Davis

Slow sectionals 30.2 first quarter 61 half so hardly kamikaze. I just watched the replay again and the run of Executive Banner even worse than first thought. The first three home went OK, rest mediocre.

You had to be there early to get a leaner, by 6pm it was chocker! Those were the days!

McGrath has broken the rules at least three times so he should be gone for good?

They often had a non-tote at 5.30. Watch that and a couple of jugs before the first... those were the days.

It looked to me that Van Shard gave up, the driver tried to get him going again but the horse not interested. The horse didn't do much work. If I was the owner I would be concerned by that showing. Cosmic Major was impressive and did more work than Van Shard.

I don't own a television. I watch the races on the TAB website on my MacBook Pro, it suits me.

McGrath is a serial offender. He has had the opportunity to change his ways and atone for his past indiscretions. He has been given a "fair" go previously and despite that he resorts to his cheating ways. How many chances should he get before getting a life ban?

I was surprised by the early start but I don't think it would make much difference to turnover or attendance. Let's face it, this was a b-grade meeting with some poor fields. I watched most races but didn't bet. Friday has better fields.

What did you think of the new Hayden Cullen Racing silks? I think they are OK but nothing startling and could be more colourful. Despite the new colours it was business as usual in the two-year-race at Addington last night. In a small six-horse field the Cullen pair Cosmic Major and Cut N Run were lengths better than the rest. There were some questionable performances by other horses in the race. The B. Hill trained Van Shard looked to be cruising at the 500m but was gone at the 400m, hanging and looking as though he was not interested and gave up. What has happened to the Houghton trained Executive Banner? The Rock N Roll Heaven colt looked good in his first two starts was poor in the Sapling Stakes and worse last night. Has he had enough for now or not much good? Time will tell.

More garbage. I, and most on here, do not support the likes of McGrath, Alford and Kerr. I condemn their actions and think all of them should be barred from harness racing forever. Harness racing is only a small cottage industry really, popular in the Canterbury and Southland strongholds, with some support in other parts of the country. This negative publicity is because of a few greedy cheating individuals who should be gone from the industry. The rest in the industry are mainly hardworking and honest. We are angry about the unbalanced nature of the reporting, that is all. It is gutter journalism from MVB and now this Sherwood fella, regurgitating old news with nothing new to add just for sensationalism. The Star stories provide a little more balance but still negative. We are just asking for a fair go, is that too much to ask?

I don't. It's BS!!! How can horses plot to to take to the track? I am sure most horses would rather be in a nice grassy paddock or hay-lined loose box than plotting to take the track. Poorly written garbage.

The taxpayer-funded Stuff has it in for harness racing. I agree why does Mitchell Kerr and usually McGrath also get mentioned in every negative harness article. Where is the balance? It would be OK it they did the negative thing on everyone. Take St Jacinda for example. You are not likely to get many negative articles about her on the taxpayer-funded Stuff but there have been a few lately. Why not finish those rare articles with a list of her failings of which there are many to choose from. Homelessness four-fold increase. Kiwibuild failure. Soaring house prices. Child poverty little change. Fuel and electricity prices rising. Plummeting education standards. Record coal imports. Racist policies ... to name a few.

Some pre-trainers are license holders, for example Steven Boyd who pre-trains for the All Stars etc. There must be others too. Pre-training must be lucrative with the better ones like Boyd getting plenty of horses throughout the year?

On the money as usual mate. Chris Waller has probably never seen many of the horses in his stables. He would be hands-on with those that show extraordinary ability, while the slower horses are handled by someone else. And you are right about being reliant on "many others." There must be a huge pre-training thoroughbred industry. Who pre-trains the horses and where? What does it cost? Staying horses would need three to four months of conditioning and work to build fitness, like a long-distance runner? Who pre-trains Chris Waller's horses or Graeme Rogerson's horses before they join the stable?

Galloping is popular in Australia. Most metropolitan tracks get good crowds and substantial betting. The thing I like about most about Australian racing are the tracks. Flemington and Randwick are outstanding, the grass tracks are as well maintained as a bowling green. Flat, green, spacious... it's embarrassing in comparison to the likes of the cow paddocks we have to race on at Motukarara or Rangiora!

Is he missing bro Antony?

Especially mares.

A seagull shaped drone perhaps? 😆

Race 3 1 - Eighteen Carat $1W

Sack him.

I agree. I will not post anymore articles by the skunk MVB. His agenda is plain to see. Sorry I if upset you mate.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124430317/police-investigating-complaint-about-young-harness-racing-trainer-mitchell-kerr Another day, another boot in the guts for harness racing by the taxpayer-funded Stuff. MVB has co-written another piece. Again, like the story earlier in the week, nothing new just regurgitation of old news. Anyone who thinks this journalist does not have an axe to grind re harness racing is mistaken. MVB, as Karrots, says has an agenda. He is against harness racing and wants to destroy it that is obvious.

I do not want to be part of the brain-washed team of five million either mate. It is sickening what is happening. Yesterday, the saintly PM was caught out telling lies. Her bullying of the two young people in Auckland accused of putting the whole country in jeopardy was unjustified and they, not her, were telling the truth. Do we get an apology from her. No, the taxpayer-funded Stuff runs distraction pieces including another hit job on the Brian Tamaki and wife. Wake up NZ.

Brodie is usually on the money.

One answer would be that there wasn't as much racing in those days. Another that there were more OC horses in that era too. You had to win 10 races to get to Cup class, not an easy task. Nowadays, five or six win horses get a start in the NZ Cup. There were also so more horses trained in the south in those days. South Canterbury had a lot of good trainers back then, few train in the area now.