Freda

To be fair, I haven't looked at the fields at Awapuni ( apart from the jumps) but is it the only R65 on the card? If it is an additional race, that might be why.

Don't blame ya. Anyone who has the options to do so, I think would be. Obviously, though, for many that isn't viable, with family, finance, and other considerations. But this notion of ' Saturday' and 'midweek' classes is all wrong for NZ, yet keeps getting traction. The only way I can see it working is to have maidens, and [ say ] R 62, 68 midweek and at modest stakes. Let the higher rated horses have the weekends and better money. That way there are opportunities to race, as well as work towards a better sort of option. Years ago - and you would recall this - clubs 'tiered' themselves, to what they could afford. The provincial clubs had their day, but happily catered for the lesser lights, and the handicapper reflected this when/if a country Cup winner went to the city. But handicapping and systems have changed, and not necessarily all for the good. Horses like Over the River, winner of multiple handicaps, is one standout under todays model - but few have his durability. Yesteryear, many good but not top-class horses could win open races around the smalls, but would never be competitive in a city class handicap. One such horse I recall [ County Antrim, raced by Richard Taggart, brother of trainer Barrie ] won races like the Westport Cup, Wyndham Cup, etc....then the tinkering started. Too many open races, they said. So those 'cup' races became Cl 3 handicaps with the open races pushed towards the city clubs. Richard, knowing full well how slim the chances were of him racing a Grp winner, said, when Bob is finished, I won't race another one. They're stuffing racing. How right he was. Then things got changed again. Races like the Kumara Nuggets became ' iconic' handicaps, with significant injections of prizemoney. Now all the big guns attacked, and again, the country handicapper got left in the cold. More changes and rearrangements since, but the steady dismantlement of systems that worked had done the damage. The Aus model of city [ midweek and Saturday ] provincial, country and bush/non-tote works really well, but we just don't have the numbers, the geography, or the organisational skills to make it viable. You would think that the Aussie imports we have employed might have an idea, but seemingly not.

Yes, you're right, Chris did drop his whip. And another pretty fair effort was in winning the Dunedin Gold Cup ( 2400 ) and the very next day the Timaru Cup ( 1600 ). She broke all the rules.

A bike....jeez, I have just finished reading about Nancy Wake, I bet she never wanted to ride a bike, ever again, after the war.

Yes. And off nine days work.

Yep. And ' draft ' calendars are out for October onwards with no races depicted apart from black type ones, and no stakes shown either. Surely I'm not the only one with misgivings here.

You're right about the bloody easterly. Would cut you in half most days.

China White?

The Alcimedes horse was Eurypides. Cloudy View was, I think, by Grey William. Shane Laming won the Telegraph on Flying View, also trained by Lionel.

Clarrie McCarthy won both legs of the double at [ I think ] Waikouaiti one year with an Alcimedes stallion whose name escapes me...and Lionel Pratt regularly sent horses around very frequently - and with great success. See if you can find any info on Cloudy View...

Looked again...this time managed to get to the right section. Not good reading at all. All the same, I'm surprised the writer hasn't been threatened - or has he?

You won't get one.

I did have a look early this morning but got bogged down on matters trotting for some reason.

I was standing with Kelvin Tyler during the running of the middle distance race, he was frowning at his runner parked 4 wide no cover under the 4-claimer Yong Chew....he needn't have worried, it just kicked arse! Some good performances on the day. The Redwood filly of the Wilsons' looks talented....and Kenny had a good day too, lucky he got his S I passport updated.

I felt she might be suspect - at that level - on better going. She's run 1.10 and change, but at no stage was she ever going to threaten those proven good sprinters. She won her maiden on firm ground...but that lot weren't maidens. She's a genuine little performer on suitable going, we will just have to be careful where she runs, that's all.

Pity I hadn't checked in earlier, I could have given you my thoughts about the firm track and how she might cope. She didn't. After a good enough effort first up on heavy going, she couldn't muster the pace today. She's dropped a heap of weight too, is still furnishing and can go to the paddock.

I'd agree....but they will have their systems sorted for next time.

I did hear that her big patron ( McAlister? ) is very unwell, and was retiring those older horses referred to, and relocating others to Aus. I also heard ( not sure how accurate the info ) that there had been some upheaval in personal situation. A bloody tough game at the best of times, without other stresses getting in the way of focus. I'm sure she'll be back on top of things eventually.

Riccarton level 2 No patrons.

You wouldn't think so. However, on one occasion, when the weather precluded a day's racing on the West Coast, the offer from another local club to host that day was scuttled by the TAB's refusal to oblige. Reckoned they couldn't shift operations at such a short notice. [This was not the same situation as more recently, when Reefton's kind offer was refused by Kumara.]

Yeah. And, even if best case scenario has Auckland out of level 3 ( which I very much doubt) level 2 will be here for a while. So just make a bloody decision, ffs, do what is the socially responsible thing, reduce personal contact, eliminate potential points of infection as much as possible, and stop sitting on hands wondering what to do next.

Either way....there have to be cases all over. Testing rates have been allowed to dwindle and society has become complacent. Not to mention 'escapees ' from quarantine, and planeloads of people from all over the place pouring in...it is to be hoped that management protocols in hospitals and aged care facilities have improved, for the sake of those vulnerable souls.

Most will be a lot more than ten...and there are no bigger rooms.

I feel there has to be more positives, too...not that doom and gloom has to rule, just common sense.

Yes, I agree. I'm trying to get some direction from CJC management about the hospitality suites for Saturday. Commonsense says that social distancing can't be practiced in rooms the size of a couple of loose boxes...so make a decision out of consideration for those folk who have to travel. That needn't affect the day's racing, unless a closed - door stance is required...and even then, we were racing carefully and - IMO responsibly - under level 3 prior to lockdown.