Gammalite

Trained a Group 1 winner here years ago with Ohoka Punter (part owned by his Uncle Tony Herlihy) who defeated the NZ great Christen Me and Dexter Dunn in the 'Blacks A Fake' G1.. Nathan's pedigree says he will be a fine Trainer lol.

The beauty of handicaps racing!!!!!! . Everyone gets a chance at winning. The Franklin Cup a perfect example of 5 of New Zealands very best horses unable to go a second faster from 10m or 2 seconds faster from 20m , than the Quinella horses off the front . (As Long as They Roll along) The low class trotter made Group 1 winners Bolt for Brilliance and Temporale work for it too in the feature trot. (with a great 3rd to Anditover leading out and running along on his own for a long way ) Great drive Todd MacFarlane !!!! Great drive on Kango too by the Wizard ? waving his wand lol.

Well Joe and Rav , the GC has high occupancy now the borders are open. and high prices too for summer accomadation. Where I pay $150 night in March is near $600 a night currently. Many places with No Vacancy. 200,000 people arrived earlier in 2 weeks this month when borders re opened again on 13th Dec . A lot of folk won't be going back to Sydney or Melbourne either as the lock-downs were long and gutting for a lot of them. and will enjoy the SE QLD lifestyle for years we hope. Plenty of kiwis around Brissy ,every workplace has one to every 10 locals is the average I have found over the years. Gold Coast is getting by without the kiwi planes , but hope they return real soon. Maybe they can enjoy the grass track circuits and summer Nz racing in the meanwhile and return to Magic Millions races in 2023 (all going well)

rule is they are man's Best friend. horses are second. wife third.

Pretty sure it's because they rise up a foot as they approach it and drop off the other side slightly. These horses are finely balanced in their pacing (or trotting) action, and doesn't take much to get them off-stride rocking around like that. I watched one race to see what you were concerned about , and picked race 3 at random , and sure enough the trailing the leader horse , having got a lovely run through after the start to get a good sit, galloped at the crossing. The Connections and Punters of ROCK MY MIND must go away bitterly disappointed. a sad situation.

For Christ's sake Brodie , it's that time of year when some celebrate a special occasion, and I don't swear much so didn't use a second F as in FFS. lol...... Gavin Smith giving us much less reason to celebrate with that drive today , when he could of won the race.? Perhaps he was planning on winning the second Day ? Jeremy Wells will be hot fav for that .

That was quite astounding that he was NOT angling to attack as they turned in for home. The death-seat horse had dropped off, and he had a beautiful chance at victory. Smith instead was endeavouring to stay right on John Dunn's helmet instead??? That was crazy. Should of won the race you would think. Only 1/2 neck in it at the post. Have a go Gavin FCS.

I don't think it's a slur on honest Trainers. Stipes/stewards doing random inspection you would think would be expected to happen, (on days they're not required at the races) Esp, after the Alford and McGrath cases. Stable inspections are common around Australia , and are helpful in maintaining the honesty everyone seems to want (and yet think isn't there ).. and If nothing to hide (like DQ people being on the premises lol..) , nothing to fear ? Personally i don't like the sort of 'Invasion of Privacy' one has on their own land /property so withdrew application to be a Vic Stipe, as didn't want to do the stable raids. Picking races apart is much more enjoyable activity 😃

When you nominate horses , you usually try to place them somewhere in a race where you think they can Win. Addington track, would be 'Seconds Faster' than Rangiora, and way too quick for a chunk of the horses nominated at Rangiora. (usually) As it panned , good fortune Always favours the Brave, and Jim Curtin struck the jack-pot !! training and driving STAR CASINO last night , in the Addington maiden. With only 6 moderate opponents , drawing the coveted 1 alley, and a very slow time run (only 59 sec last half mile required to win it) so Jim takes home the $6,600 first prize on offer at Addington, and is laughing all the way to the bank.

Well the young driver Carter , has taken the Fast Class race easily at Addington tonight. Gave the AllStars and Diamonds a burn-off and left them to it (fight out the minors) with LAVER. Congratulations to the Trainers/Owners of LAVER to think to put this young bloke on with a claim .......... and finally LAVER gets a richly deserved win !!!! after many top runs behind Nz's very best. (SelfAssured, CopyThat , South CoastArden, etc) Luv ya work Carter Dalgety !! and Laver . He's a real trier and lovely horse. I wish I swooped on the 7-1 odds now lol........missed out, but was great to see that result .!!!!

Sounds like this bloke knows what he's doing. NZ racing to be again doing well when he returns. Congrats to Jamie Richards too. Will put NZ on the map in Hong Kong ,like Purton Hayes and John Size are doing for Oz in Hong Kong. Chief is the world Racing commentator at Hong Kong a kiwi ? he is very good. Am sure I hear the odd kiwi accent word now and then ?

An Alex Milne trained horse from the south cold zone, who won 10 races ( from 19 starts as a three year old) including GN Derby at Auckland. Here's another great pic of MATAI DREAMER winning at Auckland with hard driving from Bob Cameron. Jack Smolenski was his arch rival and Jack trained and drove his NZ Derby winner at Addington 'SOVEREIGN'. (Matai Dreamer 4th in NZ Derby)

$200,000 they syndicated the Lordship colt 'Starship' for as a 2 yearold . He burnt out as a young horse though. 10 wins from 30 starts as a 2 and 3 year old , then only 6 wins in whole rest of career over 60 starts in 4 years. $1,000,000 Tuapeka Knight was syndicated for in 40 shares (an astonishingly large amount for the 80's) Only had 5 race starts for the Syndicate (TK had First defeat and pulled up in first start for them a week after purchase) tried to come back as three yearold in Oct with 3 wins and then 3rd in the Sires Stakes on Cup day. (Starship unplaced) and that was It. stallion at stud after. Don't know if left any good ones or not. The exact same year 1986, as Master Mood winning the Cup and Race Ruler the Derbies too. The Peak time for Nz harness with Village Kid and Lightning Blue having Big results in Australia creating enormous Nz value... Happy Sunrise selling for $250,000 as well to Oz, so was a good time to have a winning horse (value-wise) for sale.

Well I feel absolutely terrible 'beating up' on NOODLUM with Lunar Chance (who went on to win that 1975 Nz Cup defeating the easy previous year winner Robalan to show just how good he was). made you go quiet. So to Honour your great horse "Noodlum', (sorry I never saw him as was just a kid) here is some photos of 2 of his foals that I did see at some stage . And what beauty's they were too .!!!!!!!!!!!! The first bloke one Both Derbies one season , while another famous Son there, Stormed to Victory in the NZ Cup, the Auckland Cup and just for good measure the Miracle Mile NSW as well. Top 2 horses that season in the country. Making NOODLUM a Champion Sire to be reckoned with !! I feel much better now giving your boy some credit lol. Can you name them Chief ?? from these brilliant photos ? Look at that crowd !!! nearly all of NZ there?. Even Ranga, Davis and Brodster are probably there enjoying the action? Go Noodlum !!!!!!!!!

No chance of that horse being in a Claimer unfortunately , Like this years Interdominion Winner Boncel Benjamin was a few times this year. A big chance of winning next years Interdominion would be Ragazzo Mach IMO, if they have the balls to have a go. 2 very impressive wins so far in 2 Oz runs in WA , and a LOT more to come for sure. The Reeds are getting him going well. He could go many wins on the trot. much better than chasing ALLstars and Krug around, I guess?

That's a fair call. A Legend would have to be at the top of the Tree Throughout their career you would think. Richard B having long fairly quiet stints as you described, and even left the country in the end . But still knows enough to beat Aussies in the 'trotting' gait it seems lol . Who's your pick for Legend status Brodie? Perhaps Derek Jones MNZM or Tony Herlihy MNZM for getting Nz Order of Merit titles ???

Can't fault his current form. But might need a few more years under the belt to be a legend. What about the Bonnie's Chance / No Response man ? Richard Brosnan being a Nz Legend ?????? Training / winning the Trot Interdom Final ? or is he an Aussie now lol?

Well it seems this horse has got the better of Noodlum as well .? one not many of the readers would know or remember. He Seems to race on Grass too , a True ALL-Rounder !!! as in photo. Down the pecking order another spot for Noodlum then sadly. Lunar Chance coming in at horse of the Year apparently. LC in photo therefore, might be more of a Gammalite type than Noodlum lol..... hehehe

Really good ones you mean ??

Testing Times did just 3 years later. then went to America with Kevin Holmes to take on the 'worlds best 'in the WOODROW WILSON pace, the richest in the world at the time. So I would rate Testing Times slightly higher myself ?? . He also set the Juvenile Race record. (probably taking it off Noodlum)

Well the harness bred site doesn't want me to put his picture up . So try and stop my camera then you wally's at harness link lol........ Gammalite Wins again !!! And here is Noodlum .

http://www.harnessbred.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/BB1-1-300x192.jpg

Not too shabby a record at all , But,, you sort of have to smack out an Interdominion or 2, and\or a NZ Cup or 2 , or even an Auckland Cup or 2 to reach the dizzy heights of Legendary Status !! lol . Here's the handy young horse Noodlum in a nice photo from the 70's. http://www.harnessbred.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/BB1-1-300x192.jpg

Great news for you blokes is this week Gammalite has finally caught up to 'Popular Alm' and Vinnie , like he did all those years ago at Auckland in 1983. This week Gammalite was formally inducted to be the 9th Australian Legend. How Legendary !!! I'm sure you are all thrilled and rightly so . Here's the Induction Info . Harness Racing Victoria 12 DEC 2021 Last Updated 13 Dec 2021 Brilliant Terang pacer Gammalite was inducted as a Legend on a special night on TrotsVision, which carried the 2021 Victorian Harness Racing Hall of Fame Awards. Elizabeth Clarke accepted the award on behalf of Gammalite's connections and fans, with the tough Terang champion becoming only the ninth legend, joining Gordon Rothacker, Maori's Idol, George Gath, Globe Derby, Popular Alm, Vin Knight, Bill McKay and Edgar Tatlow. The announcement was made at the end of the 45-minute special, which also saw Peter Manning, Lou Robertson, Shakamaker, Angelique, Father Brian Glasheen and Sir Gilbert Dyett inducted into the Hall of Fame. How Fantastic !! Very exciting the great Gammalite, being a Legend for Christmas lol ..... Bet you guys can't come up with a NZ list like that ?? I'll go Wolfie and Cardigan Bay as the TOP 2 Nominations. Mark Purdon and Lazarus 3 and 4.

Here's Josh and Jason Grimson after Winning the Interdominion Final .Looks like a young Anthony Butt !!!lol..... The youngsters doing a great job taking it right up to the powerful McCarthy Barn All year. great stuff !!!