Brodie

Reduce the percentage whipped out of the tote pools so that the divs. especially the place are at least worth getting. Many races all 3 place divs are pretty pointless getting which turns any semi serious punter off. Fixed Odds percentages need to be increased as well to keep punters interested. And yes, I do get it!

Now that’s being a bit personal!

Where have I said I don’t like slow horses? Love slow horses it makes punting far easier! What I can’t understand is why someone would persevere with such a poor racehorse? Of course it is up to the owner or trainer whether he wants to persist with it, but as a racing proposition Kelly Evander wasn’t one! As for The Allstars their right to race whatever they want, doesn’t affect me financially whatsoever but it does affect everyone else in harness racing that is trying to make a living.

Living in reality land

There are several things that need to be done to increase turnover! Yes take the betting restrictions off all punters, Yes, make the opening Odds more attractive to invest, as the opening odds are quite often pathetic and doesn’t encourage offloading! While we have very small fields, often dominated by one stable then turnover will suffer. We need new punters to be enticed to invest on harness racing otherwise the industry is stuffed as the older ones move on to greener pastures. The TAB’s business plan is totally flawed as I have stated many times by wanting their yield on harness increased to the detriment of turnover. Bigger the turnover, bigger the number of punters that will provide income for the industry. The problem is getting people to the course nowadays as there are so many other things that the younger ones would rather spend their hard earned on! Punters should not be made to feel like criminals by just wanting to invest on harness racing, by being restricted!!!!!!!!!!

Harewood, were you once or currently a nitpicking auditor ? I am saying that the AllStars will dominate the 2 year olds as usual unless you know why things are going to be different????????? If you want to disagree for the sheer hell of it then go for it, can’t be bothered with antagonistic BS!!

Mediocricy at the highest standard meaning the very worst!!

Harewood, so you admire mediocricy at the highest standard? Seriously there would be bugger all owners or trainers in this country that would be prepared to feed and train a horse for 170 odd starts for 2 placings! Ah Maybe not buggerall Maybe just one! Cult status? Cull status more like it!

Harewood, what you on about? I am saying that AllStars will dominate the 2 year old group races and Hunter is doubting that they will! How can you not follow that?

So Hunter you are prepared to invest that The AllStars won’t have group winning two year olds??

I would tell him what a waste of time. If a horse that nil can qualify then our qualifying times are too easy! Have not got a problem with amateur trainers training horses but seriously if you line a horse up 168 times without getting any money then I would be questioning my ability to train or the horses ability!,, He would’ve been far better training a horse that had some ability.

No one gets any younger unfortunately but while they are still training in NZ they will dominate the stakes races, unless someone else gets onto what they are doing differently! They may well lower their numbers but they will still train the very best ones, unless they sell up their training establishment for sections!

What an absolute waste of time racing a horse for such a poor return.

Hopefully, but I wouldn’t be betting on it, unless they haven’t got two year olds!

NZ harness would actually be a helluva lot better off where the stakes were shared around as I am telling you now owners are getting the stitch big time.

The thing is though is that there are so many more races that you can compete in without Emma Stewart horses and that is the difference. What is her secret?

Did Kelly Evander ever win a race? Don’t think she did, but 73 starts on one track without a win would be hard to beat I would say and an 11year old mare!

Russian Alsu is an 11 year old Elsa mare that has won 5 races all at Cambridge I believe. The unusual thing is that she had her 73rd start tonight at Alexandra Park and ran 3rd but has never ever won on that track. Would it be some sort of record for a horse to have not won on the same course in so many starts?

Yes AllStars first and second as we have come to expect! It will continue for the years to come and the domination is only going to encourage owners to not bother investing! Yes it is negative, but it is just telling it the way it is! How many in the main race at Addington that the AllStars Ran first and second?

Noticed that as well Happy. Does seem a tad light when non Winners are racing for $11,500 the same night. Realkty is that our better horses are being sold overseas as there is bugger all racing for them, and when they are racing they are only running for minor stake money anyway. It is not going to be any different from now on either this year.

You are another intelligent one Hunter. Yes there have been many drivers who have been done for barely tapping the horse with the whip. Nathan Williamson has been done a couple of times when he was barely touching the horse. These Stipes are saying that drivers are getting done are cheating by breaking the rules, they are getting an advantage over the other other drivers and horses. If this is the case then let them DISQUALIFY the horses no questions asked!!!!! No they won’t do that because there will be too much of an outcry won’t there? Truth is that if it is bad enough to stand a driver down so that it costs him a lesson because the Stipes thinks that they have cheated, then go the full hog and cost the owner and trainer of the horses that have been given an advantage by this stupid rule.

Basil, Exactly, you agree with Brodie once again! What was said is”that harness whip,use is not currently high on SAFE’s list of priorities” Exactly what I have been saying Basil, and yet HRNZ goes ahead and brings out a rule that had not been thought about too much. Clearly there have been some sort of discussions as the the charge was excessive use of the whip and now is used the whip in excess of the permitted number! It needs amendment Basil, as drivers are being fined when they are not using it excessively at all, they are trying to win a race and yet they get done which affects their livelihood.

Not at all. What HRNZ has done has pointed out to the Animal Rights is that they think there is a problem with using the whip. The fact that they brought in the new rule points to that and now the Animal Rights will want even more restrictions!! It was a very dumb move as nothing had been said to HRNZ and therefore you should not be bringing it to their attention. if it did read its ugly heard at some time then something could’ve been done then to satisfy them! It was a change of rule that was railroaded through by HRNZ without any thought of the consequences and support of the parties mostly concerned. You can defend it till the cows come home and some will, but it was a stupid move and is a stupid rule that needed more thought put into it!!!

Yes, from the stand!!

Happy, that is exactly my point, and a lady from an Animal Rights outfit, whether it was SAFE or some other Animal Rights outfit stated that the harness whip usage was not on their agenda. I would bet my last betting voucher on that!!!!!! I reiterate that I don’t agree with horses being flogged but there was absolutely no need to change the previous whip rule, as it was working just fine. There are far more reinsman fined now that what there was previously so it clearly isn’t working! They need to take the no. 10 out of it and fine or suspend drivers that go overboard.