The Centaur

Yes agree will add that Howie Mathews can turn form around quickly. He actually rode a horse for me at Te Aroha in 1975 flew home for 4th in a strong field. My short stint as owner trainer thats why I remember it.

Barry, I've been scratching my head over race three. Miss Lizzie does appear a nice horse, fit, well placed and should be right in it. Interestingly Ram Sam Sam has run 2nd in this race two years running. Up 1.5kg on last year but big margin to 3rd last year. Durham must have ability by featuring in those strong Hawkes Bay spring races. Noel Eales for example specialized in winning at Waverley fresh up with horses like Durham. Big watch on that one. But the horse that really interests me is Just Small Ransom. Won a trial at Waverley running past a Lisa Allpress runner. She was so impressed she made sure to grab the ride which she won and raved on about the horse. The better winter track should suit JSR and the outside draw. Has to come flying down the outside so don't know if it can beat those drawn well and also the jockey will need to make sure it doesn't lay in which has done in a few races. For me the big factor is home advantage so this would seem an ideal race. Thats why I have backed Just Small Ransom.

I struggle to figure what you are referring to.

Barry, I'll watch how Malfarious goes today at Rotorua. If it was looking OK at Te Awamutu then thats a good pointer for today?

Was that the Rangitikei meeting Beatnik ran first or second in the Rangitikei Cup? Important aspect of Otaki was its use as a staging post for horses racing at Trentham or travelling to the South Island. Horses from up north or Taranaki. The racecourse accommodation house was probably the biggest around. I remember one time staying and a highweight rider arrive 3.00am totally blotto. A few hours later a trainer had to drag him off the bed to wake him up. 11.0am that morning won the highweight i.e race one at Trentham.

One of the most useful tools a trainer has is blood counts meaning a poor reading can mean virus i.e. white cells versus red cells. Therefore blood tests are something definitive not speculation and could be reported. It would mean the club subsidizing the costs of authentic blood tests so trainers would be more willing to cooperate.

Reporting from the course i believe is the best way to snag outsiders. After all the markets mostly reflect the form and not the appearance. You won't get 50:1 with a horse won last four starts in record time yet you could with horse ticking all the boxes oncourse. If the 50:1 longshot misses its usually wise to follow it for a few starts. You have got 50 starts before you are behind the eight ball contrasting with a evens favourite where you are behind after two misses.

OK lets have a go at Singapore. In Race2 it seems between three horses Our Showcase, Fame star, and Autumn Assault. All three seem to have good trial form. The 2yo's with huge weight advantage in these races really perform well in Singapore. However Autumn Assault has poor draw and is a bit dicey behaviour wise. Therefore at 20:1 I think Royal Pavillion with Vorster at 49kg has a great chance. A big 2yo obviously better with time but loooking at his trials I believe he could knock the favourites off. But N.B. I've been wrong before.

Quite often in the stipes report you see "the trainer will be monitoring the horse and report back to the stipes" That covers several situations including coughing, mucus, heart vilberations, lameness etc ?? On occasions the horses is ordered back to the trials but races next without the trial. Seemingly the stipes have been given an exhibition gallop. Yet hardly ever does this information get relayed by the stipes even in this age where the stipes actually try to be open. So lets start with the stipes.

I must be going stupid. I thought Volpe Veloce would be red hot favourite. Why is it at 30:1 ?

N.B. With blinkers Westside was first out then hard ridden to maintain a forward position. Contrast with Karima slow out hard ridden then eased right back before flying home. I reckon the rider of Westside was stuffed by the time he reached the home straight and hardly moved thereafter. Westside will keep although I doubt its any natural on heavy going.

Actually I go further back . He was stable hand then foreman for Malcolm Smith. La Mer wasn't too bad. Negative today is no 4.5kg claim and a good old fashioned Marshment plonk

Interesting one for the first time blinkers formula. Tomorrow Race 6 Westside. Full brother to to Wyndspelle good 2yo now racing in top company in Australia. The way he is racing I suspect blinkers may help. Impressive last few bounds at the trials. At the races has been on scenic tours. Found 1400 bit much first up although 1400 looks best now nevertheless paying $34 and $7.50. Probably ideal place chance.Suspect odds will reduce tomorrow.

Blinkers can be overrated. Some trainers n.b. some don't like billing owners for items such as injections or "special" medication. They know that the "injection" along with variation in work and feed will turn form around and its in their interest to tell the owner the horse will go much better. What easier way than to excuse the form turnaround than by the application of blinkers. How often that happens I don't know but I do know it happens.

A classic example of information the public is entitled to is Captain Orange in the first today at Counties. Why was Captain Orange off the scene for over 600 days??? Back in 2015 he was a very nice horse and with Cameron on him went out hot favourite in a race. Interesting that he is back on board however whether its by choice or Kate Cowan favouring Aftershock that information is not necessarily entitled to everyone. But the reasons for such a lengthy break certainly should be supplied by the connections.

If owners and trainers want extra interest in the industry they must be be more forthcoming with information by entering it online. Two examples would be informing change in training routine like using the water walker. I asked a leading trainer which horses he had on the water walker and he replied only the stable stars. The others the owners wouldn't be happy receiving the bill for the extra cost incurred being sent to the water walker. Since we don't have pre race horse weighing and many trainers do their own then trainers when they suspect any major change in a horses weight should declare it. Last week in Singapore a horse won with an increase of 40kg in body weight yet by going back to when it last won that was its body weight.

I'll introduce another factor which is never listed on any race form manual or training manual. i.e. SLEEP Now horse trainers will go into the science of feeding, workouts etc yet ask any athlete what they consider the most important for a peak performance and chances are they will say getting a good night sleep even golfers.Why should horses be any different? But for horses getting a good night's sleep is dependent on workout and feed. Many trainers just assume its its in the feed or workouts but if athletes are to believed the answer is sleep. Winter time requires peak fitness not necessarily galloping ability. Horses racing on their home course usually can be relied on having a good nights sleep. And Barry I realize you will advise Thom would do better just sleeping.

One factor most will agree on is the more effort one puts in the more one can expect out of it in the long run. So we get to the most important factor that is TIME and lets face it most people have little to spare of it. So anything that makes time more productive with horses is valuable. Something to remember with form racing web sites. Its not the so called winners they may produce but the amount of time they save extracting the information one requires. That also applies to going to the races. Unless its for social or commercial reasons one might as well make the most of the "time" at the races.

There is another aspect to Barry's "day out". Myself at the races I keep a note of every horse entering the parade ring and as much of the behaviour afterwards until the jump When I put down "fat" as opposed to "bit fat" it usually means wait a few runs so I was surprized Barry had Colorado Bay as spot on but then there was three weeks for the trainer to get more more work into the horse something the trainer confirmed in the post race interview. Taking note of the size also important as sometimes guaging the size off the TV can be misleading. Another note I put down is "needle". Having trained a few I know what effect the needle can be. Definition of needle is not something illegal but the best legal "extra" a trainer can top a horse off with. In my day needle meant vitamin injection and there are tell tale signs to spot this like smell, special shine, demeanour etc. All trainers have a topping off routine when a horse is ready but nowadays particularly with the Baker/Forsman horses I can't seem to figure it out. Anyway Barry hope you also kept some notes from the day.

Brilliant effort Barry, appreciate your time. Just keep off that whiskey until AFTER the last.

Barry I see Quantum ran second in this race last year. Hope it looks OK.

I think Barry will be "under the weather" by now.

I saw it at Avondale and looked fat. Lets hope its trimmed up.

Good spotting Barry. Pays to be on track. Looks like the inner against rail best.

It will be embarrasing if Pink Graffiti can't win today for Waikato Stud From the stud's flagship breeding line i.e. out of Escada already left Doncaster winner Vision And Power, Glamour Puss (went to Uk Ascot King Stand Stakes ) also Escadaire top West Aus racer and a host of other winners. Dam by Centaine and the Centaine's went ok in heavy. Other breeding tips today Luck Of Master (out of good wet track mare Monrose), Mangaroa Fire (out of Rotorua Cup winner a toff in the wet) and full sister to Mangaroa Flo Jo etc. Master Genie should bolt in with the fourth so a good day for Mastercraftsman.