Gammalite

Haha funny as..... the trotter that broke and lost 150m after the start, caught up and then started pulling lol. so it broke again . what are the chances ?? Phoebe Majestic left it's run a it late I feel. could of won it. The leader driven by a junior who hasn't won a race yet. Derek Balle's daughter i imagine. quite a chilled driver too lol !! relaxing in the armchair, into a 70.5 second last 800m as you stated. Do they Fine maiden drivers ? used to get a slow quarter fine once. maybe she got 2 lol?

Gammalite is the answer to that question ... 😊😉👍 lol. we're all grandstand driver's in a way , and Hunter just having a laugh along with it. All good. Your race in question , I thought Harrison did fine. (not to hit wheel and gallop) The horse coming around her was hanging very badly indeed on Tony. It damaged her sulky and guard , so is amazing she didn't steer into the inside horse's wheel harder if you ask me. Once when that happened to me , I collected the inside horses wheel altogeather , and went down in a screaming heap on the track 🙄 , while trying to physically push the hanging horse off my sulky. I got 2 weeks suspension lol.... for flipping the guy behind me out lol. wasn't even my fault really , but whatever. Actually was quite handy to of flipped John McMullen out , as he helped me untangle my horse and get it back to it's feet . so gave him a ride back on side of sulky, from the far side of track , with him grizzling all the way of course !! get over it John! lol.......

Freda , I was watching a few Nz races lately as in a comp on another channel and my initial thought was they're going full bore 600-700m out in most of the races I was watching. And racing tight with it , and generally fan out and survival of the fittest up the home running , without much drama. is this the norm ? I bet on Melbourne and Sydney Saturday races (Sydney seems way tighter than Melbourne so has more incidents like the Bowman one and the Berry one) but the jocks are More Patient ? I thought . and seem tostill be angling for a run after they turn for home , and time their runs well. Is it too Impatient in Nz races now ?

Lol .🤣🤣😂That reminds me of Daryl Douglas , who was one time leading Victorian free-lance driver. He got a disqualification, but in 2017 while disqualified , there was a stable-raid by stewards and to avoid being caught on the premises (where he was assisting training while DQ against the rules) , he went and hid in the Dog Kennel !! (didn't appear after to the hearing either lol, so coped fines, more DQ and even warned off to a time he did appear) hope he didn't get fleas 🐕‍🦺. he's back licensed now past year or 2 anyway.

Old Gaita has been 'booked' that many times it's almost funny. she's 65 odd now , think she would of had enough of pushing the envelope. They (stewards) threw her son TONY out for 12 years about 10 years ago. He might be back in a couple of years. Look Out for that one lol....

Just a bit shady lol. THE SHADY ONE just won the last race at Brisbane today Race 8 and was bet plunged in from 7-1 to $2.80 Fav. quite amusing I thought 😂 as here is his history for past three years.)...... His last Win before today was May 2019. **Spent the next year bashing around Brisbane without winning. **So spent Winter 2020 in NSW trying for a speed win at Menangle. unsuccessfully .... in 11 starts. **So off to the 'Graveyard' of horses ..Tasmanian harness racing and the expert chainsaw Yole stable. Unplaced in about 20 starts in that 'poor racing' state. ****BUT miraculously escapes the dogmeat ending !!!! 😯 not many do that ? and is back to Qld for another crack last Sept 2021 with Matty Elkins Training. So his first Win today at his 15th start for Elkins (Who drove the Leader today ) to Set up for his other Stable runner. First win in 3 years (amazing) , escaped the Tasmanian chainsaw (amazing) , Backed from 7 -1 into $2.80 (amazing) and home he goes easily by 2 lengths today 1.53.9 .......well it's an (amazing) world we live in isn't it ? lol.......

What does it explain .? Is only 3 hours away to Oz . and 600,000 kiwis live here. Very similar really. takes me longer to get to home town Tassie lol. another 'off-shore' island full of people that would prefer to be on the mainland 😉. Nice kiwi horse in today I've been waiting for to resume racing, since last Spring. If you're feeling like backing an old kiwi horse, he is showing 12-1 today which seems generous enough. ALTA SENSATION in Race 7 today Albion. Won a trial by 70m the other day and his 4 races in Oz last Spring at Albion were very fairly good .

Top draw stuff mate . you are a true credit to harness racing and put a face and story to lots of participants. AAAA++++🏆🏆🥇🥇

Au contraire mon ami , There's always a heap of lossers and only 'One' Winner . That's racing. (bar dead-heat of course)

Hands Down started from the Unruly, so was back with Delightful Lady anyway , behind the other runners. And 40 m behind her not long after the start according to the Journo's after being slow away. Lord Module dogging it completely it seems too sadly..... Seems Hands Down with Peter Jones steering gave the 'Lady' a big head start and probably deserved his win , rounding up the Field and all.

The 'Cone of Silence' might be needed by some for a moment ....... "Sorry about that Chief....." lol......

There's definitely something about the bend that isn't right . Could be the Camber . Could be the angle not correct. Yeah . yeah.....So often you see horses a little wayward there. One example good trotter Majestic Man after trailing leader got off balance and wouldn't pass the Purdon runner in the 2019 Interdominion grand -final trot there on the inside. so can be costly in a big race at times. I agree with Brodster would of been great to have the track left-handed. But costs make it impossible sadly these days. They changed Albion Park Brisbane from right to Left handed though. The Nz Cup winner Stanley Rio won the Interdominion Grand Final at Albion Park to complete his incredible 'double' going 'right handed' for the win. For the Noble Family from Canterbury. The greatest Oz trotter Maori's Idol raced the Pacers here fight handed , and ran 2nd in a Group 1 final to Rip Van Winkle too. A great effort.

Thanks for that Joe. she's the kiwi Winx (only better IMO , powering to 2 mile glory) Hope she settles and gets to strut her stuff in France then. geEEez that is a long way to go... Sounds very sad to me selling a centre like Levin. I spent a lot of time around stables at TAKANINI in my younger days and Jillings and Verner and Vance were winning all sort of things. I came back a few years later for a trip and the whole Training facility was gone for houses😪. Now I hear they want to sell off bits of Ellerslie and possibly Alexandra Park even. When will this sad madness stop? when nothing is left.?

It's a bright and sunny morning in Queensland . 21 degrees. seems a bit more frosty in NZ on the threads. How about enjoy some of the Amazing NZ performances at Birmingham Commonwealth Games? . kiwis doing very well. Where is my 'Fav of all time' Verry Elleegant these days.? are you sending another like her over soon?

Would you end up at that Lone Star restaurant at the winning post then ? instead of it being at the start point. ? Sounds good to me Brodster. Your shout of the steak while we watch the winner right alongside ! sounds great !! Can you arrange please ?

Not quite sure what communism has to do with anything. But I'm telling you YET AGAIN , the Best horse usually does Win the Nz Cup !!! The Honour role is tremendous. My 'Communist' self would of preferred that instead of False Step winning 3 Cups, beating Caduceus on 2 occasions that he got one as well. And ELSU instead of 2 x second to Just An Excuse , had one each. 2 champs just missed out ?. perhaps the debateable 'best' horse didn't win. False Step and Just An Excuse came off HANDICAPS to win their 2nd Cups , as did Il Vicolo and Flashing Red in more recent times , so they probably ALL deserved it ,as in having to work around the field. ......but is Not my communist preference. (actually that goes in any sport) RIP Karl Marx

Don't think so , it's a random draw in the Interdom Grand Final usually , for the 12 or so highest point scorers from the heats still. Yeah that was some race. ! Delightful Lady one of the best I ever seen. her handicap was tough Hands Down was tough too. I believe she had a little gallop as well which didn't help. Camelot lucky too to win his NZ Cup? with Gammalite way back on 30m . fricken #&^%#*#@ handicaps !!!!. I'm convinced he wins off the front and the VERY LUCKY Camelot doesn't get the spoils !!! .....lol......

I was trying to re-assure you Mikey , that it has been in general Won by the Best horse on the Day. for hundred years. We did find about 5 champions who only just missed out. Well yes , true.... I love horses having 'turns' in general. And what happened to supporting the Underdog ? A LOT of hours and effort go into preparing those runners too . There are some great people involved. and very nice horses. They (people with other Cup horses and Punters) probably won't mind if Aussie 'Majestic Cruiser' doesn't turn up . Why not invite back 'TURN IT UP' and 'Spirit of StLouis' and 'Alta Orlando' instead?. Owned in NZ and all . there's plenty of kiwi owned lovely horses around the place. Even my beloved QLDer Blacks A Fake and also I'm TheMightyQuinn both dominated the Interdominion Grand Final for an 8 year stretch from 2006 - 2013. 7 wins between them !!! amazing. but that's just too much.!! Really it would of been better for 8 DIFFERENT WINNERS over that time frame of 8 years instead of just 3 Lucky owners IMO. I know !!! bring back the Interdominion Handicap !!!

Didn't get to see Dillon Dean, but I had a great experience for a year or so helping out a trainer Brian Pretious at Takanini , with Dillon Dale who was recovering from bad legs that side-lined him for about 2 years after Gary Hillier had won a few young horse races with him. Jogged him on his own away from the other Birdie foals Double Birdie and Birdie Twice that were racing at that time. (BIRDIE's earlier foals). Was thrilled to bits when Don Dwyer came along and nearly stole the NZ Cup with Dillon Dale ,that sadly was marred by a big Fall. In the FFA as you say Dillon Dale powered to victory ! Gammalite was in that race and a battling 6th. Gammalite also battling 6th in that Nz Cup behind Camelot, coming off a 30m Handicap !!!! who the f..k puts handicaps in these big races to stop the best from Winning !!!!!???? lol...... should be banned lol. (don't tell Mikey)

Well with a lot of people saying the Great Race , and AKLD Cup and Rowe Cup and Dominion. should all be won by the Best Horse every year. WHy ??????? shouldn't every horse be a chance if they start in a race ? Isn't that the whole idea of having Ratings ? and Class ratings. and having a Handicapper. Not to mention the fine TRADITION of these great races. I think the general public and punters would enjoy the racing more than just a procession behind 2 horses ?? , and wouldn't think anything less of the race if Copy That sulked and stayed home (or Self Assured, or Bolt or Sundee ) from those BIG 4 races. Who enjoyed the 8 horse Rowe Cup? who enjoyed Self Assured Akld Cup ? I'm a harness racing SUPPORTER full on , and didn't bet and didn't even watch those 2 races recently . (swear that's true) They were just a Self Assured and Sundees Son benefit. Yeah I know .... TonyH spoiled the 'Dunn Sundee' Rowe Cup party with 'Bolt' , but I wouldn't of backed him to do that lol... well done to SA and BOLT on those 2 great wins.

All fair comment Mikey . sorry forgot to write ( humor Michael) near the weed comment for your benefit so you didn't get confused again lol..... The distance of races is a MAJOR factor IMO. how can the trotters keep up with Sundees Son trotting 3.56 for the 2 miles in the Dominion Non-handicap last year. ? Tony has Bolt for Brilliance trotting a sensational 4.00 minutes this year . What about the rest? They can't trot that quick. Why take them on off the front and flatten your horse. ? I wouldn't ....I'd head to Australia like Majestic Man did. Better if Sundee (after winning Rowes and Dominions) off 20m and Bolt (after winning Rowe) off 10m this year. It is VERY HARD to Train a Horse to COMPETE with them (Bolt and Sundee) Off LEVEL marks. I saw a pole on another site and 'BRING BACK the HANDICAPS' to have more Competitive racing Won the vote. ! Booyah !! the majority can't be wrong shirly...... good smart kiwis.

Well I did find some North Islanders that went close. (but didn't win the Nz Cup) and as you said earlier Delightful Lady (one of the 11 NZ Trotting Hall of Famers) used to perform with distinction. and had the North Island crowds entertained in the early 80's. In the 90's Mark Purdon started training and his family still winning with Chokin and Christpher Vance, Mark Hanover in the Interdominion. Maybe it all went Quiet when Mark shifted to South Island ? Decline in progress ? by the time ELSU came along for the Butcher family in 2000's ?

Nearly all the above New Zealand Champion Pacers were last century in previous post , so a quick check of the 'Other Big Race' to win the INTERDOMINION Grand Final, to see IF the NZ Winners of that Time honoured Title have Won an NZ Cup as well this Century. As they are the Stars of the Sport. YULESTAR 2001 Interdom Champ, and Won the Nz Cup off 10m in 2000. ELSU 2005 Interdom Champ, and twice 2nd in the NZ Cup to Just an Excuse (who was off 10m for 2nd Cup) SMOLDA 2016 Inter Champ , nose 2nd in NZ cup after galloping and losing near 50m at the start. LAZARUS 2017 Interdom Champ and twice Winner of the NZ Cup off the front. TIGER TARA 2018 Interdom Champ , twice 2nd and a 3rd in the NZ Cup off the front. ULTIMATE SNIPER 2019 Interdom Champ , don't think contested a Nz Cup. so only 2 Interdominion Champion's from NZ this century have managed to Win the NZ Cup as well. !! And one was more than 20 years ago in YULESTAR. LAZARUS takes the cake as this Centuries SuperChamp then!!!!!! (with Elsu, Smolda and Tiger Tara all narrowly defeated in the NZ Cup , but NOT beaten by the Handicapper in it)

The Cup has a way of seeing the Best take a victory. Just did a little homework to see how the best and most popular and fastest horses have done in the big race. One expert has LIST of The Best 10 Harness Horses to of raced in Nz (and here's their Nz Cup result.) JOHNNY GLOBE won his cup off 48 yards behind handicap LORDSHIP 2 cup wins First one off the front , 2nd one off 42 yards. HIGHLAND FLING 2 cup wins off 12 yards then a mammoth 60 yards CADUCEUS *** 3rd off 12 yards, 2nd off 30 yards , 3rd off 48 yards . The Champ beaten by the Handicapper !! CARDIGAN BAY won his Cup off 54 yards behind. ROBIN DUNDEE *** ran three times 2nd in the Cup (behind Lordship and Cardigan Bay and Garry Dillon) was twice off the front mark and off 24 yards in the third attempt. BLOSSOM LADY Won the Cup off the front mark 1992 CHRISTIAN CULLEN Won the Cup off the front 1998 YOUNG QUINN *** twice 3rd in the NZ cup off the front mark behind Arapaho and Robalan. LAZARUS 2 wins off the front in FFA conditions So there is 10 of the greatest kiwis ever , and interesting to note that Two of the 3 horses to only Place in the New Zealand Cup (Young Quinn and Robin Dundee) had 2 goes at winning it off the front. Caduceus missed in All 5 goes at the NZ Cup, bit of a turn-up for the books ? (Caduceus, Quinny and Robin Dundee each all won an Interdominion in style though)