Going back in time.

[Gammalite]

2 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

Does Harness Racing reach such heights these days?

Well ...ummmm .....aaaaahhhh    no?

I had tickled neck for those races . Crashed my bike into a car trying to rush home to see the 80' NZ Cup with Lord Module. Very unlikely to crash anything to get home to see Self Assured hehehehehe

[mikeynz]

I think the old C1 and C6 systems they had were much simpler and open class was 10 wins but I do agree that horse need relief if they struggle in a certain class

[Gammalite]

4 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

I think the old C1 and C6 systems they had were much simpler and open class was 10 wins but I do agree that horse need relief if they struggle in a certain class

Someone like Hilarious Guest and Peter Jones were taking on OPen class as a three year old so that was a BIG ask.

causes them to burn out chasing the hard fast ones before they are ready for that sort of task.

 

[Richie]

8 hours ago, mikeynz said:

Then Luner Chance from Gore followed by Sapling Gore,Trusty Scot,Wyndham,Trevira,Winton,they just kept coming,now even the tracks are dissapearing,strange but true.

Trevira was a real favourite of mine.I was only a young teenager and Dad would let me spend a dollar a week.Always backed Trevira for a place if it was racing.I managed to save up enough to buy all brand new cricket gear 

[mikeynz]

25 minutes ago, Richie said:

Trevira was a real favourite of mine.I was only a young teenager and Dad would let me spend a dollar a week.Always backed Trevira for a place if it was racing.I managed to save up enough to buy all brand new cricket gear 

And that's why racing and betting has issues today,those few dollars you won would buy ya racebook a pie and drink and gave change over,now days nothing,have we progressed as a society?

[Karrots]

11 hours ago, Gammalite said:

There is hope though! horses like AMERICAN DEALER always give their best 

 

I saw on box-seat recently they DNA tested him, as they thought he could of been a Sweet Lou. Funnily enough I had been thinking that exact same thing too. So good they did the test, to confirm, nope he is an American Ideal. 

His 1/2 sis by Sweet Lou - Sweet Maddison goes nicely too won 8 from 16. 

The dam I see is Maddisons Delight, the 2 are her only of racing age so far, so another nice dam 👌

Anyway back to your talk, I'm getting a harness history mini lesson 😄

[hunterthepunter]

2 hours ago, Richie said:

Trevira was a real favourite of mine.I was only a young teenager and Dad would let me spend a dollar a week.Always backed Trevira for a place if it was racing.I managed to save up enough to buy all brand new cricket gear 

was nookie bear your favourite trotter back in the day day?

[mikeynz]

I do believe that when we compare say harness racing from mid 70s to today I think more than ever it has some real big issues facing it and there are questions over if I can climb back up again

Alexandra Park struggling to get enough horses to run a proper meeting.

No grass racing in the north,very popular in Canterbury

Almost complete shutdown in north south of Cambridge

An increase in average meeting,a big decrease in top meetings.

Almost was a shutdown in courses from Oamaru to Winton.just as well Forbury got reinstated

A congested calandar meaning some clubs (Forbury)is one specific end up running very ho hum days.

Even some of the programming is odd,do Motukarara need a rating 55 cup race at same time as Westport race rating55 cup(note size of coast main races last few years)

Even no Saturday night meetings,these would be a good idea possibly in summer,why 2 on friday night is not helping each other.

Even the ratings are all over the place,maybe instead of a variance from rating 40 to 130 or whatever maybe a tighter system and maybe less penalty points for winning at lesser meetings,(they may have that now)the c1 c2 system worked fine but had only one flaw and that strugglers got no relief so they reached their mark and either sold or gaveup

Do they need metro meetings on Sundays?that domain should be for country areas,even Forbury if they are still going should get sunday meetings in winter instead of Addington

Plenty to ponder moving forward but the best way to start moving forward is to stop going backwards

[Rangatira]

14 hours ago, Gammalite said:

Yeah pacers like Hands Down would go to Forbury , very good quality,

his least favorite track by a good margin lol

[mikeynz]

Gee just checked Cambridge results,same stakes same size fields as Forbury,it is what is but I didn't realise Lionel Messi was at Cambridge last night,could have been a promoters dream,to the uneducated.

[Gammalite]

45 minutes ago, Rangatira said:

his least favorite track by a good margin lol

I can still hear the race callers words now. "Hands Down !  He's down alright!"  as he flipped over.

[Gammalite]

44 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

I can still hear the race callers words now. "Hands Down !  He's down alright!"  as he flipped over.

Karrots , to fill you in Hands Down was a rogue in early starts of his career . His First 5 starts he was very heavily supported across all of NZ but failed with bad manners every time. Crashed to the track at Forbury even. oh dear.

BUT in the most incredible rise through the grades ever seen, The amazing Trainer, the late Derek Jones MNZM took him through the grades with 10 wins at a rate only the Space shuttle could beat. 

Low class performer Easter 1980 then Open class by August.!!   amazing , a quick spell and a FLOP at Forbury again which had people wondering about NZ Cup dream. But in one of the most Sensational wins ever , HANDS DOWN , came again after the Queen of the north Delightful Lady had headed him off , and he won the CUP in 4.07. 

and then for 'creme on the cake' , 3 days later he won the NZ FFA as well beating Lord Module. Well done Derek ! 

[Forbury]

14 hours ago, mikeynz said:

Does Harness Racing reach such heights these days?

In NZ no.i see the down fall to bad management bad stewards bad riu and bad tab then came the ratings which destroyed everything and resulted in the biggest mass selling of horses overseas.on the other hand the bred of standard bred has improved heaps making comparisons impossible.the Pacers and trotters are alot faster now than back in the day.the horses these days are not as genuine as they used to be.laz cannot be mentioned in same breath as previous champs as he failed big time many times when he should of won or run to his best.he could not even run past lennytheshark with dream run in mircale mile

 

[Karrots]

28 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

Karrots , to fill you in Hands Down was a rogue in early starts of his career . His First 5 starts he was very heavily supported across all of NZ but failed with bad manners every time. Crashed to the track at Forbury even. oh dear.

BUT in the most incredible rise through the grades ever seen, The amazing Trainer, the late Derek Jones MNZM took him through the grades with 10 wins at a rate only the Space shuttle could beat. 

Low class performer Easter 1980 then Open class by August.!!   amazing , a quick spell and a FLOP at Forbury again which had people wondering about NZ Cup dream. But in one of the most Sensational wins ever , HANDS DOWN , came again after the Queen of the north Delightful Lady had headed him off , and he won the CUP in 4.07. 

and then for 'creme on the cake' , 3 days later he won the NZ FFA as well beating Lord Module. Well done Derek ! 

Nice one. Thanks for that Gamms.

Oh I thought of something I could contribute here. Going back in time, when I was young I can remember this tongue twister 

One one was a race horse, two two was one two, one one won one race one day and two two won one too 🤗

 

 

[Rangatira]

1 hour ago, Karrots said:

Nice one. Thanks for that Gamms.

Oh I thought of something I could contribute here. Going back in time, when I was young I can remember this tongue twister 

One one was a race horse, two two was one two, one one won one race one day and two two won one too 🤗

 

 

tongue twister was a handy type for malcolm gillam

[Davis]

5 hours ago, Gammalite said:

Karrots , to fill you in Hands Down was a rogue in early starts of his career . His First 5 starts he was very heavily supported across all of NZ but failed with bad manners every time. Crashed to the track at Forbury even. oh dear.

BUT in the most incredible rise through the grades ever seen, The amazing Trainer, the late Derek Jones MNZM took him through the grades with 10 wins at a rate only the Space shuttle could beat. 

Low class performer Easter 1980 then Open class by August.!!   amazing , a quick spell and a FLOP at Forbury again which had people wondering about NZ Cup dream. But in one of the most Sensational wins ever , HANDS DOWN , came again after the Queen of the north Delightful Lady had headed him off , and he won the CUP in 4.07. 

and then for 'creme on the cake' , 3 days later he won the NZ FFA as well beating Lord Module. Well done Derek ! 

Thanks for the memories

Certainly many good horses and trainers around back then... O'Reilly jun, Smolenski, Carmichael, Skinner and Devery (Southland), Nyhan, Derek Jones, Ian Cameron, P O'Reilly sen, C Middleton, Lowe, Bill McDonald, Brosnan, de Filippi, R. Cameron, R Purdon... endless list

[globederby12]

22 hours ago, Gammalite said:

80' NZ Cup with Lord Module.

1979 Cup.

[Gammalite]

7 minutes ago, globederby12 said:

1979 Cup.

Thanks Globe !!  yeah I suddenly realised that was Lord Module's year when talking about the fantastic NZ Cup win today by Hands Down in 1980.

Congrat's on big win today By Dark Horse !!  (and also the amazing run by MMan) last week , just loved that drive as made the winner run a national record to beat him I think the commentator said. Gave it everything.

[globederby12]

23 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

Thanks Globe !!  yeah I suddenly realised that was Lord Module's year when talking about the fantastic NZ Cup win today by Hands Down in 1980.

Congrat's on big win today By Dark Horse !!  (and also the amazing run by MMan) last week , just loved that drive as made the winner run a national record to beat him I think the commentator said. Gave it everything.

Blitzed them today. Now they might sit up and take notice and stop regarding her as only a Southland grade horse. And equalled the NZ mares record as well. If only she had gotten away in the Dominion safely.