Taku Umanga Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Seen it happen at Manawatu, but this is the first time that I can recall the non-win pacers needing the support of the lower rated winners to make up a field at Alexandra Park. What a sad state of affairs we have in the North at the moment! Race 2 [6:09pm] ALABAR MOBILE PACE $14,500, NON-WINNERS & UP TO R51 WITH COND., 2200m Racebook Gear Preferential Grid For 3 yrs & older pacers with no wins for lifetime. Also R40 to R51 horses with winning stakes up to and including $8800 for lifetime. Preferential Barrier Draw Based on: Winning Stakes using the track grid. In addition to the programmed winning stake the HRNZ $1,500 non-winners first totalisator winning stake enhancement will be paid. Book Form Age Sex Name Rating Draw Hdcp Driver Trainer 1 3 f Letherhairdown MR50 1 Front Sailesh Abernethy Miss A M Matthews 2 5782 3 g Sheffield Sparky MR48 2 Front Derek Balle D M Balle 3 3320 3 g Phil Bromac MR49 3 Front David Butcher R W Green 4 34369X 4 g Just Wing It MR48 4 Front R W Green 5 3095X8 3 g Pekeson MR47 5 Front Todd Macfarlane D W & Mrs C McGowan 6 789010 4 g Xmas Bay R47 6 Front Maurice McKendry M J House 7 X00255 4 m Motu Little Princess R50 7 Front Andre Poutama C C Sharpe 8 193956 3 g Peter Forsberg R50 8 Front Jay Abernethy J H Abernethy ---------------------------- Second Line ---------------------------- 9 88X285 7 m Lady Santanna R40 9 Front Rhys Fensom Mrs P N Fensom 10 319X97 5 g Better Than Most R51 10 Front M H Salaivao 11 626433 5 g Bugalugs R46 11 Front Peter Ferguson C F Webber 12 264629 6 g El Capitan R44 12 Front Ms C M Wigg Edited February 18, 2019 by Taku Umanga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boobybec Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 $14,500 is good money for a maiden race too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Taku Umanga said: What a sad state of affairs we have in the North at the moment! Well identified, Taku. A ten point spread in a banding that should have the strongest rating depth in harness.... how scary is this? And the irony of this weak field is the stake is 14 500 which is great for a horse like Xmas Bay and its owners. However, that is what the open class pacers race for in September and October. Best deal in harness is to snag a good horse, get a few wins at Alexandra Park and then on sell for good money. Are either of these things good? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Alexandra park is showing positive leadership in programming races like this. For too long this club has failed to utilize a pool of horses who would rather race at other venues for lesser money than run in events where they are non competitive. Criticizing the programming of a race which attracts a good size field of similar ability horses,which should make for a good betting race, is not warranted in my opinion. Edited February 18, 2019 by the galah 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 7 minutes ago, the galah said: Criticizing the programming of a race which attracts a good size field of similar ability horses,which should make for a good betting race, is not warranted in my opinion. But is it a sad state of affairs as TU says? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said: But is it a sad state of affairs as TU says? No. In my opinion they should have been doing this long ago. Some of the non winners look to be the better chances in my opinion. Edited February 18, 2019 by the galah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taku Umanga Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, the galah said: Alexandra park is showing positive leadership in programming races like this. For too long this club has failed to utilize a pool of horses who would rather race at other venues for lesser money than run in events where they are non competitive. Criticizing the programming of a race which attracts a good size field of similar ability horses,which should make for a good betting race, is not warranted in my opinion. The meeting was not programmed this way - there were just not enough non-win pacers nominated. That being the case, the non-win pace should've been scrapped and the battlers allowed to race against their ilk - there were enough noms to do this, albeit the club would have had to drop one race. You are speaking from the punters viewpoint which is fair enough - mine is from an owners. It will be interesting to hear comments from the trainers of the non-winners in this race - I remember the outcry when the older trotters were first included in the non-win trots to enable them to get off the ground? Edited February 18, 2019 by Taku Umanga 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagship uberalles Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I can never remember harness racing in Auckland ever being this weak.... especially this time of the year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Taku Umanga said: The meeting was not programmed this way - there were just not enough non-win pacers nominated. That being the case, the non-win pace should've been scrapped and the battlers allowed to race against their ilk - there were enough noms to do this, albeit the club would have had to drop one race. You are speaking from the punters viewpoint which is fair enough - mine is from an owners. It will be interesting to hear comments from the trainers of the non-winners in this race - I remember the outcry when the older trotters were first included in the non-win trots to enable them to get off the ground? If I am reading it right as to what you are saying. You think those that would have had their race scrapped due to insufficient numbers, now actually have a race,but may not be happy as they have to race against horses who have won previously, albeit those winners probably are horses of less ability than theirs? I cant see why the non winners would be upset,but if they are they can always scratch and get a vet to write a vet certificate for some non existent problem that will disappear by nomination time next week, like seems to happen so often. Edited February 18, 2019 by the galah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taku Umanga Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, the galah said: You think those that would have had their race scrapped due to insufficient numbers, now actually have a race,but may not be happy as they have to race against horses who have won previously, albeit those winners probably are horses of less ability than theirs? I said exactly the same to the trainers of maiden trotters that got upset when the winners were added to make up their fields ..... and got the "it's not fair on inexperienced horses" line. Guarantee there will be a trainer or two here that think that. In fact, one of those grumpy trainers has a winning pacer in the field above - I wonder if it'll be scratched because his being in there is not fair on inexperienced horses ..... yeah right. Edited February 18, 2019 by Taku Umanga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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