Gammalite

A truly great horse (and trainer/driver ) there for you to enjoy as a young fella ! very nice. Speaking of little tracks you were at, and like Echuca, lets Go Smaller still lol.............. Here's a pic of a race i kept, of race I was in at ROCKLEA (15mins from Brisbane CBD) raced Saturday afternoons for 50 years , until closing 2009 on a city commercial block . only 545m track with a 70m straight !!! lol........ all stands , couldn't fit a mobile on it !!. sort of a square with 4 sharp 90 degree left turns lol........... And it created the best drivers ever !! you had to be sharp as a tack, not afraid to be 'riding on one wheel' as they came out under you, maybe you could attack 3 laps out !! lol..... best fun ever had ! these drivers became 'Seasoned ' very very quickly and I rate them All very highly. and I like all drivers too . these were the 'Hardest to beat' ever, and make todays Aus and NZ drivers look like they are on a casual sunday cycle ride (and Rocklea look like Olympic Velodrome) !!!

Brilliant Chief !! Arapaho , yes that's other one to beat Young Quinn in the NZ Cup (apart from Robalan ) I only got to see Young Quinn once at Auckland live, when 4th in a Delightful Lady Auckland Cup when returned from USA. A true Superstar !!! There was a great book i loved in NZ about them, titled 'Flying Sulkies' I had as a teen, all about the Nz Cup up to 1980. ....... Robalan running unhoppled (a very rare thing with balance) to his big wins. To qualify as a Champion in NZ , I was saying you have to win a NZ Cup , an AUCKLAND Cup or Interdominion. a true guide of greatness ? lol............ Off the cuff, How many won ALL 3 of the great races to qualify ????? I know the greatest of all did , CARDIGAN BAY in the 1960's. Quinny falling short of getting an NZ Cup. maybe ELSU did it ? gunna chew me all day now thinking of some lol......

Well that elephant has already escaped New Zealand circus for greener pastures. ELEPHANT won for Nz connections at Caulfield just last Saturday lol...... And Mel Bracewell escaped too. !! (One of Chiefs 'Jacinda lookalikes'.) She's doing a new tele comedy/ current affairs entertainment show called THE CHEAP SEATS and she is so good at it.!!! It's funny as ! Best show on tele. wonder if you get it in NZ.??

If you don't have a NZ Cup , an Auckland Cup or an Interdominion Grand Final trophy on the mantlepiece Chief , you are just an also ran !!!.......... hehehe Quinny and Gammalite nailed some Inter's !! (and Auckland Cups) Who is Noodlum again ? lol.....

Sorry Chief !! no NZ Cup for Noodlum. not good enough ???? so doesn't join the elite list of greats to do so . Gammalite failed as well sadly. the other champ to miss out was Young Quinn with just 2 x thirds. driven by Robert Cameron and Peter Wolfenden for those 2 thirds as well !! (the two best drivers of the 70's) Robalan beat him in one of them

Copy That was pretty awesome in Brisbane all through July ! shame he didn't stay as would clean up week to week like his old stablemate Tommy Lincoln is. would of been an easy winning prep for the Cup and FFA in Nov at Addington. Do you think he (Copy That) can get revenge in this years Cup ? for that poor getaway last year when NZ cup Fav? He did stick on well in the Auckland Cup over 2 miles New Years eve behind Amazing Dream and behind her in Brisbane for the Group 1 distance race as well. I think he can do it this year !

While Chief remains in hiding , Rangatira is a bit more easy to spot in the crowd !!! great job with the Ink mate !!

They never stopped racing in any lockdown Chief just banned the crowds (public attendance) altogeather. Sorry to hear NZ getting outbreak from Sydney now. such a nuisance for everyone there. Bit more lucky in QLD so far as not lock-down at present. can even ditch masks inside places after this week-end. I rushed off to Gold Coast holiday last week after the Olympics , for a few beach days , just in case we get Locked down. Was like a GHOST town !! all the tourists not there of course, so hundreds of hotels near empty. eating places just one person at a time in them (is 26 degrees beautiful days at moment so weather not an issue) One bloke at the pizza place my wife and I ordered at , we were the only customer between 6-7 dinner time at Broadbeach. The chef brought it out from the kitchen himself to show off his handiwork , as had nothing else to do ? was very funny. (in a way) and sad too. He was so appreciative we used his shop. sad situation. guess NZ tourist spots are gunna go the same way now?

Yes the Fear factor of dying is at play for sure!!. people have always been dying though. that's the price of living in the end. Take all the cars off the road then there's No chance of dying in a car crash is there.? But you can't do that. Take all the people off the streets and No chance of catching virus and dying ? But you shouldn't be able to do that either. Mortality with covid seems same as any other year.? why lock up now ? and demand these half working vaccinations ? (like putting a Band-aid on Deep Cut isn't it ??? ) you just have to wait for your body to repair the underlying damage anyway. Whether you have a Cut or a Virus.

a worrying figure!. so 33% AZ vaccinated people are still wandering around even after the 2 jabs able to spread the virus anyway. ( whether showing symptoms or not) So that is why UK are having another POSITIVE outbreak in the community with rising numbers (yet again Good Grief!!) and are 'getting worried' as winter approaches them , as they aren't sure exactly what will happen. Last winter (beginning of this year) was bad for UK.

A Whip is VERY effective. It's how you use it that get results !!!! So many people have the wrong idea about whips !!!! (because of movies I think showing people flogged with in the stocks,etc) NOT many horses (If any) are flogged this century !!!! Whips are used these days prodominately for CONCENTRATION purposes only. Gallopers get a slap down the shoulders by the jockey with padded whip. It makes NOISE !! the horse is frightened into going a little harder late in the race. It's all about Fright and Flight response !!!! deafeners the same , pull the ear-plugs , make a lot of noise yelling and swishing whip= horse propelling forward a little faster. A stock whip with cattle ? makes a hell of crack ! gets good results in driving cattle forward. Can't see how you can drive a race without a whip myself. you are trying to go as fast as equinely possible???? Carraige driving of all kinds through history, always involves a whip, concentration is important ! every horse hitched up to something probably had a whip que to function? it's nothing new ......even Breaking in horses , always carried a long whip when long reining. Niatross was surely Superior to opponents, BUT should of had some whip exposure in breaking /training etc, as diving over the fence to escape it is Plain just POOR Training IMO.

Well that was crazy good. Better test that 'swab' just in case. Left three of the very best trainers in Victoria struggling 6-7 lengths behind in the placings too. (David Moran, David Aiken and former kiwi Brent Lilley (with Alford driving) you have to wonder..............

Is the race crash of ERMIS you mean ? in 1993 . Did he go over the rail maybe? looks a fair few came down in this race below. Perhaps Too many North Island Drivers ?? lol........... getting in the road of the Southies . Richard Brosnan won some more in Victoria this week too. The five length winner of this race only won that one race as a 2yearold , and 9 in whole career over next 8 seasons until 2000 lol... Race 6 - Pyne Gould Guinness NZ Yrlg Sales Final, $150,000, 2YO C0 & FASTER MOBILE PACE, 2000m Weather: Track: Fast Participants for Race 6: Pyne Gould Guinness NZ Yrlg Sales Final Place Book Horse Barrier Hcap Stakes Time Margin Driver Trainer 1 4 Esprit Turbo 4 fr 91,600.00 2-30.0 R J Brosnan Richard Brosnan 2 6 Costa Plenty 6 fr 21,900.00 2-31.2 B Purdon Roy & Barry Purdon 3 10 Rigil Kent 10 fr 11,680.00 2-31.6 F D Cooney Tony Milina 4 13 Franco's Revel 13 fr 5,850.00 2-32.5 J W Smolenski Ian Shinn 5 7 Zero In 7 fr 4,390.00 A L Vallender Mike Berger 6 14 Reba Nero 14 fr 1,620.00 A G Herlihy MNZM Roy & Barry Purdon 7 3 Motoring Star 3 fr 1,620.00 J P Stormont Peter Simpson Fell 2 Motoring Magic 2 fr 1,620.00 M W McKendry MNZM Geoff Small Fell 5 Life Force 5 fr 1,620.00 Mark Purdon Roy & Barry Purdon Fell 8 Patchwood's Star 8 fr 1,620.00 K N Larsen Kirk Larsen Fell 15 Ermis 15 fr 1,620.00 R M Cameron Robert Cameron Fell 17 Gaelic Overdrive 17 fr 1,620.00 B M Mangos Brent Mangos Fell 18 How Clever Am I 18 fr 1,620.00 P G O'Reilly Patrick O'Reilly Pup 11 Newsbreaker 11 fr 1,620.00 M J Smolenski Mark Smolenski Total Stakes: $150,000.00 Margins 5 lengths, 2 1/2 lengths, 4 1/2 lengths Times Mile Rate: 2-00.6

Yes indeedy they did as the Meadowlands Pace being first race worth $1,000,000 at the time was a big deal. Only race broadcast on NZ tele I ever remember from the states though. Lucky the great horse qualified. Niatross only 4th in the heat after galloping at the start. only time ever beaten apart from that fall over the rail in earlier post. Only just managed to scrape into the Million dollar final. The commentator was funny to hear, as we were used to Reon M and Reg C in NZ with the fast paced calling of a race then. The Yank commentator was all into 'emphasis' on horses names . esp one placegetter 'Stoooorrrrrm Damage' and Niiiiiiiiii atross going away by four!. lol.

Here's a very famous pic of NIATROSS , when the multi million dollar colt got headed off for the only time in his career, and didn't know what to do about it? lol...... so fell over the rail in shock !!!!!!!!!! He was fine and bounced straight to his feet on the infield thankfully. won 37 of 39 starts.

and just a footnote on the SPEED progression of these American horses. I thought it very interesting the SPEED has not progressed further in 30 years now. At Yonkers (1/2 mile track) in 1970 the feature 3 year old race of the season is The Messenger Stakes. Most Happy Fella won the the Messenger in 2.2.6 in 1970. Albatross , also for Stanley a year later, won the Messenger in 2.0.4 in 1971. Niatross won a decade later in 1980 in a time of 1.59.6 ( so still quite slow really) Cam Fella (by Most Happy Fella) and grand-sire of current champion sire 'Bettor's Delight' won in 1.57.6 in the mid 80's then , All of a sudden , in 1990 the Winner ran 1.52 in the messenger, and have run that time ever since !! in 30 Messengers for past 3 decades.!! so they are literally at their peak speed now and can't go any faster as time progresses. Bettor's Delight's sire had the race record at 1.51 in 1994 on a 1/2 mile track (Cam's Card Shark)

Dang !! missed out, not a bad stallion there Karrots !! Was going for Albatross for a minute because Stanley Dancer was the pilot. Stanley won a heap with CARDIGAN BAY the best NZ horse of All time too in the 1960's. a fabulous horseman. Albatross won a heap of races around that early 70's era too. and then sired NIATROSS (perhaps the best ever)

Not a hope in the world a person with a virus wouldn't be 'expelling it' around their mask. Afterall the air you suck in and breath out is going around the sides lol. It's not exactly a respirator. But whether you've fallen for it or not , awake to it or not, the health department is doing what Aquaman said and just want to be seen to be 'doing something' it seems . quite an extraordinary situation with viruses being around every flu season for decades/centuries...... and now start worrying about it.

Well America was always gunna pull out of Afghanistan by September .they said it at beginning of year. Australia were out earlier this year and think UK pulled out 2014 or something like that. Same thing happened when the American 's pulled out of Saigon at end of Vietnam War. all the communists were coming into town then , as the Taliban are right now in Afghanistan. fully prepared. why is everyone so surprised? Should be more peaceful now. for world peace I reckon at least. Was pointless staying there for any Western nation. better to leave that damned place to it's own demise. Yes i do feel sorry for the women and girls , who lose any chance of study and go back to strict Sharia Law. the poor things, but what can you do ? bloody backward places in the world are mostly middle east.

Best of luck to you and all the NZ horsepeople. ! hopefully ok to go get the feed and race your horses still. If the state of the racing industry in Australia is anything to go by, as has continued racing through the tough times and many lockdowns. still going now , even with total lockdown NSW with Kensington on today. An essential service indeed, as gives thousands something to entertain/ and spend their money on at home still . Better than Olympics !!

Com'on Forbs, you're missing the point of the article. No lies about people ? as you are saying There's nothing in article about being the 'Best in The World' ? that you are crapping on about. It was about being the best (most wins) in VICTORIA Metro races for the season. facts are all there for you Forbs !!! JAMIE KAH and KATE GATH are the Winners and grinners of the just finished seasons Victoria Metro premierships so like it or not. ......who cares who's winning in America.

Kate doing a 'Kah' and winning the Vic Metro premiership !! now that is impressive!!. however a Bit lucky that Nat is cleaning up Queensland and NZ though lol..... If she was in Victoria driving, Kate wouldn't know what way she went ? hehehe That old trotter and Kate Gath had just won the Trotting Interdominion in that photo end of 2018!!. No wonder Kate is beaming with delight !! great result. Tornado Valley (from NZ where won 7 of 57 starts in his first 3 seasons racing, so solid 'ground-work laid in NZ) for him to come to Aussie and win 31 of 50 starts at GATH stable past 3 seasons as an aged horse. Including the last 2 Great Southern Stars !! What a fantastic old boy he is !!

What a great little horse VINCENT was karrots !! 8 starts in Aus for 7 wins and then a mug Oz driver smashed the tyre off the rim of Mark's sulky in the Victoria Derby $200k race (which he would of won) so cost him dearly. Mark Purdon would still be spitting chips about that 10 years on I reckon.!!! I am fond of Vincent because my last trip to Melbourne I went down with good friends Leigh and Pam Smart for the Vic Oaks as he had two great fillies in the one year from Qld !! 'DONT FALL FOR ME' (who had won NSW Oaks) and 'TOO SMART FOR YOU', they were both beaten by VINCENTs mum !! a mare named KEPT FOR PLEASURE who won that Vic Oaks well indeed , and the Australian Oaks a month later. she was a real Beauty !! 19 wins from 37 starts and 1/2 $mil !!! Leigh is a terrific bloke (now retired) and now gives the foals of 'TOO SMART FOR YOU' to Vicki Rasmussen these days and one of them 'SMART AS CAMM BE' won 17 out of 23 starts last year, and $200k, before tendon issues set in unfortunately.

Personally , I would congratulate Brodster as he is clever enough to be in the 'Winning few" JJ . You and I return a profit as well, as can probably study the form better than most. Those restrictions suck , as even the 'winners' must lose on occasion , as you can't cover every race variable. I just stick to good winning horses drivers and jockeys that eliminates the 'Not classy enough' problem altogeather. My son won a LADBROKES (huge international bookie) picking competition one week ($1000) and has been excluded from entering any Ladbrokes comp ever since ?? He refuses to bet with them now Lol.... cheapskates. make 100's of thousands a week but don't want someone winning twice !!!!!!!!!!! lol............

In the trotting ranks MAJESTIC SON is a no-brainer at $5000 if you want a trotting foal. !!!! being the sire of currnet Group 1 winners Sundee's Son and Majestic Man leading the way. Pacers ? well Lazarus failed to get the Aussie mares in foal ??? so has been sent back to Alabar as well , to see how Majestic Son does it maybe ? lol........ the Aussie girls too tough for Lazarus? lol.... Too hot in NSW apparently ? lol. give him a go there ? as best stallion to of raced in NZ and Aus so try for one half as good ???