When and how did you get involved in the game?

[mikeynz]

32 minutes ago, Doomed said:

I was there for Lord Module's Allan Matson. World record at the time wasn't it? Just look at the depth in that field. When would be the last time we saw a field with that much depth. Superior Chance was a free legged pacer wasn't he? Something else I don't think we see any more. A pity we no longer use the historical names for some of the long established races.

My own favourite horse of that era was Locarno; a very flashy animal.

We were lucky to be at Addington in the late 70s and 80s. No Response's Interdominion, Scotch Tar racing against the pacers. Matai Dreamer a briliant horse we probably never saw the best of.

You do wonder where it all went wrong.

Strange irony Southland only had a 6 or 7 month season, never stopped them producing a long line of top liners.

Now they race most of the year yet real top liners are few and far between.

Trevira and earlier Hi Foyle were two just a bit unlucky to strike one or two better at their time.

Mid seventies I got interested , those Forbury meetings leading up to Cup time were big events, even the North Islanders turned up now and then, look at things now, you do wonder where it went wrong, and it will keep changing, nothing stays the same.

[Walt]

8 hours ago, mikeynz said:

Strange irony Southland only had a 6 or 7 month season, never stopped them producing a long line of top liners.

Now they race most of the year yet real top liners are few and far between.

Trevira and earlier Hi Foyle were two just a bit unlucky to strike one or two better at their time.

Mid seventies I got interested , those Forbury meetings leading up to Cup time were big events, even the North Islanders turned up now and then, look at things now, you do wonder where it went wrong, and it will keep changing, nothing stays the same.

I remember Hi Foyle well. He was a beauty in the early to mid 1970's. Henry Skinner would usually drive him Raced against horses like Robalan, Speedy Guest and Young Quinn etc. Trevira was another beauty a couple of years later racing against other top liners like Hands Down and Bonnie's Chance. 

I also remember the big nights at Forbury Park.

Not sure where and why it all went wrong but maybe horses like Trevira tell a story. He like so many of our decent horses was sold to the United States as a 9 year old. The money on offer was too good to compare with what he'd earn in NZ and maybe the connections knew he'd would likely not often beat Hands Down and co. I have no idea what Trevira did over there but he was a horse you can remember from 40 years ago taken off your radar.

I think it's a big mistake to stop racing at provincial venues in favour of the bigger city tracks. I always enjoyed harness racing at Victoria Park on the West Coast for example but now that's in the history books. If you take away easy access to harness racing for people eventually they will find other things to do with their time. I got involved in horse ownership for my love of the game after attending many race meetings and wanting to be part of that excitement. I think we also have more demands on our time these days. Race meetings usually last 5 hours. The average race takes around 3 minutes. That's 30 minutes entertainment and 4 and a half hours waiting around.

Not sure what the answer is but it does feel like we've been heading in the wrong direction for a while. 

[mikeynz]

19 minutes ago, Walt said:

I remember Hi Foyle well. He was a beauty in the early to mid 1970's. Henry Skinner would usually drive him Raced against horses like Robalan, Speedy Guest and Young Quinn etc. Trevira was another beauty a couple of years later racing against other top liners like Hands Down and Bonnie's Chance. 

I also remember the big nights at Forbury Park.

Not sure where and why it all went wrong but maybe horses like Trevira tell a story. He like so many of our decent horses was sold to the United States as a 9 year old. The money on offer was too good to compare with what he'd earn in NZ and maybe the connections knew he'd would likely not often beat Hands Down and co. I have no idea what Trevira did over there but he was a horse you can remember from 40 years ago taken off your radar.

I think it's a big mistake to stop racing at provincial venues in favour of the bigger city tracks. I always enjoyed harness racing at Victoria Park on the West Coast for example but now that's in the history books. 

Apparently, Victoria Park sits doing nothing, Forbury is too at present.

Trevira had reached his mark in NZ,under todays handicapping would have slipped down the ratings, they were selling them and they are selling them still.

The sapere report that was done in to Otago and Southland  showed the stats, only half the trainers, horses etc from 25 years ago, highley unlikely to get better, Forbury just started running a lot of below average meetings,strangely Auckland are following this model, even increasing thursday meetings, Forbury probably proves quality over quantity, 10 meetings of good quality better than 20 of no quality.

Its easy to rave about the deeds of some of todays drivers,the name Williamson springs to mind but opportuneties are greater and the competition less in many cases. As i write half an hour to go in the soccer and as NZ are a goal down and dont score often it aint looking good but miracles can happen, NZ need one.

[the galah]

10 hours ago, Walt said:

I remember Hi Foyle well. He was a beauty in the early to mid 1970's. Henry Skinner would usually drive him Raced against horses like Robalan, Speedy Guest and Young Quinn etc. Trevira was another beauty a couple of years later racing against other top liners like Hands Down and Bonnie's Chance. 

 

Paul gallagher used to train and sometimes drive hi foyle,not that i ever saw that myself.

I was speaking to paul one day and he told me a story that i may have told previously, not sure,but its worth repeating and its a true story.

He told me about the day a horse he trained managed to be first past the post at hawera, while still wearing its blue cover. I have seen the photo. It finished a neck in front, apparently coming with a fast finish through the centre. Now your probably thinking how did that happen?

Well paul told me he had a small team competing at the hawera meeting and after one of them had raced he put it in a paddock near the bend out of the straight,where other horses were also in paddocks. Then he went and saw some friends and together they watched the next race.Well as they went down the back straight the last time a friend yelled out,look theres a horse following the field. Well paul said he looked ,and to his dismay,he saw the horse had a blue cover on. He immediately knew it was his as he had recently bought his horse a cover,and unlike everyone elses who had green covers,it was blue.He realised it must have jumped the fence where he had put it. So the horse came through the field and crossed the line  a neck in front of the rest. As i said,i have seen the photo,which was published in the newspaper..

Another story was one told to me by my uncle.He had worked for  pauls father who was a top trainer going back a few decades. Anyway,they often started horses twice in a day back then. The horse in question,broke and took no part in its first run on the day,so  p gallagher senior didn't bother following the field round given he was so far back,and just waited at the top of the straight, then when the field went past on its final lap just followed them to the finish. Well the owner came round after the race and told everyone what a wonderful race his horse had run as it had made up so much ground after being  miles behind them after the start.Apparently no one said anything to the owner,and just thought it very funny. Well low and behold,the horse came out and won at its second run on the day,paying a decent dividend,and the owner came round after and gave out slings as he had punted it and couldn't see it beaten after its earlier run.

Edited June 15, 2022 by the galah

[Davis]

22 hours ago, Richie said:

I think Gerard O'Reilly won his first race at Motukarara.Must have been about 1982 I think as I had just left school .I remember it because Dad made a small fortune off it.Pretty sure it was trained by his Dad

Correct, the filly was trained by Patrick O'Reilly, driven by Gerard O'Reilly, all-weather track, Motukarara, not sure of year.

[hunterthepunter]

3 hours ago, the galah said:

Paul gallagher used to train 

just down the road from you lol