The Centaur

Looked in good order albeit I noticed that after the race. There is a R75 1400m at Cromwell which has a nice smooth surface. Does he need only 1600m?

Mr Bloggs were you riding when Great Luck led all the way winning a jackpot race at Marton. I had the 2nd thru to 8th horse in the jackpot. Amazing when these massive upsets occur its invariably a horse leading all the way. Light Up just reminds me of that day.

Someone will probably have to rescue Brent. What a win!!

Looking back at some recent replays what strikes me is the amazingly quick construction of the all weather. Over recent years the farcical playing around with the bend approaching the straight. The housing development where one could have allowed for extension of the course. This probably started 20 years ago. There has to be some logical explanation.

Yeah good observations. My take is that the hysterical scream from the starter has something to do with. The horse hears it and at the same time the noise of the gate totally mesmerises some of them. Why the starter has to yell "watch the gates" is beyond me. Hate to think what happens when the gates fail and the scream has already taken place.

I fail to see the logic in knocking the NZ Cup. This is a race that allows the bread and butter participants to exercise their wares. If there is a problem it's the absurd placement of the race as Race No. 11. Should be about Race 6 when there is maximum interest. Also the problem is North Island racing not giving more recognition to handicap racing. The winner will be carrying the Bonecrusher colours so whats wrong with that?

Just as well you didn't pursue a career in the judiciary. For your info Weir is serving a four-year ban from racing after pleading no contest at a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board hearing to possessing the jiggers and conduct prejudicial to racing. The board made no finding that he used the jiggers on any of his horses. Possessing jiggers is not a crime, but is a breach of the rules of racing. Given the number of horses Weir had and the almost universal statements from his staff at the time championing Weir proving cruelty is going to be mighty hard. The so called video says nothing. Terms such as cruelty, torturing are in the legislation that's why they are being used.

What if the racing officials, lawyers, judicial officers responsible for "clean" racing had put in a decent days work instead of trying to justify their excessive salaries with bullying tactics. Strange when it comes to the possibility of perjury the "witnesses" disappear. However they probably found poor old Willie an easy catch. "A fourth man, 31-year old retired jockey William Hernan, is charged with using corrupt information. Sources familiar with the investigation said this related to a $50 bet on a horse suspected of being jiggered."

I never said I approved of them. However for your information. POLICE TAZER Stun guns, which have been used by law enforcement for decades, can temporarily immobilize a person — think of someone who is combative or resisting arrest, for instance — by jolting them with 50,000 volts of electricity. A discharge, also known as a “cycle,” can last five seconds. CATTLE PRODDER About 4000 volts JIGGER Probably the same as a cattle prodder. ELECTRIC FENCE Don't know the voltage but better ask the thousands of farmers that utilize them. All I'm saying is I don't agree with media beat ups and any crime or indiscretion should be impartially judged and the penalty proportional.

How many millions has it cost Darren Weir... FOR WHAT? a couple of jiggers in his bedroom. One shouldn't forget he could still have been training Verry Ellegent and Nature Strip. As well a host of other group winners incl Golden Slipper winner Yes Yes. Amazing how the woke TV presenters "must not mention" Darren Weir. He should be back next year ... look out!! _______________________________________________________ Conspiracy charges against banned Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Darren Weir have been dropped. Prosecutors had alleged Weir and co-accused, former stable right-hand man Jarrod Mclean, had conspired to cheat and defraud Racing Victoria officials by using illegal training methods including the use of a ‘jigger’ on horses Yogi, Red Cardinal and Tosen Basil in 2018. Weir, and co-accused Jarrod McLean were due to stand trial beginning on Melbourne Cup eve after pleading not guilty, Other charges relating to allegations of animal cruelty and corrupt betting have been downgraded and will be heard in the Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court. Weir, who at the time was one of Victoria’s leading trainers, was banned from the sport in 2019 for four years after electric shock devices were allegedly found at his Ballarat property when raided by Victoria Police. Weir and Mclean are due to face court in Warrnambool on December 14.

News media just can't get it right. Firstly it was a partnership conflict. Everyone knows who the partner is but do you think the media will tell us. NO!. The media get plenty advertising from LOTTO so they aren't going to say anything nasty about LOTTO Then the story changed. Starship didn't want gambling money. But that didn't sit right with LOTTO after all the they ARE a gambling outfit. So the story changed again they didn't want racing money. No doubt someone would have told them the late Queen was a staunch racing follower. So the story is back now with a sponsor i.e. LOTTO that is competing with racing. If a reporter was diligent enough he would point out that the money is coming from overseas and from a non gambling entity i.e. a racing club. They are not competing with LOTTO. Just goes to show that the huge salaries paid to these dumb twits has always been excessive and a waste.

Bit of a marathon job following racing today with quite a few pedestrian type race calls then suddenly Darren McCauley from WA injecting real excitement.

I take issue with that. Last time when left alone doing the Sunday South Island meeting he was terrific. Plenty pertinent interviews. Got someone on the ground giving wrap on recent jumpouts. Tips were spot on. Maybe he was too good and stole your thunder as to tips. Your criticism not fair at all.

Please people incl the Opto. Do a bit more thinking. TAB partnering means racing is beholden to the TAB who also promote competition to racing i.e sports. NZTR partnering with similar overseas jurisdictions then sharing the betting platform costs means racing is in charge of its own destiny.

Its NZTR that should be partnering with other racing jurisdictions and sharing the costs of running a betting platform. Quite frankly the TAB (taking things to an extreme) is just at piece of software. Surely Kiwi's aren't that stupid they need an outside outfit to scoop up all the gambling cash.

I am absolutely shocked at what I'm reading. e.g. https://racingintegrityboard.org.nz/decisions/cambridge-jc-3-august-2022-r4-sam-weatherley/ Weatherley states that he was riding his sisters horse the inference being he needed to win at all costs. How can it be careless when there is so much pressure to win??????? I note that earlier on the very day the tragedy occurred he was also suspended for a similar offence. Yet there are "mates" such as Bruce Marsh and George Simon giving the opinion there was nothing wrong with Weatherley's tactics. This is outrageous.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/130125611/suspended-jockey-sam-weatherleys-cavalier-break-before-fatal-fall-an-unfortunate-habit--judgment

Breeders perception of racing can differ from the public's. By all means have the breeding sector designate races as group ones which in most cases correspond with the publics view of racing. However I find it an own goal downgrading races which are popular with the public and therefore the best to market. It's criminal downgrading in any shape or form races such as the Wellington Cup which when aligned with the yearling sales was far greater in stature than the current Karaka Million races.

Why?? Its crazy trying to lineup races in different jurisdictions. Just an opinion at the end of the day. Whats more important is marketing to the general public. Every race should be treated as a group one. Iconic races such as the Wellington Cup with their history should always be promoted as Group One simply because of that. Let the breeding and buying criteria be consigned to the backroom. Racing public comes first.

Robinson was a very good rider. Here is one of his wins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t7ma1UZc5U

The two months suspension is a joke. Compare with driving a car... LAND TRANSPORT ACT 1998 38Contravention of section 8 causing injury or death A person commits an offence if— (a) the person drives a motor vehicle, or causes a motor vehicle to be driven, carelessly; and (b) by that act or omission, causes an injury to or the death of another person. (2) If a person is convicted of an offence against subsection (1) or subsection (1A),— (a) the maximum penalty is imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $4,500; and (b) the court must order the person to be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver licence for 6 months or more.

You may be zeroing in on the wrong horse. If a horse is reluctant to enter the starting stall it may be telling all that racing will be painfull e.g. its got an issue say back problem. Such a horse appears to be Verstappen so I suggest the stipes should inquire into that one.

Could they have transferred the 5 flat races to the synthetic at Awapuni at the Saturday meeting? Or is the synthetic not capable of tote races yet? Even a couple races added to the Saturday meeting on the grass would seem not too hard to organize.

The second owner of the "other site" was Annie Williams after Angie and Dave had launched it. Then the ex mayoral candidate joined up and after a while Mrs Williams wanted out because of the level of abuse. The ex mayoral guy then came in and did a due diligence on the site. However he was caught trying to walkaway with the database of names but eventually Mrs Williams must have done a deal which required her silence. Up till then many high profile racing participants were regular posters under nom de plumes but now were scared of with the breaches of privacy and the "ex mayor candidate's" purchase of the site. This was the period of the worst privacy breaches took place. Around the period 2006 to 2012.

The Awapuni corner into the straight seems very sharp. Can't see how fair racing can eventuate.