Ludwig

Excellent questions and when I find the answers I'll let you know. At the moment I'm still stuck at trying to tie my shoelaces.

Whatever happened to Andre Gillett, another good rider. ? Over the years, some of the riders in the south have concerned me. But I always found Jamie very reliable, and gave his mounts every chance.

I'm also trying to work out what the gallops track at Kurow has got to do with a thread on harness at Forbury Park???

We really are a pack of miserable doom and gloom merchants.just close it all down and head to the pub.

I find the attitude in harness as disappointing as the gallops. There we endure the constant"everything has to move to Waikato/Auckland" nonsense. And in harness, it's the same ..let's close everything and move it all to Addington. And , gee it truly pisses me off.

I think Mr Bullard spent some time with you.

Might dump some of Oamaru's dopey boy racers there.

I suppose that's the gist of the thread. I think we all agree that the facilities are stuffed, and need millions to fix .Do we wait for everything to fall over, or make some decisions now.? After all, Oamaru would look good with the lights...and I would have just a few hundred metres to walk to the track.

To be fair to Freda. She's the trainer who gave me the one jockey who I backed repeatedly, and who constantly gave me a profit .

Dr David Clark looks like he needs a new challenge after his time as Health Minister. Perhaps they could employ him to turn things around.???

In an ideal world it would be great to see the facilities improved, the stakes and field quality increased, and the place humming. We could even build a new stabling era and call it the Kelly Evander stables. But is it going to happen?

At least Hone would have had something to say. Not particularly edifying,but something.

I love Dunedin, and have spent many a night at Forbury. I remember Blossom Lady winning the Dunedin Cup. But times are changing, the club has been struggling for years. The stakes, the fields are poor, and some of the facilities are beyond primitive. How long can this continue.? As Dunedin starts to grow, more land for housing is needed. How long can the Forbury issue just drag on? New location and facilities? Or just time to call it quits?

Lots of good points. Wimbledon needs to go to Switzerland or Serbia, the French open to Rafa's own private court. And definitely the Auckland trotting cup needs to move to Addington? That would make the jafas squeal.

I've got the solution. Let's start a bring back "Hone" John Carter campaign.!!!!

And if the guineas races are being eyed up by the north, how long before the Grand National Hurdles and Steeples are joining the list.?

And people in the south shake their heads at the arrogant "we want it all" attitude of Auckland.

I went outside once in a winter's day in Invercargill, with the wind howling off the Southern Ocean....took me days to thaw out. But racing in it???

Once they've gone will they come back.? The south gets smacked again.

Racing at Ascot Park in July?? Wow, have they never experienced winter in Invercargill??

Not likely. I had four sisters and that was four too many.

It cheers me up. After all, my favourite bakery has produced custard rectangles instead of custard squares. All very distressing.

Self imposed self isolation is just a joke. And Oamaru this week was swarming with cruise ship passengers. But then they won't let me in at Waimate tomorrow to lean against the fence.

Delighted for the club at the size of the fields. Ok this year the course is closed to spectators but it won't be forever. Good luck to them.Genuine heartland racing at a course where locals got stuck in and rebuilt their grandstands, unlike Riccarton and Addington.

Absolutely agree. There is a real demand for meetings such as this in small communities..234 nominations!!! Wouldn't Auckland like that? And for these small communities, these race days are so important. If people like White man don't like them, then don't watch. No need to be offensive to the locals in calling Waimate a backwater.