Freda

In this computer age it shouldn't be that hard to keep track, whether cattle or horses. But what about dogs, sheep, domestic goats....the mind boggles...but are other species any less deserving?

Does it hell....but tracking and identification is now a must in the world of bovines.

Definitely. I've witnessed horses taken behind the float or into the carpark and thrashed for stopping at a fence or dropping a rail - generally the rider's fault anyway.

More to the point, how can NZTR have any jurisdiction over a non-licensed person ? Intentions are all very well, but by the time a retiree has been passed on several times,the last link in the chain may be pretty hard to identify. Gossip and chat being what it is in the horse industry there are usually ways and means of locating a horse, but NZTR won't have any way of doing this. They wouldn't know where to start.

My mother used to back runners ( on course) if they had a nice tail.

Just sad.

Yes, one would think so...but Chittick and the grading kinda hang together in my thoughts, for some reason.

Thommo, you are usually pretty much on the money. In this case, you aren't.

Bollocks. In Aus, yes - because it is managed properly. Not here.

I'm also fairly sure he presided over the instigation of 'grading' clubs - A,B,C,D - which certainly influenced the percentage of turnover they received and was to presage the absurd 'tiered' system which has crept up upon us.

True. And, although I count B.de L. as a personal friend, I told him from the start that backing Winston was dodgy. Think he realises that now. Also, as a former member of the Ra Ora staff and a close friend and associate of John Messara, there was, inevitably, a bias towards the Waikato elite, that didn't sit well with the overall industry future IMO.

Don't think you'll have a problem on a slow 7.

Just how accurate are the timing methods? Yesterday, we had trials at Riccarton. The 800m heats whistled by in 44/45 sec, which is astounding for a bunch of novices. The 1200m lots produced another couple of 1.07 and change efforts, again amazing for trials , while the 1000 m heats came in around 57 sec. Smart, but not outstanding like 1.07. Would I be the only one puzzled at the apparent disparity here? And just to further confuse the matter, I notice that the race times for the 1200m maidens on Friday have been 'modified' up a second on the NZTR website, although the open 1200 time remains the same. Tab website has no change.

I've been following Mardigras ( in all his aliases) for a few good years now, was never smart enough to get the picture early on, but thanks to continued information, and the patient explanation when I just don't understand, it is a fact that everything he has predicted has come to pass. What is so frustrating is that those charged - and well paid - to know, just have no effing idea.

And a few ribs.. saw him this morning, can still lift a jug he said!

If payment was related to ability......

Still about a month to go I believe.

Well, he was given a couple of taps yesterday, and again did nothing. Still can't see the point in running the old chap when he clearly wants nothing to do with it all.

I'm wondering how long it will be before our pattern races are seen in their true light and rated accordingly. Throwing money that is taken from the bottom end, at these poor excuses doesn't make the quality any better.

Yep. And all the racing on the AWT won't fix that.

Pitty and I have had many a discussion about tracks, hard, soft, whatever ...we actually don't disagree as much as it might seem. Inconsistent, patchy going that is a result of our irrigation practices are no good at all for horses, either wrt soundness or confidence to stretch out. What incensed him most - and I agree with him - is why was irrigation even contemplated on an advertised D 6 ? Then, when posted on the website post withdrawal, it didn't actually happen? Clearly, there is something amiss with calibration . And why the misinformation?

No. nd no upgrade from a D 4 although [ apparently ] all riders agreed that the going was very hard.

The little guy pulled up ok, he's got a nice action and is pretty correct, so no drama with him, apart from being absolutely gobsmacked at how fast everyone was going around him! I'm very pleased,however, that I had the chance to talk to Alan Reeves who took his dogs around the track Thursday evening - and went up the 1200m chute. He said, you may as well run them up Yaldhurst Road. So, with no more ado, I scratched my other runner. Tina Comignaghi said, that track is like concrete. This is after rain on Monday and irrigation same evening as well. The other interesting fact is that further irrigation on Wednesday night was advertised, after fields came out, on an advertised D 6 - and then didn't happen.

Not my area of expertise at all...ask Mardigras. What I want to know, is how can a bunch of maidens run 1.07 home 32 on a dead 4 track?

I've never heard that one.! We were always told that you were more likely to be hurt if you baled....I know I would have been, I have the gymnastic skills of a lump of wood.