Noodlum

Surely not Seville.

Non stakes place bearing head-to-heads should be banned.

I'm a bit confused. Can a driver still give the horse a damn good slap with a rein?

Obviously you have no skin in the game as well as dont understand the numbers. They may be above budget but in the absence of another Government handout or borrowing the industry will take a significant pay cut. I can't see how that is anything to be glad about.

Don't we want to capture new customers? Doesn't the removal of oncourse betting facilities negate this? Surely Christmas meetings and iconic racedays (Cup week) will have oncourse facilities? Imagine trying to organise a "fun" betting syndicate amongst your fellow party goers without them.

Making some big calls there Forbury. Any evidence?

Yeah Flash is a bit selective in his postividdy!

KFC?

Tell ya what Galah do you want to have a bet who wins the bigun at Alexandra Park on Friday? I'll take the Allstars.

So Galah if you are looking for current patterns vs historical patterns you would be pleased that the All Stars have seem to got on top of what was causing the hoof/lower leg issues. However I'd suggest that you factor into you "patterns" an allowance for the fact that it will probably take the younger horses longer to respond to any treatment but then you'd have to assume that the Allstars won't be starting them unless they are fit and ready.

"which suggests" - it doesn't specifically say that the two top NZ cup contenders are being rested. In fact it specifically says in regard to two of those horses - "there is nothing to suggest their cup chances will be affected." The latest report on their trial is that they were scratched because of "minor hoof issues" which they appear to be over. Another article says that they had treatment and farrier work. So it is more than feasible that a top trainer can fix a minor problem in a week. But it is nothing out of the ordinary - it happens all the time. With your extensive stable/training experience you would know that that is the case. Good luck with your "patterns"! However "patterns" are only worthwhile if you include a measure of variation - from some of your recent posts on UDR it appears you don't. Therefore your measure of chance is prone to error.

Most trainers do keep detailed records of significant treatments. Of course you wouldn't expect them to record applying hopple chaf would you? Do you draw a line? So you want these "log books" published to achieve "true transparency, honesty and compliance"? What a load of nonsense. Do you extend this to individual feed regimes? After all the biggest performance enhancements in recent decades has been in feed formulation. If you think Racing is so inherently dishonest why do you bother with it? Or is it in reality that you don't really care but just sit on the sidelines looking for the next conspiracy?

Not much humour do ye have Galah! So if YOU are being consistent you would expect every trainer to give a public explanation why they scratched their horse?

Well your memory seems selective HtP. The Allstars give a credible reason why their horses were scratched and you join the rumour mill. But then try to defend McGrath! As for the P crew - good question but isn't that one for the RIU to answer? As for the wormer paste I'm not across that "made up story" as you call it.

But what could the "real reason" be if it isn't what was stated? All you've done is "ooohhh look I smell something and I think it's smoke". In my opinion the reason given sounds perfectly reasonable. If it isn't as you infer why aren't the RIU hiding in the hedges and then testing all their horse's and giving INCA a chance to maybe finally score a goal?

FFS HtP are you joining the conspiracy mob as well? Between acceptances and scratching the two horses had a problem. They were treated and had farrier work. Then went to the trials and appear to be back on track. What on earth could be the great conspiracy? Shock horror inference rumour knock ya knees wear a tinfoil hat....

It doesn't change that fact there is "nothing to see" and the only "tongues wagging" are the likes of yours. The likes of who shout smoke where there is no fire. Actually you particularly don't even state anything you just make inferences. The article doesn't acknowledge anything it just provides more information and where is the contradiction? The original article said that the issues wouldn't affect the Cup preparation of the two horses mentioned. How were punters "fed spin"? Are you saying that the Purdon and Rasmussen were lying?

As for the rules - easy to look up on HRNZ's site. Can't start within five days in a STAKES bearing race - however exceptions to that rule can be - Stipes accept written explanation as "exceptional circumstances" or a Vet certificate is provided.

If you "couldn't care less" then why comment on it? I'm quite happy to accept what has happened as not being abnormal. Plus I don't believe they have contradicted themselves. Here is a bit more information for you to speculate about: Both were supposed to start in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday yet missed the race after having sore hooves from working on a track which has got unseasonably hard at the All Stars’s property. That comes on top of Self Assured galloping so badly at his last start he tailed off and has been put on the unruly, which means he will in all likelihood be giving Copy That, and everybody else, a start in the $540,000 Cup at Addington on November 10. Future punters are a jittery bunch and the fact Self Assured and Spankem were scratched will have tongues wagging as there is nothing punters like more than a good rumour. But any long-term concerns about the pair should be allayed by the fact they are both in at the Rangiora trials today. “They have had some farrier work done and are good to go so they can trial here and then race at Addington next week,” says Purdon. “So this won’t affect their NZ Cup build-up at all, not this far out from the race.”

Probably because it isn't worth commenting on. You take exception to Self Assured and Spankem being scratched. Surely it is up to the trainer to decide what they do with their horses. If the rules allow them to scratch then what's the problem? You also don't know what treatment the horses have had between their last workout where they had sore feet and the trials. Also a trial close to home (35min float trip) would be a lot softer than a race and a 3 hour float trip there and back. The other thing is YOU don't actually comment "on stuff like this." You just make inferences of wrong doing. Have you ever trained horses?

At least I know her name, what she has done in the industry and what stable she is associated with. Never heard of Paul Humphries or Howard Clarke.

You have only pointed out that a horse has not performed well in two races back. You haven't offered any explanation why. I have but you ignore that. So what's your reasoning?

Is it that the horse is older and given its issues would have had a very long light build up and that it will take racing to get it fit? Racing horses to get them fit has always been a part of harness racing although in recent times it has become the norm rather than the exception. Covid-19 has made that worse. Not everyone can afford to travel long distances to get to Addington twice a week!!

What do you call it?

Of course they do but they are covering their arses but outsourcing. I bet ya "the experienced knowlegeable" mob hired a consultancy to manage the personnel restructure. Behaviour typical of a Government Department - abdicate the responsibility and risk and push it onto a consultant.