Gammalite

That's him . and sold to Brodie straight after that Sapling Stakes win for a large sum 💰😉 Late great Jack Smolenski steering him to a 4 lengths win at Ashburton . also previously winning the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and the Timaru Nursary stakes where he defeated future Auckland Cup winner 'Comedy Lad' . Comedy Lad from Southland, getting revenge though, in the NZ Welcome Stakes at Addington over Natural Guy and getting sold himself to millionaire Auckland based Max Harvey. (the Brodie that bought Natural Guy was Greg Brodie of 'Courage Under Fire' Fame lol. not the big gun's Brodie 😂😋)

Not far off . Our driver in photo was 4th to Royal Lopez with his horse Treasurer when Royal Lopez won his Sapling Stakes. The Future NZ Derby winner Game Adios was 5th in that race.

and here's one for Rangatira too. (or anybody that can pick him before the master Sleuth Ranga does) And as Doomed said on another thread, the field for the Sapling stakes used to be combined Colts/geldings/Fillies for many years. A Filly ran 2nd to this bloke in photo . a NZ record run too. Who is the Winner here?

Being run on Sunday at Ashburton for $60,000. The 7 accepting 2 year old Fillies run separately for $40,000 in race 5 the Helen Pope Classic. was just commenting to Mikey on the Southern Surge thread about the importance of running these type of races. He is questioning the running of these races for being small fields and not great betting and not worth $100,000. I would say you need 2 year old racing. It's where the New Stars get 'Introduced ' each year to the sport. Marketplace WON this race last year. I definitely think it's worth the tradition and Prestige to keep these sort of races going. The Welcome Stakes gets criticised the same for small fields , but you can't just NOT Have them ? It's the trainers fault really. They should be trying Many many 2 year olds ( as Allstars did for more than a decade sweeping these sort of races with devastating effect accordingly. A $60,000 Group 3 race should attract the best trainers to have a go. Maybe it should be worth more money to get more starters lol? We have 4 x $50k races (2 Fillies and 2 coltsgelding divisions of 2 and 3 year olds ) being run at Albion Saturday night. Grant and wife Trista Dixon , and Pete McMullen and wife Chantal Turpin qualified 22 of the 40 starters that a racing for the $200,000. An astounding achievement of hard work and dedication . That's how the Allstars did it. You need some of the Newer 'power' stables to try and get horses in these fields ( like at Ashburton)where are Cullens and Todd? are Dalgety's, Dunns and Telfers the only ones working hard now with large teams ?

The time-honoured Sapling Stakes used to be a highlight of the year. I'm terribly disappointed only 8 colts going around on Sunday . Where are the Dunn's and Cullen's and Todd's 2 yearolds??? Marketplace Won this race last year for Regan Todd. You would think the leading stables would be busting at the seams with 2 yearolds and trying at least 10 ? 2year olds each to find at least one capable of going in these feature races ? It's what they should be doing anyway. like Dalgetys and Allstars used to. The 2 Leading stables here of Dixon and Pete McMullen in Brisbane have 2 of our features 2 year old races Saturday night as well . They worked VERY HARD and qualified 10 horses between them. They're starting to get better than NZ trainers which wouldn't of been the case just 10 years ago. The races are worth the same money as Ashburton for the Colts and Fillies in separate races as well. $60k for the colts being the same as the 'Once-great' Sapling Stakes. we have 2 full fields of 10 at Brisbane Saturday night for these 2 year old races (that had to do a qualifying run over a week ago to get in as well) so 20 horses get a start in the 2 nice Group 3 Breeders races. You need Group racing racing Mikey. 15 runners in your 2 races on Sunday is indeed Disappointing. Maybe they could of combined the 2 fields and had one 12 horse race? if you're worried about the field sizes of 8 and 7 ? . BUT 3 horses MISS OUT altogeather then ? that's Not good either. at least they're trying to put races on for you. Like they are with the Southern Surge and that.

I agree with you Mr Galah. The NZ Cup too much 💰 as well . Perhaps if $500k total , and the fabulous NZ FFA $400k total as well 3 days later , we get the best horses racing in the best races and save a few bucks . and hopefully SWAYZEE (and Leap To Fame) wouldn't be bothered turning up to plunder the NZ riches. They aren't helping NZ harness in the slightest. just more of a dagger really. ( even though I love International competition) They're trying to run the Interdominion ( the Magnificent 'traditional NZ v Aus contest' that has entertained generations of harness lovers) for $1,000,000 as a promotion. That indeed, should be the Million dollar race Mr Steel promotes. And also tries to get back to Addington at some stage for a turn ??? haven't had it there since Baltic Eagle, a long time ago. Carter will be in Brissie soon with his star 'Pub'. love him to win it like YULESTAR did once 🏆😎

well just enjoy them while they're running in that case then mate. You and I would allocate stakes different to what they do , and it's easy to pick holes in the Southern Surge as The Galah did early in this thread , but it's just some INNOVATION that someone has made to give local Southern Trainers some REWARD for EFFORT. good on em' for giving it a go I spose. tough life down there as a trainer. We have a feature 3 and 4 year old trotter $150,000 coming up here in Brissy soon. (Bet N Win was fav for it last year after winning the lead-up but had to scratch injured unfortunately.) I think it is a bit of a waste of funds as not enough 3 and 4 year old trotters around this neck of the woods to even justify that sort of money. (think some NSW trotter won it both times so far) I Would run another Whole race-day instead with the $150,00 lol . 😂 10 WINNERS is way way better than one winner for the owners and Punters lol 👍🤣 Ashburton has too big a prizemoney on Sunday ? $15,000 maiden Race 2 with a Way too excessive size field ?? to even give most of them a chance ? that's a waste . could have 2 x $7,500 maidens instead with 8 runners in each and get 2 lots of winning connections ,( instead of having 7 more horses with zeroes in their formline. ) so yeah there is plenty they could do better to get more WINNERS.

well it was worth it to get LEAP TO FAME in the country wasn't it ? Seymour doesn't need the money though so ask him to give it Back ? To run the BEST race in the country Ever, should cost HRNZ something surely?. Good on em' if they chipped in 400k. (chickenfeed compared to what galloping clubs put in for their Top races. ) actually he (Kevin Seymour) has sponsored Millions of dollars into races for decades so Bloody good on him. getting the Best horse of All time after all that support. Should be winning some of the Breeders Finals this week too with his support cast lol 😂💰💰.

Well was going to shoot down your theory there, but you're sort of right in a way. Albion Park supplies every horse with a chance to win with the Metro races every Saturday night for the 1.50 to 1.54 capable horses. Tuesdays have the 1.54-1.56 and Fridays have the 1.56 to 1.58 MR capable horses. usually near full fields of 10 for the 10 races on each card. so near 300 horses each week get a start for 30 winners. What the hell is wrong with that ? BUT , you speak as a Punter so you are correct there are few betting on these races. They run way to much to form. So the odds are indeed short as you say. I rarely bet on them. Tuesday last week winning prices: $12, $6, $4, $18, $1.40, $2, $3, $2.50, $1.20, $1.40 Friday last week winning prices: $1.20, $4.80, $1.75 (Demon Blue first up from NZ) $1.20, $2, $4, $1.05, $2, $1.70, $9 Saturday night Metro horses: $1.60, $1.40, $3, $6, $4.20, $2.50, $2.50, $13, $1.50, $1.50 Yesterday Tuesday Albion : $2.20, $6.50, $6.50, $2.20, $8, $3.20, $8 and $1.40 So the Favourite WON 25 of the last 40 races at Albion !! I say that's a good thing . Honesty and Integrity HIGH. But not great to Bet on . Just use the gallops if you want good prices. ( and take your chances they're in a race they can win 🤣🤣 )at least the trotters and pacers are EXTREMELY more consistent at winning .

you've had some Big big races the past 3 years introduced. The funding is mainly supplied by the slot holders. The Betcha Race , the Race by Grins , TAB trot and also the Ascent and Velocity for 3 year olds have all come in to play and mean at long last the Top Tier horses can race for a modern day good prize and get reward for being the Best. The money is bulky supplied by the purchase of a slot . these are keenly sort after and HRNZ only puts in a small percentage of the money that is the Purse for the race. alas the Aussies are cleaning up a fair bit of it currently , but am sure the kiwi's can train Up and fight back ? as they have done at Interdominion level for decades ( until Covid struck anyway ) Therefore This is the way of the Future (and the present) Just run more slot races. owners buy their way in , and the best horses turn up , and actually win some good money for a change. with owners paying to start in the Slots, This is leaving cash for HRNZ to run more things like the Southern Surge . good on em' . doing a good job. you NEED YEAR ROUND Racing to keep people in the game .

credit where credit due. The BIG 3200m field at Addington race 7 were made to stand straight up still, rather than running. Bloody excellent start it was. Congrats to the starter and the drivers !! and he got them all away beautifully. The G1 country Championship Final . 16 horses. Pinseeker bolted on the driver I think ? 8 lengths clear at the half mile. 27 quarter lol. or misjudged it lol. Another BIG Big win for Regan Todd. what an outstanding trainer . Robbie Close too. good on em'. BETTERTHANCASH with a big 12-1 win. (would of backed that too if having a bet) hope Regan and Robbie get togeather with Mo'unga for the tilt at the NZ Cup this year

geeez... if you've got a spare 2000 to waste on a trotting punt , you might as well not bet at all anyway. you already have 2000 that you can do plenty of stuff with. why risk it on a harness horse? . that stupidity defies belief really. would be madness IMO. probably better to spend 100. have a bit of fun . if it loses who cares. and not break yourself another $1900 🤣.

Great win by the South Island contingent just then of the Stonewall Team. AllAmericanPlayer winning the Group 1 (worth $100k) NZ Welcome Stakes from the red hot fav of Dalgety's at Addington tonight. Tim Williams is such a good driver. get's the best out of a lot of horses. that was a good win. congrats to Tim (and the Telfer's and staff) for a Fabulous Win tonight.

Think Goldi just letting people know where Mango is after his Hiatus Chief. He was a top level participant at one point (with South Coast Arden , etc) Telfer's are a strong team (2nd in the Premiership last season) so is good to see who is helping with the success. Seems 'Forb's' thinks that Josh Dickie is Not the one helping with Stonewall success 😂.

Aaaah . those days when Purdons used to win some of the Big races. ChristopherV beaten here too in photo, by that young whipper snipper Marky Boy with MarkH 🏆 Alas, No sign of Starship . don't think it made the Grand Final though 😉. bit to slow (like a turtle? 😂)