Davis

Yes, weak effort from CB?

Wow! What a difference. After years of putting up with P. Lamb as starter at New Zealand's premier track Addington we had a new starter today. Well done Rick Donnelly. The difference between today's starts and what previously happened with Lamb was obvious. In the mobile starts today all horses were on the gate, both rows, before the starter sped the field up. When Lamb started mobiles the field were strung out and many had to sprint just to catch the mobile. Standing starts also great. This was a marvellous start from Rick Donnelly, no bad starts the whole day and the drivers seemed to take notice of him. Well done Rick you have restored my faith in fair starts for all runners, something Jack Mulcay managed but Lamb did not. Keep up the good work...

Classie Brigade had the perfect draw #1, trailed the whole race. Spankem did the most work of any horse in race and won. Classie Brigade dream run in trail and could not finish in first three, out sprinted by both The Fixer and Ashley Locaz (parked the trip). Another weak effort from this horse?

It's a slow horse... there are better horses to lose your money on...🤣

Who cares?

NO... weak horse... don't bak it again.

Yes, easy win for Sundee... I backed the Aussie FFew... got over $10 for place... Mark Purdon well driven...

That's that difference between Dunn and All Stars... one stable can get them ready to perform on the day.... Dunn can't.

Bit harsh mate...😊 Miss Tomlinson is a top driver.. the horses she had so far are not up to it. Plenty of horses, better than what Sheree has driven today, won't be able to hack it. Attention __ John Dunn!

Orange & Williams.

Best driver in the country presently....

Good on ya mate. I collected plenty on Cup Day but not as confident today. The two horse I have been following both drawn poorly. The speed will be on as it is a cracker day, already 24degC at 11.20! Well done on the tri... All Stars are worth backing after all. I also got a bit off Ashley Locaz in Cup, great place money.

Which won... yes, the Dunn team disappointing on Cup Day. Cracker day should be some quick times.

Agree mate. I did alright on Cup Day and made a healthy profit. I will have a few bets today but not confident. Most of the horses I like have bad draws. Good luck on the punt everyone...

Good luck with your horses in the Dominion, I hope they both get a clear run. It is a hard race to pick the winner. FFA is boring. Be interesting to see if Classie Brigade can foot it with the All Stars from his good draw? The Dunns had a poor Cup day, they will be hoping the team performs better today. All the best

Probably so M Purdon can drive the mare Amazing Dreams? All Stars may be trying her against the open-class horses with an eye to next year's Cup? I think she could win the FFA as she is tough and determined mare. Just a thought...

I did OK. Vintage Cheddar good div. Ashley Locaz good place div. Laver good place div. 5 Star General & Rivere Q good div. Yes, Friday looks hard. I'll keep following Laver but he has another bad draw so not that confident he'll pay a div. Hope you do well at Ashburton mate.

Despite the bungled Cup start and smaller crowd numbers Cup Day attracted a lot of punters. There was some good racing during the day and good dividends (attention Brodie!). It is good to see that the meeting was successful. Total turnover on yesterday’s New Zealand Cup meeting was just shy of $6.5 million. Provisional figures from the TAB show turnover of $6.451m, compared to $5.995m last year, though there were 13 races yesterday, one more than last year. On course turnover at Addington was $742,000, with $3.205 off course, and $2.503m on the fixed odds market. The New Zealand Cup easily attracted the most betting ($1,569,014).

He needs a break at least. His starts, while always poor, have been worse this season. I don't know how old Lamb is? Perhaps he is past it, time catches up with all. The guy must be under a lot of pressure so give him a break and use the assistant starter on Show Day. I think most of us have lost money because Lamb botched the start. I put up with it because I love harness racing but it is bloody annoying. I'm not a big punter either. It must be frustrating for someone who puts a substantial bet on just to have the starter ruin the chances of the horse that they backed. Harness racing is struggling and punters will take their money elsewhere if Lamb continues to under perform.

Unfortunately, we are stuck with him. The guy is getting worse if it is possible.

Yes, but it was consistent with his starts recently. Lately, and this is what I have been complaining about, the outside horses have been making fliers at the start. This is because Lamb seems to have the first four close together on the front line and then there is a wide gap to the five horse with plenty of space for the wider drawn runners. They have room to turn in without horses leaning on them, or not standing straight beside them, like the inside horses have to put up with. Once an inside draw was an advantage but it isn't now with Lamb in charge.

Spankem for me. I think he will win it and Rasmussen's, one of the world's best drivers, record in the race is hard to beat. Natalie is not often beaten in a close finish. Like Greg I am concerned about Lamb. The race start could be a shambles if not Lamb's best day. Frankly, I think the odds are higher than even that Lamb will fuckup the Cup start. Wonder if the TAB taking beats on that?

Cup Day is almost here. I am looking forward to the day. I hope all on here have a great day on the punt whether at home or on-course? I charged my TAB Account and watch every race from home tomorrow and hopefully collect a bit! I had a couple of early bets backing both Alister Black's horses Get Lucky and Vintage Cheddar. I think both can win, the only question mark is whether 3200m too far for GL? Roll Your Own for a place; and I will stick with Laver and select a few to bracket with him. R10 5 Star General, bad draw but I think can still win this. He is another top one from the top Bagrie breed. I think this fellow is going places if not sold can win a few in a row in NZ. again select a few to have in combinations with 5SG. Good lucky everyone... see you at the back of the tote!!! 🤓

Or Van Banyon could have overheard something about it at the pub etc? Or from someone else who overheard someone talking about it in pub. I think he's probably got a good source inside the harness industry. Beware! I agree new whip rules are excellent.

I doubt it is a leak. It is just that the writer von beynond has a snitch against harness racing for some reason. He was once a fair and balanced writer but that is not the case anymore after he caught the St Jacinda is wonderful virus. That and the media bailout for $50m now makes Stuff and TV stations government controlled. The writer could have written about the death at the Melbourne Cup but chose harness racing instead. I believe he has it in for harness racing and would like to see it gone. We have to keep our noses clean in the industry or writers like this chap will bring the game down. Unfortunately, writers like van Beynan can sway public opinion against harness racing.