Gammalite

yeah thanks for that mate. Mystic Max still quite inexperienced and the Hopes train trotters very well so Midnight Dash seems the one to beat. and just looked at the race 7 Group 3 form and 'Anything Goes' galloped badly at the start for around 40m when resuming last start . I think he'll miss away again in this bigger field . Cox got run off on the corner too, driving with AllamericanLover , (who might have won it otherwise). Tim Williams might get it home this time. might save my 100 for Saturday by the look of it 😆.

Was that the horse or the trainer in the punch up after the race hahaha thats clever. 😂. I am surprised at the punch up stuff. Must of been quite serious to get 12 months though. People react badly to criticism sometimes , but to jeopardise his license , after winning the last 2 Interdominions and that , is crazy. Well sometimes things aren't that easy (like simple bi-carb level testing and stuff like that) Lance Armstrong and his cronnies got away with it for years and years in the cycling world , even with strict daily testing. It took a confession from a rider to bring them down ultimately. In USA currently at this time , 12 harness racing Trainers are training under 'Stays' still , after positives for this and that . Charging and proving is difficult for even simple things. 'Cobalt' cases cause plenty of issues even , in both thoroughbred and Standardbred. I think there is too many lawyers making black and white turn grey if you know what I mean...

While the Brodster is worrying about someone getting a dollar off old trotter Rachemupanov might be better to have a crack at Nat getting a Five-For.... Good to see Natalie Ras at Addington, and 5 X Odds On Favourites for Friday night Fun .? this is great news. 🏆 Races 2 - 3 - 4 - 6 - 7 Are We Getting on this lot now that Spring is in the Air ? Been long Winter break from Nz trots betting , but good horses are coming back now ! good to see... So everyone's been Looking After our Queensland lass I hope ? hope someone remembered a nice massage and that ? Limbered up for action ..😉 And we are getting on at the 20-1 for 5 winners or not ? Pop a 100 in , 2 k comes out ......Must be some sort of chance with dreamy driving? (dropped $100 on QLDer SKIRT THE LAW last weekend at Caulfield that went down there and was spose to win 🙄. beaten narrowly into 2nd.) *Leave/ drop the 'Luvstruck' drive in the 5th race the flying Fillies race out, as Mark possibly wins that one with the polemarker.

This location you gave me really sucks mate. 😂 Dug up enough of the yard to bury a few Covid vaccine victims at least. But there's No sign of the Cash ?? Starting to think you've been to TAB already with the Tin 😄 and used Brodies past tips maybe? instead of getting on the Allstars ?

Come off it. I don't know what they're on about , but the Brodster is all over it, and having the 'Ravioli' for breakfast .

Kurow Cup then Nz Cup according to this article. ....wow......bit of a jump ? The New Zealand Cup got another contender when Mossdale Ben produced a powerful victory in the Kurow Cup at Oamaru yesterday. The Greg and Nina Hope trained pacer rounded up a quality field with ease to give driver Ben Hope his first win in New Zealand since May. After handling his first standing start well and producing a slick victory, the Hope camp now plan to nominate Mossdale Ben for the New Zealand Cup and give him his chance to show whether he can foot it with the country’s best pacers. “I am pretty sure he will be nominated for the Cup now,” Ben Hope said. Copy That, and Akuta , and Self Assured , (the 3 extra super good 2 mile horses) won't be getting too nervous about Kurow Cup winners 😎. They aren't even handicapped after all their 2 mile and Cup wins previously 🙄 , so everyone else be just racing for 4th 💰 . spose the Aussie Grimson horse got amongst the 3 'Big guns' last year , but that was a bit of a 'Grimson Fluke type of thing' I think running 2nd. (Majestic Cruiser)

Here's a World famous photo from Kurow in 1969. Maurice Holmes down low tumbling , and Ted Hooper about to go into orbit !!!

Million to one to do it twice. very few dead heats anytime , as the judge will always find a few millimetres to split them. Jay Ar and Robin Dundee the most famous one at Forbury park in the 60's in harness racing. The Interdominion Grand Final dead-heat. Yesterday at Caulfield was very close with Hot favourite Cylinder . In the Goldolphin blue somehow having a margin .?? doesn't look like it. ? 2 years ago there was great controversy as they gave the 2nd photo here a dead heat was declared with hot favourite Defribillate and Hangman (also at Caulfield ) when there seems a fine margin ???

Here we are . A fine action shot of Richard winning the Cup with Bonnie's Chance (Armalight 2nd off 10m handicap) Turning for home and it's 'Full throttle '!!!! And you could use the whip properly and drive them to Win in those days. Instead of all this pussy-footing around they do now 😅. Auckland Cup is better race though Walt ?. (Gammalite 🏆 beat Bonnie's Chance into 2nd place the same year I think it was) 😉 good to see the kiwi's getting something here though. (tongue in cheek) See old 'Hands Down' in the distance in photo after one of his gallops

Here's 'Katie' for you Walt . pretty sure Katie was 'Bonnie's Chance' stable name. (This photo on Cup Day is the year before her Nz Cup win though when she was 2nd to Armalight in the great race.) Richard Brosnan still going. Training in Victoria now with son Emmett. they won the Interdomion trot in 2021 with Maori Law , (over 40 years since that amazing 'No Response' Grand Final win in the same race at Addington all those years ago ) what a trainer !!

Found the Chief in action here too ... Sales were good back in the day Chief ? 😉

All weather track is pretty fast too. you should see the time these 2 ran. Can you (or anyone ) remember these 2 blazing a quick Nelson Mile. ?? CLUE / The inside obscured horse started in 5 x Group 1 top races in Australia running 2nd 4 times before she finally got that well-deserved Group 1 win. (running the same time as in this photo too)

your Cabinet here looks good Walt ! BOAY trophy added? Here's the Gammalite Trophy room. The Brodster got one once , or is this Blackie ? I forgot t

used to burn them out Walt ? Spangled Lord never won another race after that Nelson Cup . even though he looked like quite a dashing type . alas 30 more race starts for zip zero.🦆 and that other horse of John Vincent's you mentioned also had a great 4 year old year winning 7. (He had 3 x 5 year old wins) and then racing for 5 more seasons Andronicus and another 50 race starts for just one more win . You kiwis sure are persistant characters !! ...😎 Speaking of your mate Palestine , friends of mine had a very nice one at South Auckland who won a few named Stratum , so ended up here in QLD trying to win a few . Alan Donohoe had him flying along and beat Franco Tiger by 5 lengths one night , but sadly broke down badly (tendons ) after 4 straight big wins including the Queensland Championship which was worth a bit. The great Franco Tiger went on to win 50 races including Miracle Mile and $1,000,000 and 2nd in the Interdominion to Westburn Grant (Blossom Lady ran 3rd) Stratum (by Palestine ) had that top horse the 'Tiger' well beat , so a real tragedy he didn't stay sound. Can't find a Palestine win for you Walt, for a pic, but here is a very close 2nd , driven by Terry May at Addington for you , on this occasion Balgove with the great Bob Cameron clung on to win.

While strolling Memory Lane , lets hit you with this close finish. you'll never get it 😂 try and name this Winner. I believe that is Robert Dunn over on the inside (as can see his orange Skull cap ) and he probably thinks he has it won, But got pipped by the 11. This will test out the Nelson hardnuts 😂😄. looks like a familiar current driver there 4th as well ?? Anyone that names this winner and driver deserves the BOAY Nz Cup ?. (Rangatira always a chance 🏆 , very good eye for them that young fella)

Exactly right Chief. Most foals are born late Spring (Oct- November into early December) NEW system with the good new 'CALENDER YEAR' season they are therefore actually 13-14 months old when 'Officially turning one (yearling) on January 1st. ........way more mature than the OLD system they were just 8-9 months old when becoming an 'official' yearling on August 1st each year. way to young to be called a one-year old ? Easy to see which is 'Best' for the horse . (accuracy and developement ) A great innovation.

Tell ys what Walt , I'll throw in some more UTOPIA winners for you that I saw at Auckland trots, as distinctly recall a fabulous win by Jack on the mare TEMPEST TIGER in the Nz Messenger. Once upon a Time, that was a great Group 1 race for 4 year olds , run at Christmas time. used to help get them ready for a Auckland Cup tilt in February as well. the Nz Messenger. LOCARNO the very first I saw live, storming home for the 'Utopians' 😂 (Robin Butt) followed by Tempest Tiger , then we had John Tudor , Melton Monarch , Hilarious Guest , Nostradmus (Peter Jones) ,and of course the great Roydon Glen (on his way to winning the Auckland Cup in an unbeaten 12 win / 12 start 4 year old season. ) Saw all those one's live at Alexandra Park . What great Christmas Gifts !! ***N.B note John Tudor , the Sole Northerner 😳 I got to see win the Messenger . For 'Mad-dog Dodds' and his brother. We called him Mad-dog as was always fighting and yelling with his brother, and God Only knows how they got to win races with John Tudor. Mad as a cut snake . somehow they got John Tudor into the Great Northern Derby earlier that year too (8th) . When Armbro Wings sensationally beat Armalight (wolfie) by a nose in a Very close Finish.

lol...Straight out of Utopia for Enterprise (and Armalight too) for those Auckland Cup wins , both winning by panels driven expertly by Wolfie . Impressive stuff alright. (and good for the wallet)

Used to be impressed as a teen junior driver when these blokes (South Island Trainers ) came up each month to plunder the feature race each month of year as they came along. Especially remembering the Blue Riband Great Northern Derby, The Auckland Cup and the Rowe Cup for trotters. I Attended every meeting at Alexandra park for nearly for 7 years, (before flying out with some to Oz), and the Southerners nearly Won the Lot during that time !! 🏆 amazing !!! only Delightful Lady saved the Northerners with 2 Auckland Cups . Gammalite also plucked one for Australia , (holding out Richard Brosnan 's good mare Bonnie's Chance) . Rowe Cup winners I got to see were Even Speed (Wes Butt), Tussle, No Response , Stormy Morn , Special Pride, Sir Castleton and the lone Northerner Jenner (for Charlie Hunter) The Auckland Cup Winners in that period were Sapling , Royden Glen , Armalight and Enterprise and the sole lonely Northerner Delightful lady (x2 Cups) holding out Lord Module ok. The Great Northern Derby I saw were Matai Dreamer and Armbro Wings (from Alex Milne in the deep south) , Nardinski and Mels Boy ( both with Jack Smolenski) Melton Monarch, Mighty Me and the great Royden Glen too. Not a bloody Northerner in sight lol. 😄?? So I always thought as a kid all those South Island Trainers were some sort of Supermen🦸🦸‍♂️ , who 'always won' up at Auckland , and lived in some sort of 'Harness Racing UTOPIA' in the South Island that I have never seen ....and were unbeatable !!!!! 😂😂 (except for the ultra exceptional ones Delightful Lady and Gammalite)

Yes . you are right . is that you want to hear. You can Race your 2 year old all through the year now if you want to . He has already turned 2 from foaling date . Before , the way it was >>> very few 2 yearolds are good enough to run 1.56 -2.00 min mile before new -year . Very few raced first half of the season . NOW, with the new season dates >>> they are nearly 3 years old, when al the good races come on (including Sires Stakes ) later in year , so obviously A Lot more horses are Ready and Able to Cope ? 6 months more mature Seems so very rational to me . Most of the 'Nice ' 2 year olds in Australia will be beginning their Spring campaigns soon . Horses love racing Spring and Summer when feeling great. Didn't have to fire up those 2 year olds in the Autumn anymore if you don't want too. Fantastic... Sack your trainer if you want that Autumn cash that they didn't collect for you. But the more patient owners and trainers prosper. And the Horses DEFINITELY BENIFIT not being rushed. Lol when I was in NZ , the trainers were Notorious for not getting horses going till they were 4 a lot of the time 😉 . very slow to get them racing . This season system helps them blokes Ten fold lol....

Well it's still a year. It's just the Calender year now. it being the harness racing season. Your post their about 'race their horses Anytime' is indeed the RELEVANT one. You need Trainers to have every hope of preparing horses well for the feature races. The 2 last Nz Derby winners tell the tale. the 2 best horses of their years. Just check out Akuta's preparation late last year into this year and the time frame and what he achieved. Has set the Standard for training program for All Trainers to follow. An nz Cup start as a 3 year old , then Derby win (now run the first week of summer ), through the Race, and culminating into his great Auckland Cup win as a 4 year old in May. devastating . perfect even. (as Mark always is) Compared to Krug (the best of the previous season when the dates were the cocked up old way, and the struggle to get him up all year round for the Dalgety's was not ideal) . Derby in the Autumn etc. Krug Still hasn't recovered from the poor timing he endured of feature races as a 2 and 3 year old into his 4 year old season IMO. Trainers (and horses) can do the preparations so much easier now , (and the Best Ones can follow the Akuta lead anyway from Now On in race programming from 2 to 3 to 4 yearold ) perfection. the 6 months extra developement on your horse makes a huge difference Brodster. You might think it doesn't , but I assure you it truly does . especially 2 year olds....

Well mate , ya are always calling for a change to Government, TAB regulations , and other assorted palaver. Now you got a change with the dates, to follow the Aussies in to a better extended racing season for the horses , you still Not Happy 🤔. Just Think of the horses mate . they' ll be much better off anyway . and to get away from the palaver , just get some good Aussie Pavlova dessert 🍰 into you. 😉

you don't seem confused in your arguements. You're leaning more to a negative angle on it but too late for that. Mares carry foals for a term of a couple of weeks short of a year in nearly all cases. Get em served before Christmas and their foals will be nice and strong by the time they race in the big races in November /December. some will be Winning on their actual Birthdays. Did you see my Akuta example ? was just shy of 4 when winning the re-programmed Nz Derby last year (DEC 4th odd ? ) . All 3 year olds should be quite mature by this stage and EVERYONE has a chance of getting a Derby runner ready. AKUTA being that strong he got to start in the NZ CUP as a 3 year old as well . how good ? might happen every year from now on ? brilliant !!! Even more important for 2 year olds , Before the poor buggers were 'Rushed' to the races if wanting to be in 2 year old races before Christmas. The Sires Stakes in Cup week had to be for 3 year olds (until this season change recently ), as there were Not enough 2 year olds ready for racing when only foaled for 2 years . Now with this great swing we will have nice strong 2 year olds and run a Proper 2 yo Sires Stakes in Cup week for the youngsters. 2 year-olds that are just about to turn 3. BETTER FOR EVERYBODY trying to prepare a young horse , and WAY BETTER for the horses developement.

Found this Mr Doomed that helps with a bit of reasoning >>>>>>>> paste..... Changing the season permanently to a calendar year is intended to bring about a number of important commercial, marketing and welfare benefits across the industry. Most noticeably from the outset will be some major changes to the Feature Race Calendar, with the traditionally condensed season-end juvenile features able to be staggered throughout the year, with the space for States and Clubs to build momentum for promotion, wagering, visiting horses and interest in the sport. As all horses will now turn a year older on 1 January each year, the additional 4-months provided for due to the racing year change can also benefit the education, training and confidence of young horses preparing for their racing careers.

Sort of. They can have the Sires Stakes and feature 2 year old races during the Cup week now. which is excellent. Also Take the Nz Derby for example . (for 3 year olds) A lot more horses get a chance at now. AKUTA , the current champion won the Derby in the same week he turned 4 from his foaling date. (run in December last year.} He could also start in the Nz Cup (finished 4th) . Would of been next to impossible for a 3 year old to start in the Cup before the season change . ( so another great innovation that has worked already !! 3 year olds in the Cup is fantastic ) Much more mature horse than being 6 months behind , like this next bloke >>>> The previous Nz Derby winner was KRUG who was only 3 and a half and the Derby had to be run in cold darker April /May. So would be much better preparing for Spring Summer racing in nZ. AND with a more mature horse .(2 and 3 year olds) Bordering on it's 'real' Birthday too (foaling date) towards end of year.