Kiwis At ID 18: Is it worth watching?

[Happy Sunrise]

Pretty disappointing that only one or two kiwis might end up at supposedly the biggest thing in southern hemisphere harness. 

God, will it even be worth watching the pacers go round. Probably, but won't be quite the same without a kiwi in each heat. At least the trotters will be represented.

Here is the article from the informant. More informative journalism from them.

New Zealand’s participation in the upcoming Inter Dominion Pacing Championship is in tatters with only one horse, and maybe two, likely to take part.
Ten horses are currently in the rankings for the series, which starts at Melton Saturday week (December 1) and carries a A$500,000 Final on December 15.
But in the fall out of New Zealand Cup week at Addington, only New Zealand Free For All winner Cruz Bromac remains standing, the rest, except Pat’s Delight and Spankem, all confirmed as not competing.
Co-trainer Mark Purdon confirmed to The Informant on Monday morning that Eamon Maguire, Spankem, Dream About Me, Turn It Up and All U Need Is Faith would be withdrawn from the series.
By afternoon he upgraded Spankem to a ‘maybe’, opting to give further consideration to the Kaikoura Cup winner in the next 48 hours.
Eamon Maguire has gone to co-owner Trevor Casey’s property for a brief let-up while Dream About Me will be set for feature mares’ races in Auckland next month, including the Group 1 Queen of Hearts on December 14.
Star Galleria will not be going either, according to trainer Steven Reid, nor will fellow open class pacer A G’s White Socks, who will instead target the Green Mile at Methven on December 2.
Mitchell Kerr has also decided not to take his stable star, Forgotten Highway.
Pat Kubala, owner of Pat’s Delight, said he and trainer Cran Dalgety were going to discuss the series and make a decision today (Monday).
“Cran’s going to ring me today and we’ll look at the various options and plans.”
The series will, at this stage, be headlined by the local Victorian pacers San Carlo and Shadow Sax, who share favouritism with the Tim Butt-trained Let It Ride.
Tiger Tara, off the back of a mixed New Zealand trip, where he placed in the Cup behind Thefixer but failed in the Free For All on Show Day, will also be there for trainer Kevin Pizzuto.
Things are a little different for the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship, which will be held concurrently for the first time since 2012 and have a A$150,000 Final.
Eight New Zealand-trained trotters are currently in the rankings and, at this stage, four are still likely to face the starter at Melton on December 1.
The biggest withdrawal is Auckland trotter Temporale, who is ranked third for the series, trainer Tony Herlihy confirming plans for the trip have been abandoned.
Others to come out are Canterbury square-gaiters Harrysul and Hey Yo.
Robert Dunn, trainer of up and coming trotter Woodstone, could not be reached for confirmation though it is understood he is unlikely to go either.
Flying the flag will be the series’ top-ranked trotter, Speeding Spur, co-trainer Josh Dickie saying they are keen to go despite a travel hiccup.
A rule in the series conditions says any horse wanting to compete has to be in Victoria on the day the fields are declared for the first round of heats – next Monday.
“We were supposed to be flying over next Wednesday but have had to pull that forward to this Sunday.
“It’s a little bit annoying but we can’t do much about it.
“He arrived home yesterday (Sunday) and we’ll run some bloods and make sure everything is all good and get him through this week.
“We are pretty keen to get there as it’s a prestigious serious and I’m confident we will.”
Rounding out the New Zealand team will be the Phil Williamson-trained pair Monty Python and Alderbeck and Paul Nairn’s somewhat out-of-sorts mare, Wilma’s Mate.
Williamson said the green light had been given to both trotters on Monday afternoon.

[Flagship uberalles]

What a shame, always loved the  idoms growing up, I'm sure horses were subsidised back then to travel, poor stake for the trotters final as well $350000 less than the Pacers final, would love to see parity one day for both gaits! 

[Happy Sunrise]

35 minutes ago, Flagship uberalles said:

always loved the  idoms growing up

This was the saddest harness racing day of my life!

Aussies 1, 2 and 3.........Nooooooooooooooo!

[Flagship uberalles]

12 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

This was the saddest harness racing day of my life!

Aussies 1, 2 and 3.........Nooooooooooooooo!

4 years earlier I was 13 at alexandra park watching gammalite and popular alm battle out the finish of the final, great horses so didn't mind to much......old delightful lady 3rd

[Flagship uberalles]

[globederby12]

1 hour ago, Happy Sunrise said:

This was the saddest harness racing day of my life!

Aussies 1, 2 and 3.........Nooooooooooooooo!

From memory Lightning Blue hadnt even qualified with enough points for the final. Got in on a withdrawal (cant remember who it was ).

That rubbed salt into the wound. My fav Luxury Liner whom I backed that day was a bit disappointing.

[Happy Sunrise]

Looking at that field there were 5 Aussies in the final out of a field of 13. Now we might have one or two simply competing.

Bit sad.

[Newmarket]

29 minutes ago, globederby12 said:

From memory Lightning Blue hadnt even qualified with enough points for the final. Got in on a withdrawal (cant remember who it was ).

That rubbed salt into the wound. My fav Luxury Liner whom I backed that day was a bit disappointing.

Was it Bag Limit that was scratched? 

[Flagship uberalles]

20 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Was it Bag Limit that was scratched? 

Yes I think it was, he had won all his heats and got sick or broke down, Aussies had some crackers in the 80s

[globederby12]

2 minutes ago, Flagship uberalles said:

Yes I think it was, he had won all his heats and got sick or broke down, Aussies had some crackers in the 80s

Yeah remember now. He was running outwards towards the fence on a dicky leg in the last heat but still trounced them. 

Then he was withdrawn. Reon Murtha,s commentary went like this as they crossed the line."Australia 1,2,3"  Bastards, most disconcerting it was. 

[Flagship uberalles]

10 minutes ago, globederby12 said:

Yeah remember now. He was running outwards towards the fence on a dicky leg in the last heat but still trounced them. 

Then he was withdrawn. Reon Murtha,s commentary went like this as they crossed the line."Australia 1,2,3"  Bastards, most disconcerting it was. 

Pretty sure he never raced again after that...., 

[Harewood]

Where have all the good to great NZ horses gone. There will be none competing because they just are not good enough or tough enough to withstand 4 hard nights of racing. Cruz Bromac is Aussie so carnt be counted as he only came over for the cup meeting. Have all the good horses been sold to Aus as young horses with potential. Im sure half the final field will in fact be ex NZ horses sold while young. Is there any way we can hold onto potential champions. I think not while the Aussies have big money to spend 

[Harewood]

7 minutes ago, Harewood said:

Is there any way we can hold onto potential champions.

Heres one example just now. Ana Malak. Six starts in NZ for four wins. Just started at Pinjarra, WA and blitzed them. Watch it over the next couple of years go to the top. . 

[Happy Sunrise]

9 minutes ago, Harewood said:

Heres one example just now. Ana Malak.

It struck me during Cup Week that Ken Barron does not have a top liner going round. Hard to believe considering some of the very good intermediate horses he has had recently.

Does he have a policy of selling these good pacers for very good money after a few wins? Anyone know?

The open pacing ranks sure do miss the presence of his horses and training ability. He is a top liner in my book.

[Flagship uberalles]

Sorry to say Harewood, but not many holding on to the decent ones, such is the strangle hold on the big NZ races one stable has......the level just under top class never get the chance to develop over here as the money owners get from the u.s or Aussies is to good to refuse....and the Aussies have a knack of turning those horses into top liners eg Chicago bull.. Anna Malak will surely be a star in WA, Friday nights ordinary races worth $20,000 or so at Gloucester park...we are now just a nursery for the U.S and Australia.

[Happy Sunrise]

23 minutes ago, Harewood said:

Is there any way we can hold onto potential champions

I severely doubt it.

If Raukapuka Ruler can be sold for 80 000 in the form he is in then it is highly unlikely potential topliners can be held onto. There is no way Raukapuka Ruler would ever win 80 grand from this day on by racing in NZ. He has no chance against the AllStars so would be competing for crumbs. 

Unfortunately the same for 3 year olds etc. It is a brick wall.

I noticed during Cup Week that Tiger Tara has won $1.5 million while Locharburn has won only roughly $450 000 (admittedly he has been severely handicapped by injury) In my book, Locharburn was a better horse at 3 and would have been a better older horse too but I doubt he would have won as much as Tiger Tara if he had stayed in NZ and ended up racing against Lazarus and the Blue Army.

So if you have a promising horse it is sell sell sell..and who can blame them.

[globederby12]

21 minutes ago, Harewood said:

Heres one example just now. Ana Malak. Six starts in NZ for four wins. Just started at Pinjarra, WA and blitzed them. Watch it over the next couple of years go to the top. . 

Do you think Prestonpans will end up in Aussie. If so Im moving to Perth.

[Flagship uberalles]

1 minute ago, globederby12 said:

Do you think Prestonpans will end up in Aussie. If so Im moving to Perth.

I have no doubt he will ... imagine him racing on the smaller tracks over there, the way he fights they wouldn't get past....

[Happy Sunrise]

3 minutes ago, globederby12 said:

Do you think Prestonpans will end up in Aussie. If so Im moving to Perth.

and live off his winning divvies ?

[Harewood]

10 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Does he have a policy of selling these good pacers for very good money after a few wins? Anyone know?

Its surely up to the owners if they sell but he may well advise them to take the big money as he would do well out of it also. Hes getting on in years and may just enjoy training the young ones and as he sees it hard to get to the top pushes the sale while they are going well and worth something. Our loss Aussie gain.

[Harewood]

4 minutes ago, globederby12 said:

Do you think Prestonpans will end up in Aussie. If so Im moving to Perth.

In one word YES. Let me know when your going and well have a good night out again at GP. Im a starter. ?

[Harewood]

42 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Does he have a policy of selling these good pacers

Heres another one just won at pinjara. Bettor Aim, another of K Barrons. Had 4 starts as a 2yr old in NZ, now had five starts in WA for 5 wins.Definately has a Sell policy. see it was owned by P Larkin standardbreds so he knowns when to sell haha  We may win the ID yet.......by default.

[Happy Sunrise]

12 minutes ago, Harewood said:

Heres another one just won at pinjara. Bettor Aim, another of K Barrons. Had 4 starts as a 2yr old in NZ, now had five starts in WA for 5 wins.Definately has a Sell policy. see it was owned by P Larkin standardbreds so he knowns when to sell haha  We may win the ID yet.......by default.

He also had those GNP horses who showed plenty of talent. They were lost to Aussie as well.

[Harewood]

6 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

They were lost to Aussie as well

How many is G Hall going to take back with him. Already Major Trojan who I think will be a star  to the Hall camp and i would not be surprised if Aha Reaction who he drove on Fri at Ak ends up there. Very very impressive. 

[Newmarket]

21 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

He also had those GNP horses who showed plenty of talent. They were lost to Aussie as well.

Ken Barron has had a bit of a lean one the last few years. Might get his share of winners, but no top class runners like stars and stripes. Eastburn grant great trotter, always amazing it stayed trotting with its dodgy gait, and my old fav Tartan Clansman. I remember him losing a heap at the start at addington in the wet, yet still beating master musician. Yeah, i know lischner trained, but ken drove.