Brodie

Most will now be very much aware that youngish Katy Cox has recently been given news about her health, that no one ever wants to receive. Cancer diagnosis is always a very scary and unfortunate diagnosis and the required treatment is not currently publicly funded! Katy Cox has developed into a very capable reinswoman and over the past few years a talented trainer. Was brilliant to see the harness industry get in behind serious fundraising today at Addington Raceway to raise funds for Katy’s required medication! So many donated items for the fundraiser and there were at least 50 items auctioned off and apparently wouldve raised in excess of $100,000 according to a video produced by Harness Racing Unhinged/ Nigel Armstrong! This fundraiser was organised in very quick time by Greg O’Connor and he deserves a major congratulation for this when he will probably be busy at the moment as well with Cup Week on the horizon. Not sure of everyone who contributed to this fundraiser but the Harness Racing Unhinged video mentioned, Nigel and Brenda Anderson and also Richard Cole of IRT! Dexter Dunn and Tony Herlihy also donated harness memorabilia for the fund raiser. Great to see the harness racing industry coming together to try and assist a young lady who is indeed in need of financial assistance in a troubled time for her. Well Done to all involved and lets hope it can assist Katy Cox to have improved health!

We all know that Ben is quite an aggressive driver compared to most drivers. The thing is that he has that desire to win every race he drives in, whereas many other drivers go out and generally go through the motions, as there is another day. In the race in question, there is no doubt he did push out in the straight to get a run, and did take the ground of the horse outside him. Most punters if they were on Ben’s drive would be more than happy with what occurred, not so much the ones on the checked horse, although dont think it wouldve run a place as it was battling a bit! To be fair, have seen a lot worse and most of us know the interference rule and whip rules are very poorly thought out and implemented,! Harness NZ should be looking at these stupid rules, but doubt they will bother?

The rating system currently being used is totally inefficient. When you have such a wide variance in grades, it just is not a fair system. When you have horses that have won in excess of 10 races handicapped the same as one win horses, it is lunacy! They would be far better to go back to the c1, c2, c3 etc. and then maybe a c4 to c6 etc. Yes it keeps some horses racing week in and week out but seriously you can see why so many horses are sold overseas. Not sure why the Brain Storming they had a couple of years ago didn’t change things then? Has much really been achieved with that meeting to the betterment of harness racing?

The drone at Kaikoura is far better than what they have had at Addington and Ashburton as it doesn’t appear to be as far away! Personally don’t really see the point in it all, but each to their own! What Is worse is when the cameraman focuses on a galloping horse after the start! Absolute nonsense, when everyone wants to see the actual race!

No use to Brodie, Ranga! They need to supply an Option No. or only able to bet on account! Can not get worthwhile amounts on account, unless they have had a change of heart? Come on Entain or TAB, bring the Head To Heads with an option no. So that punters can bet a TAB agencies!

I actually now believe that yes you can still make money, but the way the TAB operates now, it is not worth the effort! When they only allow you on for a small percentage of what you want and the odds are not what I believe they should be, I am currently giving it a miss! The TAB may think it is no loss to them and in fact a total win for them! However, the TAB need punters far more than Brodie having to punt, to make a living! The amount of people that now go oncourse to actually punt, is microscopic to what used to go several years ago. There is no real reason now for punters to go oncourse unless you are an owner or you go to get cash from winning tickets. Things really need to change or there will be so much damage caused to the industry! The days of kids of punters and families attending the races is just not happening anymore, and this is what has kept harness going, albeit nowhere near as flourishing as it was!!

If they are going to open up horses at “unders” then they should be allowing the punters on for reasonable amounts and get rid of these heavy restrictions they gave enforced on punters! Unless they do this, there pool of punters us going to continue to reduce! They are not allowing noteworthy amounts going on, going by the Trackside announcements!

Good days racing today at the picturesque Kaikoura course! Definitely a frontrunners course but we knew this! Wondering why they dont run mobiles over a longer distance, as it would make for better racing and be much fairer?

I agree that the Harness Bookies are keeping the fixed odds far too safe for far too long. The So called Bookies open up many of the fields with 5 horses paying under $2 for Top 3. Just not worth the effort for risk and return now!

Methven off for the day!! Snowing apparently and who wants to be in the cold watching 1700metre races?

Agreed, serious punters I would doubt would be offloading on a grass track over 1700metres, If you’re out the back you have no show! Be in front and you are in the money! Harness should be looking to retain its existing punters and attracting new ones, but this isnt going to occur, while the programmers keep up with this short distance racing!

Stupidity, this programming of short distance racing!! Stands over 1700m on grass is lunacy!!

Great to see that Kaikoura this year has 8 races programmed for the Sunday afternoon. Personally didnt see the sense in only having the 6 races on the Sunday that they have run over the last few years, so 8 races is a far better result! The races are being run at 20 minute intervals so very quick fire, which I suppose is good for participation viewing but is there enough time for punters to reinvest, if they are allowed to wager? Not sure why they start the meeting at 3.35pm when they surely can start it an hour or more earlier? Must be a reason, but could someone please advise me of the logic??

Totally agree Galah! Was going to post re the Drone, but restrained myself! yes it is a wee bit of a novelty for a change, but does not do a lot for viewing or to increase public interest. Some very even fields yesterday, but the racing is not what it should be, and the 1700 metre races should all be run over 2400metres!!!!! not sure what the betting turnover was on the day, being a public holiday would certainly help.

just shows how much s harness horse can be improved by other trainers! Imagine how good Red Harbour wouldve been in another stable, bearing in mind Red Harbour has win a lot of races. Surely Red Harbour would have been one of our very best, going by the improvement in this one in very quick time. There will be s lot of horses that need to be in professional stables to show their true ability, but then I suppose that takes away the enjoyment of training your own horse?

Apart from the shocking state of the finances of the ATC, they also need sufficient owners, trainers, drivers, horses and punters for harness racing to be viable! Any shortage of any of these will lead to a very poor result! Looking at things currently, there appears to be a dwindling of all 5 unfortunately! Hopefully things can be turned around!

When the ATC actually owned the land already and they still lost mega millions just highlights what an absolute bunch of plonkers that were involved, when house prices throughout New Zealand have blossomed!! Auckland owners were told how much stakes were going to be and ultimately just tragic. The industry can not afford to continue to dish out the money they currently are for such a poor product generally!

It is an absolute nightmare for harness racing in NZ if racing in Auckland is unable to continue! To be fair though, they must surely be a massive drain on the coffers of harness in NZ? The product that they dish up most weeks is losing money and it just can not continue to do this! Biggest population by far in NZ and yet they have bugger all owners and trainers, and probably decreasing by the year! The rot must’ve started when they started the apartment development and obviously they have been very poorly advised and will be their demise, unfortunately! Can not see how any bail out plan is going to be their saviour if the figures quoted are true.

Highly unlikely! Meeting should be underway to have last nights chaos to never happen again. Does anyone know what the actual reason for the issue was?

“Now you‘re in the game” apparently! what an absolute eff up on such a big night! Has it been out all day?

Interesting! You must be another of those nasty restricted ones? Ludicrous that a betting agency doesnt want people offloading!

Fixed Odds? Tote betting is so yesterday, Nowornever.

McAnulty will probably and hopefully gone after tomorrow and Winnie be back as Minister of Racing! Thank Christ the Muppets of the last 6 years of disaster are gone and hopefully never to be seen again!

How come you can’t get on? I can’t either, cos I am over the ditch at the mo and don’t want us on! Cant even see the odds ffs!

Michael, “The Brodster” doesn’t recall him ever saying that you weren’t bright? You have opinions which is what everyone is allowed in NEW ZEALAND, and great that you express them as far too many don’t! Your opinion may be wrong but Chief does let you express them! You are right in that you would have to question amounts paid out to the Auckland Club, but clearly they are just trying to hold the Club together. We need to have harness racing in the North Island including Auckland, but you are correct that they must surely be a drain on the coffers!! Turnovers are pretty pathetic nowadays in Auckland but that is just due to the cost of living due to a totally incompetent bunch over the past 6 years and the boring racing in Auckland. Not sure how we can get Auckland out of the doldrums though?