Paul Nairn

[Newmarket]

Paul has trained and driven some fantastic horses over the years….

But, I really think he should give up driving. Been watching him for awhile and he is making really bad decisions. 
Shocking drive on Forgiveness today, been unlucky on several occasions. 
Let him be remembered for his champion horses he has had, but obviously the mind is not quick at the moment. 

[Walt]

46 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Paul has trained and driven some fantastic horses over the years….

But, I really think he should give up driving. Been watching him for awhile and he is making really bad decisions. 
Shocking drive on Forgiveness today, been unlucky on several occasions. 
Let him be remembered for his champion horses he has had, but obviously the mind is not quick at the moment. 

Forgiveness is a funny mare that has been giving headaches for a while now. She's a lot more solid this season but still has work to be done on her ring craft. Paul Nairn was questioned recently by Stewards also at Ashburton over his apparent lack of vigor in the home straight when runner up. 

I feel his priority at the moment is not winning with the horse but building ring craft and confidence but any placings picked up along the way are a bonus. That's my take on the way he's driving Forgiveness anyway. 

[the galah]

I think your pretty much on the mark walt,but i do get newmarkets point as P nairn driving of forgiveness isn't doing himself any favours.

Personally i think on top of what you have said walt,nairn is trying to make a point that he will  drive a horse quiet if he wants to.

Now no one is arguing that forgiveness has been foolproof under pressure. People have seen it break a lot a few starts ago. But nairn still carries a whip that he never ever uses,nor has he informed the stipes so that they can inform pubnters that he will not be pressuring his horse in a finish because of his lack of confidence in its manners.

So for 4 weeks in a row now people watch him just sit there and they are beginning to wonder a bit. Hence thats reflected in newmarket starting a thread about it.

Nairn obviouskly has been driving under a stay of penalty as he was suspended last month for lack of vigour in a finsih on this horse.

So thats why i say he may be trying to make a point. Maybe hes thinking about how it will effect his upcoming appeal if he were to show some vigour on the horse and it was to respond.I'm not saying he doesn't have a  point,i'm just saying its not helping his public perception from the comments i have heard from some punters.

Edited May 12 by the galah

[Newmarket]

On 12/05/2024 at 8:15 PM, the galah said:

I think your pretty much on the mark walt,but i do get newmarkets point as P nairn driving of forgiveness isn't doing himself any favours.

Personally i think on top of what you have said walt,nairn is trying to make a point that he will  drive a horse quiet if he wants to.

Now no one is arguing that forgiveness has been foolproof under pressure. People have seen it break a lot a few starts ago. But nairn still carries a whip that he never ever uses,nor has he informed the stipes so that they can inform pubnters that he will not be pressuring his horse in a finish because of his lack of confidence in its manners.

So for 4 weeks in a row now people watch him just sit there and they are beginning to wonder a bit. Hence thats reflected in newmarket starting a thread about it.

Nairn obviouskly has been driving under a stay of penalty as he was suspended last month for lack of vigour in a finsih on this horse.

So thats why i say he may be trying to make a point. Maybe hes thinking about how it will effect his upcoming appeal if he were to show some vigour on the horse and it was to respond.I'm not saying he doesn't have a  point,i'm just saying its not helping his public perception from the comments i have heard from some punters.

Nice summary…

[the galah]

so the decision by the appeal committee is now up on the RIU website.

Those hearing the appeal noted... it is not enough for a driver to sit motionless in the cart and not take some steps to encourage his horse...

so mr nairns appeal was dismissed and his 10 day suspension stands.

Really,its easy to understand where nairn was coming from.

But he had to lose that appeal.

They could not set a precedent of overlooking or condoning the possible implications.

Edited May 23 by the galah

[Newmarket]

As mentioned, good to see driver change and horse racing far better. 
 

[Rangatira]

5 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

As mentioned, good to see driver change and horse racing far better. 
 

Kitty Littered them !!!!!!!!!

[Brodie]

Think the far bigger improvement due to change of driver is George Elliot!

Wonder if Trevor has realised why the horse is winning  now?

[Newmarket]

Oh dear…. Punters be feeling sick if they punted Confessional🫣. 
Horse won well last start, but small field so Paul couldnt stuff up that drive…. But in bigger fields like tonight, always unlucky.

Master trainer thou, I reckon Tectonic and Confessional going to the top…especially if others are driving

[Newmarket]

1 hour ago, Newmarket said:

Oh dear…. Punters be feeling sick if they punted Confessional🫣. 
Horse won well last start, but small field so Paul couldnt stuff up that drive…. But in bigger fields like tonight, always unlucky.

Master trainer thou, I reckon Tectonic and Confessional going to the top…especially if others are driving

Add in Masterly, who if it didn’t gallop would have won, he has plenty nice types….

[the galah]

Just now, Newmarket said:

Add in Masterly, who if it didn’t gallop would have won, he has plenty nice types….

masterly,gee he had that ready to win first up after a long spell. He sure can train. i hope you weren't on that one newmarket as it looked home like you say.

 

[Gammalite]

50 minutes ago, the galah said:

masterly,gee he had that ready to win first up after a long spell. He sure can train. i hope you weren't on that one newmarket as it looked home like you say.

 

That open trot was quite a funny watch tonight. The ORDEAL Cup race 5. 

They sure love a lugging pole on their open class  trottersin NZ . 8 of the runners had a near side lugging pole on ! quite extraordinary . I've never seen so many in one race. 

You could see them all clearly with the great camera work as they zoom in on each runner going down the back straight the last time. The cameraman does wonderful work with those images on all the South Island tracks. including the large grass ones. first class vision.

Amazingly the only horse in the top 8 with out a lugging pole as they thundered down the back straight was the favourite Mighty Logan. The horse that really needed one too 😁, as it ran off on the first corner and put 2 rivals out of the race lol.  just so much Irony !!!  

Edited September 6 by Gammalite

[Newmarket]

15 hours ago, the galah said:

masterly,gee he had that ready to win first up after a long spell. He sure can train. i hope you weren't on that one newmarket as it looked home like you say.

 

No, didn’t have bet in trot races. Although, I did like Confessional, luckily didn’t have a punt. 

[the galah]

15 hours ago, Gammalite said:

That open trot was quite a funny watch tonight. The ORDEAL Cup race 5. 

They sure love a lugging pole on their open class  trottersin NZ . 8 of the runners had a near side lugging pole on ! quite extraordinary . I've never seen so many in one race. 

You could see them all clearly with the great camera work as they zoom in on each runner going down the back straight the last time. The cameraman does wonderful work with those images on all the South Island tracks. including the large grass ones. first class vision.

Amazingly the only horse in the top 8 with out a lugging pole as they thundered down the back straight was the favourite Mighty Logan. The horse that really needed one too 😁, as it ran off on the first corner and put 2 rivals out of the race lol.  just so much Irony !!!  

Interesting the lugging poles observation.

The leading stables like dunns and purdons seem to do that a lot.Obviously it works for them going by their results.sundees son may have had a pole on both sides from memory.

I know its all about getting them to run straight but while we haven't trained that many,we have never had one that didn't run staight or need a pole. i know some horses seem to start off looking around but it seemed they just worked it out themselves iin the end it was easier to run straight,generally after about 3 months more work.

So 'i've never quite understood why they can't just run straight without a pole,but it works for them.

If you look at ken barrons they hardly ever wore poles when he was training lots of winners.   

Actually its a bit like tendon and knee boots. You have phil williamson never seems to put them on. Maybe its a trotter thing,but it works for him.

Anthony butt drove one for us one day and the first thing he said when he saw it was why haven't you got shin or knee boots on it. We said well its got a great gait and he said well if it was his he would still put tendon and shin boots on because you just never know when they may get checked and where they may have to put their legs or change direction quickly,and when that happens the boots could well save your horse from serious injury. So we have always taken that advise.

 

Edited September 7 by the galah

[Gammalite]

11 hours ago, the galah said:

Interesting the lugging poles observation.

The leading stables like dunns and purdons seem to do that a lot.Obviously it works for them going by their results.sundees son may have had a pole on both sides from memory.

I know its all about getting them to run straight but while we haven't trained that many,we have never had one that didn't run staight or need a pole. i know some horses seem to start off looking around but it seemed they just worked it out themselves iin the end it was easier to run straight,generally after about 3 months more work.

So 'i've never quite understood why they can't just run straight without a pole,but it works for them.

If you look at ken barrons they hardly ever wore poles when he was training lots of winners.   

Actually its a bit like tendon and knee boots. You have phil williamson never seems to put them on. Maybe its a trotter thing,but it works for him.

Anthony butt drove one for us one day and the first thing he said when he saw it was why haven't you got shin or knee boots on it. We said well its got a great gait and he said well if it was his he would still put tendon and shin boots on because you just never know when they may get checked and where they may have to put their legs or change direction quickly,and when that happens the boots could well save your horse from serious injury. So we have always taken that advise.

 

you are pretty accurate with this i'm thinking.

the boots are a protective aid in case there is an incident where the horse is caused to gallop or any sort of race incident occurs they've got some leg protection . esp for their tendons which are quite exposed at the back there. only a very few tap a knee boot these days. 

I think 2 of NZ's best pacers are out with tendon injury actually in AKUTA and MILLWOOD NIKE. possibly a loose shoe doing the damage with them. 

The poles are an interesting Apparatus. Most horses run straight without a pole . I remember it being used more as a ''concentration thing' at one stage. Gammalite in my avatar picture there has one on and Lightning Blue always wore won as well. The 2 horses winning 3 Interdominion Finals and a NZ CUP between them.  They had a Burr strip wrapped around the Lugging pole midshaft , Lightning Blue also had a bit burr on the side of his head as well. Grant here put one on his stallion Colt Thirty One as well . who won about 50 races at Albion and contested the 2019 Interdominion at Alexandra Park . going the wrong way round with his pole there lol. made him struggle a bit to adapt. 

How they worked was , when the going got tough in a race and you were reining them up , or running the burr through mouth or anything like that , in the closing stages the burrs would sort of aggravate the horse slightly (like the whip does) by rubbing against them to keep these stallions 'mind on the task at hand' and almost sort of annoyed , if you like .   Just like a person they go 'Harder' at it, when angry (aggravated/agitated) . just like with what whip use does with them. 

therefore are more likely to be closer to the Win than not . 

[the galah]

7 hours ago, Gammalite said:

you are pretty accurate with this i'm thinking.

the boots are a protective aid in case there is an incident where the horse is caused to gallop or any sort of race incident occurs they've got some leg protection . esp for their tendons which are quite exposed at the back there. only a very few tap a knee boot these days. 

I think 2 of NZ's best pacers are out with tendon injury actually in AKUTA and MILLWOOD NIKE. possibly a loose shoe doing the damage with them. 

The poles are an interesting Apparatus. Most horses run straight without a pole . I remember it being used more as a ''concentration thing' at one stage. Gammalite in my avatar picture there has one on and Lightning Blue always wore won as well. The 2 horses winning 3 Interdominion Finals and a NZ CUP between them.  They had a Burr strip wrapped around the Lugging pole midshaft , Lightning Blue also had a bit burr on the side of his head as well. Grant here put one on his stallion Colt Thirty One as well . who won about 50 races at Albion and contested the 2019 Interdominion at Alexandra Park . going the wrong way round with his pole there lol. made him struggle a bit to adapt. 

How they worked was , when the going got tough in a race and you were reining them up , or running the burr through mouth or anything like that , in the closing stages the burrs would sort of aggravate the horse slightly (like the whip does) by rubbing against them to keep these stallions 'mind on the task at hand' and almost sort of annoyed , if you like .   Just like a person they go 'Harder' at it, when angry (aggravated/agitated) . just like with what whip use does with them. 

therefore are more likely to be closer to the Win than not . 

interesting what you say about the stallions..

i have noticed boring poles with rein prickers can be counter productive sometimes,especially when they aren't used to it,moreso in stands.You see some horses resenting them and its reflected in their manners.

Having no overcheck is another thing that you see sometimes. Not very often in nz ,but moreso from some australian stables.Personally i have always believed that if a horse is more relaxed and is well gaited,then why the need for an overcheck. I suppose the only time it may help would be if it copped some interference and was falling,but sometimes that may be counter productive as well.Depends on the horse i believe but i can't see why more don't race without one.

The emma stewart stable races most of their horses with no overcheck.

They certainly went great last night although i don't think its a good look for victorian racing as they team drive and its so obvious. The worst part of their team driving is if a favored runner from another stable gets handy some of their drivers deliberately sacrifice their own chances to undo the more favored runner who's not from their stable. They either make them work or attack too far from home.

And it works as with 3 or 4 in each race,they just seem to win each race anyway.It can't be good for punter confidence and turnovers and rival trainers and owners can see how occasionally they may be as good as them,but in reality they have little chance of  beating them due to the team driving.I know that type of thing happens everywhere but victoria is where it looks the worst.

[Gammalite]

23 hours ago, the galah said:

interesting what you say about the stallions..

i have noticed boring poles with rein prickers can be counter productive sometimes,especially when they aren't used to it,moreso in stands.You see some horses resenting them and its reflected in their manners.

Having no overcheck is another thing that you see sometimes. Not very often in nz ,but moreso from some australian stables.Personally i have always believed that if a horse is more relaxed and is well gaited,then why the need for an overcheck. I suppose the only time it may help would be if it copped some interference and was falling,but sometimes that may be counter productive as well.Depends on the horse i believe but i can't see why more don't race without one.

The emma stewart stable races most of their horses with no overcheck.

They certainly went great last night although i don't think its a good look for victorian racing as they team drive and its so obvious. The worst part of their team driving is if a favored runner from another stable gets handy some of their drivers deliberately sacrifice their own chances to undo the more favored runner who's not from their stable. They either make them work or attack too far from home.

And it works as with 3 or 4 in each race,they just seem to win each race anyway.It can't be good for punter confidence and turnovers and rival trainers and owners can see how occasionally they may be as good as them,but in reality they have little chance of  beating them due to the team driving.I know that type of thing happens everywhere but victoria is where it looks the worst.

Re: comment on the team driving you mention. Emma uses a variety of top drivers all the time , who are rivals when driving every other race. They just do the job for the stable as any Top Nz stable with multiple runners would do in a Big races with 4-5   runners in it or similar. Allstars used to use Orange, Williams, Cox and that in a similar manner in the NZ Sires Stakes racing , Derbies and that with 5 runners engaged.  those races Very similar to what you are mentioning.  just good strategy really.

And yes you are right. From the PUnter's Point of View you mentioned . there is chaos. You wouldn't even Consider Betting anything on ANY of the ''Non Team runners in these sort of races . I actually find this exciting as half the field is eliminated as a chance straight up ! 😎  if you have Multiple Allstars or Emma Stewart runners. and my chances of collecting on my bets are way higher. 

example: Dunn's have just resumed racing a Lot of mid class horses there. 6 runners in the race.  The Maurice Holmes Vase and New Brighton Cup were on recent weeks , and Immeadiately you know they will be the main chance as with several runners 'Not Knocking each other around" you must be a huge chance of them winning. I backed Dalton Shard both times (mainly because I know one of the owners who is a top bloke, and his horse is now Qualified for NZ Cup 🏆 !! fantastic)  . would love to see that horse win it , but it won't..  A lot of folk betting took Charlie Brown in those 2 races at Addington recently ( cause John driving it ) but with several runners engaged he has other options (Trainer RobertD does anyway)  and they did it well.