Executioner

That is a great observation Freda... Well done...

I see that the Gary Harding trainer "chocolate wheel " has had another spin.... All horses currently trained by the Weatherly's now transferred to Danica Guy.... Mind you that completes the circle as he initially started out there....I hope that they go well for Danica or they will be on the float and away down the road again....!!

In no way am I being critical, as I don't have the knowledge to do so.... This post is just a plea for an explanation, as I am a great racing fan but I do not possess any knowledge as to track presentations or variations etc.... My query is to why the track at Riccarton a few weeks ago was met with such negative criticism, when it was presented as Good 3..... And the 1400m races were run in 1.24 and 1.23.... whilst Ashburton, yesterday, was presented as a Good 3 with 1400m races run in 1.22 and 1.23 ... Both of these meetings appear to have presented a very similar pattern of track and times.... Yet the Riccarton meeting was meet with universal condemnation and vitriol, in stark contrast to the praise that seems to have been heaped on Ashburton..... Can anyone avail me of an explanation as to why there are such diverse reactions to such apparently comparable situations...

I see that one 1000m trial on Monday, went faster (56.4secs) ,than 4 of the last 5 Cup Week Pegasus Stakes..... That would seen to point to the track being considerably harder and unforgiving than is ideal....

When suspended it is still permissable to ride at trials.... This applies to all jockey's...

Apologies... Not for the first time in my life.... My brain has not kept up with reality... Colins horse actually ran second..... Maybe my initial post, was wishful thinking as I had a dollar on it....

Colin won a race at TIMARU today.... It is trained by Sam Wynne.... Does that help you accept that he has horses in work in Canterbury

Well done to NZTR.... Stewards vision videos as now being posted the day after race meetings.....I never understood why it took up to three months for these videos to appear... In the past few weeks they have been posted promptly....

Hi Freda... At risk of being off topic and also of intruding on your private life...I happened to be in your vicinity yesterday and I think that I saw a "SOLD" sign outside your place of residence(excuse me if I am mistaken) but I just wanted to ask, on behalf of the community, if you have finally made a such a fortune out of Racing that you are now shifting to a mansion in a gated community...( Possibly with added security to keep us racing folk out)...... My only advice would be, not to buy a mansion with a gold toilet, as having one hasn't helped Donald Trump....!!

Why only 3 N.I. jockey's took part in the inspection?(Leah Hemi...Warren Kennedy...Niranjan Parmar)..S.I. Riders not up to it...??.. Just because they can't ride doesn't mean that they can't take part in a track inpection...

What's happened to Raupunga Lad...... From memory he was unbeaten in three or four starts down south... Has been unseen since.... Looked very exciting...

I see that the powers that be stated that they asked to Racing Clubs to show initiative and innovation.... They have now rewarded those that heeded their request... Wingatui has been given a major race day which will feature the showpiece of their efforts... The Southern Mile Final... It is interesting to note that the CJC's complete lack of initiative of innovation has been,deservedly,rewarded with... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...

Haven't sighted him at any Southerm meetings lately.... Also, I see that a southern rider was referred for re-education to... Kim Clapperton.... It is a long bus ride from Riccarton to the Central Districts.... Maybe no one in the South Island can ride well enough to teach him....!!

With our industry being such great purveyors of the negative, I am sure that there will be plenty of criticism... But I can see nothing but positives in what is a very sensible and fiscally responsible, apportioning of the new funds that have become available...I realise that there are other matters(dates, tracks etc) that require attention, and I believe there are intentions to do so, from a full reading of their statement, but in isolation, it is of great benefit to all in the industry to have an overall 29% increase in stakes... The teachers, nurses etc could only dream of such an increase in their funding.... On the day that a recession is announced in NZ, I am grateful that our industry is finally bucking the trend and heading in the correct direction...

Congratulations to Daniel Miller on his 3 winners today....I did notice that Daniel appears to be training solo these days... Although recently he was in partnership with Mason Stevens.... Seems that Mason has moved on.... Anyone know where he has gone.... Good Southern man , Mason...

There are five trainers that have had over 100 starts this season.... Four of them are the four leading trainers in the country.. The other is Paul Harris who has had 107 starters for 1 win...!!!!!

Why does Paul Harris never have to declare his riders on time, and everyone else has to do so.... 19 horses without riders declared for Saturdays premier meeting, and every other trainer has complied with the rules...Does he get fined... Is there any punishment???

The second Saturday meeting, Trentham, now has sectionals posted and still no sign of the figures from Riccarton on FRIDAY..... Do the powers that be, not realise that Riccarton raced on Friday..... Or do they just not care...!!!!

It would be great to know why the sectional times for Ruakaka have just been posted....11.30am Sunday for a meeting run Saturday, when the times from Riccarton , run Friday have still not been posted.... Is there a legitimate reason, or is it just the car of the S.I. being treated as poor relations again...!!!!!

Today's Riccarton meetings and Cambridge's finals day(27th July)receive $60,000 for stakes, primarily, I believe, from the track builders, Martin Collins Ltd, in the form of a sponsorship. This can be used to boost stakes for this day, as the club's see fit.... Cambridge are running 4 MAAT maiden races for a stake of $40,000 each and the remaining races at minimum stakes....NB... The higher rated races at Cambridge are run for only$12,000.... Riccarton have chosen to spread the $60,000 across all races at today's meeting.... Both senario's have merit, I guess it is just whether you own a maiden in Cambridge or a more tightly assessed horse at Riccarton.!!!!... There is no interest like self interest...!!!!!

I see that the four Cambridge MAAT races have been announced with the starting criteria confirmed..... All four races at $40,000 whilst the RICCARTON series is scheduled for the second class citizens at $17,000.... Isn't it great to be a South Islander..!!!!

Thank you Freda, for bringing this to our attention, After a little research I see that last year (28thJuly)Cambridge ran a 4 race MAAT series with 4x$40,000 races.... The indication was that these races would be run after the opening of each synthetic track...a similar 4 race MAAT meeting is programmed for Riccarton(15thJuly) . In contrast to this year's second annual running of the MAAT races at Cambridge (27th July),where the stake is $40000 per race for the second year, it would appear as though the S.I. series has been relegated to its usual, second class citizen status, with stakes of less than 50%($17,000) of our northern counterparts.