Weasel

i believe Harlech's closing sectional was faster than Catalyst's. And I predict T. Harris won't be aboard in Oz. Too much at stake for dodgems...

he got away with it this time.. in essence, bounced off the other horse with no loss of momentum ...fraction of a second sooner or later and it could have been very ugly for horse(s) and rider(s) I was very surprised Harris did not get fined/suspended.

wouldnt have had to ...

a quick look at the sectionals and splits tells me Il Paradiso and Surprise Baby would have been 1,2 if Williams hadnt stolen a march on the other jocks in the first 800m ..is that a reasonable comment?

well, aren't you a luvly surprise packet Curious...see this Mustelid doesnt know where to find all this stuff, so THANKS, MATE Put $1 each way on Amazing Peace in the Oaks ..not the worst wuffie ..by sire of the moment Declaration of War out of a Galileo mare. Should stay better than the mother-in-law

I'm still shaking my head how easy it was for V&D to get to the fence off a muddling tempo, then button off in the perfect trail, and Williams knowing the true stayers would not be suited by the pace. I'd like to see sectionals for the last 600m.

BIG RED FLAG for you here, Thomass. 1) You're supposed to tip the horse for Happy before the race. (Who knew?) 2) Frankie didn't need half blinds, he needed half a brain to be functioning, cos he went way too soon on MoR, didn't correct the horse soon enough when veering dramatically Stage Left, didn't change his whip hand to compensate for that, wanted to cry after the race (sookie-bubba - when it was his own fault, not the horse's) and admitted a charge of careless riding - in the MELBOURNE CUP!

it always has been and always will be the best single guide to MC chances. Any horse running on well or winning strongly that goes on to the MC is a great ew chance in the Cup.

absolutely agree. And not just 'world-class' but arguably world's best (19 Group wins this season???). Didn't Frankie stuff up on Max Dynamite in the Cup a few years ago as well?

he's not saying "don't promote me". He's just saying MoR didn't stop me from getting ahead of him. MoR's problem (well, Dettori's, really) was that MoR could/should have been straightened before they bumped near the post, and wasn't. He came in 5 horse widths / 'lanes', in the hands of the world's premier jockey (bar none). Stewards were right to relegate them.

Dettori to stewards: He said: "Master of Reality was looking for company and went left but I had both hands on my reins and corrected him. Perhaps I could have corrected him a stride earlier, but it was very minimal interference." Stewards to Dettori: Have a nine meeting holiday, young man!

zacry, Kop. Your point (relevant to the horsey industry) was not lost on me, though it now appears that TommyTomTom has appointed himself Chief Deputy Stipe. Quite amusing when he is constantly under threat of a red flag hisself. LOL

Akchilly, the phrase from Hamlet is hoist with his own petard. Peters loves this kind of scrap and will milk it for all it's worth (which is not much, esp when compared to being officially censured by Parliament).This is publicity for a Coalition partner struggling to stay relevant and with no clear succession plan or broad popular base for the future, so Winnie will howl to the moon for as long as the media show interest in the issue.

Yep, our culture is on trial alright...not just PEACE SAFETY and inclusiveness but .. SPELLING oh well, at least the writer put the comma in the right place.

always looking for longer...is of course, right on Thomass... so why arent they doing the sane and sensible thing ...ie avoiding the Spring 'Classics' and letting her GROW UP AND GROW STRONGER for the autumn middle-distance classics. IMO they are compromising a potentially very good galloper by being impatient and choosing the wrong races for her. Lord only knows what Chris Waller would achieve with this horse.

Spot on, Mooncoin. OP didn't create the breaks, the others presented them for him by moving away from the rail, perhaps thinking the better ground was wide/r ..TAS likes the sting out of the ground so the inside wasn't a prob for him, but Lys Gracieux had the superior turn of foot and won easily. That was one helluva sprint from her to run down a classy colt with no weight on his back

She has earned a total of $13k for her placings of 5th, 6th and 6th this campaign in Oz. She does have history of unpredictability and form reversals - she was winless for nearly two years between late Jan 2017 and mid-Jan 2019, from 17 starts, then came right and won 3 out of 4 that summer, culminating in the Grp 2 at Moonee Valley. Her best run since then was 4th in the Hollindale in May ($23k)- her last run in that campaign - and she hasnt run in the first 4 since (in 5 starts this tour of duty). Consensus has been a fine racemare, underrated at times, but it's a big ask to hope that she has one more big run in her when she is in foal (to Iffraaj). I seem to recall Soriano winning when in foal, but time must be running out for Consensus in that respect - hence my question to p4p as to the connections' intentions after the 6th yesterday in what (on paper at least) appeared to be a winnable race.

Yes TAS excellent run ... Consensus quite disappointing, I thought, after having every chance in behind the speed. A Grp 1 quality horse, fit and a past Grp 2 winner on the track/distance at higher level than she met yesterday ...time for a nice grassy paddock and maternal duties?

sorry I give the green clutch purse the red flag with the magenta outfit

Do you mean horses that would 'cut the mustard' i Oz but haven't raced there yet? Or are you including all Kiwi horses that have had a crack ...? in which case you seem to have forgotten Bonneval.

I agree with Brando re TAS . Better to miss the CP and run at Flemington, bigger track, longer straight. I don't think he is the type to be 'slingshotted' around The Valley. As for TAS being rated by Chief Stipe as superior to Melody Belle who has 'yet to beat much' ...well, ridiculous comment CS. To apply that argument to TAS, what has he beat (when he's won)? He hasn't even got a Grp 1 yet. Yes, he finished ahead of her in the Foxbridge but neither was at their peak that day and on your theory Endless Drama must be a champion - he beat them both! We need to accept that only truly exceptional NZ horses can cut the mustard at the top level over in Oz in the Spring. I'd love to see Surprise Baby or Glory Days win the Melbourne Cup..but the chances aren't great. MM

I think he's referring to Sunline

from the Stipes Report Race 8 AJC.Co.NZ 2100 SMEDLEY (L Satherley) – Underwent a pre race veterinary inspection and was passed fit to race with no apparent abnormalities detected. Commenced to give ground from near the 800 metres and was not persevered with finishing a distant last. Underwent a post race veterinary inspection which could detect no obvious abnormality. Trainer C Stevenson was advised that SMEDLEY would be expected to be more competitive and is now required to barrier trial to the satisfaction of Stewards prior to racing next.

prob only for the Spring Racing Carnival Saturdays and NZ Cup Week, so mebbe 4 or 5 weeks worth?

times have changed. Attitudes have changed. We are no longer in the 1960s or even 1980s. NZ has an opportunity to be among the leaders over whip use, ideally banning it in races.