forecast sadly monday and wednesday must be in doubt too.

Generally slow times and mile rates with this 1200m track, times can be misleading as average horses generally at the meeting other than the big trot and pace, small field will help VC but I'd expect Brad if needed will sit parked as he'll be no chance if they sprint home on an easy track from the back of the field.

How is it that drivers and trainers are fined for gear errors or push out rule infringements etc but the starter hardly ever gets a mention in the Stipes report even when he makes huge stuff ups - R6 P LAMB was spoken to advisedly.!!!!! WTH is that. Seemed to be plenty of starters assistants there how on earth is the Vet holding the tapes before one of them.? I'm not going to complain as I had Bright Glow in a multi but I also couldn't resist just before the start Rachmaninov was @$17 a place so had a nibble and geez he went a long way before being pulled up properly by Trevor, I have no problem if the Vet passed all horses fit BUT how on earth did they do that in such a fast time...... can't be sure but it seemed the restart was only 2/3 minutes after the false start.

The Vet was holding the starting tape on the 15m line in R11 and didn't release it- hence the false start!!!!!! R 6 Unico Gem was facing the wrong way on the 2nd line for about 5 seconds then the goose said RIIIIIIIGHT---- and shock horror false start, if he can't see the whole field from his starting position get a better starting position. I'm starting to think he's doing this on purpose if he's on the outer.

FAKE NEWS ..... FAKE NEWS

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Totally understand and especially for a trotter who might have jumped off the mark better than normal you might go forward with it... for me I have no problem with different tactics with a horse out of form/luck but I struggle as someone trying to read a race and bet on a race on a horse in top form racing in one particular style totally changes a proven winning formula.

Andrew, can you hep me re rules please, change of tactics etc is it the same as the gallops or is it more ad hoc with the trots.... Today Aveross Majesty been trotting great from the back of the field in all 3 runs for Dennis, in 11 starts never been anywhere near the front during a race yet today steps nicely and Jess takes him to the front, still ran ok but do connections have an obligation to notify stewards of a change of tactics ??? ---- more importantly why change the tactics that had worked great? teaching the horse maybe but the races are not the place for that.

Race 6 new name for me as a Driver Daniel Roberts junior driver---- his first race day drive good luck son but why can I find out through HRNZ his address/mobile number etc but no stats re workouts or trials drives through his BIO, as a punter that's al I care about. HRNZ want us to spend our money on gambling yet just like race 1 drivers today are a total shambles. On another note at the top of the race field for the selected meeting on HRNZ they tell us the "Chairperson of Stewards" not that we give a shit ...... for me I want to know who the starter is for this meeting.... I shouldn't have to wait and watch R1 to see the Lamb chop about to butcher another start after I've already had a bet.

Payed $10 a place in NSW and $228 tri ----- and no I didn't back either.

Not sure what happened a while back but she had a falling out with Dean Taylor but way better off being with Negus, he doesn't have the best stock which makes her stats look pretty ordinary but her best trait seems to be getting the best out of horses with very limited ability, just like AS today.

Dennis purchased the horse too 2 weeks ago maybe for the same price as the prize money he won today, yes average field but a nice quiet drive by one of the most under rated drivers in the country...... now 55 starts for a 3rd placing. He purchased the trotter he won with too off the breeders.

https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/racing/big-bet-went-dogs-punter-blows-40k-0 And yet they allow bets like this - if you believe everything you read.

Nah no idea, will bet on trotters in Victoria but that's about, QLD is known for dodgy drivers and maybe the term "cheats on seats" came from there - some TAB meetings have races with only $3500 prize money and I'd be surprised if winning one of those would be the same points wise as winning a $10,000 maiden but who the hell knows. Not long ago I recall Alexy racing and another horse was having its's 8th start and as we know Alexy is close to the 300 mark with 10 wins.

Fuck me race 5 was worse than race 1--- browns cows and the starters assistant was holding onto #1 at the RIIIIGHT call.

It must be bloody hard to make a buck here as a trainer unless you've got 20 plus horses and frequent winners you'd think, take out Krug and the partnership looks pretty ordinary results wise but it ain't easy to find good horses and when you see the prize money in Victoria you'd be there in a flash - one thing Kentuckiana were excellent at was communication and proper website updates. Andrew I've seen 3 articles re this move which is the way it should be, but why would the harness media cover this story but totally ignore the Mitchell Kerr step down which is a week old now?,as human's we are curious people but also we like to be supplied real facts so to put to bed the rumours. On the other hand we have no god given right to someone's personal life/choices but in a million dollar business propped up by us punters industry confidence is a major influence in betting turnover.

Exactly, between him and former stable driver/foreman Matt Anderson many many questions need to be asked........ the need to do the above requires intent to deceive and lets be honest if you're doing something a little dodgy and getting away with it you go again and again and again and more than likely try and find another sucker to do it to as well. Imagine the owners in some of the syndicate's of his horses, could potentially be dozens or hundreds of them, they'll get the shits with the industry and get out but telling their mates how corrupt the harness game is and so on and so and so on..... until word of mouth and mud sticking talk equates to 1000s of potential harness racing owners or punters are wiped out, all the while the suits sit back with crossed fingers that they'll still have a nice job and perks without even caring they haven't got off their ass to clean up the public perception of the business.

Regardless of what is going on re Mitch this unfolded 5 days ago and as you've mentioned nothing from harness media I can find.... This Kid is/was one of the best conditioners and produced some super quick horses in the last few years, he's not a bloke with only 5 horses like Dennis the Menace but a full time industry participant with a large stable/property/staff/investors etc and from a betting point of view a decent punting stable ... So where are these harness media blokes and do they care or are they told to ignore certain lines of stories. Matt Markham Mick Guerin Dave Di Somma Andrew Fitzgerald Garrick Knight Barry Lichter Jonny Turner Joshua Smith Most of them are on Twitter and are very selective on what they comment on and this topic is no different. No wonder punters lose confidence in this industry, too much secret squirrel stuff goes on but it all stems from the top, they turn a blind eye to nearly everything and just hope the tough issues just fade away.

I may be wrong but I thought Paul Kerr trained at West Melton? Has he moved to Ohoka to take over the barn? Cheers.

Was in line to pick up a few from All Stars as well from what I'm told as is Regan Todd. Lost his Open Driver licence too, you hate to speculate but he and Matt A were a great combination.... i was thinking maybe he was moving to AUS but if so his licence's would remain until the end of the season. This is more fishy than a 'K' road brothel.

And Tiger Lou just paid $26.50 and $1.90 for that win. Track looks great but on pace looks the place to be again unlike Oamaru yesterday where they came from all over the joint to win.

I'm in Hotel Quarantine in Auckland and happy but really surprised I can use my NSW TAB account no problems.... used to be GEO Blocked, would have happily signed up with the NZ TAB but didn't have to.

3 winners in 3 days for Dennis the menace, nice action too on the trotter but most surprising was Pete's Dash but a nice drive and a lot of luck can equate to a soft win. No luck for the Spitfire at a time he really needed it, that race was his chance too, was cruising in the 3 wide line and the leader and parked horse were done but we'll never know the outcome but going by how the stablemates are going maybe Dennis can get at least a placing on the summer grass circuit.

As we know a poor field but do you go forward and sit parked or sit back and waddle past the slow ones in the straight to finish 5th or 6th... Didn't like the look of the grass crossing just past the post, hope the trotters don't find it too high. Was Lamb the starter their in race 1?