Gammalite

The airways are about to open between Oz and NZ again very soon Ranga. no need to ship. Please send the plane load of 501's to Alice Springs. (drop Nat off in Brissy on way past, if shes on) Which town would you like this Air New Zealand section 501 flight (with Nicholas Cage on) sent to? , we have ready to go ?

18,000 odd evacuated. weather has gone crazy NSW . dam near full inland from Sydney. Is at full release. terrible times for 1000's of folk today. That is crazy with the air pollution? Waimate Timaru Oamaru all on the Pacific coast so how does the Sea -air not blow it all away. ? Does everyone have those wood burning pot-bellies going ? Years ago in Hobart Tas (with it's cool crisp clean air) they BANNED burning wood altogeather , as cold there 10 months of the year, so with 1000's of fireplaces burning , the air quality and pollution got terrible. Now they have power driven heaters sitting in all those old house fireplaces through Hobart.

Agreed. you get no 'chances' Oz. refuse or a poor score-up = Straight out of draw next 2 starts. Horrid place to start from too. virtually no chance. you'll see Friday Gammalite 'on the money like Brodster' and Sam will have La Rosa pinging away beautifully. Maybe they should chuck a Shadow Roll on ? like the great Noodlum wore. give her something to think about.

Wonder what gives it the poor air? I raced at Arawa Park Rotorua once and apart from racing on grass being the roughest experience. (Try riding a bicycle across a paddock and see what I mean, but try to get up over 25mph) the sulphur in the air wasn't that great an experience either. The COOL CRISP air of the South Island must be pure like Tasmania ? we are lush and green like NZ just now, as has been raining for a week Qld, and even worse in NSW places , they are getting washed away. worst in 60 years in some parts. Homes are floating down the rivers ! poor buggers.

Don't agree. If driver Sam plants her head on the gate early in score up that gives the horse something to concentrate on. There's no horses inside her to distract in the run-up to the barrier. Once moving forward is unlikely to 'Jump out of gear" and cause the carnage you say to second row. Her problem was actually going forward Early In the score-up, so 1 DRAW, gives her a chance to lead up to the barrier instead of refusing to follow and shying away from the other runners, if drawn elsewhere.

I don't think so Flash. It's a brilliant move from the young man NP, to the Victorian Landscape. much more opportunity for winners than chasing Cullen's around (in blistering times) at Addington and that. Lots of races and not going as quick flattening the horses, so he should do very well. And didn't leave Chrissie in the lurch. as Cran is still there and made a sound return Training already. All seems very Logical.

Can't Help Noodles? What did you want her to draw? 1 is always the best. She could lead the Cullen runners, or trail them. Or if 'Twist' hands up to 'Dream' she does end up 3 back fence , so you could be right, and become blocked. as far as scoring up manners. yes very lucky to still be in the draw ,after those previous misdemeanours. needs a gear adjustment or 2 to keep focus probably. Hope she scores up well and gives em a run for it anyway 1 232028 La Rosa 3 f R59 1 Ft Mark Jones 2 111211 Bettor Twist 3 f R78 2 Ft Hayden Cullen 3 4X2156 Angel Of Montana 3 f R51 3 Ft Stephen Anderson 4 21151 Better's Tart 3 f R61 4 Ft Brent White 5 227X94 Manhattan 3 f MR48 5 Ft Bob Butt 6 11 Dream On Me 3 f R57 6 Ft Hayden Cullen

such a shame for harness racing. You can be a critic of things , but going to that level. such a shame. fits forbs MO I think probably race at Oamaru to get away from that Waimate dude

Who is this Kennett dude? was he a licensed person? or some flog with 'private' facebook page for selected folk to slander the industry?

Nathan ready to go !! has 12 in work . 9 are two year olds ! and also Spellbound one month off racing. the first one CAPTN ME racing tomorrow night at Cranbourne in 2 year old maiden. Anthony Butt engaged to drive. Purdon and Butt . sounds like a WINNING combo to me !!!

Public do attend the races, that aren't involved directly with horses. My children for example (20 somethings) , I have difficulty telling them the horses are Fine. It only looks like a whipping. But they don't approve still. A whip used 5 times is the same as 10 times to them (and to horse) Some people don't want car racing either. (emmissions in environment ,etc) they make tiny changes . My Children didn't say stop racing. just change one of the aspects as discussed. I say horses generally love to run as you said, (some don't hahahaha) , and I know it is very hard to WIN a race. Therefore Any Aid is good that helps, the whip being a traditional one (just like Blinkers Chief) but it is causing a lot of issues. Jockeys being called Cheats ? laughable . but its only dumb ass Thom ass. I never Once thought I was actually hurting a horse in a race. just prompting it to react and hang tough ! just like an administrator !!! I think a jockey/ driver would find it Very difficult without a whip. The 'issues' are mounting though, and when the time comes, and a horse is disqualified in a feature (say Opie the other day). Racing will suffer. punters will back other sports .

Popular in the betting later on Chief, as was just looking at that 4 year old season for Royden Glen. If you put a tenner on each of the 12 wins ($120) you won every race but only collected $210 for the whole season!!! lucky you got on early lol.....

Well it helps gain a reaction that keeps you in the race that little bit more , than without. There has been great debate about 'margins' achieved , but surely this is each horse on an individual basis thing. There is great debate about pain suffered . as Chief was saying , they are compromised in other ways a lot more. A/ I'm all for Horse Welfare , so take it away if a problem, but is subjective. also B/ that avoids this Jockey Count strike Debacle. (discussed through this thread) AND C/ could Help public perception too, as isn't the Last 100m Actually when everyone is watching the race the most or closest ??? Just when the jocks are going Hell for Leather too. Not sure the general public will be going away thinking ,"That was ok for the horses!!, as they only got 5 strikes , instead of 10. (OR whatever the threshold is these days) Throw it away altogeather, saves any of A , B or C being a factor at all.

Took no harm from that fall thankfully as back in action in Sept. Royden Glen and Fred Fletcher being the first NZ harness horse to scoop Every Vote for harness horse of the year that following season. As a 4 year old 12 Starts. 12 wins inc. NZ Messenger and Auckland Cup which I was lucky enough to be at and were most impressive victories.

Yep ! last horse back up on feet , about 5 mins after race. At the bottom of a stack that was like a rugby scrum at the winning post.

wow ! same year 1984 as Master Mood (3rd in that sires stakes) who went on to a NZcup and Miracle Mile wins. Earlier that year 1984, the previous Crop of 3 year olds had that 9 horse crash in the NZ Derby. remember that? Naval Officer and one of your southerners Josephine Bret 2nd (the rank outsiders) left standing and ran the Quinella.

Who is it Ranga? Facetious is showing 8 foals with only 5 wins between them. ARVEEAE showing $60,000 winnings from 1 career win , so maybe him? a derby or something maybe?

i before e Thomass, You lost HEART long ago with your narrow minded attacks on everything racing. You gone in .....full cocked ??? MarkyMark's post nothing to do with harness (BTW which is horse racing , AND has owners, punters, tab, winners, whip fines and suspensions) so much in common with thoroughbreds ?, but NOT in a narrow Thomass World. Now I do agree , that whips are causing a problem, the horses do suffer welts as you demonstrated , and YES , throw the thing away and avoid all this fuss. (Horses that can't count will be feeling better !!!!) BUT , why the Opie hate? To me as a Punter , I say the jockeys that aren't winning are Cheating !!! They could do better, ( like Opie did) and achieve a better position ? just like those Melbourne Cup jockeys did ? Risking (and getting) financial sanction to themselves to WIN for the owners and Punters. GOOD on em !! The ones that sat back and didn't run a place in those races are the Cheats ? Cheating the punters out of their chance of a collect on the race? , nor denying the owners a big race win? while the champions getting the most out of their horses and WIN. Well done Opie , a true winner !!!

race day vets are acting on the stewards advice/instruction. 1/ take pre-race blood swabs list 2/ take the post race urine swabs of winners (and possibly others the stewards ask for. 3/ Assess horses Post race that have not performed to the Stewards expectations. (check heart ,etc) 4/ check horses condition Pre-race IF notified of an incident (such as got down on the float, got a kick, etc) by the Trainer or the Stewards. Good vets can spot things before you. I had one all over me like a rash as came back in to stable area after a race, with blood in one nostril .so I just told him I hit the barrier arm with the pulling poofter. It's a tough caper. Most trainers have been going around for years. A Lot of horses have issues with hooves and tendons (These have The vast majority of lameness issues) as the forces generated on them are enormous. No trainer would start a horse they know well , if even remotely thinking it was sore enough to be a hazard to others. I'd estimate from experience about 1 in 10 racing has some sort of minor issue . just like human athletes. The horse on this thread is only new to the Trainer by the sound of it , so stewards have every right to scratch it , and YES , a knowledgeable Vet would have a few minor tests he/she could perform. some are very simple such as feeling heat in a hoof with your hand. A sure fire sign of hoof ailment.

No offence was intended Chief. absolutely not. Indeed I was trying to say that it is such a compliment to yourself and indeed thank-you for the miles of thread input, knowledge and discussion. JJ flash I was joking with ,about the attacking posting of a couple like Forbs and Thomass whom to me, show little respect for racing and harness achievements. does annoy me but unlike any of them , I hold NO Grudges..... so a Different Class to those folk thankfully, perhaps as Hunter says Aussie Bogan class ?? hahaahaha lol.... This thread opening post quite in Poor taste....

Yes that is an amazing Effort there by the Chief too , JJ !!!! And A great chunk of the 70k + dealing with Thomm-ass on the gallops too. That Would drive anyone to the brink lol.. or the drink ...lol.... some kind of wonderful surely an understatement dealing with that lol... Take it HaveagoforburydunedinretardD is not a Mark Purdon fan ?? going by the shit headline of this thread...lol.... doesn't know a 'good' thing when he see's it lol.......... and he did drive a winner anyway.

A very good deterrent really. Without random breath test The roads would be full of people 'risking' those extra drinks and being over the limits . Not catching anyone? proof it is working. The RIU a very good deterrent. . without investigations, sampling etc, The tracks would be full of people 'risking' those extra touch-ups to horse and going over the limit, or a punt on a fix race (a criminal offence so good to have police involvement), Not catching anyone? proof it is working.

When/If she comes back to Aus, Nat could play Aussie rules footy in AFLW with that haircut.

Here's my take on it. These guys are journo's and have to print this stuff as it comes along. Part of their job. As Galah says they are sort of telling the public, these cheats/rule breakers ARE being weeded out , and Punished too. ! a good thing. As some like Brodie say , they are overdoing it. Too much rehashing. Putting a picture of McGrath (7 years DQ) with a Big trophy was sending a BAD MESSAGE. A picture tells a thousand words, and that picture was just saying to me that 'Cheats Prosper in Harness Racing" not a good image to keep projecting, for the sport at all. And also (JUST like the presence of a booze bus that Doesn't catch anyone on the road) the RIU and Inca have 'played a part' even if Chief is saying what a joke. Surely with their presence and dealing with McGrath types, the Industry is in good shape (cheat wise) as everyone would of backed off a bit with illegal activity. So I think Galah would be right in saying Harness more 'Clean' than ever, and Alford a rare abnomily. The KERR thing sounds particularly nasty as would be driving good folk out of the industry getting ripped off.

Nat is missing from the driving . Absolute world class. driving mainly in BIG group races with more pressure. last 100 drives achieved 40 wins. that is hot. Williams does well but only runs with the averages. That is tonight he had 12 drives for many stables . Drove in every race. He drove 3 favourites and 4 second favourites. Finished with 3 winners and 4 seconds. Spot on what you might expect. Natalie Rasmussen would have say 4 drives and get 2 winners (if not three) because of being able to Concentrate on Just your Runners , and not all the jump around like a frog in a blender routine Williams has to do.