Freda

..with Dean McKenzie?

..all of which makes me feel sooo much better about the tiny filly that just came ino work.

My thoughts are perhaps less charitable...but best they not be aired in public. Suffice to say the RIU is one of his 'babies' and I don't think too many feel that is an unqualified success.

If the MAC report gets any traction with Cabinet, NZTR may cease to exist in it's current form. It won't matter who is on the Board then.

Yours truly has been pointing out at great length the folly of those notions....either he has changed his opinion ( or is agreeing with me to shut me up ) but hopefully.....however the scope of the MAC is nothing to do with track closures....apparently. If the RB can get kicked into touch that will be a huge plus on it's own.

For the record - B.d L. is NOT a proponent of tracks closing - although it may seem so, given his support for Winston/Messara. The bottom line is , if something doesn't happen, we're all down the gurgler. NZRB reform/removal is the most important part of that strategy, and has a fair bit to do with the Informant's demise, given earlier attempts to muzzle the content.

Industry comment/critique as written by contributor B.d L. has not endeared the publication to the NZRB.

I would have to agree that the standard of riding is a poor as it has ever been down south. The recent Coast racing was, overall, horrid - and not just all apps either. I asked a rider if he had ever ridden around Hokitika - no, was the answer. Had a walk around? I asked...shrug, nah, can't be that different can it..? Asked my friend Walshy if he had had a chat with said rider...he's ridden around Ellerslie was the reply. Therein lies much of your problem....that, language difficulties, and indifferent policing. A senior local was reprimanded for 'steadying the pace' - this around the corner out of the straight at Reefton...ffs...the winner of that race ran a track record.

Horrible, just horrible. I do have to wonder if modern training techniques have a part to play..? although why Santa Anita should bear the brunt of that, I can't imagine...but the tendency recently for a much lighter workload must have a bearing on the bone density of the horses in question.

Agree. Good concepts. We are so far behind..and it shows.

Oh dear...the site will definately be the poorer for your departure, Mardi. Over the years I have learned much from your posts - and those of Curious, too - as well as others who I can't bring to mind at this time of the morning..! Yes, I can deal with the b/s Thommo posts, as I feel he does a good job of highlighting failures in our integrity systems. What the real shame is, that by driving away others, there is left a site without so much content and therefore, little of interest. It is entirely the Chief's call, he deals with the aggro generated very well I feel, and - while it is not my business - maybe, if Thommo could have his own portion on the site, people could view his comments if they wish without feeling so frustrated with his hi-jacking of so many threads? That would be in keeping with the site policy of 'free speech' while removing a source of constant irritation to many.

I've just had a message from a mate in Perth who likes to keep up with the goss.....she's had a gutsful of Thommo too, has taken BOAY off her favourites. Why do you two - and others - give him air? deprive him of the attention he craves and he might just go away painlessly...! I must admit to being OK with his constant critique of the feds....someone needs to hold the police to account....if he could leave it at that instead of launching off into meaningless tirades about ....nothing....

If - and that is a big IF - the planned changes initiated by Winston/MAC/Messara come to pass....leading us out of oblivion and back to the promised land....will we all forgive him for being a hypocrite? Will we be happy being hypocritical ourselves? You betcha...

Oh shit.....

Heard that too.....must be short of dosh...

Like him - or not - there isn't much choice but to 'sit back and wait '....because the current lot, of both NZTR and NZRB, don't have any idea whatsoever.

Quite right, Thommo.

No comments about the tremendous training effort of Mark Todd to turn this horse's form around? What an effort, fresh from the N.H and out of form, to run as he did over 2000m on a testing track...proof yet again of the superb horseman Sir Mark is. Time will tell if that run has knocked his socks off, or whether he can come on from that...it will be a grand Queen Elizabeth if he has.

Owner doesn't appear to give a sh#t about his horse, only about getting his own way - in not a very nice manner.

You on drugs?

Now, now....

Sound familiar?

My understanding - and only that - is that any necessary 'treatment' or gear required is on the starter's sheet. If that is in fact correct, it is very likely that stipes forgot to notify the starter, or make sure the addition was noted. Has happened to one of mine, starter was all set to carry the can, but when I rang him to discuss the 'blue' he confirmed that in fact the horse's requirements weren't added to his sheet. As it was the first time the horse had raced out of his district, the fault was pretty clear. Horse hurt and scratched. No one offered to pay the acceptance fee, or the vet bill though...or the transport.

No..No...no....leave it as it is. P.C gone mad...to coin a phrase.....as it is, i would be surprised if more than five per cent of the general populace had heard of the the Crusades - before Friday's awful events that is. It's a brand, it works, don't mess with it. Changing a name will not stop nutters doing horrible things.

Kinda par for the course I guess....lack of vision and so on...