TAB For Ever

Knowing who is going is important cos we can then sort out the fact from fiction , not reading about isolated incidents from 20 -30 years ago. As to the winner sometimes you just have to go with the tote favourites or the 'expert' scribes opinions as they often get key info from the trainers. Trentham can be a 'graveyard' cos of your bugbear ...the track and irrigation. I'll never forget the Cup day when the irrigation got out of control and rouhly half the track was overirrigated the other half dry ! The Champagne Turf became the Shampoo Turf ! This year , the NZ Herald scribe MGuerin based his artcle around in-form stable of O'Sullivan/ Scott who obviously favoured Grail Seeker over Waitak on good ground. Andrew Scott said GS was working enormous after two trials since he thrashed the same horses over 1400m in Tarzino. If you add fact that field had dropped away with scratchings and the track seemed to improve during day and 4 of last 5 Telegraphs had been won by young Matamata mares there could be only one winner. And an easy one at that ,and it started favourite....

Totally correct....I could say I left one out to get readers guessing...I actually slipped Blue Blood in there so some whizkids could rubbish me...."Blue Blood wasn't a Southerner !" Truth is Signify was gone from my memory ,as were many gallopers of that time....I think I was 85% Harness around a few years. I do bat for both teams you know ! From memory iSignify was a 'roughie' trained by Timaru man Acka Cowan training out of Ashburton .With a recent import jockey ! I guess it a reflection of the South having a lot of good opportunities now with better stakes. Back in the day Dooomed , your day, Southerners gave themslves a big chance at Trentham. Seem to remember ,as well as Showgate , Grey Way etc sprinters like Susan Jane ,Shewetta , Captains Command , Powley gave it a crack plus Jim Tomkinson from Riccarton went north ,then more recently Ray Harris ,Pitman, Parsons ,Williams .And the Gore/Invercargill stayng horses and Jumpers. I suppose it the Marton meeting , so note really the 'holy grail'. No southerners this year but I favour Saint Bathans today in 1600m race......it at least has aSouth Island feel to it !

Grey Way certainly tried in Telegraph first as a young horse running third , then later running fifth.....had at least 5 x runs in Telegraph .He raced some 34 x times at Trentham . The year he was placed I think the South Island won 3 x races on the card. Show Gate and I think Mister Pompous won a 3 yr old race !

That Anniversary day [Monday] became a real fizzer , prompting changes. And the oldies may remember when Ashhurst used to also race on that day !

Well it never seemed to bother Enzos Lad or Signify who both raced once [Wingatui] or twice betwwen Cup week and Telegraph which usually around 20th January .

Anyone off to Trentham today....probably not the best date for this Group 1 race and now the rain / weather turned against too. But as many of our posters seem to support the lower North Island racing and/or South Island racing I hope sopmeone goes.....its $550,000 stake ! Disappointed no South Island horses in any of the 3 x big races ,but in particular the Telegraph wich is unusual. The Stewards in November had a capacity field and several Southern horses have featured previously. Show Gate , Loader ,Fritz , Final Touch ,Enzos Lad [ x 2], Flying View ,Ma Reine...any more ? Blue Blood ? Ahhhh the memories.....

And what was their mark ? Looks to me there was far less for NYD than their other big days ,especially Karaka and the new Champions day. Even BD seemed to have less advertising , maybe the Stat holiday payrates etc a factor. However the Club seemed pleased with 700 walk up crowd......it often a talking point that somehow events with a charge fare better than 'free' events. Noticable yesterday that both the womens tennis and Auckland FC seemed to be well down on 'normal' spectators. The hotdogs seemed a tasty treat , the sauce was free , and the hot chips well worth $7 and free sauce. The caravan was very well staffed [ at least 4 x at all times ]and seemed very busy. Elsewhere a tasty pie was $6.Budget conscious folk/families could take their own food and many do and the wAter is free. Even us South Islanders with poverty mentality were happy ! And had a free high tide swim in city beach afterwards ! The facility looked good there were free Kids activities incl pony rides ,bouncy things and plenty of organised games and activities ....kids seemed to be having a ball. The form horses ,well weighted ,well drawn etc were dong well so a couple with kids could pay $60 take BYO and have a few bets and leave very happy after 6 hours. A safe city environment with security , free parking ,racebook , good toilets , free water , plenty of seating and grass for kids to run around...Perfect ! Re phone betting ,yes it up to 70% , oncourse location is considered OC and the club benefits thru commission.

According to my info from someone close to the action at the start , two horses were playing up and reared in the gates. One jockey ,apparently was quite unsettled and released feet from irons...nek minute !

I think I said that was the upper limit on Boxing Day.....today was significantly less. Some rooms weren't even open including some hospitality areas where tickets sold include food !

Well Doomed , I know one thing...I'll enjoy the day ,if it is half as good as Karaka Day then it will be excellent ! Best horses available , a lot of good jockeys , a step up from the usual 'run of mill' day . I really enjoy the traditional big days , but often there are some races of little interest like maiden races etc [ Riccarton] The best day IMO is Flemington Derby Day with several group races......this new day will be NZ's equivalent of this. Not to be missed.....get there Doomed, may not impress you as much as your Jumps day at Woodville but the ATR will be trying. Get there !...and report back !

OOPS ...almost forgot Stella Frost , Robalan etc Too busy with the other code.....with NZ's leading owners ,Hazlett s and trainers ...Winsloe ,Cochrane and WHillis and the Collet family etc Plus the best colt of them all.....B McKechnie What happened to Southland ...... Brought in an unlikely Aucklander in Tim Shadbolt to save the place !

Kaikoura ,one of the few tracks where the crowd can get so close to finish line inside the track ! And a bit rare to have a Southern horse second in that race....they always produced a few good ones , and kept racing them. Often watched Cardy Bay ,Tactile , Young Quinn , Holy Hal , Lunar Chance ,Robin Dundee , Forto Prontessa , Trevira ,Holmes DG, Sapling , Giovanetto progress thru the ranks ! I think Robert was a Wellington lad when young !

Seems like you know a lot about cabbages !

He must have passed thru or something , i think the place named after him and he has as statue there ! Grey Way only raced there 7 x times out of 159 starts !

Indeed Robert has had a lot on his plate. Recently he took his health 'issue' to a top USA medical institution .......the good news for all of us was that his NZ notes/opinion etc were rated as world class by the world-class Americans. Robert obviously keeps very busy.....Galah is often confused about his role at ATC but yes RJD is on the Board still at ATC....incidentally just today the ATC president sent members a very positive summary of the ATC's performance of late and proudly announcedv...the ATC is BACK ! [ Please send horses North] The Unhinged weekly stable reports of the Dunn establishment clearly shows what a 'well olied machine' their Wood End stable is. I marvel at the size and efficiency of their staff etc . Certainly an impressive outfit...if it was easy ,many would do it. Here in Auckland 9pm its absolutely pissing down...hopefully just a passing dust settler cos 2 x great days racing coming up ! Re the current circuit of Canterbury and Coast Harness which morphs into Nelson/Marlborogh....gee many use this circuit to educate their horses and give their nags and self a few days away and bit of a holiday.......but gee some of the races are a borefest and many of the horses currently very slow or unfit or both as by the second or third start they struggling to lift their feet. Midrace moves are rare and the final 400m finds many out. The margins just get bigger ! Many finish the race like Browns Cows !! Personally I much prefer the racing on the grit/all weather ....1.55 to 1.57 Mile rates ......Westport Day 1 there were 2.15 MR with half the field tailed Off ! Bit of rain and wind expected tomorrow.....fine/cloud on New Years Ellerslie ! Happy New Year !

I think your have spotted correctly Doomed.....the time honoured 'big mile' at Auckland, was it at one tme the George Adams ? , is currently a Group 2 but indeed it has attracted a very poor field quality/ratings wise and as it has been on an alert in recent years surely a warning will result. A big influence in this would be the proximity of the race to the Boxing Day group 1 [2000m] and next weeks Group 1 mile at Trentham worth $500k and put forward a week. You would have noted that the Trentham Group 1 mile has attracted most of the top gallopers in NZ. In fact the Rich Hill has attracted 2nd and 3rd tier horses and the few nominated for Trentham are ranked about 40th and worse so will be hoping for a win to make the field. The Rich hill is being run on a big day and the good stake is justified but another alert/warning seems certain IMO. Of course when the calendar was drawn up there was no way they could have known the race would have been overlooked by many. Ellerslie actually has several of its races under alert/warning so are not as protected as you seem to infer. The ratings in the South Island don't seem to move much.....obviously the good stakes there boost them . Northern horses are certainly going south regularly now that Stakes are similar !. I'd suggest to you ,as a huge advocate of South Island racing that the South has become the dumping ground for Northern horses....many slow ones. You continue to extol the virtues of Timaru in particular when clearly they have deteriorated significantly since the heady days of Phar Lap and Grey WAy. You did the same last year when the Xmas Timaru Cup meeting was held. They used to have two Xmas/New Years days , a lot more meetings including Jumping etc plus they share the facility with Harness. It's a shame ! But sadly they have sat by for decades ....they lucky to hold that day..... Kurow , Kumara , Central Otago seem to perform much better in crowd size ,betting numbers etc and Ashburton seems to advanced their facilities / trial venue etc .And left them in the dust . Did you attend Timaru ? Kurow ?....how was it ?

Cheers Gamma, In early November I did Derby Day at Flemington and the guy I attend the gallops with in NZ [ no to trots ] recently did Randwick,Caulfield ,Scone [ he enjoyed the scones being given out !] plus some other NSW and Queensland lesser meetings so we compared notes.He too done a lot of big UK tracks ! Derby day is special ,put my wedding suit on and got out amongst the Roses. Spoke to some rough -diamond Aussie types both ways on the train and the pride/excitement that they showed in dressing up and getting to Flemington was very evident. The newish members stand is special and the place was packed . They do it well. Back home for Cup week I enjoyed Riccartons big day but really they short on covered areas and seating .Hence they encourage the boot parties , while down the straight they have the music and young folks. They squeezed a lot in. They cope ! Ellerslie I find very comfortable ...crowds nothing like the BYO days but generally everything is close and accessible...the stables ,parade ring ,racetrack etc Those photos you see of the 1950's and 60's ...how many would have gone if the malls had 50% off everything.Must have been so uncomfortable , like the 1956 Rugby tests , find a spot ,stay put and piss where you please ! I didnt see many A-Listers there even stellar owner Hanger Lindsay who won the race he sponsored ,plus 2 x others , dressed quite casually . I did see the O'Sullivan lass [racing royalty] with pintsized All Black Damien McKenzie [Christs College]...can they produce NZ's smallest All Black or another Champion jockey ! All the best for 2025...Auckland Trotting Cup next up ,before New Years !

A very sensible post Chief.....you been drinking ? Yes track conditions and tempo among other variables. And Aussie jockeys...the word was that Blake S blew two wins on Boxing Day , but I'll leave that to the experts as not really into bagging jockeys !

Seasons Greetings Bloke , great to know I have follower....was beginning to think that my only friend was Chief [ plus Gamma in Harness ]. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone acted and thought the same way ? An interesting thought re perceptions re racing especially around adverts with posers and eye candy featuring....I've read a bit on peoples thoughts re this. The most famous and iconic race meetings in the world with the biggest crowds [ Kumara and Birdsville exceptions ], definitely have a DRESS CODE ,more attune to A-Listers and posers in the best and most popular areas of the course eg Epsom ,Cheltenham , Randwick , Flemington ,Caulfield etc etc. Even Members are turned away if the men dont present with Jacket and tie. First time at Victorian Derby day on a sweltering day there were even signs saying men could not take their jacket off. And I think people enjoy dressing up for a decent day at Races and many of the crowd enjoy seeing a bit of fashion...and the days of rugby ,racing and beer are well gone ....more people enjoy wine and there is also a coffee culture out there away from 'bloke land'. Ive been involved with some feedback groups and I do think your 'poser' and a-lister negativity well off the mark. In the not too distant past I was villified in my community for being seen in the local TAB's ....I don't think it was anything to do with the fact I only showered monthly ,worse muddy gumboots and shorts with the arse hanging out of them.Not only was gambling seen as bad but horse racing was seen as corrupt by significant % of population . This basically led to the hurried arrival of the RIB around 2011. Research and feedback from participants is often interesting....I've done a lot around sports and sports clubs. Often the old stale gray males who run clubs believe they run a good club while the younger members especially females think they are shit and leave in droves or refuse to join. I've seen so much of it .......

Haha...remember the real Chief.....Shifnal Chief.....top weight ,an outside gate , firm ground .....no problem ,but that was the Railway nearly 50 years ago ! More recently , the past 23 runnings at Ellerslie the Railway winner has drawn 8 or higher on 13 x occasions. Namely Recurring ,Miss R A , In Style, VV all drew 8 S T Alarm , Jacowils ,Julius drew 9 Imananabaa and Santa Monica drew 10 Balderessarini and Atomic Force drew 12 E Raine and Gold Trail drew 13 You very welcome !

Dead Cat Bounce !

Don't be a grinch Chief........I never said there was 12k +. Yet another big meeting has gone by...ditto NZ Cup week with little feedback re the race day experience. Kinda confirms that us keyboard warriors are in the main TV trackside viewers . I hope you can get your phone bets on from oncourse Motukarara Trots this year or are you too chasing the Mall retail sales or out in your boat ?

Come on Chief , you better than this ! It is very common for a good majority of the winners to come from the 8 inside draws. But there was a winner from 13 [it beat horse from 14] , and a winner from 10. Plus the 2 yr old winner drew 7 from 8. But hey , don't let the facts get in the way of a good story !

I guess I qualify to comment re todays Ellerslie racing on a track that looked and played superbly , the first BD meeting there since 2021. The venue looked superb and the various groups in attendance all seemed happy and positive about the day.....the serious punters. , the families , the racing folk and the young people many of who dressed up for the occasion. Importantly to me the racing was excellent , with very even and keenly contested races with horses coming from all parts of the track. There was really only one 'hot pot' winning at $2 [snazztavi] in what was a brilliant race of quality Group horses . The Stake was over twice it was a couple of years ago [$500k] and it was a Group 1 finish and great to see Hanger's horse prevail. The Dunstan races were also keenly contested and the classy Australian jockeys found their match in some well timed 'local' jocks ! I didn't walk the track ,but walked the areas where the Public and members were situated.Most areas buzzing with several rooms in members stand seating 200 plus. The Food /Hospitality areas were busy and most food nearly all consumed at end. And obviously a lot of casual punters as lines , at one stage I counted 14 in lower public stand,tellers ,kiosks and outside caravan all over 20 deep. The TAB room and serious punting ones were flat out on phones and a couple of younger ones tried to show me the Betcha App and the options avaliable with boosts ,bonus while keeping a sly eye on the boobs and bums ! The TV news just showed the Public Stand ,every seat taken ,and two levels ! Fashion in the Fields looked full on , the newish stable area is brilliant for viewing horses up close and the 4 x majestic clerks horses were creating a lot of interest. So the racing and hospitality side was very well catered for...many people prefer to watch the TV screens while the race on. Families were having fun and kids playing in the infield. Left with a big crowd of others after 8pm when the music finished...at least 3 x different musicians enjoyed by hundreds...the Grand Tour with music catch is very popular world wide . So overall it was an excellent days racing IMO ,even I got ahead of the game.......the Herald suggested 5 x steps to punting success ,but only the Snazzytavi tip came off ! The years not over for me for on-course attendance but I rate today as by far the best raceday of the year in NZ...yes ahead of Karaka day , and only behind Victoria Derby day overall. Today I counted 8000 then gave up so I'd guess between 8 - 12 k there. Perfect size IMO

As usually the case in recent years Aucklanders have deserted the place , for the Coromandel and Bay Of Islands ...one in 3 x households own a boat/craft ! Then for the other 50% Immigrants and those with absolutely no racing DNA at all and trying to stretch their money sensibly in a time of high inflation there are the Retail SALES with many massive ,genuine price reductions. I walked in CBD this morning ,it was quieter than during COVID lockdown yet Dressmart Mall was chaos.......most stores had 40% or 50% or 60% off everything in shop even expensive essential for school items like laptops. ! Max out the credit card , no cash for racehorses running around a small track . Thankfully , there were enough Waikato enthusiasts and horse racing tragics like me to enjoy a FANTASTIC days racing ,which I feel deserves its own thread on here ,. It would be a shame if my summary of the day was discoloured by the knockers ....I'm surprised you weren't there Sunline !