Gammalite

Not true Brodster. Punters are Problem Gamblers a lot of the time. If they could put on What they want , when they want ... there would be MANY MANY suffering (possibly hungry) families , and the Bills would be in danger of not being able to paid. You Need Limits mate. From what i've seen here in 4 years is enthusiasts like Galah, Walt, Newmarket and myself are happy with $50 bets , and our knowledge of the sport is exceptionally high. Mug punters are just going to lose mate , that have less knowledge of the inner workings of the Sport. You Need Limits for them. they'll spend all they've got (like the pokies do to them anyway) You want to plonk $1000 a place on something all the time , but most (Nearly All) folk find that an unrealistic prospect . who wants to lose a thousand on something running 4th even once ? And if you've got a thousand to waste , why not a weekend away at a luxury resort /holiday /visit someone/home improvements etc etc , a million things you could do than 'Waste' a $1000 on a bloody horse bet. A keen Person would be WAY WAY Better to just race them/ one if you've got that money to spend/waste/invest... good on Dean Shannon giving some new types of owners a dabble . seems a great initiative.

Back in action tonight. The $100,000 Newcastle Mile . A few ex-pat kiwis to take him on and beat him ? Loyalist, Hot and Treacherous and i'm picking CantFindaBetterMan . nicely drawn. the winner qualifies for the Miracle Mile I think , to be run early March. Old Kiwi horse Cantfindabetterman was enormous last start , and Luke McCarthy (now training in his own name instead of in his wife's thank goodness) might knock off Leap to Fame tonight at good odds. ? 😆. he has done most of his racing in Brisbane since coming from Nz , had 9 of last 10 starts there. went ok winning Interdom consolation at $1.20 Dec. 1 73657 PETES SAID SO NZ KerryAnn Morris Robert Morris FR1 2 75923 MASTER CATCH (Em 1) Lisa McDonald SCRATCHED SCR- 3 65313 CANTFINDABETTORMAN NZ Luke McCarthy Luke McCarthy FR2 4 42184 KANENA PROVLIMA KerryAnn Morris Joshua Gallagher (C) FR3 5 26836 PITCH PERFECT NZ (Em 2) Roy Roots Jnr SCRATCHED SCR- 6 31921 MACH DA VINCI NZ Peter Hanson Jack Callaghan (C) FR4 7 11111 LEAP TO FAME Grant Dixon Grant Dixon FR5 8 580s1 HOT AND TREACHEROUS NZ Jason Grimson Cameron Hart FR6 9 11r32 MAX DELIGHT David Aiken Nathan Jack FR7 10 07s11 LOYALIST NZ Joe Conolly Seaton Grima (C) FR8

Has got some nice stock in recent times . Dean Shannon did try and sell his sprawling stud in South East Queensland. think it passed in at 8 million once. he might have leased it to some other horse folk now. He missed out on bidding for MERLIN's yearling brother last year. Dean was the underbidder in the end. The winning bid going to a nice Queensland friend of mine was quite a surprise. By Captain Treacherous too. should be a real beauty . Has been left with Cran Dalgety at this stage. If it makes the NZ Derby next year i might fly over with Terry and join the party and give him good luck 😂🏆💰

There's no doubt that taking on the leader was of great benefit to Heisenberg. the leader being 'The Falcon' who still had it's chance with only a 56.7 last half (for Fast Class that's not too hard.) John Dunn had a look for the lead from the 2300 to the 1900m points of the 2600m contest. I see nothing wrong with trying for that Walt . A 400m burn does em' good lol. 😂. no point gifting it to The Falcon lol . toughen him up a bit ? John's horse only a battler from the bush anyway. 😆

yes I guess if Wayne gets rubbed out they turn to Bens brothers Tim and Mark. Mark Yole is actually a very handy driver and catch drives for others a fair bit , and only trains a handful himself. At one stage after fighting with Ben about something in a family squabble, he didn't drive his (Ben Yole's) horses for a period of time. Younger brother Tim was sentenced with Jail time in 2014 , 2 years (suspended) as killed a cyclist on the road while paying no care apparently. No evasive action by Tim was taken in the collision, and there was 2 cyclists and a clear stretch of road on a clear day. Luckily Tim doesn't drive in races very much 😎. Usually the 10th string driver when Ben had 10 (or more) of the 12 runners in those 'loaded' races they had each week. avoids the risk of PTSD and piling into the sulky in front 😎

Another exceptional article by you TABman . Again covering a huge range of events and status of Nz harness racing. The items all of great importance. thanks for the imformation. you fill in a lot of gaps for people in your posts. A New Board at HRNZ you say ?? Can ONLY HOPE someone as knowledgeable and observant as your self can get a position on it . They need people with a ready insight and acute understanding of things involving ALL the stakeholders in the Harness racing Industry.

Competitive racing mate . Easiest answer yet. Champions of all time were put off handicaps So all runners have some chance to win. If Cardigan Bay and Lordship were always off the front they probably would never of been beaten. in modern times what have you seen happen ? Fields have dropped away mate. Won't be long to the NZ CUp won't have a full field at this rate. Mach Shard and other good horses like that had extended Australian campaigns because they can't beat Copy That off the front for example . Many Nz owners just sell them as can't beat Allstars off the front (and lately brother Barry) The Fields there have got Smaller and Smaller as No-one will Bother to take them On. Butt's race horses in WA currently . to be competitive. even leading Trainer DUNN's are struggling ? with pacers . But of course had the No handicap Bonus wins with Sundee's Son in the trotting races recently . The opponents were No Chance . PRIME EXAMPLE for Michael >>>>>>Not long ago Mark Purdon raced last Years Brilliant Dominion Group 1 Show Day winner Oscar Benanova off a 30m handicap in a support race on Dominion Day. He knew he COULD NOT BEAT Sundee's Son off the front in the Big race on the day . Mark Won the Handicap race ok. A competitive Trainer who looks after his horses. (and now winning the Dominion himself with OscarB now Sundee retired ) Dunn's more likely to put their pacers in Midclass Handicap races nowadays , around the provincial circuit Cups and that. Marlborough Nelson and that . They're Still Run as Handicaps . For Competitive racing .

wow TABman . thats a cross between reading a weepy tear-jerker novel and a Steven King horror story. the developer bloke dying was a real catalyst towards disaster. The racing past couple of Fridays has been exceptional . I'm glad they got a Friday night spot back. The Franklin track going is a Huge loss. where will those trainers go? and visiting trainers. The ENtain CEO bloke is a good dude from Queensland who is investing in the yearling sales there past 4-5 years and is keeping his runners there now (with Barry and Scott ) and already won the Nz Derby with Merlin in Dec. He is the man to help keep it going . Not just for his horses but he must have BIG-WIG mates he can get to buy yearlings and race them too .

A sad day for me , as was one of my top favourites... ever. Leading up to that big Melbourne Cup 🏆 win . the prize of all prizes . (well it used to be) Just go to gallops once a year with the Mrs , usually Melbourne Cup 🏆 day at the local Brisbane races . And definitely remember that win fondly on the day by the lovely mare Verry Elleegant, .. She (VE) whipped em' by 4 lengths too, the Mrs always keen for a trifecta , so I said take the QLDer to go with the champ NZer mare . ( the Queensland horse ran 2nd) . so the Mrs had to pick 3rd ......and for 3rd she just said 'There's a Spanish horse in it too, so I'm taking that " .... bingo 😆🏆. can't argue with that logic .(Spanish Mission placed 3rd) so a happy Mrs leads to a good day had 😄.🏇🏇🏇 (Chief and I talked her (VE) up often , so am sure you feel a bit of sadness today too Chief ) One of those irreplaceable champions , that we had so much pleasure watching strut her stuff.

What a great job he does with his trotters. Dr Chin drove a terrific race and didn't deserve a penalty for it (didn't interfer or obsruct anyone) so silly suspension really. Amazing effort by Nicky Chilcott too, closing in late off the backmark of 35m in that Trotting mares feature race with SACRED MOUNTAIN. Nicky can really get a trotter going too and gets a lot of placings around the Northern tracks...... and hope she can take out a Group Race in the near future 🏆 .

The great leveller is HANDICAP racing . designed in history to give em' All a Chance. As Walt tipped at Marlborough Cup last month , Mossdale Ben as a special. Went a great race too, But 4th was his lot off 30m. going 3 seconds faster than those off the front is a HUGE Ask. Auckland did it very well last night. Applied Handicaps to put the better horses back a bit so all had a chance. Mach Shards 10m start enough to beat self Assured. JASINOVA in the feature trot . buzzing along for Dr Chin for a great win off the front , had enough start with the Handicap to hold out good trotters like Sacred Mountain (35m) and Sunny's Sister the recent trotting Derby winner was struggling to get into it.(off 25m) A great leveller !! All Cashed up couldn't bridge the Gap either . you have to trot 2 and 1/2 seconds faster than those off the front to win these sort of races off handicaps like that. Sundee's Son was gifted Rowe Cups and Dominions 'Off The Front' before retiring recently. A real shame as that took the Thrill and Leveller of the Handicap out of it. . Copy That with same advantage to win a non-handicapped 2nd Nz Cup too.

I just saw them doing that with Imperatriz today actually. a routine treatment on a front leg in some great big boot that she always has. (Too bloody hot here in Queensland. The ice would melt before ya got it near the horse so would be just a cold bath 😄😂.) we swim heaps of them here . great for their relaxing , cooling , sore legs etc. and with the nice weather we can swim all year round too.

Was 2 very good races. The leaders getting a cheap sectional in both the races after using gate speed to lead. but still had to cling on late. (a nose margin in both races) Phelan nearly got there with KISS , so kudos to him . would of tried to make the favourite work harder to get the lead early but White was too quick with the winner. In the boys Phelan drove well too and gave his horse every chance. (and got 3rd) so i am wrong and he drove both to win . rather than look out for stable-mates. although Always B Elite was a bit of a sacrificial Lamb to try and help Cold Chisels chances from behind the leader. And Mark didn't follow Vessem up ?? that was strange . Maybe we'll follow Major Hot in future efforts. Great fields of horses ! those 2 races. Plenty of big wins in store for a few of those . Derbies and Oaks are on the menu ? 😆

Absolutely !! after many years in Vet surgery , where Bute was routinely administered Post surgery as the anti-inflammatory for many types of surgery. And many years working with racehorses , where Bute was routinely 'Not administered' (because of the high chance of swabbing positive) even if the horse had a nagging ailment . you must Use some other treatments for ""In Training Racing Stock ' as always has been done.

Couple of Big races coming up soon . $150,000 for the Fillies R6 at Alexandra Park and $200,000 up for grabs in the Colts just after in R7. There's going to be a bit of 'Riding Shotgun' with Scott Phelan involved with a few stable-mates. With 6 Phelan/B Purdon trained runners involved. Can't wait to see what he does.😄😎 Hope he watched Race 4 tonight closely , where the 'Mark Purdon /Natalie Rasmussen combo' worked their magic ,just like the good old days . Great Shotgun work there by Nat , to get the Phelan runner beaten . Duchess Megzit with no stable-mate to help a little in that one . Will be fantastic to see how Scott handles the 2 Harness Million Races soon !!! Mark and Nat could possibly Still run Quinella in the Boys division , being the Ultimate Masters in this sort of scenario...... even with Scott and BarryP running 4 horses in it . How good will the team-work be? will Mark and Nat use their 3rd number in Vessem (Blair) to 'cart them up' ?....Hope so . going to be some great tactics involved in that feature race.

Has the lead up tonight in the 'Hondo Gratten ' at Menangle. New catch driver Jack Callaghan takes the reigns tonight . DSD only at about $1.60 odds to win Well known kiwi SOONER THE BETTER also tackling that race tonight at around 10.40 Nz time . also being catch driven by Fitzpatrick . Meanwhile at Cranbourne , the $100,000 Gold Cup is a Leap to Fame benefit. BACH having his first Australian start for ex-pat Cambridge boy Kyle Marshall and driven by Ant's Butt , so a real kiwi flavour on that one!! . rumour has it they are a sneaky chance to Win , but must be BIG odds to beat Queensland mate Leap to Fame who is crushing Allcomers at present.

Well Self Assured wasn't much hope in that with Scott Phelan just driving a road block race on Mach Shard, to make sure the horse he co-trains Merlin had easy time in front last lap. Was the least 'trying to beat the leader' drive I've ever seen in a 4 horse field . didn't even go up to it's wheel in a 57 second last half?. Scott Phelan is terrible driver at trying to win races and only drives when stable-mates are in as the 'get in the way' driver. so often it's not even funny. So therefore Brodster........ Think i'll Change angle and say ADDINGTON had/has the better/cleaner racing lol 😁🤣

Is hard to understand you sometimes mate. The leading trainers and drivers in the country are at Auckland tonight and you still bag it. Just as well they're not at Addington or the poor old North would be like real shit. Why can't they do their thing ? Barry and Scott are turning out some lovely horses lately , and Bernie and Co have good Trotters , the 3 yearold race was great. John Dunn and Mark Purdon winning races. even your mate Carter is there instead of Addington. The Derby and Nz FFA winners are racing too . Merlin and Self Assured. Just don't see how it's Chalk and Cheese ??? . Still the same horses and drivers trotters and pacers. The VERY BEST there is are competing ??? No Chalk in sight.....😪 It's not like you're comparing thoroughbreds to Standardbreds or anything... No the wonder the Game is Struggling so much in New Zealand these days with that level of support on a harness site.

Indeed. I think that is part of the problem. ALL the stables I've been in always had great owners . They would come on Sundays and pat their horse, and yak and have a beer etc, ..Be there on race-nights whether their horse was capable of getting a cheque or not. some horses run at a loss but they loved em anyway. At YOLE's , no one cares anymore. It's like they are on the production line to their doom , and are they capable of picking up a Tasmanian prizemoney cheque or not on their way to it. No caring owners to oversee their wellfare, JUST a concerned neighbour and ex-staff that have expressed concerns and Finally got action taken. Leap To Fame owner , millionaire Seymour has bred 100's of horses , so he supply's Yole with many (via the Bloodstock agent) and couldn't care less where they end up. Once you have that many horses , in a relentless quest to get a champion (which he finally achieved thank christ) , I guess you become insensitive to their needs and THIS Yole thing happens.

Yole Racing doesn't buy them. He is Supplied by Summit and Bain Bloodstock all the time with horses from around the nation that are going too slow in their own state (or nz) to earn anymore. A share of some size is then given to 'Yole racing Ltd' as the 'future training Fee' . this means Summit pays Nothing for the training week to week ,once they supply Yole with a horse. Hence the poor conditions the horses endure. and with No control from the outside owners group (s) Yole therefore gets a cut of the prizemoney. The 'penny share Summit share holders' probably get something like 10 bucks each when Yole wins a Tassie race with their 'soon to be deceased' pride and Joy horse.

Well there's quite a few players in Tas still.. Brodster. it's a big state. well sort of lol.... They still had the meetings last week without Yole. (albeit some small fields lol ) And this week next Sunday at Carrick, they have 10 races of 10 horses odd, Without Yole's runners . So all the players that look after their horses well are getting a go Without Yole Loading races , and the fixing and the like. the Tassie harness world improves instantly ! how good for them and the honest players there. Hopefully SUMMIT Bloodstock can use better Trainers that have BETTER care and Compassion with their horses in Tasmania Chief ?. that's the 'Alternative' you asked for Chief ? they must be embarrassed (and Aaron Bain too) by the shocking report.

Cockroaches are normally NSW . 😅. This Vic coochroach did try and win there in the Interdominion but had to settle for 2nd after a wide trip to the ex-pat kiwiman Brent Lilley who got Gavin Lang to steer his horse to Victory. seen here in photo the late Gavin Lang and his 'Game' little trotter.

You are obviously right Chief. I know the thoroughbred people have gone to great lengths to re-home and help with retired race-horses at the end of their racing days. but the stock are of some value, whereas the trotters are worth nothing . But as you say the Big Breeders have a 'Lot of horses' and they have to send them 'somewhere'. And Bloodstock agencies are the Specialists in this Area. so you would think it would be fine to deal with any of them. Indeed,...... I wasn't going to mention this because it makes me sick . Grant Dixon and millionaire owner Seymour (and 2 of Grants other Millionaire owners as well ) have that many horses they've bred All the old geldings when can't keep up at Albion anymore , are almost on a production line to Summit and Yole in Tasmania as a 'clearance' place to send them too. Dozens of horses past 4 years. and they are Fully knowing the chainsaw will start down there if the horse can't get a place at Hobart or Launceston. Disgraceful. I said to Grant you wouldn't send 'Leap To Fame' , (the Interdominion Champion) down there would you?... now They are not talking to me anymore 😪

Not dictate too Chief.. I think if HRNZ are trying to run the Harness business , and encourage new owners and good racing , then they need to have some ethics when it comes to horse welfare. Mr Galah , Walt and I are saying because it's just off-shore , that doesn't mean we (HRNZ) should ignore it. Nz owners and Horses are involved. they should be informed .... I think the NZ harness racing industry is already suffering because of it currently.. Summit Bloodstock already buying Nz low class runners to place in racing around Australia. North Island is already struggling for numbers to run meetings. They have SOLD too many already and/or race them themselves in Aus now. There's still plenty of good races in Nz and owners should aspire to Winning them there. Brodie is often commenting how Poor Auckland is .... and Why should this be the case ? Owners should Not be dealing with Summit Bloodstock for 'penny share buyers' to race at Ben Yoles. The report was damning. His poor staff 😪... i feel so bad for them .. Unfortunately Summit Bloodstock were part of the inaugural EUREKA winner from Emma Stewarts, so will be 'On the prowl' now, Buying up Nz horses, now Encipher is retired with injury. the horse got $1,000,000 first prize in this , Would be great to know how much each 'penny share owner' got out of all that. We'll never know, But After buying the Race-slot-slot, Summit Fees, Emma Stewart Fees would of been down to $1000 each lol... or thereabouts probably 😅.

Rowe Cup Winner