mikeynz

It probably doesn't tell us anything we don't know already. Melbourne Cup is the day many people have their only bet for the year,. Trotting Cup at Addington the same. Interesting though is Flemington race 10 on Cup Day. Would be nice to have the turnovers for all meetings.

Another strange anomaly in the calender, two days, industry days at Taranaki next week, day 1 Wednesday, mostly small fields, what makes one believe day two will be any different, just a observation.

I think the biggest problem with only four nominations was through shortsighted programming, a rating 70+, the time honored Franklin Cup on New Years eve is programmed a rating 60+ and after doing a little research it seems they too might get 3 place dividends, Invercargill should have been a rating 60 + as it kind of is now. I do believe Invercargill should have its day in the sun, today's the day, the fields are generally good, it don't hide the fact that a lot of the Southern racedays have become below average affairs just as Auckland has become. Just a side issue it seems Gore ain't racing on Grass on Wednesday, yet grass meetings seem to attract better turnovers, it is true there are gallops on Sunday but one wonders when the next meeting for Gore in February if it's grass or AW.

The reality remains that the open class races if any need to be where the majority of the horses are and that is in the South, maybe the Invercargill stake might be over inflated but with Omakau and Nelson running free for all as they are now races for all horses this is where the focus should be, bearing in mind both Omakau and Nelson have big turnovers so it's putting the money where it's being earned, throw in Westport boxing day too, why should they be subsidizing Auckland ? We will watch with interest to see how the Northern races over the next week or two pans out. The Franklin Cup is rating 60 plus, will they be able to scratch a field of nine as Invercargill, I'd say they will be struggling.

Self Assured don't have to go to Nelson , there is a 20000 free for all on day two, but if it aint interested then he can stay at home, where else can he go ?

The Franklin Cup is the only race for higher rated 60+ horses in the North it seems for weeks, be better to boost a race or two in the South to follow on from Ascot Park if they race at all, the Northern region is stuffed. No problem having the idea of having a big race in Southland, simple reality is that it got no numbers either, but still better than nothing, or is it ?

And the other races ? There are free for all races at Omakau and also Nelson, in early January the Franklin Cup is a rating 60 +, I think, might just have half a dozen if they are lucky, Akuta might just get one start, guess it will pay the trip and back.

Looking at all the programmes in the South when they only have one open handicap how do they determine whether it's 1200 1400 1600 or 2000m , it's a just a wild guess or something and just hope for the best ?

Which cup races are you referring too ?

Any race in Southland that's rating 55 or more is struggling these days, the yo yo that the rating system is the main culprit.

4 nominations for $110000, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink, not just Auckland struggling for numbers in big races.

Maybe Winston might donate some cash for a couple more StrathAyrs around the country, maybe one south , maybe 1 central.

TAB has a $50000 guaranteed quaddie, I would say it will cost them to top it up based on the normal pools. As for the bigger punters, TAB should have bigger limits, after all punting on all the short priced favourites is all very fine but nine times out of ten they get it back with a couple of upsets, most times the house wins. I thought the limit one could win was 2 grand.

Interesting comments about excluding certain sectors but am I correct that the biggest raceday , Karaka is exactly that, or am I missing something ? The only thing all races with restrictions should have is they are penalty free, simply because not everyone can compete, just my thoughts.

Sad part is Auckland ran the Inters a year or two ago and it was a brilliant series, even raced Saturday night too which is a thing of the past in NZ now as well.

It's called the Interdomion but is it really ? Apart from Akuta who from NZ would even be worthy of a trip ? And Akuta ain't in the same league as Swayzee.

Sport and Racing and radio go well together, the key here is to cater for everyone so the station can be a success, it appears a lot more races are going to be broadcast but getting the balance is the key. Having the app as a add on allows the radio to be number 1, and other events streamed, it's not difficult. I've always maintained there are 55 days where racing should get priority, 52 Saturdays, Melbourne Cup and Trotting Cup and Boxing Day, broadcasting a lot of the rubbish is a turn off. Outside that who knows but Domestic Cricket has its place, so does League and Football too.

Another heavy track for Rotorua today, a Tuesday and its not far from December.

63 noms for invers on Thursday, not much better at Auckland the day after.

And it seems they may be racing to beat another deluge as well for the area.

Look at crowd in the photo, the race that is, looked nothing like that yesterday.

After someone winning on Cody Banner, no one is gunna get close backing Purdons 2 dollar shots

R1. 8 13 R2 4. 11 R3. 2. 5 R4. 4. 11 R5. 8 9 R6. 3. 10 R7. 1. 15 R8. 1. 8 R9. 6. 15 R10. 4. 9 R11. 3. 5 R12. 1. 3 See how they go, my picks for the cup are based on 14 and 15 meeting unforseen events, which can happen, not likely but possible, otherwise 15 will probably win. Anyway see how they go.

Not too many southerners at cup day, and the South of the Waitaki race on friday has a rating 60 horse as the highest rating nomination and not many at Winton on Sunday either so it may be cup day but it won't underline how harness racing is falling away outside Canterbury..

I actually have started receiving emails informing me of a jockey who I picked at random to see if it works and you wouldn't believe it it does, that's on msn, no text as yet.