Gammalite

A Funny Story for you Ludwig, in late Nov 1983 , a market gardener from Auckland took his gelding to Hutt Park for a BIG punt. It didn't come off . Down the track He finished much to the disappointment of all his supporters in Auckland inc myself. Thought the fields at Hutt Park would be weak , and he would win easily. But not to be....... Brian returned to Alexandra Park ,Auckland and the gelding blew them away by 3 lengths at his second race start. Roy Purdon and co proving No match for this now promising horse (that couldn't win at Hutt Park) Brian Notman then sold him for $40k to the aussies in the west. VILLAGE KID then rattled off near 100 wins and over $2,000,000.

Of course She can do it !!!! What a fabulous win , and an 11/10 rated Drive by Mr Anthony Butt as usual , putting her right in the picture at the quarter and NOT leaving it too late, pure genius. Amazing Dream just wouldn't let the horse that followed her up get past ? She's as game as Gammalite or Pure Steel that used to be coming up 3 -wide to pour the Pressure On , and just Keep Going. !! she is amazing alright.

Amazing Dream will have to be Top of her Game in the Big race coming up soon, the Victoria Cup. What a 'Stinker' of a draw tonight in the lower rated 80k Group 2 Kilmore Cup . Can she do it ? maybe. TRIPLE EIGHT in there too for NZ , also an awkward draw. But racing very well. Having a look at number 3 MALCOLMS RHYTHM, as been mixing It very well against Grimson, Trainor and McCarthy at Menangle lately , which is VERY hard to do, nice draw too in this, and at 40-1 sportsbet. so three good ones drawn 1-2-3 . Hoping they can 'Stay on the pace' and finish that way lol.

Arapaho good (but left you broke it seems?) , so Rangatira has you Well Beaten Chief !!!! The NZ FFA on 3 occasions for Robalan, and not just beating Arapaho but defeating the mighty 'Young Quinn' as well. A true Super-Star !!! here's the photo of NZ FFA 1973 , (Arapaho a 'good' 2nd for you !) but not in picture. HEY !!! someone beat ROBALAN at Greymouth too !! Forest King ???? bet that was an upset ? lol......

Right next door !!! lol..... Armalight could of jogged down in the sulky for a wee bit of excercise ?? ........

Nz Cup, Nz FFA and Akld cup winning mare Armalight would run rings around Arapaho. She began her career at Westport (then Nelson). Isn't that same as Greymouth? nearly....

Has the penalty been made yet or not? Are you unable to answer this? You have a set Penalty in mind. What is the charge? Incompetent driving? running and handling? What is wrong with you guys that you want a bloke to get such a LONG sentence who ran into a pocket? who drove well early part of race too. Trainor caused an accident and got 28 days. Ant's made King of Swing gallop in a Group 1 , got 28 days. Do you seriously think Cameron deserves 3 Months for running into a pocket ?? Happens all the time mate. Because of lack of experience , LENIENCY ???????? as I think Olivia should of got . And also a '8 drive a Day' driver SHOULD KNOW BETTER. maybe even get longer sentence ???? why sentence at all is the question??? . No harm done , but shoot me down again !!! (and poor Ross) some mate you would be,>>>>>

It's a Catch 22. Harness Sport in decline as you say. You need betting to keep it going. Because of what we have been discussing , the Oz local 'sets' of drivers Oz small fields are enabling the results to be 'predictable' for some. The bets go on , the racing stays going. stewards know this as well as you and I and the important TAB. Occasionally they (stipes) dump someone out , Shane Graham did 2 years, Mathew Nielson who was a leading driver has just come back from something. Pitt and N Jack went out in Victoria , etc. NZ has very HONEST racing , so integrity very good . odd case like Temporale, or the ferguson one pop up, but even then ,those races was more of a 'help ' the stablemate win, rather than a betting plunge . (Which is my main Criteria of a Fixed race)

Yes most local racing around Oz have their 'Set' of drivers, who can work things out well in advance. esp small fields like in Oz compared to NZ. Grimson and Trainor been under investigation the whole year. Jack Trainor just back from a month suspension for causing Big crash at Penrith , so they got young C Hart involved now lol...... Brisbane very good at setting races up. There is still big betting . from those 'In the Know' . so yes decline from any public or outsider interest is almost 100% lol... not called Red Hots for nothing. NZ on the other hand has a great Array of drivers per race !! so very hard to 'work' things out , and a lot of LUCK comes into the equation, as well as skill . like Sarah O'Reilly last Sun . very impressive. I offended some here on this thread because of supporting Mr Cameron , who to me , looked a good driver having a go , and doing a great job , (better than dubious Oz ones lol........ ) give him 3 months for trying ??? hehehe

Stipes make their mind up as they see fit. I ALWAYS say blame the horse , not the driver. They can't answer back. And don't dob on your peers. I've been quite happy to defend Ross , by using KRUG example etc, but too much for you guys to suck on it seems. @Spatchcock . You can tell when a driver is trying or not , if you look closely enough. Ross drove that horse extremely well , in early part of the SAGINAW race, and landed a Plum running position. The Galah been doing a great job for some time spotting driving 'deficiencies' as like with 3 Barnes drivers in Brisbane. RACE 9 yesterday , at Albion Park the Claimer, had b barnes in action on a horse Taupiri and I have been following named SABRAGE. 'Dead as a Doornail' mr Teaz. WAY WAY worse than anything Ross has done , and won't even get a stewards mention. I know you won't watch the race replay but the Galah might. SUMMARY: Heavily backed favourite , lands 3 back running line (small fields are easy to plan) Sabrage driven by b barnes at 6-1 odds after being $1.60 favourite past 2 weeks against same field, drops to rail 3 back fence , when EASILY could of had the trailing position that the lovely Brittany Graham (from Sky racing) had , and of course she peeled off the 1-1 horses back and won very easily. Sabrage out late for 4th. b barnes not charged with anything pulling to inside. some folks made a nice quid from that race !!!! (and some others yesterday too I might add , lots of heavily backed runners saluting fine , and looking after the 'Punter' lol......) Don't think many kiwis got much out of SAGINAW on the other hand . Is he getting 3 months or not ?

Hahha yeah lol.....a pom she is, must of thought she was an Aussie from having a star role in movie "OZ the GREAT and POWERFUL" lol....... I starred alongside Jack in a movie made in NZ. Directed by one of the best Mike Newell. Movie called BAD BLOOD it seems, sounds a good BOAY, or ALLSTARS or a solid NZ Harness racing movie . (after the blood spinning goes off) lol......... the 1981 theatre version with Jack, was about an NZ farmer who goes nuts and murders seven people . sounds gruesome.

Four NZ Cup winners and an Oz Champ in one finish, will be very hard to beat....... We Could try this photo at Auckland ????(with total bias by me of course) with 2 Oz Champs, and 2 x Auckland Cup winning mares.?? (Bonnies Chance was in this race too, but met interference unfortunately) Delightful Lady (3rd here in photo) with 2 AKL Cups , Armalight (4th in photo here) with 1, and Gammalite won an Auckland Cup too. And how 'Nice' is it to see Vinny with Poppy running 2nd for a change !!! lol.........

Just watched this morning ............ THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS what a magnificent film. filmed in beautiful scenery at of NewZealand lighthouse .(Cape Campbell in Marlborough) Fabulous scenery and settings ALL THROUGH the Movie from parts of NZ and Oz. It is set 100 years ago, and has great actors like Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikanda (his real wife, not just in the movie) Loved it !! with BryanBrown and JackThompson and Rachel Weisz turning up too, for the Oz input. Bit of a tear-jerker , Grab a box of tissues for sure !!, I'm still recovering from some bits of it. Brilliant !!!

Not the only one either, You can't help but be envious of all the success and admire it too, The skill level they have obtained over decades is just through the ceiling level, and no-one can beat it. (very easily/often anyway) You see it at Grand-slam tennis (a few select players) , rugby Union with the Allblacks , etc, the winning can get almost repititious and turn some off unfortunately, like the Brodster watching Allstars lol......... . But ironically you CAN STILL WIN if a punting supporter like myself, on ALLSTARS whereas Allblacks and Tennis players too short in odds to invest on really. Getting ready for next collect. welcome home Mark !!

No , some issues outside of harness racing. but even the best make mistakes. and even the best deserve a break . still winning during the break too. lol... AKUTA and AMAZING DREAM raking in the dollars. Can't keep a 'Good' team down. another NZ Cup coming up soon.

Yes Brodster, you called it from the start at New Year. very good. Well you are discussing the countries Leading stable , so what they do does have impact on feature races, having won the last few NZ cups, Interdom's and Auckland Cups that you actually lose count. even if one would have to concede , because of that NZ harness participants are 'restricted' in what they can win. COPY THAT the only one getting close to them now. Classie Brigade did get NZ Cup 3rd 2 years ago, so some kudos for that. At least the Brilliant JEWELS DAY allows some others to get a BIG win !!!!! and another positive, aa Nat got her domestic issues sorted, HAYDEN CULLEN and his Missus got to play a bigger role for a short time and get some recognition (from us the general public) for their tireless fabulous, Behind the scenes work over a period that saw incredible results from the ALLSTARS stable past few years. Well done them!

Well when you look at it , nothing new. When Horse trainers are disqualified for a term , a foreman or relative or even farrier, takes up the stable Trainers name (like kiwi Craig Cross did for a term at Oz winning most stable McCarthy's.) 16 x group 1 trainer, Gary Hall Snr (WA) still listed as Trainer, even though his horse involvement is tiny these days. Not sure why Gary Hall Jnr never wanted a trainers gig, probably like Pete McMullen and Shane Graham and Luke McCarthy and Chris Alford,(Who all train Through/Under their Partners name) they can All take 'Outside their Stable' drives whenever they want. Pete does this regularly. and it's Not a 'good look' really. NZ more honest it seems ,in listing actual Trainers ,Like Barry Purdon , on again off again with Phelan. I guess Nat should just stay off the Training ticket and get Outside Drives too, BUT would miss the BIG 'training percentages ' that the Premier stable earns.

I don't know what the stipes decision is on this occasion?. Yours is quite outrageous really. A non-interference causing drive. Would be a joke if all drivers making a change of direction got three months minimum you called him out for, if got held up afterwards.? IMO Olivia Thornley got 2 month suspension for actually causing interference a while back, and I think that achieves absolutely nothing either. crossed over to lead when insufficiently clear . Ant's only got a month, in the group 1 cleaning up KING of SWING in Brisbane. Big money up for grabs ?? and you want Ross to get 3 months for a non-Interference drive that got unlucky. Fairyland indeed.

Yes that is true , as far as 'a Penalty' goes........ I only commented on the subsequent 3rd and 1st placings by SAGINAW in 2 starts since, for 3 important 'non-official' reasons. I call it making up for your mistakes. >>>>> 1/ It showed that Mr Cameron and horse have plenty of ability. 2/ The punters that did bet on them Sept 3rd had a subsequent opportunity to recover their money (and even make profit , the name of the game !!) a Good thing ! And which they wouldn't be able to do If the Driver Cameron was penalised (suspended) from the 'Non -interference' causing error in question from Sept 3rd. 3/ Mr Cameron helped compensate the owners with 2 subsequent 'good' drives, earning good prizemoney. You must agree these 3 things are ALL positive outcomes????? and better than say a silly JTeaz 3 months off.

all good. I wouldn't go out of my way to put a Barnes on. nothing particular , but yeah someone has to be also rans . I like the Nz driving (ant's and mark P proving to be near worlds best) even though you would of had Mark out for Amazing Dream defeat by 'Beyond Words' late last year lol........ (tongue in cheek) can't win em all lol...... I would say in 15 years of harness racing, did something with them 7 days a week. was racing only 4 days though , and never on Sundays. I think the hardy NZ harness racing folk are working 7 days as well. As you quoted 6 days , but still gotta do something with them. Exactly as you say a lifestyle gig , and you're doing your hobby as a living . (like a week-end golfer ) not really a lot of money involved , (unless you are ALLStars of course) just a love of the game and joy of competing. (and try and get the dollar for your owners)

Are you boys losing on the Punt too much or something ?

Horses are difficult to drive. They are going flat out near the race end, and your intention is to keep em' going exactly that. they don't want to sometimes. The 'circumstances' of Krug and Saginsaw were VERY similar in the 2 races , both sat one-one in the running nearly the whole way, both switched to the inside coming up the home straight ...... Why should one driver be penalised and not the other. ? (or horse) . are You and JTeaz saying Ross was trying to lose ? no intent on winning? showed he had intent all three starts past 2 weeks if you ask me. Had no luck where he went on 3rd Sept though . a mistake. wasn't lack of intent of winning ? anyway SAGINSAW is collecting his rent nicely now , and good luck to the connections. (and Krugs too)

I agree with all that . fine. Every race virtually , someone gets held up at some stage??? whats new about that. JTeaz wants three months for an obvious mistake (Orange did same with Krug with more punters money on it) jockeys do it all the time too. everyone has some sort of tactic . usually in an attempt to get a win or best possible position. ?? most of time this doesn't come off either. but YOU DID WHAT YOU THOUGHT was best at that moment in time!! 3 months ?? pffffhh JTeaz should sit out 3 months and see if that fixes anything.

It's a race track. Have some Match races. A thoroughbred at the 1200m start v a pacer 1 lap from the winning post. Would attract a lot of attention , easy to organise , just average galloper and pacer needed for a small prize. run between races . plenty of room for chariots and the like as well. No one puts in effort to get interesting thins happening is the problem.

Yes , As we all saw JTeaz jumped straight in looking for 3 months. He is an experienced Harness racing person too. I commented a few posts back that was very 'Agressive' for a mistake. Personality shite not much to do with anything. I like everyones comments personally . It's a forum. Whether you like it or not, You wanted some Penalty ?? opening this thread >??? I disagree IMO. bloke made a mistake and has made up for it as far as i'm concerned anyway. Chief probably thought the same. nothing to see here. just an error on the day. I still say horse contributed as well (like Krug in Sires)