billy connolly

Remnants of the great urban sprawl. Racecourse land has now become so valuable that in 25 years horse racing will be a thing of the past here. With this in mind why couldn't the likes of Riccarton's CEO, Mills (who's sat on his arse for 30 years) have borrowed against the rising value of CJC's land to secure cheaper rural land elsewhere?

J. Kah won't be heeding any of your advice, squire. At 3.1k posts you've at a lot to say here, can you list your achievements in the game please?

A preposterous, frivolous attempt to denigrate Kah by half-baked VRC stewards and a total waste of time and money in the process. Don't know Kah's age but she should still have plenty of time on her side and FYI it's not a good idea for a female to paint themselves to the nines whilst fronting a judicial hearing. Class is permanent.

Guerin would be better served patronising a speech therapist than he would a TV camera, the last time I endured him he was calling Frank Ritchie Wank Witchie. He's not unlike the TV1 weather man in that they both think they're good but aren't. Please go back to scribbling about Ben-Hurs Mr. Guerin. With regards the Trentham false start, I'm of the view that the four outside stalls weren't connected to a power source.

George will to anything to hog publicity, he's a glory hunter and social climber par excellence who's had his fingers in the till of NZ racing for far too long.

The only true way for an inexperienced jockey to learn the art of race riding is through opportunity and then making the most of that opportunity by immediately correcting their mistakes and by modelling themselves on a successful modern-day rider. Race riding is actually very easy when you're on the best horse in the race, it's the actions of those around you that make it hard.

A humble and modest man who let his horses do the talking. NZ's leading trainer on three occasions, he and his neighbour, Winsloe were dominant on Southland courses throughout the 70's/80's training 2500 winners between them. RIP.

The link tells me there's a conflict of interest with one of the board members being a cock relation of a current license holder ! Surely Clement can do the job without having to answer to another five big-ticket individuals.

Best sprinter does not equate to best horse, Black Caviar was unbeaten but only in sprints whereas the likes of Kingston Town, Dulcify, Daryl's Joy, Tulloch, Frankel etc. produced a turn of foot over any distance.

FFS, and who investigates the investigators? Next they'll be carrying guns, or as was the case with Ross Neal... a mutton gun ! https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/81747631/under-fire-racing-official-ross-neal-resigns

The all weather Polytrack could (and should) have been placed at Rangiora anyway and at a much lessor initial cost. At 1600m and cambered and with 1200m, 1600m and 2000m starting shutes already in place Rangiora was the ideal setup.

You cannot teach the art of (race) riding from the birdcage or the grandstand which is what the dimwits at NZTR are/were attempting to do by employing ex has-been jockeys and wasting industry funds in the process.

Why don't these so-called stewards direct their attention to the trainers of slow bastards going around week after week, at least the majority of Weir's charges raced with more than a modicum of success. There's not a lot more damage these half-baked pricks can inflict on Weir, this episode has virtually cost him a career and at least 5 million thus far. Cruelty is in the eye of the beholder !

FFS, hasn't Weir et al already been dealt with? Double jeopardy.

Of course it does but the rule makers wouldn't know this fact, they'd rather listen to and heed the sanctimonious crap of a half baked Veterinary Surgeon than they would the one sector group who'd know if a padded whip is either beneficial or detrimental, the jockeys themselves. McGreevy should stick to his own profession instead of poking his oar into something he wouldn't have a clue about. No, they put the reins between their teeth and carry a whip in each hand.

Surely this is one of the advantages of having a big stable of horses at one's disposal. In my view unless trainers have an ulterior motive in mind they are foolish for running horses against each other for the same prize pool. It's only a rort if you're not in on it.

Sorry squire, you've got my educated opinion whether you like it or not. Ridiculous, Canterbury is deserted over the Christmas holiday period. Note Omakau, who I rate as the best country track in the South Island with a huge populous of holiday makers in the vicinity has been done away with altogether. Back in the racing's halcyon days more people frequented Omakau races (in great summer weather) than they did Kumara. Yes, Leo Molloy was one, what are his views on/of the approx 1000 metres zero cambered Reefton track?

You can regurgitate this event forever and a day but the fact of the matter is the horse in question did falter/stumble on the point of the home turn when trying to force a run on the outside of the leader. In my view Moseley should have been on the mat for careless riding but the half-baked, blind, incompetent stewards failed to recognize this. Reefton, I admire your loyalty and perseverance towards this club but your track along with both Kumara and Greymouth are sub-standard, second-rate bull rings who are fortunate to have a permit to race... on prime holiday race dates.

What is your actual grievance, Reefton? After a horse looses its footing there is little chance of a race meeting proceeding in today's environment and with rain on race morning you would've been fortunate to get through your meeting unscathed anyway. Was it Oatham or Miss Veronica Algar who abandoned the meeting?

Absolutely, and her (Kah's) private life has fuck all to do with anyone else, least of all half baked Melbourne stewards. Weren't these same stewards responsible for setting fire to at least 500k of Racing Victoria's reserves because they sanctioned a jockey to ride with an incorrect apprentice allowance recently? These so-called stewards have far too much power IMO, there needs to be a higher authority to whom license holders can air their grievances. Nonsense, this woman has overcome massive prejudice and chauvinism to get to the top in a male dominated profession. It's results that count in this game.

They keep their jobs because they're a law unto themselves. NZTR would've initially cleared Pinn to ride in Australia, it's then the Australian stewards responsibility to ensure each horse carries its correct weight. The stewards in question are foolish for even bringing their incompetence to everyone's attention.

Note in that Twitter clip, the low cropped sole of grass that Mills has been oblivious to for close to 30 years. Put another log on the fire, Millsey !

There's no excuse, and there's something radically wrong with the HOF selection process when the two most successful jockeys of all time are overlooked. A New Zealand record 2600 victories is a bigger and better achievement than a Hall of Fame berth anyway in my book. No argument with Bosson, a very good modern-day rider.

A cross between Millsey and a Cockatiel. Do you still have the Board's backing, Millsey? Zane Tate

And unlikely to be surpassed, a phenomenal achievement from a low populous North Canterbury town and even more phenomenal considering he was eight years out of the game. In his heyday Johnson was without peer and in my view the most gifted jockey to grace the pigskin in the last fifty years here. I certainly rate him a class above every other incumbent Hall of Famer in that time. It's a tragedy that the Johnson of today is now not a shadow of his former self.