Gammalite

Handy 2nd for Wiremu Pinn in the 3rd race giving the Butterfly a beautiful one-one trip , with a great ride. Watching for Frigid in the next race with him. (and Blackcomb for matty in race 4) Meanwhile at Brisbane , the time honoured Brisbane Cup is about to go .......... and a fricken hurdler is favourite ?? Used to be such a great race once. now a bit player on the program . 😪 Jim Cassidy won up here as a young fella on Yippiyio. and celebrates in style lol.😂

That train bolts in . Wiremu Pinn is such a strong rider ...... bolts away with 2nd race easily with Extratwo. Matty Cartwirght cut out of the Quinella in the last 50m but went good. both boys in the Tri. Time to board the Cruise ship next ? Jaykayann is hotpot in the 3rd But reckon Wiremu will/could have the 'luck of the Irish' on the Irish Butterfly with 3kg claim and give it a bit of a fright ?

and Home goes LINKS in the First race now . Great ride Matty 🥰 . You know it's gunna be a good day.... Next stop ...Wiremu station.

What a star that bloke was. They still run the 'Flashing Red' race here in QLD in his honour. His nz trainer Tim Butt now here too in Brisvegas (and going pretty average really... only seems to hae mid-week runners) Flashing Red from Tas originally then a kiwi and QLDer , so takes right after myself in lucky breaks in life, and returned to Tas to win heats of the Interdominion in 2006. (final worth $900k won by fellow QLD champ Blacks A Fake) it was a real thrill to be there. Here is the great Flashing Red in the capable hands of the gun Anthony Butt, taking one of his Nz Cup victories !!! What a fricken absolute legend of a horse 🏆.

Thank you Nz for sending him over. BIG book of rides at Sandown today . I hope he stays in Australia after. Has been my favourite jockey to back in New Zealand racing as gives it a real go and they respond for him . Plus great to bet on his rides too lol. My favourite Aussie apprentice is back in action too, Matty Cartwright. Won stacks of races last Winter and is the Aussie equal of Wiremu. Also great punting value 💰 Matty is just back from broken ankle in February. The 2 Lads are sure to have a BIG day today at Sandown and can't wait to see how they go !!🏇🏇💰

When you're gunna breed a horse , you have a pecking order . and the order is Very very narrow in harness racing. Only about 10 stallions to consider. all the American bred boys are proven. The standing Fee price is what you pay for the best. Think Bettor's Delight about $25,000 now ? but not sure. (Think Lazarus is in Aus at around $8000 . reckon i'd try that.) whats Vincent at Alabar's Fee ?? $5000 ? might be worth a look. Or you'd go Captain Treacherous , Always B Miki, Sweet Lou, etc. etc..blah . blah ..... down the order to you get to your price..

Don't think so . Two completely different services. You make a conscious decision to take 'your own mare' to a stud stallion to get the best result you think you can get from bloodlines. you might pay a lot more for that service than making a purchase at the/a dispersal sale . The sale helps promote the product in a more affordable manner for some people that want to RACE a horse. The one's that don't want the risk's and drama that go with breeding. The breeders are trying to BREED a good horse . Either to sell like Woodlands did/do or just have a bit of fun . So can't see the Studs doing any harm to Breeders at all. They're bringing in (and standing) the good stallions. Breeders pay for that service being available, as per always.

Interesting that Archie rumour as seems an unusual source for such speculation , and even More Unusual that the active Cambridge CEO would leave the club , after setting up the Grins Race and trying to keep Nz North Island harness racing secure (after the diabolical efforts at Auckland trotting Club in recent years. hell, he (Branch) won't even get to see the Harness museum resurected, after being ostracised from Auckland. Another kiwi leaves the 'sinking ship' for the sunny shores of Brissy?. nothing new there I spose?. The current Brisbane Albion park CEO Chris Bombolis is standing down from ill health, and the previous one Scott Steele is probably still in the court system on some 'sex charges thing from 2015-16. those sort of sordid things drag out for years and are never fully represented. Bit annoying we don't have a local candidate to the fill the position. Instead of dragging another pro-active man out of Nz if the rumour is true , and add to stressful situation already happening in North Nz harness (with numbers racing ,etc)

Mate you have been waxing lyrical for years about the state of the industry and what is best for it. Often finding the costs are major worry to yourself. Only 15 % of horses racing return a career profit mate. It's a sport and recreation for most of the participants. They Expect for it to cost them something. they are racing for Enjoyment. Breeders always take risks. as in only 15% of what they breed will return a profit in most cases. Well done to Woodlands for supplying great horses (at great prices) to the community to keep the game going . excellent stuff . Game would cease to exist without them. Here's a beauty Woodlands bred horse in next Saturday night at Albion . A real goer tip for you ! !! a fast like him only won about 50k in Nz over his first year and half racing there. poultry money from 15 dd starts there. A loss I would say . McCarthy is doing well with it , hopefully for Nz owners but not sure. Here's a nice pic of him . 2nd in Qld Derby last year to Leap Of Fame (also in this Saturday) whose owner has bred a thousand horses to Finally get his best one yet.

Chief must be trying to keep a couple of good sorts on the ad's again. Think the Ukranian girls would like Oz and Nz to get away from the blasted silly war currently. might put an order in lol.....😄 Hell yeah . the old Captain Harcourt was a real ripper . He Did Pluck an Auckland Cup too with Tommy Knowles driving . looks like the Cardigan Bay colours of Wolfies ? that he carried . Would of plucked the Trifecta (except they didn't have em' then 😁 ) with his fellow flashy chestnuts Speedy Guest and Noodlum 2nd and 3rd as well ....

Wow !. exactly the same as you and Walt for me too . Dad always with the transistor all day long early 70's . Put a dollar each way on Alex park trots for me when about 10-12 years old . Captain harcourt and Blair Logie are 2 ones I remember. then we started going to Alex Park from late 70's on . and I wanted to work with em from that moment. started stable work first day , day after school UE 6thform finished..... and best thing ever did. Also remember the old boy loved trebles . always took 2 horses with the field in final leg. As said " Doubles are easier to get than trebles " . fine wisdom there I spose. but like you nearly all my bets are on Aussie gallops these days. Got the EF quaddie the other day , as wasn't too hard and they pay pretty good compared to trots. Don't mind taking Allstars in trifectas though on Nz trots , as they are always in it. 🏆💰

I take it she works for Mark and Nathan Purdons stable with the amount of drives for that stable ?. Including winning the Group 1 Nz Oaks in December with No Matter Wat. (90k for winner) But today without Nat or Mark present it would seem , as Blair Orange has taken the 3 drives on Bronson 5th, Waterfront 3rd, and VinkeB for 4th. Why couldn't Olivia drive any of them ? she's had 400 drives now across 6 seasons . Not many I know .but is up to 48 wins. but she was 'dragging a drive' on 'Press Play' for someone else stable in the last race today, is that all she is reduced to??? Must be deflating as anything for her. The Big Blair drives netted $2,450 on Waterfront, $1,200 on Vinke and $1,350 on Bronson. so can hardly be 'Big money' events being the reason. Blair didn't win any of 8 drives in total today at Ashburton anyway. Surely it's just as good to put Your Own Stable driver worker on in the Bush meetings ??

One of the greatest things ever for Nz racing SAgent. and followed up by Laurie Laxon with Empire Rose , and Brian Jenkins with Jeezabeel and Sheila Laxon with Ethereal late last century taking the biggest plum there is in racing , The Melbourne Cup. This century the plethora of Northern hemisphere runners (used to competing over that distance) and the Juggernaut of super stables like Wallers , Waterhouse, Snowdens Hayes Goldolphin and Neasham with between 500-1000 horses on their training name each, and maher/Eustuce in 4 figures , nobody is beating that avalanche of runners these days. That many horses they have , they mostly don't even meet the owners these days , and I would think they have horses they don't even remember at times lol .... The hard working harness racing folk of Nz and Aus, on a Positive note 😉, are all involved with their horses way more , and trainers actually train them physically lol.... (like those great kiwi Melbourne Cup winning trainers did)

Some of the best stuff ever written here at BOAY. 100% behind you with this mate. exactly how it is. Yes the likes of Trusty Scot , and Sapling and Trevira from the deep South , all had a chance to win NZ Cups and Auckland Cups. I think just the other night with Mark Purdon winning the 8th Auckland Cup in a row , with several quinellas to boot , and the Allstars Nz Cup dominance too , the Nz Cup and especially Auckland Cup dream is over for nearly everyone , including the nations leading stable of Robert and John and Jenna Dunn. On another positive note 😊 Copy That ( although well beaten in Auckland Cups like everyone else ) has been able to stop the Nz Cup run of Allstars on 2 occasions and pluck the big Plum GRIN RACE as well in recent times . so it can be done? if you Have a Champion like Copy That in your backyard who can run a slick '3.54' for 2 miles time 😂.

Yeah , I get that . it's a positive thread thing going here. I think the Lord Module highlights are only because he is a rogue who overcame adversity from his usual bad manners to win those 2 races. (and as I pointed out you can see Sunseeker wipe out the horses inside him around 2000m to go in the video Mikey posted above of the Nz Cup ,to give Lord Module the 1-1 rather than be stuck 3 wide. A real Positive for Him . (but sadly a real negative for Greg Robinson and Dels Dream lol 😉 ) the Positive Negative balance of nature happening there ? lol happens a lot in harness racing too. " for every action there is an equal an opposite reaction" 😄 so to roll with the positives for some greater performances than old rogue LM 😄 ......... I will stick with My heroes Delightful lady 2 Auckland Cups Gammalite a fantastic Auckland Cup and also Interdominion grand Final wins at Alex Park (The lady 3rd in that one) , Locarno and Young Quinn both winning the Miracle Mile from the 'impossible' outside barrier at Harold Park. Koala King and Pure Steel and Paleface Adios all with around 100 wins each. incredible stuff. Blossom Lady a couple of sensational Hunter Cups . The brilliant Lightning Blue returning to Nz to crush the local dreams in a Nz Cup triumph and Interdominion Final at Addington . Armalight scurried away from the field in Auckland and Nz Cups, No Response (Mikey posted above video) Blacks A Fake with 4 Interdominion Grand Final wins was through the ceiling Positively Good !! I could go on for hours with plenty more highlights but it's made me so positive i just got electric shock lol.....

Even the best , have to get driven along a bit at times, so to be the Very best. as they are constantly racing against opposition that are pretty good as well in the features.. Popular Alm and Cardigan Bay included. Maori's Idol probably got off the easiest. Being so Superior to the Opposition (did race against pacers occasionally) most of his career in the trots, he was way out in front at races end , so No Need to pull the plugs lol. (whip) As for Lord Module , I'm not too impressed really . Last in Miracle Mile behind Nzer Robin Butt's Locarno (who i respect a lot more) , nowhere in the Interdominion behind Koala King and Pure Steel (way better horses) and only placed on 2 occasions in the Auckland Cup (well beaten by the Lady herself (Delightful lady who I respect and adore way more than him) Yes the old 'Module' (angry old stallion that he was) did win the Nz Cup 🏆 once. a fine achievement..... But still displayed hid terrible manners on that day at the start. (and was significantly aided and abetted by stablemate Sunseeker during the running of the event) The great Terror To Love missed away badly in his 3rd Nz Cup win as well losing 50m so it can be done fairly lol..........., but Think LM remembered more for being a 'rogue' than 'fine racehorse' . JMHO 😎.

Yes it was a fantastic race. And here's one for the Chief as well , as on the Very same night Lord Module won his last race start above, the Dominion Handicap Group 1 was on for the trotters , with Grand warrior Stormy Morn taking the win . in a great finish. and Chief's family horse McShane having a crack at glory , finishing on late for a good 4th (in the white neck-strap)

Com'on mate . That was a bit of a fluke really. Gammalite putting 3 Great New Zealand Cup winners to the sword here with Armalight 3rd, Hands Down 4th and Bonnie's Chance 5th. a couple of lengths behind him. the 'lucky' 4th Nz cup winner named Lord Module staggering by the great Aussie Champ late on . his last race start ever for Lord Module. probably barred from bad manners after that ? 😉 Gammalite back in the New year a few months later (with Popular Alm as sidekick for Australia) to clean em' up at the Auckland Interdominion .🏆 now there's a BIG Win 😊. Now that was much better than the little Matson race ? 😎

Unhinged has done a great at the coal-face job with interviews with some of the characters in harness racing. quite enjoyed them really. thanks for pointing them out time to time. Mick Guiren obviously can't get stuck into the industry and tries to spin his 'Positive' knowledge onto the viewer but comes out with some funny stuff. on Hunter Cup night he co-hosted here in Oz , his brainwave said that the way the driver carries his whip in the score up decides whether he is going to leave the mobile gate in a rush or not, advantages of the marker line as opposed to the 3 wide train, and many assorted pearls of wisdom like that ...giving me plenty of humour to chuckle over anyway. he's being funny without even trying to be a lot of the time. 😄. BOAY posters like Ranga and that come out with funny stuff , way more than other sites , and even though a few often comment on the State of the Nation and/or can't get a Bet on etc the vibe seems pretty positive with mentioning of strong performances (like Carter doing well driving for example) so yeah, why not some more racing achievements for some positives vibes week to week like that , we can contribute to here and people can mention fun times like a good bet or yarn about some of the good horsepeople past and present ..... and maybe even future ?

Graeme Rogerson having a good run lately . Nz derby with Sharp N Smart at the gallops, Nz Trotting Derby with LoveMe Too just the other night. How big a slam is that ?top draw stuff 🏆 an amazing man . won a Cox plate too lol. Never met Don , but did hack around old home town Takanini with Dillon Dale at one stage. He was a great youngster and won the Nz Juvenile championship and about 10 or so races as 2 year old from memory , for Aussie man Gary Hillier. But broke down soon after. some time later I was helping another Aussie dude trainer Brian Pretious , get Dillon Dale back on the track . was a wonderful strong horse. had a few brothers and sisters out of broodmare Birdie. Birdie Twice, the first foal didn't get it going till 6 year old first start lol... much later on Dillon Dean won 1/2 million I see. wow !! , Don Dwyer along next and married the millionaire owners daughter and had a great ride for a while. Dillon Dale 3rd in the NZ cup for Don and then WON the Nz FFA beating the Cup winner 'Camelot' around 84' ? 3 days later. Old Aussie war-horse Gammalite was in those races , but ran no-where against the classy locals.🤕 If Jason (and wife ) good at training thoroughbreds sounds a good way to go? bit more money in that code it seems.

Very well said Walt. not just this paragraph but your whole post above. The HRNZ board need to listen to the industry participants and include their input into future stratagies, and even if some New Ideas can't be implimented they should at least respond with some ideas of their own. Criticism itself doesn't cure wounds. you need actions. Jason Teaz is the trainer of Brookies Jaffa I take it? probably same bloke ? therefore is a licensed (and capable) horseman able to get a horse to Metro level, so knows what he is doing/talking about with-in the industry. Alas new procedures were put in place to silence those bringing the industry into disrepute , some time ago. and penalties applied to license holders who break that rule. Better to use anonimous nom de plume and stay safe from the industry 'watchdogs' and feel free to express your concerns for the 'nation' ,as we get/do here at BOAY and similar, so we can criticise if feel like it, BUT and also 'try' and enjoy what's left of the once mighty Harness (and thoroughbred) racing industry's too. 🏇

Yes that was a lucky break for Self Assured for sure , anyone else would of had their horse up the inside as Self Assured eased back, to leave him parked out after his early attempt at the lead. Still the Nz drivers do it well. They had a very rare crack at an open class stand at Albion Park tonight and I spose the start was ok. (only 4 of the 12 galloped out ) which sounds bad but these horses rarely do these stands. And Pete Mcmullen poured the pressure on the leaders a Lap out , forgetting about the extra distance for a moment there possibly ? nah .... his stable-mate rounded them up last 1/2 mile from the back, and won easy. driven by his missus. His horse was favourite and i usually like Pete has a go always . but that was rediculous and didn't give his horse every chance to win at all . at least the nz drivers all drive to win .

Well I guess as the result panned you are right.... Kango did win the week before (when leaving Self Assured parked out) so credit for that is warranted and to win the Cup he was gunna try the same again . So David Butcher every right to lead the race. and try and win. Nat having to ease for a trail again with the defending Champion after the unsuccessful challenge for the lead after the first lap.. I think she (Nat) would of Won if he (Butcher) gave her the lead (and Kango would of been strong chance for 2nd place) as he did run 3rd to Self Assured in last year's edition of the Big 2 mile race so has plenty of ability. BUT... David Butcher thought he'd try and win the race from the lead , rather than just run possible 'good 2nd' , so good on him I spose for trying to Win, ...... and I retract the poor drive comment. The whole field went nicely really . bunched up. finishing in a length or 2 margin between them all , just behind Akuta. An enjoyable high quality race !! (which is why I enjoy Nz harness racing )

Auckland Cup done and dusted for another year . The legend himself taking victory on the horse he part owns AKUTA . and for good measure trains the Quinella yet again. Nat 2nd on Self Assured. well done Mark. you're just too hard to beat most of the time. that makes it 8 straight Auckland Cups!!! with Mark Purdon trainer listed. (in combo's with Nat, Hayden Cullen and now son Nathan ) Wonder why ADORE ME couldn't win her 2 races ? (2nd twice here on the amazingly fast updated wikipedia chart ) Maybe she's not that good ? 😂 she could of made it 10 straight Cups and helped out a little ?? 😎 Winners list[edit] Year Month Distance Horse Hcap Owner(s) Driver Time Second Place Third Place 2023 May 3200m Akuta Fr (9) Cullen Breeding Limited, Mark Purdon Mark Purdon 4:00.55 Self Assured Smiffy's Terror 2022 May 3200m Self Assured Fr (6) Mrs J L Feiss Natalie Rasmussen 3:58.96 Spankem Kango 2021 Not held due to COVID 19 2020 Dec 3200m Amazing Dream Fr (3) Mark Purdon 3:56.56 Spankem Copy That 2019 Dec 3200m Self Assured Fr (3) Mrs JL Feiss Mark Purdon 3:59.4 Thefixer Triple Eight 2018 Dec 3200m Turn It Up[3] Fr (6) JA Gibbs MNZM, L Pilcher, Mark Purdon, Mark Purdon 4:03.0 Star Galleria Ashley Locaz 2017 Dec 3200m Vincent (Aust)[4] Fr (4) W R Feiss Natalie Rasmussen 4:04.7 Titan Banner Heaven Rocks 2016 Dec 3200m Dream About Me[5] Fr (9) CJ Roberts, Est Mrs JL Roberts, P G Kenny, Mrs ML Kenny Mark Purdon 3:55.4 Hug The Wind Arden's Choice 2015 Dec 3200m Have Faith In Me[6] Fr (U1) DM Dunford & MD Dunford Tim Williams[7] 4:06.0 Hughie Green Smolda 2015 Mar 2700m Christen Me[8] Fr (11) CJ Roberts & VL Purdon Dexter Dunn 3:13.8 Adore Me Ohoka Punter 2014 Mar 2700m Terror to Love Fr (11) McDonald Bloodstock Ltd Ricky May 3:15.8 Adore Me Saveapatrol

$20 Exacta with Mark and Nat . $6 quinella can't beeeelieve I didn't get that 🤕. Too busy mucking around with them in Copy That trifecta . and then that bugger didn't get 3rd. blast. Self Assured sure monstered David Butcher on Kango for the lead at one stage. and then kicked again for a brave 2nd . What a TOP trier horse he is. The 'Chief'Butcher needs his head read not taking a sit on Nat at that stage when she pressed for the lead. was just a sitting shot after to get run over, so a poor drive by David. Never saw the BIG Lew. was he in the race ? 😉