Rather Stupid? Opunake Cup

[The Centaur]

Rule One in Taranaki --You don't compete against Rugby. "I found that out when in a bar I cheered the Hamilton anti aparthied protesters when they occupied the Hamilton Rugby ground back in about 1982."

Ranfurly Shield is a big thing in Taranaki and on Saturday the challenge is held in Manaia near Opunake. So why the hell is the Opunake Cup held on the same day?

[Muzza]

32 minutes ago, The Centaur said:

Rule One in Taranaki --You don't compete against Rugby. "I found that out when in a bar I cheered the Hamilton anti aparthied protesters when they occupied the Hamilton Rugby ground back in about 1982."

Ranfurly Shield is a big thing in Taranaki and on Saturday the challenge is held in Manaia near Opunake. So why the hell is the Opunake Cup held on the same day?

The race date was probably finalised long before the rugby was. 

[PeterLambFan]

3 hours ago, Muzza said:

The race date was probably finalised long before the rugby was. 

Yip, rugby only announced in early March. 

[Huey]

Rather small field for the Cup and a few other races also.

[Chief Stipe]

20 minutes ago, Huey said:

Rather small field for the Cup and a few other races also.

Uh?!  11 horses and all with form.  A very very even field.  Good luck finding the winner!

[Doomed]

16 hours ago, The Centaur said:

Rule One in Taranaki --You don't compete against Rugby. "I found that out when in a bar I cheered the Hamilton anti aparthied protesters when they occupied the Hamilton Rugby ground back in about 1982."

Ranfurly Shield is a big thing in Taranaki and on Saturday the challenge is held in Manaia near Opunake. So why the hell is the Opunake Cup held on the same day?

To be honest I doubt that many people would even know the ranfurly shield is on, I certainly didn't. I didn't even know Taranaki held the shield. I presume it is Taranaki defending it? Who is challenging for it? Manaia sounds like a bit of a two horse hick town, so they can't be expecting a very big crowd.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

To be honest I doubt that many people would even know the ranfurly shield is on, I certainly didn't. I didn't even know Taranaki held the shield. I presume it is Taranaki defending it? Who is challenging for it? Manaia sounds like a bit of a two horse hick town, so they can't be expecting a very big crowd.

It's still a Pre-season game against Thames Valley for the Ranfurly Shield.

Their first NPC game for 2025 is not until 2 August.

Last year for the NPC they averaged 4,000 a game.  

I doubt it will make much difference to the numbers going to the races.

 

[The Centaur]

4 hours ago, Doomed said:

To be honest I doubt that many people would even know the ranfurly shield is on, I certainly didn't. I didn't even know Taranaki held the shield. I presume it is Taranaki defending it? Who is challenging for it? Manaia sounds like a bit of a two horse hick town, so they can't be expecting a very big crowd.

Having spoken to locals tied up with Hawera and Opunake they are pissed off at the conflict. The trip over to New Plymouth would have been a highlight but now they are  choosing to go to Manaia. I would say the ground will be sold out.

[Chief Stipe]

32 minutes ago, The Centaur said:

Having spoken to locals tied up with Hawera and Opunake they are pissed off at the conflict. The trip over to New Plymouth would have been a highlight but now they are  choosing to go to Manaia. I would say the ground will be sold out.

It is sold out but seriously why would anyone go watch Taranki pummel Thames Valley?!

The Hawera and Opunake folk wouldn't turn up to Pukekura Park anyway!

[Huey]

5 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Uh?!  11 horses and all with form.  A very very even field.  Good luck finding the winner!

Patterson trifecta , one of the three of his runners, thank me later. 

[Chief Stipe]

23 minutes ago, Huey said:

Patterson trifecta , one of the three of his runners, thank me later. 

Right so I need to choose 1 of his 3 but then I get the Trifecta?  Do I box the three?  

Are you in the same rest home as @TAB For Ever ?

[TAB For Ever]

10 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Right so I need to choose 1 of his 3 but then I get the Trifecta?  Do I box the three?  

Are you in the same rest home as @TAB For Ever ?

I guess Opunake is actually a place as Peter Snell ,my favourite Kiwi ,was apparently born there !

I'm in a home for the bewildered ,but Ducks are definitely not allowed here.

We do watch Trackside tho and I must say the synthetic racing is good watching  , I understand why so many big meetings around the world are held on all-weather tracks ! 

Our 'slow' syndicate horse ran a place today and it gives these plodders a chance to race and for the bettor IMO are easier to predict than the bog mud tracks !

[Huey]

8 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Right so I need to choose 1 of his 3 but then I get the Trifecta?  Do I box the three?  

Are you in the same rest home as @TAB For Ever ?

Box all 3 & back all 3 & you're a winner ,  you're of course already considered a winner to me!

[PeterLambFan]

On 7/17/2025 at 4:05 PM, The Centaur said:

Having spoken to locals tied up with Hawera and Opunake they are pissed off at the conflict. The trip over to New Plymouth would have been a highlight but now they are  choosing to go to Manaia. I would say the ground will be sold out.

Yeah it is sold out. 

[Bloke]

On 16/07/2025 at 7:27 PM, The Centaur said:

Rule One in Taranaki --You don't compete against Rugby. "I found that out when in a bar I cheered the Hamilton anti aparthied protesters when they occupied the Hamilton Rugby ground back in about 1982."

Ranfurly Shield is a big thing in Taranaki and on Saturday the challenge is held in Manaia near Opunake. So why the hell is the Opunake Cup held on the same day?

Earlier this season we had no one at Ellerslie for Group One racing while there was a sellout crowd across town of 25kplus watching Auckland FC. Maybe Ellerslie should have changed the date of their racing?

[Huey]

Lots of people will be watching on TV don't worry

[Tragedy Beat]

Why would anyone ever got to watch any race at New Plymouth?

[Doomed]

14 minutes ago, Tragedy Beat said:

Why would anyone ever got to watch any race at New Plymouth?

The day I have a bet at NP on a wet track is the day I give up punting as I will know I have lost all control.

[curious]

12 minutes ago, Doomed said:

The day I have a bet at NP on a wet track is the day I give up punting as I will know I have lost all control.

Great day for me there today. Backed a $10 winner and the jockey challenge winner for a tidy profit. Don't really care much about biases, tracks or whatever. There are always overs and winners.

[Doomed]

17 minutes ago, curious said:

Great day for me there today. Backed a $10 winner and the jockey challenge winner for a tidy profit. Don't really care much about biases, tracks or whatever. There are always overs and winners.

Certainly, if you know who's going to work to the front and lead all the way it is a great day out. I just don't follow NI racing enough these days to have all that knowledge.

[curious]

Just now, Doomed said:

Certainly, if you know who's going to work to the front and lead all the way it is a great day out. I just don't follow NI racing enough these days to have all that knowledge.

And I pay zero attention to it myself. Don't punt based on position in running or tempo.

[Shab]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

Certainly, if you know who's going to work to the front and lead all the way it is a great day out. I just don't follow NI racing enough these days to have all that knowledge.

Next time just use the speed maps at Racing and Sports site to identify the leaders and back those, You would have more than doubled your money collecting in races 2,5 and 7. I didn't win anything as I don't bet now its a monopoly.

[mikeynz]

On 7/17/2025 at 4:37 PM, Chief Stipe said:

It is sold out but seriously why would anyone go watch Taranki pummel Thames Valley?!

The Hawera and Opunake folk wouldn't turn up to Pukekura Park anyway!

97 0, that don't really achieve anything.

[Chief Stipe]

On 17/07/2025 at 4:57 PM, Huey said:

Patterson trifecta , one of the three of his runners, thank me later. 

Thank you not.

On 18/07/2025 at 1:53 AM, Huey said:

Box all 3 & back all 3 & you're a winner ,  you're of course already considered a winner to me!

Here endth @Huey 's days as a tipster.  

[The Centaur]

35 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

97 0, that don't really achieve anything.

H'mm.... got to admit this wasn't the Ranfurly Shield event I relate to. I went to the first challenge Taranaki had in 1957 against Golden Bay-Motueka which Taranaki won about 57 nil. Even for game like that there would have been almost 30,000 present with all the hoopla etc associated with it. In fact crowds up to in excess of 40,000 for other shield games were common.

Looking at the Manaia event on youtube was a bit depressing compared to the 1957-61 era. Of interest a lot of the players from that era ended up being keen racing owners e.g. Neil Wolfe, Ross Brown etc.