mikeynz

Good nominations for Ashburton , Thursday, Ascot Park Sunday noms out tomorrow, i suspect they will be a bit light, 3 weeks after Sunday until next Southern meet at Wingatui.

Interesting how apart from the main gallops meetings in oz Entain don't have doubles and ttrebles any more, some of the quaddies today at the low key meetings had Quaddie pools less than a thousand dollars, I'm not sure if commingling is happening anymore, maybe the only commingling might be Entains aussie sites with ours, Someone must know. There isn't as much interest in a lot of the aussie stuff as we think, the big meetings yes but other than that, it can be rather sparce.

I guess if they close-up greyhound racing that would change things, we could easily basically have 5 days a week.only, no need for trackside presenters 7 days a week. As for Addington was once 2nd best day of the year at Easter, being a day meet and on trackside 2 will be pushed nto background, add in the fact their are other sport/ attractions, if not at night then maybe race Easter Monday instead, just a thought, maybe Motukarara race Saturday instead or just have a holiday instead. Do we need racing everyday, we'll Easter is 2 days off, it's not the end of the world. No real reason even if greyhounds keep going could easily still race 5 days a week, it must cost a lot to send a tv crew to cover some of these meetings which produce small turnovers. Sky are cutting back, maybe Trackside would be more profitable not sending a tv crew for some of these meetings.

Don't think the present lot in power will be much better, they blame the last 6 years for the problems faced today, Labour blamed the 9 years of National when they were in power. Each generation seems to be a step backward despite supposedly us all being a smarter, better informed society. Times are changing , not for the better.

In what way ?

Looks like our lot are gunna lose again. And yoh can bet on that, online. Do we need racing everyday ?

I guess with Riccarton last week and Ashburton next week, it's not the most attractive idea going all that way south. In many ways its almost the last big gig for the South, often after Easter numbers thin out, interestingly Ascot Park race Sunday week then nothing for 3 weeks, that seems a fair gap, interestingly last 2 Southern meetings in May offering travel subsidys to try and bolster numbers. That Riverton track is going to get a bit of a hammering, then maybe another on May 10, such is life.

Not too many Cantabrians at Riverton this year, be a good payday for the locals.

You might find if they don't get paid for finishing 6th and beyond and maybe also slow down the descent in the ratings they may all go a bit better, sometimes they are just going through the motions.

I note Addington had programmed a rating 70 and faster handicap but only had 3 noms but have altered it to 68 + FFA, maybe as a Xtra incentive they could boost the appearance fees for finishing 5th and below, I think the most important thing here is every horse that wants a start should get one.

I'm still perplexed how Justin Evans took Lee's place yet Craig Rail has effectively taken exactly the same position as Lee by being employed purely as a commentator, in a different area sure but simply same capacity.

Interesting is Entain will inject more funds if geo blocking goes through, Luxon and his mob are wanting to tax overseas Gambling sites to operate, which ones it going to be ?

A southland horse at Alexandra Park, that's been a long since the last one.

May 10 1996, a wee while after Lotto but Besse Scott, the pick 6 handicap, 15/15 in the betting, that syndicate covered all but Bessie Scott, I think they even made the headlines, probably still licking their wounds.

That must have been back in the 80s, I think it was Oaks night, not sure of the horse but probably can look back, million dollars then was massive, I'm pretty sure it was a mill, maybe, maybe not, that would have been before lotto.

I recall when Addington had a million dollar pick six a large syndicate backed 13 in race 1 , and the rank outsider won, the one they didn't back. It had its place but was rarely promoted so slowly died, it did use to create a lot of hype, even though it probably still has a place. Question is what new idea have they got, if any.

And you think they will ? It makes no sense to me canning a betting option as everybody's different pick 6 is just a extension of the quaddie, why they didn't have or don't have something unique on feature days is beyond me, don't have to be 1 meeting, they seemed to run pick 6 on greyhounds a lot ,and Friday harness but it never built up as it was terminating always.

The question is what are the new things coming ?

Wiggles tickets are going fast it seems.

Ellerslie have only raced a few times so they would be excluded at this point, wouldn't you think ? Maybe Avondale is the only other metro track.

Why have a go at Motukarara, it's more than likely generating income that's being flitted away keeping Auckland going, as for the biggest population being in the North, won't make a scrap of difference if those people simply ain't interested in harness racing, just like Rugby wanting to tap into the US market, they simply ain't interested and never really will be. Brodie I don't think it's so bad running 2 meets on friday nights, like Saturdays for gallops , Fridays for harness, Entain seem to be keen to make the night a bit better, it can be a borefest between races when only one meeting, maybe if Auckland was on its own on Thursdays no one would watch at all. On a slightly more positive note I just hear the Wiggles are touring again soon, they seem to be able to attract young followers , why can't racing ? Might help if they reduce the gambling age to four.

I think the climate helps Nelson develop some good Cricket players, Ken Wadsworth was another good Nelson player, not up with things as much now so now sure how many Nelsonians play for CD at present. Greg Turner is Glens brother, not sure if Glen has family. Right now NZ are teetering, another 150 might be enough, hopefully they don't chuck wickets away.

Interesting someone's comments here on Friday about Nelson being a sleepy boring place but 2 things, they do produce or have produced some good Cricketers and with the Tasman Rugby Union they are on the sporting map, winning the NPC twice, I think, who would think they would beat Auckland but the positives are having a stadium that's OK for a ABs test match, had Unions not have merged then would still be a back water lost in the Heartland.

At least if they ran out of paper plenty of losing tickets, finally a use for them

Wonder if a crowd like that will be at Gore today.