mikeynz

2 days out and heavy rain forecast for Wairoa at Waipukurau, it's either one or the other when it comes to Hawkes Bay and rain. I'm picking 50 50 this meeting going. One would also seriously wonder how many from Wairoa would actually go, same question could be asked as how many go to Riccarton for the Marlborough Cup which should be back home, next week would be a ideal time to race in Blenhiem but one question do they have irrigation there, if not that's a whole different scenario.

Looking at noms for Motukarara and Gore, it just keep emphasizing the fact that owners/trainers enjoy grass track racing. Hawera and Taupo weren't too bad either earlier on.

Only half in the win pool for the main race at Methven, about the same for Amberley cup as opposed from Waikouiti Cup last week, stuff all the main race at Wairio, 5 runner fields don't generate turnover, not sure if 2 Sunday meetings does either, but we never get the turnover figures to make a more informed accesment, be nice if we could so then comments from the hierachy also have validation,

Are any of those slot holders not connected directly to harness racing, first year Hydroflow and Senz has slots, Senz were fly by nighters,.

So the slots must have been up for renewal and up till now no takers, or not enough will there be any more, if the best horses have already booked a spot seems a expensive punt that no one wants to take, possibly a reflection of the awkward times business face, don't seem smart business if you only get half your stake back if you run down the track, harness races are so dominated by a few that technically that's what's stuffing the concept unlike the gallopers which ain't so predictable, you can't write the script so worth a punt.

Manawatu have 7 noms for 2 races for non winners, be interesting to see how they manage that but non winners should have the most numbers but not the case, Southland no better sometimes too.

I note still 2 places for the trot, only 6 at the moment, wanting 8,, looking at the slot holders it's really now just an in-house event, first year the pacers saw Senz, Hydroflow got involved, clearly the interest has waned not helped by the Ellerslie one now where slot holders would get more exposure, maybe slots ain't the great savior some may have thought, maybe a passing phase.

Amberley must have done some begging, 7 in the Cup rating 60 but 2 under that.........Wairio noms as expected, none in the 2yo fills race, 6 in the main pace, Horarata cup 18 noms rating 49+ still believe any race with 6 or less starters penalty free.

Once they would just be non totes for a minimal stake, if anything, but hey nice work for the early birds. I also note they have extended noms for Amberley cup, w at present, I think Horarata might get a few.

Maybe if the likes of Wyndham are going to put 50 grand for the kindergarten maybe race in October or something, might clash with other races but just forget 2yo racing until autumn, starting slowly and building., a 2yo in march is still a 2 year old in October so just put things back a while, I can't see what good Wyndham get from it's richest race having 6 starters and all usually from Canterbury, what's the point?

Every race or many races you see a wide band in the ratings just to get starters, rating 41s racing rating 50s, then FFAlls rating 62, racing rating 80s 90s or whatever, it's a mess. The old system while not perfect you know where you stood.

And the reality is, the money they race for ain't bad but why Cambridge Wednesday, Auckland Friday, ?

Maybe they will boost stakes for Wyndham and no new date, but Wingatui must have dropped something to have Gore Cup, not much they can do about it. Sometimes Gore must come under some scrutiny. Best track they had in Southland probably was Winton, 18 or so harness meetings so what's the sense of the gallopers moving, not like the course is shutdown.

2 nominations, then..........13 noms for 3 pacing races at Auckland, Wairio rating 50 to 70, how many ? But then also Sunday Horarata 46 to 70, programming all over the place, anything over rating 55 struggling.......strangely fields for Cambridge Wednesday generally good, I seriously wonder if going to Alexandra Park just don't appeal to many, prefer Cambridge.

Seems to be. So Wyndham will be as normal.

Leap to fame is good, but is he the best ever, aussie have had some good ones but those debates will always go on, as to who's the greatest.

Question is will March 8 be Wyndham or Gore, Gore Cup or Wyndham Cup, some compromise will be needed, one wonders if 2 day meeting, maybe Sunday, Wednesday/Thursday, maybe one day goes to Ascot Park, Wyndham itself would have been mostly Southern runners but the real issue is the track, and the day lost which when you don't have too many days in the South need all they can get.

Might be awkward finding another suitable date with Wingatui then Ascot Park, if I were the powers that be I'd run them in March at the Wyndham meeting, maybe another day later on from that maybe in May or just have one day scrubbed.

Games like Friday nights, Alcatraz playing, the longer it goes many get on the bandwagon, many change channels, like it or not. Before Sunday racing many clubs raced Friday, or moved to Monday when All Black's played, reason being racing was on a hiding to nothing, that's kind of sorted itself with Sunday Racing, night Rugby, don't underestimate the drawing power some sporting events like Friday draw, and as many bets are only placed in the last 15 minutes, so if people switch off you see the result, if that's not the case then a 60000 mares race at Addington pales into insignifacance as opposed to a country cup race at Oamaru on a Sunday afternoon, it's just the way it is. In it's own way it shows what happens when 2 networks on TV have news at the same time, one strangles the other, but both dont maximise their audience who wants to watch 2 bulletins even if you can watch one on delay?

Waikouiti Cup win tote, nearly 12500.......quaddie just over 20000 for a 20000 stake race. Addington Friday mares race 6700 win pool quaddie topped up to 20000....60000 stake Continues to emphasize how popular those country cups races are, interestingly the Oamaru winner paid 5 80 on the tote, 3.80 fixed. But maybe the Friday night figures are affected by the tennis semi final, should never under estimate how other events at certain times can influence turnover, maybe some just switched races off with a 5 set epic on other channel.

Reschedule, anyone got any thoughts about when.......bit of a premature end for Craig Rail, ,maybe he could do a one off at the Crank up calling the tractor pull or something lol but seriously how frustrating travelling all that way for some only to get this? Does Gore have irrigation, don't need that in Southland as a rule but for the racecourse do they have it?

3 2 now, great race and great timing, right between 2nd and 3rd set in the Tennis 🎾

What does that mean.

Being positive as you claim TAB to be, think TAB man was often taking the piss, but on some things i aint but I'm sure the Auckland that was 25 or 30 years ago is a lot different to the Auckland of today, those same trends happening there are slowly drifting through the rest of NZ.

Does Mr Steele own horses in NZ and if so in particular are they trained in the Auckland region.