Walt Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) My local meeting. Will be doing my form and catching up with folk. Thursday night BBQ under the stand. OTB will be running their famous breakfasts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The track is in great condition where all runners should get their chance to shine...Hopefully the weather also shines. It's Nelson so chances are. Will post on this thread runners that are likely contenders and feel free to do the same. I'll add photos from both days which will be mostly taken close to the finish line. If you see me, come and say hello. Just look for the most devastatingly handsome dude on course....also the most humble Edited January 5 by Walt 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangatira Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 8 minutes ago, Walt said: If you see me, come and say hello. Just look for the most devastatingly handsome dude on course....also the most humble The Brodster must be an early scratching. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangatira Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 2013 Cup winner Jason Rulz. Couple of Group 1 winning drivers in shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 3 hours ago, Walt said: Will be doing my form and catching up with folk. Thursday night BBQ under the stand. Were you removed from BBQ duty under the stand in your younger days Walt ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 1 hour ago, Rangatira said: 2013 Cup winner Jason Rulz. Couple of Group 1 winning drivers in shot. I'd say Ben was likely watching Nelson Cup's years earlier sitting in his push chair. Jason Rulz won the Cup Prelude on the first day also. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 1 hour ago, Gammalite said: Were you removed from BBQ duty under the stand in your younger days Walt ? Just call me Little Lucifer ...sausages were "well done". I pleaded not guilty Gammalite. My defence was largely based on the fact I wasn't born until six months later Fire broke out 20 minutes prior to the last race on Show Day in 1961. Cardigan Bay won the FFA that day 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldilocks Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 The omen bet that day was a horse called Smokeaway which won the last race for Derek Jones 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 The Nelson Cup is always a sought after race. I remember the result in 1980 more for a horse that ran 15th than the winner. Just to prove that flop was no fluke he came out and ran 17th on the second day as fav. 9 months later "Old Bill" came out and won NZ's biggest Cup for DG and Pete after a titanic home stretch duel with "The Lady" Nelson Trotting Club Saturday, 26 January 1980 Race 6 - Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup, $4450, C3 & FASTER HANDICAP PACE, 3200m Weather: Fine Track: Fast (Richmond Park (Grass) - Grass) SHOW STIPES Participants for Race 6: Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup Place Book Horse Barrier Hcap Stakes Fav Time Margin Driver Trainer 1 16 Dainty Judy 10m 2,890.00 5/4 4-22.4 D R Cleal John Boyd 2 1 Trevor Hodgen fr 890.00 3/5 S M Miller 3 2 Reuben James(1975) fr 445.00 11/10 W F Fletcher 4 3 Alcester fr 225.00 14/12 P D Young (J) 5 4 Chileno fr 0.00 6/6 6 5 Pine Ship fr 0.00 10/11 7 6 Scholar fr 0.00 1/1 8 17 Royal Belmont 10m 0.00 15/15 9 18 Nugget(1972) 10m 0.00 8/7 10 7 Turf Lord fr 0.00 4/3 11 8 Ashley Lord fr 0.00 16/16 12 9 Mount Lambie fr 0.00 18/18 13 19 Regal Ryan 10m 0.00 9/9 14 22 Deluxe Circle 20m 0.00 12/13 15 20 Hands Down 10m 0.00 2/2 16 21 Rimuaser Boy 10m 0.00 13/14 17 10 Velebit fr 0.00 7/8 Pup 11 Regal Law(1974) fr 0.00 17/17 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 10 minutes ago, Walt said: The Nelson Cup is always a sought after race. I remember the result in 1980 more for a horse that ran 15th than the winner. Just to prove that flop was no fluke he came out and ran 17th on the second day as fav. 9 months later "Old Bill" came out and won NZ's biggest Cup for DG and Pete after a titanic home stretch duel with "The Lady" Nelson Trotting Club Saturday, 26 January 1980 Race 6 - Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup, $4450, C3 & FASTER HANDICAP PACE, 3200m Weather: Fine Track: Fast (Richmond Park (Grass) - Grass) SHOW STIPES Participants for Race 6: Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup Place Book Horse Barrier Hcap Stakes Fav Time Margin Driver Trainer 1 16 Dainty Judy 10m 2,890.00 5/4 4-22.4 D R Cleal John Boyd 2 1 Trevor Hodgen fr 890.00 3/5 S M Miller 3 2 Reuben James(1975) fr 445.00 11/10 W F Fletcher 4 3 Alcester fr 225.00 14/12 P D Young (J) 5 4 Chileno fr 0.00 6/6 6 5 Pine Ship fr 0.00 10/11 7 6 Scholar fr 0.00 1/1 8 17 Royal Belmont 10m 0.00 15/15 9 18 Nugget(1972) 10m 0.00 8/7 10 7 Turf Lord fr 0.00 4/3 11 8 Ashley Lord fr 0.00 16/16 12 9 Mount Lambie fr 0.00 18/18 13 19 Regal Ryan 10m 0.00 9/9 14 22 Deluxe Circle 20m 0.00 12/13 15 20 Hands Down 10m 0.00 2/2 16 21 Rimuaser Boy 10m 0.00 13/14 17 10 Velebit fr 0.00 7/8 Pup 11 Regal Law(1974) fr 0.00 17/17 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangatira Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 26 minutes ago, Walt said: The Nelson Cup is always a sought after race. I remember the result in 1980 more for a horse that ran 15th than the winner. Just to prove that flop was no fluke he came out and ran 17th on the second day as fav. 9 months later "Old Bill" came out and won NZ's biggest Cup for DG and Pete after a titanic home stretch duel with "The Lady" Nelson Trotting Club Saturday, 26 January 1980 Race 6 - Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup, $4450, C3 & FASTER HANDICAP PACE, 3200m Weather: Fine Track: Fast (Richmond Park (Grass) - Grass) SHOW STIPES Participants for Race 6: Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup Place Book Horse Barrier Hcap Stakes Fav Time Margin Driver Trainer 1 16 Dainty Judy 10m 2,890.00 5/4 4-22.4 D R Cleal John Boyd 2 1 Trevor Hodgen fr 890.00 3/5 S M Miller 3 2 Reuben James(1975) fr 445.00 11/10 W F Fletcher 4 3 Alcester fr 225.00 14/12 P D Young (J) 5 4 Chileno fr 0.00 6/6 6 5 Pine Ship fr 0.00 10/11 7 6 Scholar fr 0.00 1/1 8 17 Royal Belmont 10m 0.00 15/15 9 18 Nugget(1972) 10m 0.00 8/7 10 7 Turf Lord fr 0.00 4/3 11 8 Ashley Lord fr 0.00 16/16 12 9 Mount Lambie fr 0.00 18/18 13 19 Regal Ryan 10m 0.00 9/9 14 22 Deluxe Circle 20m 0.00 12/13 15 20 Hands Down 10m 0.00 2/2 16 21 Rimuaser Boy 10m 0.00 13/14 17 10 Velebit fr 0.00 7/8 Pup 11 Regal Law(1974) fr 0.00 17/17 A victory for the Milkman. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 4 hours ago, Walt said: The Nelson Cup is always a sought after race. I remember the result in 1980 more for a horse that ran 15th than the winner. Just to prove that flop was no fluke he came out and ran 17th on the second day as fav. 9 months later "Old Bill" came out and won NZ's biggest Cup for DG and Pete after a titanic home stretch duel with "The Lady" Nelson Trotting Club Saturday, 26 January 1980 Race 6 - Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup, $4450, C3 & FASTER HANDICAP PACE, 3200m Weather: Fine Track: Fast (Richmond Park (Grass) - Grass) SHOW STIPES Participants for Race 6: Benson & Hedges Nelson Cup Place Book Horse Barrier Hcap Stakes Fav Time Margin Driver Trainer 1 16 Dainty Judy 10m 2,890.00 5/4 4-22.4 D R Cleal John Boyd 2 1 Trevor Hodgen fr 890.00 3/5 S M Miller 3 2 Reuben James(1975) fr 445.00 11/10 W F Fletcher 4 3 Alcester fr 225.00 14/12 P D Young (J) 5 4 Chileno fr 0.00 6/6 6 5 Pine Ship fr 0.00 10/11 7 6 Scholar fr 0.00 1/1 8 17 Royal Belmont 10m 0.00 15/15 9 18 Nugget(1972) 10m 0.00 8/7 10 7 Turf Lord fr 0.00 4/3 11 8 Ashley Lord fr 0.00 16/16 12 9 Mount Lambie fr 0.00 18/18 13 19 Regal Ryan 10m 0.00 9/9 14 22 Deluxe Circle 20m 0.00 12/13 15 20 Hands Down 10m 0.00 2/2 16 21 Rimuaser Boy 10m 0.00 13/14 17 10 Velebit fr 0.00 7/8 Pup 11 Regal Law(1974) fr 0.00 17/17 Wont be 17 runners this year, more like 7, seems to be shortage of numbers in these grades, hopefully I'm proven wrong. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 8 hours ago, Shad said: Wont be 17 runners this year, more like 7, seems to be shortage of numbers in these grades, hopefully I'm proven wrong. I feel certain you're right Shad. Still very much a sought after race but the days of 17 runners are unfortunately behind us. Every Saturday we'd have a big field contesting a feature two mile country cup somewhere in the land. Now, we are lucky to get half that number and those features have lost their allure. I always viewed the biggest race of the year to be the two mile NZ Cup. Six, seven and eight year old horses contesting the Cup. Flashing Red won it as a 9 year old and then again at 10. Cruz Bromac won the Cup aged 8. Now the system is geared up for two and three year olds, especially fillies and mares. I'm still incredulous at the shitcanning of the Easter Cup. Hands Down won the race three times. It was a great guide to the NZ Cup. Monkey King, Terror to Love, Gracious Knight, Adore Me, Homin Hosed, Chokin, Blossom Lady and Inky Lord etc. When you terminate the Easter Cup, you're banging nails into the coffin of NZ harness racing. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Yes the good old day's a thing of the past, I thought Norton may have won an Easter cup, but was many a year ago, boy those big fields were great from a punting prospective, especially if you were looking for a big divy, methven also used to be a course for big divs, until they upgraded the track, quite liked the Nelson meeting haven't been for a few years, used to go to the odd June meeting, the smaller fields make me less likely to travel to attend, but fairly standard these days, even the Westport trots light in numbers last few years, just the way it is, always admired that big roomy unused thoroughbred track at Nelson,a real shame they closed up many a year ago, along with the Westport club and the all weather of greymouth, now just a fenced barron waste land, never been used for anything, the good ole days of them hosting an open class trot, with the likes of Nigel Craig and old Waipounamo racing there, the memories, we've certainly seen the best of racing over the years,Good luck with your upcoming meet, I'll probably follow a few failed roughies I took both days at Westport and at reefton, usually stick with them through to blenheim, I noticed the geddes trainer never had anything racing over the meetings this year, like to follow there horses. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 16 hours ago, Rangatira said: A victory for the Milkman. Is this Ranga's early trotting and Milkman days ??. The fastest Milkman in the West . (west Coast?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gammalite Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 16 hours ago, Rangatira said: A victory for the Milkman. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangatira Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 1 hour ago, Gammalite said: Is this Ranga's early trotting and Milkman days ??. The fastest Milkman in the West . (west Coast?) John Boyd Poor Ranga never got to drive the truck. Pushing the cart year after year was the extent of my ladder climbing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 3 hours ago, Gammalite said: Classic comedy from yesteryear, right up there with sid snot and only fool in horses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mardy Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Love it when the Nelson circuit rolls around,but moreso when it moves to my neck of the woods in Blenheim. Hope it's a great next 2 weekends for both clubs. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleface adios Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 On 1/5/2024 at 1:29 PM, Rangatira said: The Brodster must be an early scratching. hi bicarb reading? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 On 1/6/2024 at 7:44 AM, Walt said: I feel certain you're right Shad. Still very much a sought after race but the days of 17 runners are unfortunately behind us. Every Saturday we'd have a big field contesting a feature two mile country cup somewhere in the land. Now, we are lucky to get half that number and those features have lost their allure. I always viewed the biggest race of the year to be the two mile NZ Cup. Six, seven and eight year old horses contesting the Cup. Flashing Red won it as a 9 year old and then again at 10. Cruz Bromac won the Cup aged 8. Now the system is geared up for two and three year olds, especially fillies and mares. I'm still incredulous at the shitcanning of the Easter Cup. Hands Down won the race three times. It was a great guide to the NZ Cup. Monkey King, Terror to Love, Gracious Knight, Adore Me, Homin Hosed, Chokin, Blossom Lady and Inky Lord etc. When you terminate the Easter Cup, you're banging nails into the coffin of NZ harness racing. With the inevitable demise of Auckland we may see a total restructuring of harness racing and the Easter Cup may become relevant again. I have asked numerous times if the changing of the harness season to start on 1 Jan has been a success but no one has ever answered. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 15 hours ago, Mardy said: Love it when the Nelson circuit rolls around,but moreso when it moves to my neck of the woods in Blenheim. Hope it's a great next 2 weekends for both clubs. Back in the day Mardy it was very helpful going into the Nelson meeting to confirm which runners were owned on the other side of the Whangamoa's. Knowing which meeting was the target could be very helpful. Have always enjoyed racing at Waterlea. I've seen very good pacers and trotters race there. I remember watching Bustling Bill Skelton winning a feature race there in the 70's. Probably the Marlborough Cup. Pretty sure the wonderful Southern galloper 'Powley" was buried on the track after dying tragically. Memory is fading but was that the result of a terrible ferry crossing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 2 hours ago, Doomed said: With the inevitable demise of Auckland we may see a total restructuring of harness racing and the Easter Cup may become relevant again. I have asked numerous times if the changing of the harness season to start on 1 Jan has been a success but no one has ever answered. I hope you're right. It's a sacrilege to bin the Easter Cup. I was mortified when I realized what they'd done. Removing such an iconic race off the calendar is a huge step in the wrong direction. Auckland seems to be lurching toward oblivion. The fact they would allow the great Cardigan Bay to be dug up to make way for a farking carpark blew my mind. Is nothing sacred to these people? Cardy did more for harness racing in one season than all of that lot could do in three life times. Even the Auckland Cup racing on New Years Eve has be consigned to the history books. We went to almost every Auckland Cup night for decades and made a night of it. Harness Racing must be in great shape to bin so many time honoured traditions and replace them with a limp noodle by comparison. The reason nobody has answered your question about January 1st could be related to it being another change for change sake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Did anyone tune in to the Cromwell meeting yesterday? Thoughts? Just love grass track harness racing in the summer. I did homework on Friday and found it very predictable meeting to find winners. Was going to put my picks up but didn't want to end up with egg on my face. Race 1....Bullit Train ran a slashing race at his previous start. Always like a trotter in form. I thought he was a 7-2 shot but paid $7.60. The trifecta with the fav Storm Cloud running third was around $1400. The horse that ran second at long odds Hail Stone told me everything I needed to know about stable form with me already thinking stablemate Nubliah Chamay was a good thing in Race 7....he won by over 5 lengths. R3...I felt Mayson Shard had a strangle hold on an ordinary lot and she also won by 5 lengths. R4...I felt Sally Lindenny would need to lose the plot to get beaten. R8...Hacksaw Ridge looked a shot's eye and so it proved. R9...You just wanted to keep putting it on Fernleigh Blackbird and she won for fun. R10....Da Vinci looked in great form to take the Cup and so it proved. This race reminded me of the Saturday grass track Cups I grew up loving. R11...Really liked the way One Two Menny ran second two starts back on the grass at Wingatui. Made up A huge amount of ground in the straight. I thought he was about a 6-1 --8-1 chance yesterday but won and paid $16. R12....I couldn't see Mr President getting beaten. First start in the South produced a slashing second behind Millwood Indie was great form here. Only surprise was the $550 price for the treble and $1200 price for the quaddie. I don't want to sound like a Monday punter but I hope they are as predictable at Nelson. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 3 hours ago, Walt said: Back in the day Mardy it was very helpful going into the Nelson meeting to confirm which runners were owned on the other side of the Whangamoa's. Knowing which meeting was the target could be very helpful. Have always enjoyed racing at Waterlea. I've seen very good pacers and trotters race there. I remember watching Bustling Bill Skelton winning a feature race there in the 70's. Probably the Marlborough Cup. Pretty sure the wonderful Southern galloper 'Powley" was buried on the track after dying tragically. Memory is fading but was that the result of a terrible ferry crossing? Yes I do believe the mighty powley is buried there,What a top mare she was, great decision to race harness meetings on the grass, what was the deciding factor in that decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 5 hours ago, Walt said: Pretty sure the wonderful Southern galloper 'Powley" was buried on the track after dying tragically. Memory is fading but was that the result of a terrible ferry crossing? Correct on both counts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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