jess

Yes perhaps - but remember that abandonments have not just been at the smaller country tracks - they have been happening at major venues as well. It might be logical to assume when tracks are closed down, that concentrating resources & expertise (which was previously spread thinly across the motu) will put an end to these debacles. But I'm not so sure the industry leaders even recognise what expertise is - or understand what resources are needed. So I believe that until the governance issues are sorted out once and for all - this closing tracks juggernaut will not prove to be the silver bullet it's touted to be ... J.

Been outta the racing loop today. Came in off the farm spraying thistles to see on TV, jockeys and suits wandering round looking at the track ... Then I heard the steward talking about why it was called off ... Then I saw a replay of a field of horses coming round the turn and at least one slipping ... Talk about deja vu all over again. I could have even "sung along" with the steward's wee piece to camera. It was all eerily predictable and familiar .... What a bloody shambles.

Monetised Mustelid ..... Nice punting Weasel ... ☝️?

Not me Malty. Matches quite nicely with one of my mares but I generally have a fairly cursory look at Waikato's horses as their roster is always richly priced IMO. All the best to those who choose to patronise them though - just generally not where I see value when looking for sires myself. J.

I was a bit taken aback when I was asked this. It is a very blunt message asking for a mono-syllabic and broad brush response it seems: "yes I support the Messara Report" (or presumably no I don't - or alternatively -- you didn't hear from me because the email went to my junkmail ... or I am apathetic or illiterate). All or nothing. In or out. One size fits all. I do care - I am invested - but it just seemed very ... ummm .... basic. And like someone was counting raised hands in a room rather than wanting to hear my actual opinion or ideas. Or am I just over-thinking it & puttingit through the cpmplicator ..... All the best, Jess.

Maybe this was part of a long term plan for him? Otherwise the timing is .... interesting. Some would have wanted to see the ship thru' the stormy waters. But there cld well be personal factors at play here that none of us know about. So no judgement here on tht score.

Didn't see it but did hear about it. All the very best to you Sarah - hope you have a smooth & speedy recovery. Jess,

Great pic!!! Horses and hares ... and a happy ending cos there were no hounds ?

Ah ok. Thx HS.

Who did the on-course hosting for Trackside?

`morning to you Hedley - hope you are well & enjoying the change of season with a spring in your step ? All the best to you Sir, J.

Chief- I'm not usually one for censorship as you know but I think that last post should go. I think a little more respect is called for.

Long-O - steady on. You are tarring a helluva lot of ppl with a very broad black brush with yr statement...

The "statement" I read was on the Allstars website - so you would expect it to be directed at their own "fans" or customers. As such you would also expect it to be, essentially, self-serving. It took a certain position - mostly dwelling on the treatment of the accused - rather than the accusations. As Brando alluded to - painting the accused & wider industry as victims. Whatever the merit of that argument, I think that is a side-show. It distracts from the principal issues here. And to claim it the industry is clean at this point is probably more an "aspirational goal" than a reality. The past & the present suggest otherwise - as well the this man should know. I'm not saying it's rotten to the core & acknowledge his right to promulgate whatever messages he wants from his own platform. But denial & rose-tinted glasses won't save the industry & its reputation. We might as well embrace the scrutiny now & try to turn this into an opportunity to sort out whatever (and whoever) is determined to have gone wrong. There is more chance of re-building confidence in the industry that way than walking round like a kid with chocolate all over its face crying foul because it's been accused of stealing the choccy biscuits ...

Read Mark Purdon's statement. This is the part that I was slightly bemused by: I have been in harness racing a long time and consider it clean.

There are probably worse websites the missus cld catch you drunk on ...

The argument they've been denied a fair trial? Wouldn't think it's reached that level ....

Gone a bit quiet on this topic ... ?

Interesting comments. Is the criticism of the media because they reported on the raids? (natural enough) - or because they named people prematurely? May be some grounds for unease there if they have pre-empted the possible suppression of names in court ... Re Police - what is the wrong-doing alleged there? - it is not uncommon for them to have press conferences prior to court hearings from what I observe - have often seen raids for drugs or on gangs & it's in the media teh same day with talk about the number of arrests & numerous court appearances which are to follow ... Did the Police somehow exceed this common practice with Inca? As for the media company being interested in financial gain - as distasteful & immoral as that's made to sound - in fact that's most of us. Most of you here on BOAY, the journalists, the ppl charged & I - even judges - all work for financial gain. And the media companies have shareholders to satisfy. It's how we go about that work that counts. Deep breath everyone!

To those who have bagged the Police & the standard of the investigation & the fact that there's too much fuss about too $mall an issue ....etc etc I have no idea the quality of the evidence - what charges will stick - what people will go down. But one thing I do take some comfort in, is that this time, the artbiter of matters will be a District Court Judge. And I doubt a District Court Judge would buy a defence of the quality such as a derby horse grazing with the dairy cows and thereby ingesting a prohibited substance from their troughs .. So at this stage I am prepared to sit back & let justice take its course. Innocent until proven guilty. But there is no place for cheats in the game IMO - so if cheating is established - I think those people should have to look for another occupation.

Brodie my respectful suggestion is you stop referring to yourself in the third person. It's creepy.

Ha! Close-knit you say.- bordering incestuous i reckon! ? ... So NM - what about the link with the galloping ppl? Or has the TB man in tbe CD just got involved as a result of his hospitality for the trotting guys when they venture north for the circuit up there? Any more gallops ppl in the mix you think?

.... Sam? Samuel? Samantha? ?

Congratulations Weasel if this is your baby! I like the idea of that pedigree match-up ... makes me think a little of Melody Belle ... could be a sensible match re type as well methinks So then - should we be blowing up pink or blue balloons to celebrate the arriveal of this good looker? (not that gender is binary in society these days, I remind myself ...) You are leading the way for posting photos / video re breeding. I salute you Mustelidus Maximus!! ?‍♀️

Mmmm. "First thing in the morning" might have a different meaning in the Knight household to my place ... ? Fair go however - I think he did have a "maybe" in there when he alluded to the news to be broken today in his earlier post ... What I am interested in is the lack of commentary in relative terms about the Manawatu racing admnistrator's role ... seems to have been relatively quiet about his involvement.... and I would have expected considerable interest in a person in such a role being implicated/accused ...