Gammalite

If you get the chance watch old mate Nigel ,aka unhinged, do his lovely tribute to Katie Cox on Facebook with video with her horse Spy Da Moment in his retirement race last Friday at Addington and chatting with driver Ricky May and trainer Michael Ward. Was excellent work by Nigel , even sitting in the mobile filming the score-up and dispatch . Ricky and Michael and Nigel with amazing kind words too. Well done the old horse too !!!

Here he is in action. !!! what a super performance by Locarno for Robin Butt. Beating three of the Alltime Champions of Australia, who won about 100 races each in their careers. (Would of been more but they had to take each other on a few times. ) Pure Steel, Paleface Adios and Koala King . (Koala King winning the Interdominion Grand Final not long after this Miracle Mile , with Locarno 2nd for NZ , Pure Steel 3rd ) Lord Module a bit of a squib in comparison. finished last here, and last in the Interdominion too.

alas Couldn't quite nail the Double after the great Bet N Win win , with Manhattan. She ran a nice 4th in the Mares open for Bob. Manhattan getting ready for the Big $100,000 group 1 mares 'Golden Girl'. in a couple of weeks. Manhattan's Driver Bob Butt would be pleased to see the winner is part-owned by none other than his grandparents though 😅. great NZ harness family of Robin and Jackie Butt. how cool 😀. winner being the NZ bred horse PANDAIA at 30-1. Rickie Alchin training her for them these days. (Robin's horse he trained and drove Locarno my first idol of the track and won a Miracle Mile back in the day) Camelot winning the NZ Cup for Robin as well. so will be nice if Manhattan or Pandaia can defeat the Grimson's mares again soon. (one was flying home tonight 1/2 head 2nd named Tay Tay, and he has yet to unleash Aardie's Express) they will be rattling along like Imperatriz when she arrives lol...😆

Yeeeessssss !! BET N WIN . the Bet of the Week 💰 wins in Queensland. and he does New Zealand proud 🇳🇿 and smacks em' hard !!! for NZ trainers David and Stacey, driver Bob Butt popped over , and in memory of Katie Cox with Bob wearing the armband , and the commentator paying respects to her a couple of times in the running. (RIP Katie) Katie liked the trotters too, and this great little NZ trotter looks like has the $100,000 Group 1 at his mercy next Saturday for NZ Trotting and best of luck to em' for that !! 🏆

Some great wins by the Great horse on this thread. He's Back at it again. LEAP TO FAME now taking over from the best ever I've seen (from Blacks A Fake and Lazarus.) A sizzling 1.50 mile winning easily from Can'tFindABetterMan and grimson's horse that fluked a win at Redcliffe 3rd . old kiwi warhorse Turn It Up 4th in the 'Wondai's Mate open' tonight at Albion Park. Have never seen a race where the Race pole marker (from barrier 1 ) was Immeadiately 3 wide after 200m before, then working to the death-seat, and running 27 second quarters. quite amazing what he did. Swayzee will be ZERO Chance of beating him in the Big Group 1 QLD championship in a couple of weeks time. Take a NZ Cup multi with him too 👍🏆💰. Leap To Fame will win that too if weaker old Swayzee can/did last time .

may have gone to the Dark side.? Think he's an All Blacks Fan ? and likes the kit. 😅

Yeah just having a bit of a look around for him. This weekend to the day he (David White) trained his first winner with his wife Stacey as Training Partner exactly 5 years ago at Rangiora with trotter ''Far From True'. Since then has had just the 50 starters in 5 years for the training partnership. 10 wins. This year BET N WIN the only starter for David and Stacey. 3 starts for 3 wins . A UDR of 1.0000 even the old Chief would have to happy with that, instead of sourpuss for a change. I think David is an Aussie? as his uncle been training out of Junee area for 50 years plus. so no surprise with the good UDR for David if that the case lol. 😎😋. went over to work with the COURT team to start off with about 10 years ago there in South Island. Hope he got to drive/work the 'Terror' for a bit of a thrill at some stage?. (triple Nz Cup winner)🏆🏆🏆

Just to refresh your old memories if you can't remember the little bloke beating the NZ Cup winner, here's Reg Clapp to describe some action for you . Go the QUeenslander !!!! 😁😎🇦🇺

Away we go at Albion this week with the Constellations getting the 'Star's of the track racing. 🏆🌟 Leap to Fame drawn the pole in the 'Wondai's Mate open sprint.' (wonder if you guys remember Wondai's Mate going to Auckland that time ?)' Larry (should be holding out the Grim consortium of 3 x Grimson/Grima flyers from that strong advantage. A Listed 3 and 4 yearold feature Trot race 5 at Albion Park, see Bet N Win from NZ , taking on the GOAT from USA 😂 . Head em Up from NZ Paul Nairns drawn the pole too . bit of International flavour . how cool. 🐎 Bob Butt down to drive Bet N Win which has won it's last 3 starts at Addington . for trainers D and S White. . don't know if they're any good or not at training but best of luck to em'. Last year Bob drove the NZ mare MANHATTAN in the 'Golden Girl G1, and nailed on the line by Nz owned Amore Vita. Manhattan is back for another go and is in race 6 in preparation. Often the bridesmaid. Maybe it's her turn to shine? and WIN the Big Mares prize this year. I Spose the ''Grimson machine will turn up with Aardies Express though for the mares Group 1 .

Aroda wins it by lengths. An easy Redcliffe Cup Victor. A good training feat by Grant as the NZ bred ARODA (4 starts at Addington way back 2022) was the Only horse in the field to Not of won a Metro (city) class race ever. Led all the way for his wife Trista to break that duck completely in a Group 2. well done Trista. TURN IT UP really did turn it up sadly, and made a couple of breaks during the running and just not trying hard anymore. Just a shadow of his glory days now. SIMPLY SAM a very false favourite loomed up to 2nd on the final bend , then just dogged it , running erratic and diving about and knocked a rival into a gallop even. eventually 4th. shows why he .only won once in Nz last year from 28 starts . not really that good. Classy Operator scratched for Grima so to start the old Herlihy horse from the pole draw for Swayzee s owner Boots. the emergency runner galloped out though and no chance back along the inside when well backed too. alas Nathan Purdon not winning Oaks or Derby. Major Hot running 2nd in Redcliffe Derby from bad draw on 2nd row. maybe the QLD Derby later on could have more luck.

If you're taking em' for a jog or workout in training Chief , that may be so . horse is quite relaxed and enjoying it's work hopefully. BUT in a race you pretty much just ''steering with the reins in that situation . (to avoid running into things lol)😄 you are racing in Tight quarters sometimes. The whip fiddling is like the deafeners . you apply them to SCARE the horse into putting in as hard as it can. At the gallops or the trots the 'noise' made by the riders and drivers as they turn for home is quite remarkable , and loud on occasion. you've probably heard D. Oliver screeching from there lol. I used to whack the dust sheet , the wheel disc's made a great crack, even the running rail at times, as well as across the reins and bum of horse . Even hit a rival driver at times lol 😂 You are trying to FRIGHTEN your horse in to Winning (or running on at least) every time I go to Albion we are down by the home turn (stables area) and you can hear the Tunes of the drivers making as much noise as they can. you're not spose to whistle but some do. ya hear em' . at Eagle Farm the same thing. Jockeys making a HUUUge noise as they turn for home if you position yourself down there to hear it. A lot of them just slapping the horses shoulder with the whip to Make NOISE. they're not trying to hurt the horses . they're tougher than that.

I know it's 30 years on but How haunted must Robert Dunn be with the Cup being a FFA these days. ? with all the horses off the front ? He must really think 'What could of been" with MM. he still won about $2 mill career anyway. For the 2 previous years to the photo above with Marky Boy winning that one, MM had run 2nd to CHOKIN and then BEE BEE CEE while starting off 10m Handicap in both those as well. so didn't Win one . How cruel is that.

No. sorry old mate. try again. Too many horses being too well whip driven by Marky Boy 😎. The horse in question seen here about 2 years on, from that Auckland first start Victory he had on the previous page in this thread. Very well driven again. Robert Dunn driving very vigorously there with the whip too. Perhaps that's why he lost and only clung on for 3rd ? Really I think more likely the 10m handicap at the barrier was the reason he got beat .

you've upset my dog as well Chief. He knows you said about beating him up and now is climbing all over the keyboard in some sort of concern for his welfare now? 😎 I've told him we'll see if the Chief tones down shortly and see's the horses and dogs are well looked after in Nz and Oz. I don't even think we eat them do we ? 😆

yeah. but in the time and place. Once they get to the stall at home they start thinking about tucker . In the stalls they're thinking about getting geared up. On the track they wait for 'Cue's ' to perform. Whip is a really good one. As I say still used in Wagon and Buggy comps as well around the world. Deafeners and blinkers (things the Chief hates are used in horse racing as 'Cue's to perform as well quite extensively. You are trying to give the horse the Cue it needs to perform at it's most ultimate level. some are better than others. Breaking in is a 'Learned repetitive behaviour. ' bit like loading on a float, getting your head washed, shoeing, swimming , anything you do with them Chief. You know this. They are only LIVING IN THE PRESENT . they think about what is going on around them AT THAT MOMENT in TIME> they come off the race track , they are instantly over the whip cue. It's so obvious. Most 500kg horses face a whip cue or a deafeners/ blinkers/ removable hood cue in a race for just a few seconds each week . hardly enough for you and curious to have kittens over ??? I'm Not Worried for them anyway. The bloody footballers in this match i'm watching just now, are doing it waaay tougher than those poor horses do each week lol. 😋

No. looks like terrible manners IMO anyway. Unhinged other horse their at Dunns at a race start in March. ROCK LOBSTER trotted away then just rolled into a canter on it's own after 100m 🙄 . looked half educated too ? 🤔. Wonder if Nigel is worried with his $70 a day for training at NZ's leading stable ? or whether they'll get em' going or not. who knows. My dog? I live alone with my dog . he's not too bad. Barks a bit at the possums that come out at night , so I hurled a ''rolled up towel at him the other night and got a direct hit. ( good whip arm throw I think Chief ? 😋😂) Dog quite cranky with me for some time after , but got over it. The horses racing are usually 'Over-It ' by the time you get back to the stalls Chief ? they are happy to get the gear off and have a hose down. Not the slightest BIT Worried about any Whip action that was inflicted upon them on the track minutes earlier. It's only worrying Wokes . also My Dog travelling ok today Chief thanks. Just asked him. He wants some biscuits .😂 (doesn't bite like BOAY either 🤣)

Com'on Chief . what shite that is. Some of the Best trainers in the world over decades here and do fine getting horses to the races. I commented to Nigel unhinged about his horse being only half broken. By the LEADING TRAINER in NZ in fact. 'Very Majestic' kicking John Dunn out of the cart last night at Addington . so is John New school mate ? and racing them half broken In kicking and Bucking ? was very funny. Not for the Punter though lol 😁 they'll just go back to the gallopers for a bet anyway. sometimes they ask for them (Horses like that horse of unhinged for example) to be placed on the ''unruly start list' before they even have had a race start.??? You wouldn't see ignorant Australian trainer of any sort doing that Chief. We educate them in the field a bit better. Is that the best trainer (JD) that you've got there ? 😅😋

No contradiction Chief . you are correct that all these things happen . Sometimes the rider/driver over vigorous (according to the rules) sometimes 'quiet' like Dr Chin in this thread possibly made the error and Portia Matthews as I pointed out in the 1st race today. they may or may not misjudged the post. (finish line) but as Always . Space> you would hope the horse is prepared well enough to take Victory. And is 'giving' All it could EVERYTIME, as you say. Stewards do their best to 'police' the action. the racing is still of a high quality most of the time . Don't get me started on the contradiction of Ben Yole v Grimson/Trainor though lol. 🤣😂 Stewards are 'slowly ' getting all that sorted , but things are tricky though. People aren't that honest in racing as we would like to believe. there's a lot happening .

Chief . Did you watch the 2 Hurdles at Hawkes bay just now ???? 2 horses giving their All fighting out the finish in both races. the 4 horses were very tired. Hamish McNeil riding Hell for leather both times . Won race 1 by a nose, 2nd in race 3 by a head. Portia Matthews riding the ODDS -On Fav in both races. Didn't use the whip in race 1 . Just a slap or 2 and she would of won . Learned her lesson and gave BERRY The CASH a couple of backhanders the last bit to scrape to Victory (only just) in the Hawkes Bay Hurdle feature. had a huge weight aboard and needed every bit of motivation a jockey can give it. she did better that time than race 1. Curious won't agree but his horses without a whip would be way down the track somewhere ..... as also rans 😁 Horse got the message. Just got there is enough. Mate , it's hard to win races. McNeil doing a fab job in those 2 races today. Reminded me of the good Trotting drivers' having a Go'. Horse's getting 'Sent the Message' is important Chief . (If you want to Win )

is This "Who wants to be a millionaire " with needing a lifeline clue ? do you need to 'Phone a friend' maybe? 😆 here you go then . our MP horse (in photo above) went on to win a the Big Group 1 in his first year racing at his 8th race start, to give Mark his first victory in that major race. A Group 1 race He (Allstars) has dominated training in Recent times and recently won it for the 10th year running. !!!🏆💰🏆💰🏆💰🏆💰🏆💰. An absolute stunning achievement. Makes him near the best harness trainer in the world. Nat drove 6 of them and they Quinellaed 6 of them as well . 16 horses top 2 in 10 years = amazing. ChaseADream, Don'tStopDreaming, Franco Indie, It'sAllAboutFaith, One change, Ultimate Sniper, Chase Auckland, Ultimate Machete, Lazarus and HaveFaithIn me. the Winners.

No good mate. Not on the money. Mark going the wrong way round has got to ya ? 😅

2 wins , and a head 2nd for Carter tonight from 5 drives at Addington. good strike rate. Brodster on the money again. Blair had 7 drives and won once, . Beating Carter by a head in the last race with the Dalgety stable-mate. Lucky then Carter gave him (Orange) the better horse to drive ? 😂 and is doing well training them too (with Cran and the team) Blair and that Ken Barron team don't do that well really for some reason?

The reason is = You want to win the race. Horses would be pulling up all over the place without there cue to perform. Never drove a race without one, and would of won sum Total of ZERO races if didn't carry a whip to get your horses focus on getting to the line first. That's a pretty Solid, Good Reason. win the race / lol.😂 Here's our boy mark Purdon with some brilliant whip work as usual by the Grand Master, he gets this Star of the track to victory at his very first start. Anyone Pick Who it is ? Ranga would get it straight up (but maybe not the 2nd horse 🤔 ? victory at last ? and without a whip lol 😉)

What a great kiwi harness man Greg is . never been a more polite fellow ever at the track. and knowledgeable to the extreme. And Zachary did a great job with that one-on-one (and his race driving too) The 2 horses he has photos of are still racing in Oz !!!!! Zeuss Bromac , was Zac's first winner as a trainer in NZ (has been now 5 years over in NSW) hadn't won for a year , but won his last start here in April at Newcastle. Lord Zarias, raced by Zac', and his nan won 6 there for him, and plowed around Albion Park here in Brissy for 15 starts last year (for 3 wins) and now these days the slow tracks of South Australia are his home this year , where he also won his last start in April, a listed $30k classic. 2 horses that always tried/try hard. great job working with them Zac !! (he seriously should train some more ? )

should be able to pluck something out of this to help Aaron with getting 'Zac' on his Hit list ? probably 'Sky Major' was his stepping stone by the look of this Greg interview , so he could be the ''Major'. always a major player anyway 😁