Chief Stipe Posted July 16 Author Share Posted July 16 41 minutes ago, Doomed said: 3 or 4 years ago I went to Wgtn Cup day and parked in the infield. When I crossed the track to get to the grandstand side I was amazed how rough the track was. We get quite a deceptive image on TV. Yep and they massage the colour as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 28 minutes ago, Pete Lane said: Totally agree. I'm not sure though that these people are very interested in the views of the hoi polloi. Hoi Polloi. Me? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 18 minutes ago, Freda said: Don't worry, these sites are read all right. Which makes it all the more disappointing that not one will condescend to come on and answer questions or at least put up a reasonable discourse. It shows a circling the wagons mentality. Which is very sad. The Alamo I suppose. Very sad state of affairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 4 hours ago, Pete Lane said: If you think anyone from NZTR actually looks at this site you're delusional. how would you know? you appear so bitter, why you need to visit here? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAB For Ever Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 4 hours ago, Bloke said: Showgate was a freak. In 1974 I witnessed her winning The Stewards (1200m) on the first day of the Cup meeting then an incredible win over 2,000m in the Canterbury Gold Cup on the second day and winning over 1600m in The Churchill Stakes on the last day. Jockeys didn't ride her, she carried them over the line. Agreed. But any theories how an ordinary Owner/trainer with his own ideas on training ,feeding , old-time remedies can produce other multi -winners. I can probably think of at least 10 of his other horses who won 5 races and 3 of those 10 races or more ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 8 minutes ago, TAB For Ever said: Agreed. But any theories how an ordinary Owner/trainer with his own ideas on training ,feeding , old-time remedies can produce other multi -winners. I can probably think of at least 10 of his other horses who won 5 races and 3 of those 10 races or more ! I would love you to remind us of some of those. Show Gate of course left Sporting Show and Every Show who both did well, may have even won close to 10 each. I don't think Show Queen won much but went on to become a good broodmare. He would also have won with several other Honey Crepes. A Gate Keeper did win the Timaru Cup the year before Show Gate, but I can't remember who trained it and can't remember its exact name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAB For Ever Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 7 minutes ago, Doomed said: I would love you to remind us of some of those. Show Gate of course left Sporting Show and Every Show who both did well, may have even won close to 10 each. I don't think Show Queen won much but went on to become a good broodmare. He would also have won with several other Honey Crepes. A Gate Keeper did win the Timaru Cup the year before Show Gate, but I can't remember who trained it and can't remember its exact name. Maybe you thinking of Show Keeper [fullbro to Showgate ]who won the Ashburton Cup fresh up ...2200m won by 5 l. My friend and flatmate who used to help out with the horses said he clocked the fastest 1000m gallop ever in his final gallop and Gordon said it could have won the Open sprint.A very good stayer Gordon engaged top apprentice Brent Thompson in Benson & Hedges and he got caught on fence till too late,...as favourite! You named Showgates 3 x foals above and the 2 x Honey Crepes won 10 races. Honey Crepe was a Dud. NZ Cup winner Middy [Messmate- Subtrist ] won about 20 races.A stallion who stripped his leg in Invercargill Cup. Sandy [Afghanistan- Subtrist] was a brilliant chestnut who got caught in fence,He could have been special too. Other nice winners were Minglow [Mum of Showgate who won first start at two then later open sprint at Trentham], Minglow also produced promising horses Going Some and Troilus , both ill-fated. Rose Gate[ Subtrist] won 4 or 5 bled and died in a race at Riccarton. Take Your Leave and Boy from Dundee were other good winners .A earlier good mare before Gatekeeper was Swan Queen and her foal Afghan Queen[Afghanistan] was a useful winner. A good winner early on was Cobble [The Cobbler] a fast grey filly who won a few at 2 and was 3rd in NZ Oaks .....he raced in yellow and white colours when GBT owned horses in partnership with a feed merchant Reeve .Cobble was a shy breeder with a cyst in oven but was served every year and eventually got a colt by Gatekeeper. Gordon never sold his horses but he gave the 4 yr old called Sports Gate to the farrier and wife [ BHarland] and they may have won a race and bred a couple to him.He may have given away Take Your Leave as well.He got embarrassed if his horses misbehaved at races ! In the early daysGordon trained at Wylies Crossing close to Mosgiel and he had an open handicapper called Woodcock.Prior to that he had a horse Master David who won as a jumper .He then bought the original Wingatui racecourse called Mosgiel Park. His horses were rarely boxed and in paddocks the size of Rugby field. Other winners he had were Double Gate , Rustic Gate,Big Ben and Tarata. The smart thing Gordon did was in late 50's he bought two nice yearlings at Trentham sale.He was a prolific reader of bloodlines and loved the Eulogy Family. His two yearlings were Minglow and Subtrist ,the latter a daughter of NZ Oaks winner Sublime. Il Tempo was also from that family.I think Gatekeeper was bought quite cheaply after only racing a few times.He had a sunken back so not a stunner but related to twice Melbourne Cup winner Rain Lover !. Minglow was a prolific breeder but her early two My Glow[ My Pal] and Desert Glow [Afghanistan] had blemishes and non-winners . I think I cover 10 who won at lest 5 x races ,all from memory so maybe a few more. But wait theres more ....Gates Ajar was a fast horse who won several races . Enjoy the read ! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAB For Ever Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 And another name emerged while asleep....Takings won a couple of races and had speed. It was named cos the Otago daily Times headlines the day after Annual A & P show was......Show gate takings up ! Add in Showgates 31 wins and the total wins were quite impressive. Of course that was in the days before Syndicates and expensive stallions and there were a lot of Owner/trainers of note. The Kurdistans ,Bellboroughs ,Gatekeepers ,Mellays etc produced some big winners and hardy horses ! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 16 hours ago, TAB For Ever said: Enjoy the read ! I did! Even if way off topic! Re Show Gate (who I got to see live a few times, like many others, especially the 3 wins at Cup Week, sadly on course as well for her last run), a comrade of mine brought into the family! If I'm correct, there is only one still alive racing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted July 17 Share Posted July 17 (edited) 52 minutes ago, Murray Fish said: I did! Even if way off topic! Re Show Gate (who I got to see live a few times, like many others, especially the 3 wins at Cup Week, sadly on course as well for her last run), a comrade of mine brought into the family! If I'm correct, there is only one still alive racing? Eulogy Show? I think there might be a few others, but nothing approaching her freakish ability. Edited July 17 by Freda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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