Jape2

Hear,hear. A tough job, well done.

Gone!

Very close to being the best race of the season - at Addington anyway. Two very good greyhounds going head-to-head for 520m. Krusty has shown once again the prerequisites of a Group winner: speed, determination, more speed, staunch to the wire. Anything less tonight and Egomaniacal wins but it wasn't to be. Time honours for the meeting went to Dyna Dave at 29.83. One to watch for South Island Champs no doubt.

I got a very good double that day with Show Gate which made her one of my all-time favourites. I saw Empire Rose at Riccarton, too. The biggest rear-end I have ever seen on a racehorse. Tremendous engine.

Yes it was. Box 1 can be a problem if you miss away, even just a length. But Krusty was fleet-footed from the beginning. However, I was also impressed by the run of Egomaniacal in the same race. Never gave up and kept Krusty honest to the last 25m. And what can we say about Idol Tom? Talk about missing away. Should/Could/Would have run second but that's racing. A stayer in the making? The honours of the day had to go to Avenger Bale who really does love the Addington circuit. His 30.03 was clearly the best of the day and that included Tom Tee who powered away in an earlier race. Climatic conditions were good but it appeared that the track wasn't running all that fast so it was a superb time.

Krusty has previously shown she is above average but tonight was remarkable. She flew the lids, crossed to the lead easily with some trouble in behind, and it was game over. Excellent time, too, which is not always the case in Finals. A great credit to Matt and it was pleasing to hear and see him speak so well and so glowingly of his team, all of whom he named.

Thanks. Funny, that word "more" got me thinking. I loved the job in the judge's box working with some really talented and interesting people. When one leaves any occupation I believe what one misses most is the people one worked with. Very true. Along with watching some very fast greyhounds. Anyway, back to "more". The one really big difference these days, of course, is I can bet on the dogs. That "more" probably depends on whether I am having a good day betting. All punters talk/watch through their pockets/wallets. That is why I now prefer not to bet on the very big races. That way, I can enjoy the spectacle be it dog or horse of trying to achieve at the highest level. Watch the whole race, and not just looking at the ones I have backed. The enjoyment is greater as the potential disappointment no longer exists. PS I heard the Trackside presenter this evening commenting on numbers of wins by certain harness drivers e.g Dexter two years ago to the night - 7 and AG Herlihy - 7 and Doug Watts 40 or 50 years ago or maybe more. I said to my wife who is lightning on numbers, How long ago is 1954? She answered, 64 years. I said , Well, that is how long ago it was that Doug Watts drove the first 7 winners on an eight-race card at Reefton. I know, because I was there.

A remarkable achievement and a credit to the team to have the "old boy" ready to race so well week in, week out.

It is not that easy to quantify as the racing at QEII was infrequent compared to what developed at Addington where there are now about 1600 races in a season. However, I do remember a trainer telling me, quite some time after the shift, he had saved a thousand dollars in vet bills as a result. I have no way of checking that but he certainly seemed happy. Not everyone was happy about the shift, though. After all, it was to have been to a spot at Riccarton Racecourse down towards Steadman Road but the Racing Authority stepped in, in the form of John Alexander, and put the kybosh on that. Next step, Addington, and that got the ok. I believe the type of injury varies from grass tracks to the all-weather variety.

I had noted that the Eyrewell greyhounds had been going quite well lately - there is some good breeding there - and when I looked at that field I checked on the dog's record. It was abysmal but two factors stood out (1) the greyhound had had a freshener and they had increased its weight coming in at plus 1.9 (2) the races it had been in, for the most part, had been won by some very promising dogs e.g. Perfect Result and Oh So Nitro which broke 30 seconds that day. There did not appear to be anything of that calibre in this field so I decided to back the dog, but probably just for a place, showing $8 from memory. I am pretty sure it was around the $40 mark to win. I might have made it each way but ... Just as I was about to take my bet the number 10 greyhound caught my eye. Backed as if unbeatable. Foolishly I changed my bet to a quinella - the 5 and the 10. So I can say I had a bet on a greyhound which paid one of the biggest-ever win divs. But I never made a bean. Rule 101 of punting says: If you like a greyhound, back it,. Then, and only then, have a look at the alternatives, the quinellas, doubles etc etc, the so-called exotics. What you are now doing, as happened to me, is you are relying on another dog or dogs to perform as well as your initial selection. As it happened the 5 flew the lids, went clear and never looked back. The 10 got into all sorts of trouble, was almost stopped to a walk, then rattled home late for 4th. PS I did come out in front later in the day but my account could have looked so much better. Incidentally, the quinella would have paid $48.

Remarkably, Shorty Bijou (Spanish Bijou x Lady Rushton) ended his very distinguished career by winning two races at Addington after the move there from QEII. Believe it or not, he was over SIX years old when he won his last race. 104 starts, 46 over the staying trips, 19 wins and 15 placings, $70,368.25.

Goosebumps material that race. The Washdyke Wonder developed an aversion to wet tracks like no other horse I have known. A cloudy day, a threat of rain, a shower or two. All over, grey rover. He was a winner, though, like no other I have known. He would wander about the parade ring, very lazily, head down, looking as though he would rather eat the grass than get ready to race. But when he went out onto the racetrack Grey Way was transformed. In that Easter, Bob Skelton often said it was the horse that got him through the non--existent gaps to get to the post first. His will-to-win was remarkable. A modest fellow, RJ Skelton, but he meant what he said. Was it 51 all-up?

... and "leviathan odds" Glyn Tucker.

It was an exciting race, watched by a very good crowd incidentally, but the kudos must go to Matt Roberts and his team. I have always felt that there is a definite advantage in bringing your dog(s) to Addington early for a trial before lining up in these big races and that is what Matt had arranged. Curiously, I believe last night's winner was the slowest of Matt's three when they had their first trial. However, that experience plus the (winning) heat race really paid off. Krusty was always going to need a little luck in the running but once again, she showed she has great potential. Hilton Forabet wasn't quite as sharp last night which was not altogether surprising after coming off a 6-week break to win her heat so well the week before. I also feel this bitch might have been better drawn at perhaps two or three. That aside, she stuck to her guns very well and her third placing in such a good Oaks final was quite meritorious. What would Sheza Rippa have done? We will never know. If you thought the times were not perhaps up to scratch last night spare a thought for the dogs. It was cold out there. Windy and cold.

It's never easy to predict how the last 55 metres of these 755m races will turn out but I think Dusty Gambler will hang on especially as it has a better draw than Ring The Bell. Two years ago Nitehawk Rose was down at Addington attempting unsuccessfully to qualify for the NZ Oaks Final but she has raced well over that period and is well placed to get some of the money tonight. Then there is Translator who could cause trouble when it comes across to the rail from the outside box but can distance really well; the very capable Cristiane Cyborg which has a mind of its own as to how it races these days; the grinder Vicki Keeping, the ever-consistent Little Bit Funny and the outsider Peekay Shout. A splendid line-up but I will settle for 2/5/1/8.