mikeynz

I wonder how many people actually turned up for today's races ?

Ascot Park have had 10 days or so of hot dry days and I think tomorrow some early rain, what are the odds? And with rain developing Saturday afternoon in Auckland, maybe a book on that as well.

I say good luck to the connections of One Change, a good cheque to keep the money turning over, but this race was originally a group 3 rating 65+ handicap that ended up having rating 50s thrown in just to make a race but therein lies the problem with the present handicapping system, it's not really matching like for likes in many races, it seems not much is going to change either for the foreseeable future, why have a top rating of 120, when you struggle to probably find more than 5 of either pacers and trotters there so what's the point? So many clubs now have to improvise outside the set programme just to make a race, Otaki a prime example, I still believe a simple solution is slowing the decent.

I hate the term metres in the margins.

Sabalenka just sounds like lots of fems grunting when exerting herself lol.

That Northern Southland Cup was a well paid training run for the winner, good days earner for all of them really but less than 4000 in the tote win pool less than 2 in the place,it would be interesting to know the fixed odds figures. it's actually crazy heaping heaps into stakes for 2 and 3 yo racing when by rights the prestige races should be 4yo and over but the present handicapping system is continually depleting numbers and creating poor fields 2 40000 races today but then 16 2yo trotters raced for 200000 6 weeks ago, that's out of kilter too

That Nortern Southland Cup is a prime example of poor planning, there would be more starters possibly if some horses weren't dropping back too quickly, but why have rating 50s starting in a rating 65+, seems to me it would be smarter if it was a rating 50 +, thus resulting in the rating 70s starting off 30 or 40 meters, which in many ways is the way it was many moons ago,this present system is not working. Maybe all winners are exempt from a ratings drop for 6 starts after, genuine strugglers need some reduction, another anomaly is 6 horse non winners at Otaki get penalized the same as winning a 14 horse race at Methven, that seems weird. They could also cap the top rating at 90 or 85 or maybe even cap the drop to 45 leaving all non winners at 40, their are plenty of numbers in the lower grades but many of the main races are just being contrived. Nice work if you have a handy one, good money to be had, but it's only working for a few. It's also creating poor races for creating turnover.which is not yielding what's required to maintain stakes

A bit different for Addington or Auckland running mile racedays, they race so often, Nelson being once a year, they need to get things right or better, if Entain or HNZR are hellbent on pumping money into stakes then maybe having a seddon shield bonus for the area over Xmas and new year would attract interest from owners to get better numbers for the main races. Invercargill have a rating 65+ on Thursday only a handful showing up, anything over rating 55+ seems to see numbers struggle, you do wonder if the handicapping needs to be upgraded to stop the yo yo system that is at present.

One wonders if Nelson are missing a trick judging by the size of the fields for Waterlea this week from running a miles raceday or simply the geographical position of Richmond just don't appeal to many these days.

Which might be where playing a one dayer at Eden Park looks odd, big stadium, not many there, yet they think they need a new Cricket ground, no one goes there mostly, what is it about Auckland?

In recent times trainers stopped going to Omakau and Waikouiti,with Kurow 2 days before Waikouiti, numbers were just too thin, some of the numbers for the coast are rather light too, Kumara may be different.

I just tried, no sign in, just straight to video.

Over 20000 in tote win pool for Cup at Westport, almost doubles best at Auckland for their million dollar night last week, Invercargill best was 18 and just under 15 for their cup, both Westport and Banks Peninsula will have big turnovers this week, only to subsidize the northern clubs, only 7 and 8 for Westports main race on day 2 and more than likely Reefton will be same.

Irrespective of the programming 12 races at Westport and 12 at Banks Peninsula is pretty impressive, especially when compared to many of the gallops meetings especially the North Island days.

19 acceptors for rating 51+ at Banks Peninsula as opposed to Westports 10 even though Westports stake is more, as for the trotters only 8 at present for the main trot, at Westport, maybe some innovation there too, maybe 2 heats on day 1 with a 25000 final at day 2 or at Reefton, Entain and HRNZ love splashing the cash, Westports turnover on Dec 26 beats most, seems it's being spent elsewhere, just my thoughts.

Does Mr Steele own a lot of horses ,? Does he have ownership of some in the Norrh Island.?

For the type of meeting Westport is fields are fundamentaly fine except the main one, me thinks it needs some incentives, just my thoughts, Rating 51 at Westport and Motukarara, seems weird to me.

Year after year, Taranaki not once but twice race between Xmas and New Years, nothing changes, very small fields, this year they take Hawkes Bay day and Wanganui take Taranakis, would make sense to run dual meetings, as they do at New Year, the real issue with Hawkes Bay though is closing all the other tracks in the East Coast area means there is no alternative, even compounde by the fact that the East Coast has no tracks in commission at present.

Why have Motukarara running R51+ cup between Westport and Reefton? Only 10 for Westport, maybe a bonus for winning both Reefton and Westport Cups or bonus for best performer/s over both races, Westport produce one of the biggest turnovers so why don't HRNZ instead of shuffling their turnover to Auckland why not some returned.

55 mills of rain yesty for Gore after a few days of none and being warm that would make grass as greasy as a butchers diddle, a heavy 8 may have been a exaggeration, not much you can do I guess, Wingatuis heavy as at yesty but gee what a battle racing thoughrabreds in Southland only 4 days before Xmas.

No South Island trained horses at Auckland at all, one can't deny they have improved fields wise recently but it's at the expense of other clubs, why Westport who produce one of the biggest turnovers for the year only have a 25000 feature is a bit odd. One wonders if Southeners will go North for Auckland Cup, might be the odd hit and run case but spending new years eve in Auckland, who would want too?

They would have to be very hypocritical to accept bets on dogs from elsewhere if it's a no goer here, as for the harness clubs the lost revenue will be significant I've heard a figure of over 100000 that Ascot Park may miss out on.

Maybe rhe TAB should have offered 4 bucks, might have dragged a lot more optimist in.

5 trialest at Blenheim today, 8 Westport tomorrow, none wanting to qualify. Despite the Coasters being thin in numbers normally get a win or two over Xmas.

Futures markets as they are a con, if horse don't start you should always get a refund.