What was the horse or race etc that got you started?

[Brodie]

4 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

Putting the radio against a 8 wire fence often would improve the signal.

That guy calling the trials at Winton, very enthusiastic, spose ya got to love him for that.

Yep, enthusiasm in spades!

3 horse trial and its like the NZ Cup!

 

[mikeynz]

So I'm not the not the only one who's  noticed ?

[Shad]

1 hour ago, Walt said:

 

My pet hate was always the lack of information on Enquiries. You won the race but the funds didn't go into your account. Eventually you'd find out there was an enquiry but they would never tell you what it was about. It may be about your winning bet. It may be fourth against third. 

Radio Pacific was like Christmas morning when they arrived. Couldn't believe we could not only hear the races we were betting on but would hear the results promptly. 

Action TV made every day like Christmas morning for punters. They have been a long overdue Godsend for everyone involved but they stopped evolving and went backward instead of forward. Having studio presenters straight out of school with no history in the game advising seasoned punters what to do and what was unfolding resulted in the mute button being constantly used. Then we get seasoned presenters that added to the experience but they had to tow the Trackside narrative so an own goal resulted. 

The push for quantity of quality resulted in wonderful and or exciting features of a race being lost in the rush to get over to the Bendigo dogs and watch a greyhound take a dump prior to going into the boxes. Sadly, Trackside has gone backwards in many ways but is still light years better than listening to regional radio stations for racing coverage.

TV coverage of racing was huge as was the introduction of sports betting. A game changer for me was also when you could put your bet on right up until the jump. I remember having to get to the TAB an hour+ before the race started. Memory fading but I think it was an hour before the race for win and place betting and an hour and ten minutes for doubles. 

 

Also a shame these days we miss the judges call on a tight photo finish, as you say they rush off to a hound race in timbuktu, also the delay in posting results, the fixed odds also a gripe with me, leave your bet till the very last on a roughie, only see the odds balloon out after race closes, and you've never had a chance to lock in the better deal, with tech these days it should be a given, the pools must have alot of late money going in after race closes, bring back the memories of the old balloon, to signal tote closure.😊

[Walt]

32 minutes ago, Shad said:

Also a shame these days we miss the judges call on a tight photo finish, as you say they rush off to a hound race in timbuktu, also the delay in posting results, the fixed odds also a gripe with me, leave your bet till the very last on a roughie, only see the odds balloon out after race closes, and you've never had a chance to lock in the better deal, with tech these days it should be a given, the pools must have alot of late money going in after race closes, bring back the memories of the old balloon, to signal tote closure.😊

Same page there Shad.

Having said that, the late money was an issue back in the day also. I repeat a story of a Colin DeFilippi horse he had at the Nelson trots in the mid / late 1970's. It was called Zarzuella. It won on the first day and went up a grade for the last race on the second day. It was paying $12 and I had $100 to win. That $1200 would have put me up for the day as I was about $500 down. The race started and was still paying $12. Half way through the 2400 metre, I looked at the tote board and was now paying $7.  Won the race and went to collect. Had never seen so many people wearing Members and Life members badges. 

Dividends were read out over the P.A...Zarzuella paid $3 to win. Looked down at the Race name....Life Members Handicap

These days many punters use the late movers as a very reliable betting guide. If a horse get's the blows that's invariably also a reliable betting guide of "not today".

[Walt]

1 hour ago, Brodie said:

Yep, enthusiasm in spades!

3 horse trial and its like the NZ Cup!

 

Unsure if it's the same guy but there is one trials caller from deep South who is a shocker. Sounds like a very elderly chap looking out of the rest home window. Often misses things unfolding in the race even when there are only three or four starters.

Then they turn for home and head for the "money line"....what far king money line? It's a trial ffs! then they get to the finish and bla bla "gets the chocolates".....what far king chocolates are these? haha

[Mardy]

Much like everyone else,i remember hearing dad listen to the races  on the radio when i was just a kid,and of course going to the races with dad when we lived in Christchurch,i never ever got sick of listening to them.Think my first memory is hearing the battles between Starship and Tuapeka Knight,which TK normally won those battles. The first horse i fell inlove with was the great Blossom Lady,i was around 16 when she won the Cup,and i'd slowly start punting by then,thanks to dad putting on my bets for me with my pocket money.And as i've got older my love for the game has continued.Currently own a couple of pacers and also a few gallopers as well,but harness racing is where my heart is,i even spent around 12 months as  a stablehand here in Blenheim when i was around 18years old.At times i think i'm the best punter in the world and other times think i'm the worst.But i'll always be involved in the game,well until i lose my mind and i forget what a horse is or how to punt.

[Special Agent]

Trackside is going to be interesting to see what emphasis Dean and his boys put on it.

[Shad]

5 hours ago, Mardy said:

Much like everyone else,i remember hearing dad listen to the races  on the radio when i was just a kid,and of course going to the races with dad when we lived in Christchurch,i never ever got sick of listening to them.Think my first memory is hearing the battles between Starship and Tuapeka Knight,which TK normally won those battles. The first horse i fell inlove with was the great Blossom Lady,i was around 16 when she won the Cup,and i'd slowly start punting by then,thanks to dad putting on my bets for me with my pocket money.And as i've got older my love for the game has continued.Currently own a couple of pacers and also a few gallopers as well,but harness racing is where my heart is,i even spent around 12 months as  a stablehand here in Blenheim when i was around 18years old.At times i think i'm the best punter in the world and other times think i'm the worst.But i'll always be involved in the game,well until i lose my mind and i forget what a horse is or how to punt.

Wouldn't be any gallopers trained up blenheim these days, and I guess the harness numbers be quiet to, just a sign of the times I guess, both tracks up there always been good, don't seem to use the all weather for racing now, but in saying that, there's just something about the grass track racing.

[Mardy]

13 minutes ago, Shad said:

Wouldn't be any gallopers trained up blenheim these days, and I guess the harness numbers be quiet to, just a sign of the times I guess, both tracks up there always been good, don't seem to use the all weather for racing now, but in saying that, there's just something about the grass track racing.

Yip pretty sure there aren't any gallopers trained here now,tho Donna Green did have 1 at the races a couple of years ago?? but nothing since.My gallopers that i have shares in are all trained up North,and the pacers are in Canterbury. Yea still a shame that the harness track doesn't get used here anymore,but the grass meeting that's here in January does get a massive crowd.

[Brodie]

9 hours ago, Walt said:

Unsure if it's the same guy but there is one trials caller from deep South who is a shocker. Sounds like a very elderly chap looking out of the rest home window. Often misses things unfolding in the race even when there are only three or four starters.

Then they turn for home and head for the "money line"....what far king money line? It's a trial ffs! then they get to the finish and bla bla "gets the chocolates".....what far king chocolates are these? haha

Yep same guy, but we best not comment Walt, as it may not be politically correct 😂 

Does make for interesting listening though!

 

[Shad]

1 hour ago, Mardy said:

Yip pretty sure there aren't any gallopers trained here now,tho Donna Green did have 1 at the races a couple of years ago?? but nothing since.My gallopers that i have shares in are all trained up North,and the pacers are in Canterbury. Yea still a shame that the harness track doesn't get used here anymore,but the grass meeting that's here in January does get a massive crowd.

Bit of a shame the thoroughbreds all gone from the area, do they now have a meeting at riccarton, used to be a few thoroughbred trainers in the Nelson area, quite a few years ago, shortly healy one that springs to mind, may have been a Bloomfield also, a mare called goodie two shoes rings a bell, mc cashin another name of a  trainer maybe.