Haunui Farm Kings Plate Grp3 2026 - Alabama Lass throws the race.

[hesi]

Apologies changed my mind viewing the overhead she did start veering in 3-4 lengths before the rail changing colour

 

[Chief Stipe]

18 minutes ago, hesi said:

Apologies changed my mind viewing the overhead she did start veering in 3-4 lengths before the rail changing colour

 

Yes but where was she looking at that point?  Or rather how far ahead was she looking.

Horses don't run into things if they can see them.  Just to throw something else into the mix did you notice her trying to take a chunk out of the clerk of the course's horse?

She definitely isn't happy about something.  She chucked it in real quick in the Manikato and in the Railway - both Craig Williams rides.

[Chief Stipe]

Just another thought @hesi if you are running that close to the rail wouldn't it be prudent of the Jockey to hit the horse on the rail side?  

[curious]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Just another thought @hesi if you are running that close to the rail wouldn't it be prudent of the Jockey to hit the horse on the rail side?  

You mean like Craig Williams did in the Railway after she veered inwards from the left-handed strike?

[bono]

I have a screenshot that shows she's at least 3l from the colour change when she's on her way into the rail

 

[Chief Stipe]

47 minutes ago, bono said:

I have a screenshot that shows she's at least 3l from the colour change when she's on her way into the rail

 

Well done.  But where was she looking?

[curious]

27 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Well done.  But where was she looking?

Looking to see if she was going to get another left hander on the flank.

[billy connolly]

23 hours ago, hesi said:

viewing the overhead she did start veering in 3-4 lengths before the rail changing colour

Not dissimilar to steering a vehicle around a bend, you begin to do so well beforehand.

Similar also to jumpers having white painted sighter boards as a take-off point before a fence. Horses have nearly 360 degrees of peripheral vision but poor focus.

In my view advertising paraphernalia wrapped around the running rail was the sole reason for Alabama Lass detouring at the point where the rail colour changed from white to black, to which second-rate officials/stewards were oblivious.
 

[Chief Stipe]

21 hours ago, curious said:

Looking to see if she was going to get another left hander on the flank.

The Jockey should have right handed her.   I'd say Collett's post race anger was directed at herself.

[Chief Stipe]

31 minutes ago, billy connolly said:

In my view advertising paraphernalia wrapped around the running rail was the sole reason for Alabama Lass detouring at the point where the rail colour changed from white to black, to which second-rate officials/stewards were oblivious.

I'm not convinced it was the sole reason but agree it could have been a factor.

Horses see white exceptionally well.  Presumably running rails are white so horses can see them which begs the question - why change the colour for the last 100m to something harder for the horse to see?

No one can read the advertising on the rail anyway  unless you are the Jockey on their way going through it.

Perhaps the irony is it is so the Stipes know when to count the number of whip strikes in the last 100m!!!!

[hesi]

I note former and very experienced jockey Bob Vance supports the theory it was the colour change that caused the horse to shy

Edited Monday at 03:42 AM by hesi

[All The Aces]

On 3/7/2026 at 3:56 PM, hesi said:

Have a look at the video, was not in reaction to a whip strike.  Collet used the whip twice 20-30 m before she shied

Rubbish!!   Collett only ever hit her once and the horse reacted.

Collett carried the whip in her right hand and the only movement was when she gathered the reins and changed the whip to her left hand before the strike.   

Probably no need to use the whip either as she had Sweynesday covered. 

[curious]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

The Jockey should have right handed her.   I'd say Collett's post race anger was directed at herself.

Agree.

[Dark Beau]

On 7/03/2026 at 9:33 PM, The Centaur said:

She veered outwards late in the piece of last years Railway against Crocetti. 

Did she. How is that any more relevant than I bet on her?

[Dark Beau]

On 8/03/2026 at 4:30 PM, Chief Stipe said:

Just another thought @hesi if you are running that close to the rail wouldn't it be prudent of the Jockey to hit the horse on the rail side?  

Why?

[Dark Beau]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

The Jockey should have right handed her.   I'd say Collett's post race anger was directed at herself.

Strong possibility, but isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?

[Shab]

Nothing wrong with the ride. Good on TAB refunding bets with bonus money. Blame the clowns that covered up the rail for what happened 

[Murray Fish]

15 minutes ago, Shab said:

. Good on TAB refunding bets with bonus money

tick!

[curious]

Yes and she veered towards the rail, not shied away from it. She also tried to jump it which she hardly would have done if she couldn't see it.

In the Railway, she veered in when hit left handed and then out late when CW changed his stick over, didn't she?

[billy connolly]

49 minutes ago, curious said:

She also tried to jump it which she hardly would have done if she couldn't see it.

She hit rail before taking flight which is what most horses do when confronted with an unexpected obstacle.

You have no idea.

[Gammalite]

Wow . that was some crazy incident. don't see that sort of stuff everyday. 

I just watched it now after reading this thread. Why she did it is the quandary.

Personally having been in a few races , you do find the odd horse that will look for the 'quick way out'.  an exit to the track.

Several have veered out towards the exit gate if given the opportunity. You see the odd one do it at the gallops up the home straight , when they're off the bit and getting tired. 

Also the whip and yelling and noise are a way a jockey/driver scares the horse into 'keeping going' as always.

The combo of the Black rail looking a bit like an exit for her , and the fright from the Big whack from Sam look to of combined for this moment of near disaster.

Kudos to the Running rail crew / designer with the horse bouncing off and remaining fairly uninjured.

'Egmont Kowhai ' got 'impaled through the chest on the running rail at Alexandra Park one time (when they used to have a fixed running rail ) on Owen Purdon. about 100m out from the line,  just like Alabama lass too.

Was a very traumatic scene indeed   took them a long time to get her off. I think she recovered in the end after surgery.  there's an old photo somewhere I should try and find. 

 

[curious]

6 hours ago, billy connolly said:

She hit rail before taking flight which is what most horses do when confronted with an unexpected obstacle.

Good to see that you took my advice and can now tell which way she veered, though I'm afraid I can't see any unexpected obstacle that she was confronted with myself.

[Stagman]

Hi.

After watching the replay of the incident several times, I would agree with Bob Vance world class jockey in his day.

That black rail could be confusing for some horses; Alabama Lass would have seen the change coming up ahead and possibly thought the rail was ending and ducked inwards. 

I know that she was the only horse that did this last Saturday and, in my view, she didn't have another runner on her outer to keep her mind on the job.

Just my opinion doesn't mean I'm right and doesn't mean I'm wrong.

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, Stagman said:

I would agree with Bob Vance world class jockey in his day.

That black rail could be confusing for some horses; Alabama Lass would have seen the change coming up ahead and possibly thought the rail was ending and ducked inwards. 

The white rail would be quite distinct to a horse on any background except white of course.  Black not so much if the background is Green i.e. black rail with a grass background.

[Chief Stipe]

On 9/03/2026 at 8:14 PM, curious said:

She also tried to jump it which she hardly would have done if she couldn't see it.

Only after she touched it which would bring an instinctive reaction to jump it especially when it moved.

On 9/03/2026 at 8:14 PM, curious said:

In the Railway, she veered in when hit left handed and then out late when CW changed his stick over, didn't she?

Slightly.  She didn't budge an inch in the Moir.  But it does beg the question if your horse is hard up against the rail why would the Jockey hit it on the outside?