Happy Sunrise Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Flying Home: Commentators: Still think we are blessed with commentators. Young Trainers: Quite a few have really come on in recent times, no more than Mitchell Kerr but there are a few who are generating interest which is great for the game. Female Influence: Great to see the rise of females in the junior ranks and the odd one popping up in the training ranks. Animal Welfare: Ballsy to put up here but the game has been pretty well behaved this year. The 10 whip rule is frustrating but it has a moral purpose so I can live with it. Just hope SAFE can too. Stuck on the Rails: The Messara Report: Doubt it will see daylight soon. The swiftness of its birth will be nothing like its growing pains which could be bloody slow and weighty on the industry. Purdon Dominance: Not a fan, but still great that they set the standard and they do have some mighty horses which the industry needs but still not sure of the long term effects. They should go to North America next...come on..have a go. TAB Betting Restrictions: 6 back on the rails and not going to see daylight anytime soon. It is what it is. Standing Starts: Someone in power needs to sort this out once and for all. What is philosophy? Walking up or Standing? Drifting at the 400m mark The Box Seat: A 2 man show is just not worth the effort. The love-in doesn't work and it doesn't even get into the nitty gritty. Flicked through it a week or two ago to see if they would bring up the stipes performance over Mr Yips. Nothing. If you aren't going to be controversial or investigative then don't bother wasting money on the show. Bring in Garrick Knight, Matt Markham and the Whale and let the sparks fly with Guerin ? The NZ Cup: Could sink into oblivion as a race the way things are going. There are going to be years when the field is not going to full or just full of All Stars and no one else and it will be a blight on Cup Week. TAB Int'l Live: Get rid of this rubbish from our screens. No one should be enticed to bet on Santa Nita or wherever galloping rubbish in the mornings. Focus on your local market. At the Nominations Stage Race Fixing Inquiry: The category from hell for the harness game. Everybody seems to have an opinion, most seem pulled from thin air or said in hope Seems like it has only just started too. Some nominated may not make the start line for this potentially brutal 2 mile race on a wet grass track but quite a few may have no hope of winning the race and some may never race again. Who knows, but 2019 will not be a quiet year in harness racing. Hope it somehow benefits the industry in the long term. 4 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backondryland Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 Great summary Happy. Just on international racing, am all in favour of broadcasting Breeders Cup from Santa Anita or Gr 1 racing from Japan etc but all the other wall to wall claimers and dirt racing is really one step from showing automated graphics we can bet on. Less is more is not a philosophy the TAB is embracing 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 1 hour ago, Backondryland said: really one step from showing automated graphics we can bet on anyone want to predict when the TAB offers that? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backondryland Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 It's in Australia Happy https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/9972132?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ==#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From %1%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2018-07-11%2Fvirtual-horse-race-gambling-considered-for-wa-in-tab-sale%2F9972132 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 14 minutes ago, Backondryland said: It's in Australia Cheap, easy, lifeless and destructive. Might as well close the curtains and stay in the house all day....oh that already happens with the younger generation. Fun times ahead. Maybe some of will say in the future that we lived in the 'golden age' which was the time before technology took over absolutely everything. 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 (edited) Happy, some of your very best work! You covered most of the important topics nicely! Wont comment at this stage as most people know the Brodsters opinion on most of your topics! Your posting of topics to BOAY since you have been on has been inspirational! The Darksides loss definitely, and they could do with you over there, before it folds! Happy New Year to everyone including the TAB who I give a lasting to from time to time, rightly deserved though!!!! Edited December 30, 2018 by Brodie 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share Posted December 31, 2018 Watching bits of Auckland last night reminded me of how remiss I was to leave out the state of Northern harness in my brief review. The redevelopment of Auckland has had a few hiccups hasn't it. Whether it will turn around harness racing in the north will take time but it really needs to kick in soon as the fields are tiny and reliant on trotters. When the All Star army descend on Auckland and take most of the spoils ( just like Mr House in Palmy) it must annoy the 'locals' How can it not? The north doesn't seem to have the depth of trainers or drivers coming through (though stand to be corrected) and the cost of setting up anywhere near Auckland is just the same as any regular joe with a job. Frightening. Get that mass training complex built somewhere in striking distance of Auckland and Cambridge and go from there... Where is northern harness?....4 back on the outside with a lap to go....will they go up to sit park and brave it or will they be left last at the 800m when they are running home in 54...at least the field is likely to be small at Alex Park so not too bad lol ? Stand to be corrected by any knowledgeable northern boys on here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 Harness in the North is pretty well stuffed and the junior rank no.s are minimal which means there are fewer and fewer young ones wanting to try and make a living out of harness racing! They would struggle to fill junior races if it wasn’t from former Southaisland Juniors now working up there e.g. Luke Whittaker, Craig Smith etc. Stakes are good up in Auckland but then the training costs are much higher. Hopefully it will be stimulated by the apartment sales but I wouldn’t be betting on it as the old owners and trainers move on and aren’t replaced by any new Blood! The plu dering o group races in Auckland is also a huge negative for anyvowner up there knowing they won’t get any return on their dollar! Negative but true facts! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 I agree with your comments regarding the box seat happy. When they did not mention the mr yips incident it again just showed they don't want to upset anyone,. They are not about going near anything controversial if it involves any criticism of their mates. Maybe that's just human nature or maybe its just a bit weak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, the galah said: Maybe that's just human nature or maybe its just a bit weak. I will go with the latter. Human nature not to be controversial....everyone loves a good bitch now and then ? By not addressing issues of importance (or otherwise) it is just perpetuating the long held conservatism and she'll be right attitude that easily pervades. In the long run it does no good for anyone or anything. If one looks at an issue and worries about it being 'personal' then one has it all wrong. Mr Yips was all about the 'rule' By avoiding it, it becomes personal because it is seem as saving your mates or bosses bacon. Edited January 1, 2019 by Happy Sunrise Mrs Happy putting me off while on BOAY. She like a stipe... 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kakama Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Nice summary Happy....sadly, 2018 will probably be best remembered for all the wrong reasons....who knows what will come out in 2019. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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