Brodie

Karrots, you can not just shoot and run lol! Forums are a medium for debate and discussion. Peter Ferguson is a very gifted horseman, always was and always will be! For some reason he decided to get into training greyhounds and that has reduced his driving opportunities over recent years! There was no negativity in what I have stated, quite the opposite! As for getting back into this conversation when the Spitfire runs a place, you may well never reenter?

Congratulations as well to Peter Ferguson on 2000 wins in NZ! He has not been as active as he used to be several years ago though or he wouldve had the 2000 up a while ago. Think he seems to have his interests on the bloody dogs!

There is a Robalan Close, in Halswell, Christchurch. Robalan had amazing finishing speed. Raced around the time of Vanadium, Speedy Guest etc, when JW Smolenski was in his hey day.

When there was $62 in the win pool there were some horses laying nothing and others paying plenty. Must be just made up when there is so little in the tote pool.

Not guilty! However with $62 and $68 in the tote pools, I wonder how on earth the TAB can actually to show tote divs?

No problem with drivers looking sideways but when your head is going backwards, not sure it is terribly safe. Yesterday looked decidedly suspect!

Deaf people would buy the sections! So that was the secret weapon they were using! The horses ran on fear, they were shit scared of the planes!

Ben is a good keen driver! He does need to stop turning his head to look behind him, as he did today a few times! It appears to be very dangerous!

Bruce Negus is training it! If Bruce can not get anymore out of the Spitfire, it will probably be gymkhanas!

He is back again at Oamaru on Saturday on the grass, the Spitfire! Interesting though that the horse has changed trainers to Denis O’Connell in the book, but is currently domiciled with Bruce Negus, who I believe is Denis’s “brother in law”. Can Bruce turn around the fortunes of Averos Spitfire and run a dividend bearing placing at start 53??? Drawn the outside of the gate but it is a very weak maiden so is Saturday going to be the day? Probably not, but miracles sometimes do happen! This must be its last chance seriously!

Palmy races are often like dodgem cars! If you are punting on them, you should know the risks that you take! Always plenty of gallops in most races due to the tightness of the track! Good to see the support from trainers though

Gammalite, you are correct that it is impossible to see such a dominant stable in harness racing ever again! If I wore a hat, I would take it off to them for what they personally achieved! It is debateable whether they actually were good for racing per se, as from my perspective Harness racing deteriorated significantly in the period they were so dominant! I would much prefer to punt and watch races that were not dominated by one stable that were most likely fill the placings! The NZ TAB are probably going to be better off as well as there wont be as many punting on the shorties and having to pay out! I am sure that many more trainers are going to have horses up running earlier now, knowing that they are not going to be racing against AllStars and barely getting any stake money! More owners are going to be getting a share of the pie on the big race days which is also a huge benefit to the harness industry. Reality is that there must beheaps of owners that have been considering whether the benefits of racing a horse for a total loss is worth the effort! Yes there will be many who will be saddened by the AllStars departure whether it be temporary or permanent and there will be many that will be pleased!

Yes we all know that The AllStars have been champions for a long time. Yes it has been rumoured for a long time that it wont last forever. Yes I am surprised that it has happened so soon but I can appreciate the long hours that the staff at AllStars put in! What I do know is that although trainers wont be admitting it, they will mostly be very happy that Purdon and Rasmussen are going to take an extended break! Good for harness racing in NZ, without doubt for several reasons! Some may not agree but stake money will be shared around more in the big races and without AllStars horses dominating punting will be far more worthwhile!

Rawleighs!

Something like $90 plus gst per day plus extras I was told

Michael House lol

Happy, I think it is a win win situation, Great that both of them are going to be taking it easier which is deserved! They have achieved so much in racing that they do not have to prove anything Isnt their land probably going to be split up at some stage for sections? I would not be seeing this as detrimental to harness racing at all, quite the opposite really! Many owners that were looking to not bother anymore may well start thinking there is hope of winning a group race! Brodie, Just telling it the way it is!

I heard from a couple of very good sources that when they hiked the training daily rate up dramatically, the owners also got a letter first! So I would say that the letter came first once again, which wont go down too well with the loyal AllStar owners!!!!! I am sure Cullen may have learnt a few things Chief, but is he as clever as Purdon and Co? We all know that there is more to winning just about every major race in NZ than having a good eye! Time will tell wont it? Good on them for taking time off and I am sure most owners and trainers will be thinking this as well!

Obviously communication is not that flash with the AllStars? Fancy just sending out a letter first rather than talking to the owners, after all the money the owners have spent! I think it is a great idea to lease the stables to Hayden Cullen, very positive for racing! Will be interesting to see if the domination continues out of the stables, my thoughts are NO! Great news for owners outside of the AllStars

Restricted?

Must have a look then Happy

I have tipped one out a while ago now though.

Who watches the Box Seat? Never heard it once on trackside when Addington was on? Anyway hope they had a great day.

Sugar n Spice was the same a couple,of,months ago and was not a late scratching! They have opened up a can of worms now!

Mikie, did you see it advertised somewhere as never once heard it mentioned on Trackside! Didnt even hear updates during the day !