mikeynz

Never a problem in the North Island.

There was also a Colin McLachlan the politician, raced a horse in partners with Rob Muldoon, Johny Lincoln, that was about 78, think a guy Holmes trained it, there is a horse I think with same name up North at present, or something similar.

I think, and I stand to be corrected, I have wrong before lol but I think those green colour's might have had white horse shoes front and back, correct me if I'm wrong, Mighty Me would have been his best. And also correct me but I think he stopped driving at the races after he hit a l pole or something at Greymouth when he tossed out, that could all be folly but the horses were just a hobby, but getting in the truck or car heading off to Wellington or Dunedin, must have been a great adventure sometimes. I distinctivly remember him with 2 horses Scottish Chief and Waylyne at Forbury October, those 2nights in October pre cup time were big night outs.

The 83 Great Northern Derby is on you tube, check it if you want gee how much has the TV coverage improved but in those days races were mainly a one off, I suspect that race might have been run during the Interdoms.

Looked like a good crowd yesterday at Ashburton....et the Rugby, not many at the races, they are praising the crowds going to the NPC games, but as opposed to what it once was.......different times but you can't deny it is good for racing that while the crowds are smaller on course the off course crowds are probably OK, racing is a industry driven by betting, other sports crowds and TV rights.

Derby in 82 and 83 was on a Wednesday in February, Hilarious Guest won in 82, i remember that day, there was a one dayer in Dunedin against Australia, that was around the time all the hysteria with Greg Chappell but why the date change, didnt stay there long that's the sort of thing Auckland would do, still doing it too lol......Derby moved to Easter 84, starting off with the big smash.think that they had 3 races as part of a triple crown or something, not sure. The guy that had Mighty Me, didn't he run a menswear shop or something,? He had those distinctive green colour's or something, a regular at Hutt and Forbury Park

Track at Washdyke a soft 5 at 4 30, should come up just nicely for tomorrow.

Anyone got any good news about Cambridge?.........probably to the average person who lives there it's probably got everything you need, but like Auckland it's got a Harness Racing complex that might be on its last legs😵‍💫

Gamma they have amateur races, races with junior drivers concessions, no reason why races for trainers with less than 10 wins 5 wins, none in 6 months, anythings possible.

I actually had a laugh sometime about a comment our old friend from here TAB Forever made one day in regards to Forbury Park, and his words were about Forbury......frittered all their money away, now I know that in his strange perception of life anything out of Auckland don't matter but any money from Forbury would be the biggest insult to all Harness people in the South, many in the South don't give two hoots about Auckland, me included, that money stays in the South, I'm not actually sure Forbury closing was entirely about money as such, there was also a desire to base more of the racing in the horse population areas, Southland, Canterbury, Alexandra Park got themselves in this mess don't rely on the South to bail them out. Might add the amount Forbury sold for is petty cash in relation to what Auckland are in it for, sort out their own mess.

I was also surprised HRNZ wanted a meeting at Addington on the same night as the Friday twilight meeting that is at Cromwell, just for the Friday night lights programme, but the Cambridge extra dates is mind boggling, firstly moving to every available Tuesday, then they decided that Thursdays were better, ( and look how that's going) and then not that long ago they decide next winter to drop a few Thursdays and only have Alexandra Park on the Friday. Then you go South, last year everything was Thursdays, this season where possible it's Sundays, what next , will they revert back to one Sunday Harness, maybe one Saturday ot what, they are all over the place.more and more is not best, quality over quantity, no different to other sporting codes, we don't need another 3 rounds of the NPC, Super Rugby don't need 19 weeks when about 13, same as NPC is suffice and we certainly don't need the overkill of 20 20 meaningless Cricket, enough is enough, our summer of Cricket is now fucked because of 20 20 rubbish impacting on our summer calandar.

Said it a million times, why 2 meetings up North every week, only need one at present, could easily run one maiden race for 15000, then another for 8 or 9 for the lesser lights, different ratings penaltys as well, it's not all doom and gloom, it just needs logical thinking, maybe they have to realise that Alexandra Park might need to miss the odd Friday for Cambridge, it's no big deal. Even Southlands numbers ain't too flash but at least they ain't getting any more days, don't need them.

3 weeks or so until the World drivers series, does anyone believe it will pick up by then?

From what I believe the distribution some of NZ sporting bodies get is very significant,. Racing shouldn't get any but if it helps the overall business, that's Entain going, that helps.

Me reckon way track got battered today grass grub won't be showing up in the near future lol.

Me picking some good divvies today.

Plenty of rain in Dunedin i believe but not sure about Washdyke, Methven wouldn't be Methvan unless it's at Methven.

It's for the younger generation this programme, Betcha as a rule is to cater for the youngish, you get lots of sports programmes that you could call light entertainment, this is another, no one's got a more fucked up sense of humor than me but everything has its proper place and proper time, I like Greg O Connor presenting, no bullshit, just tell it as it is, just at present most racing as a rule is becoming a hard watch for me, betting on anything at present just don't excite me

I don't find it a bad look, I don't look at it and if it's only Cambridge with what it's offering at present I won't be watching it but Thursday twilight meetings start in the South now, maybe I won't watch that either🥸

Seems odd Methven and Washdyke so close together on same day.

Does anyone know if our Out The Gate experts got their nose in front punting everyone's money for fun, I don't watch it.

But is it betting responsibly, would you spend others money so flippantly?

Think I will just stick to just having a few bets when it's suits lol, backing slow horses appeals more than feeding one.

Cambridge are hosting a round of the World drivers Champs, based on numbers recently, they will need to up their numbers or it will be hopeless, ........I also note Manawatu have a Monday Thursday season opener on Cup Week, with all the attention on Cup Week may struggle for numbers too, why not the next week?...not that difficult.

Talk about the negativity, we'll all I'm seeing is everything revolving around Ellerslie or TeRapa, and stuff the rest of the country,(it seems)and personally I don't think many in the South give two shits about Ellerslie and the likes, rarely do you see horses from Cook Strait South there so they just do there own thing, they still have their cup races, Guineas races and the like, and yes the stakes on offer are pretty decent at present, sure up North is the stronghold for gallops, but racing in the South it's going ok, long may it continue.