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Pounds bates you guys to the hilt and you keep on biting, only one winner, and that is the general Consensus!

Simple solution stop interviewing trainers. They arent fortune tellers and cant predict the future. Anything can happen in a race so you take your chances. Thats what punting is all about.

Well, yes --- apart from the fact that Lazarus was 4th at the first bend... One can always rely on Brodie to pour a bucket of warm sick on anything positive!

people need to start showing this horse the respect he deserves a heap of group 1s most of them hes done the hard way end of story

Never fear Brodie the Akaroa Trotting Club is in action tomorrow. Perhaps that is something for you to get excited about? Slow horses, most of them will still be in the same grade next season, rough grass track with a ridiculous crossing that always causes problem, back straight that is so far away from the grandstand you need a telescope to see the horses but there will be some good prices on offer. Enjoy!

Brodie you really are a miserable sod. How could you not get excited about the best assembled harness racing field in years and also the richest pacing race in the world. I suppose you are going to the Santa Parade to boo Santa Claus again this year.

TeRapa Hizzy and that was bullshit. In this day and age, all the information that is out there, punters can make their own judgement call and don’t bother listening to the so called informed opinions. I always give an honest appraisal, but my owners come first, as they pay the bills.

Not really on the entry fee topic...but it always amused me to see the First-Four-Shippers in their permanent carparks with carefully crafted sandwiches and boots full of liquor, all brought from home - and none would be so profligate as to put a dollar through the tote.

Great speech yesterday by President Trump. He addressed a huge .crowd in Florida of real Americans. So many there they had to turn many away. President Trump has the ability to get huge crowds when he's not even running for election. Much of his speech was from the heart, no tele prompter. Without doubt, Trump is on his way to be the greatest President of all time. He is displaying great courage, stamina, and wisdom in a very troubled world. Without doubt, a man for the time. Did you watch the speech bloke?.

Won on Friday night , took personal best 1:49.2 beating regular top ones in Mel Mara and Soto. Jury was out with the best interest of the horse on this site. Stop the case maybe?

Or Flagship and Brodie labeling it. Fortunately neither happened and the Champion won at 2.31 much to their chagrin. Top marks for all Iraklis 's post on the final winner- brilliant

I agree somewhat Jack . Racing for 2nd I suppose in a million dollar race is maybe what they wanted to do. Bottom line is Lazarus is nigh on unbeatable over a staying distance. I think only thing that could of stopped him winning was the wheels falling off the cart.

Yawn feast (you should change your name to this)- can't you ever appreciate a Champion horse, trainer and driver. Most (harness fans not picnickers) would far sooner travel to Perth to watch that than go to Mot. Are you really only interested in the punt? Do you always complain this much in real life. Do you have any friends or family left who want to listen to your waffle? Oh I see you opened another tread complaining about the Allstars. You must have really hated last night. Two huge wins in Perth and great results for them at Auckland.

So can we take it from these Stipendiary/Jockey/Club officers inspections that it must ALWAYS be the fault of the track if a horse blunders/ slips/ falls and NEVER due to horse or jockey incompetence. Amazing that the other 10 starters in the race negotiated that part of the track with no other jockeys reporting dangerous conditions. The stipes report for yesterday makes no mention of a specific problem with part of the track.Why not?

I'm not so sure about that. Blue is the colour of success, and seems entirely appropriate to me.

Oh for cryin down the frickn drain pipe brodie, LEAVE IT OUT ALREADY!!! my nan told me if yuh got nuthin nice to say then don't frickn say it!......race may have bored you, but it didn't bore the rest of us, bet or not! Iraklis

It was great to be there, excellent crowd, champion horse Lazarus in action with Purdon preparing and driving to perfection. Good field and hearing the crowd roar as the horses come around the home corner was fantastic. Just a shame the trots still doesn't know how to cater for a crowd. Cue 12 deep to get a beer and not much improvement from pies and fish chips, a bit embarrassing the administrators haven't moved with the times. It was reported in the press that Purdon's horses are staying in Perth for the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup. They are then heading across to the eastern states for other big races.

My earlier comment about Lazarus's main competition being the track turned out to be pretty much right, except that it gave too much credit to the track. I should have had more faith. The ease with which Lazarus won meant the race didn't have the drama of last year's, but it's always a pleasure to see a true champion in action. The toughness of Gammalite combined with the brilliance of Christian Cullen.

World Rugby's Player of the Year for the 2nd year in a row. Not bad for a young fellow still not playing in his best position - Lol

I think we watched it without blinkers on

Thank you for your considered reply, Mike. The rule is a response to rapidly changing public opinion, and the need to work within that public license. History has shown that past accepted practices are not appropriate to the world we live in now. The Australian model fully demonstrates that point. The sport in one state came close to closure, ACT has announced that it will close down the sport in that State. We do not exist in isolation, we are part of Greyhound Australasia and as such precedents have already been set. Do we want to travel the same road as our Australian counterparts, or should we be working smarter? I am in the second camp. The rule has been called "stupid", I don't agree. If we are serious about longevity then we must stay ahead of the detractors, we must change the model. Now many assume that all within the sport agree that the discussed practice is acceptable, that couldn't be further from the truth. Most trainers understand the ramifications and have employed alternative methods of producing chasers. They are starting that training much earlier, and putting in a greater effort. Our core business also relies on the punter. Many punters were disgusted by what was beamed to their television screens from Australia, and quite rightly so. Baiting in any form is seen by those outside and inside as abhorrent. Myself included. The rule is four years old, the opportunity to challenge that rule and succeed is long gone. I believe a challenge would have failed. So like it or not we have minimum standards that we ALL must abide by. To ignore the rule and carry on, as usual, is an extremely selfish act given the potential consequences. But to continue is also an affront against every trainer who adheres to the rules. Shelley has continually gone down the trespass argument in defense of alleged incidents. Legally it won't fly, especially if the case proceeds. It didn't fly in Australia because the ruling was that the evidence was in the public interest. But that's just a distraction. I have much respect for you Mike, but I don't agree. I am extremely passionate about the sport and the dogs. Longevity requires public support, it would be very sad to see that longevity in jeopardy because of the attitudes of a few.

Left handed - yes something in that. As for the smooth run, Kawi got tightened around the 1200m mark and dropped back to second last. He was giving Consensus around 1 - 1.5 lengths near the 800m mark and from that point went four wide around the big bend. She had a reasonably clear run through the field and covered much less ground round that bend. As for the distance, looked like he was pulling away from her over the last 50m despite covering all of that extra ground.

I was never aware of the rule until recently, cannot remember ever seeing any info on it, but what worries me most is that there was no input asked from the members/users beforehand. The rule is stupid, it defies logic and if I had questioned it , my bet going on previous experience would have been that I would not likely have got a reply or acknowledgement. Sue starts this thread quoting the Aussie example. In my opinion the Aussie case as ridiculous, Ok it may not meet the rules but it did not warrant the resulting sentence. What if the trainer had fed the dead carcasses to his dogs. That would have been legal so what's the difference and if it was not legal what about other types of animal carcasses we feed to dogs. Where I live a neighbour lets his son in law exercise his dogs, Two large mongrels and two ankle biters on his property and it is not unusual for them to catch a rabbit. I cannot help but wonder at the irony that a fence between us is all that makes it not a national outcry. Actually this brings up another point. If you do not agree with the a rule how do you get your views heard? We used to address this through our clubs who would put forward remits at the AGM. This year the AGM was just a financial statement. What about other business? We used to have a LP REP, now that has finished. The new management very quickly changed our letterhead and seem intent on disenfranchising the members as well. As for you Alltheway saying Shelley is as guilty as the perpetrator's of the current debacle , you are way out of line and display you have an ulterior motive. Firstly there has been no one found guilty of anything yet , although you are wishing and secondly Shelly has only told the truth. Emotive and others who say it is alright to gather video evidence illegally think back to the Tama Iti case where the very clear video evidence was thrown out because it was filmed illegally. Cheers Mike

Pam does sum it up so perfectly. I can recall the people that used to be on the free invite list for some of the major racing events; all they were there for was the free booze and food and their faces never lifted from the plate when a race was on. The problem we have these days is that many meetings cater more for the party goers who are there to have fun and get drunk and don't mind paying an entry fee, rather than genuine racegoers who expect better facilities and expect to be able to see and hear races from other meetings and easily get a bet on much the same as if they were in a TAB. This is where so many clubs have fallen way off the pace.

Maybe you should have put your contempt aside at the time, and read the information sent out to all. The changes made were important and very necessary to the future of the sport. Far more important than an objection to a tie.

Because everyone should be offered the service if it is in the rules. Otherwise favoured treatment is been given to one horse / stable again which should stop . You are the stables cheer leader and it does get tiresome .

Yes he did, bloody good for him too! we got alot of Kiwibreds over there at mo who are kickin ass an takin names, On The Rantan, and Bit Of A Legend just few...... Cheers Iraklis

Guys oh come on! you cant blame any one of the rival drivers 'for conceding en masse etc etc', they all know The Champ is the real deal and then some they wouldn't be in the sport if they didn't, all that other talk was just that yap! but it also showed that 'competition' in aus; Mark has their measure as well......as for The Faith he was traveling, but what was Lewis guna do, really? I just felt sorry for The Faith in that he could've finished closer driven differently, he only faded just after turnin in so it is what it is..... Lazzie was, is and has always carried too many big guns look at his record it speaks for itself, aussies know this but they gotta say summit don't they, I mean, I mean, their 'house' an the mighty Lazzie just trashed it! every now and again they come here an trash ours, just how lucky for em to have Lazzie and others over there for now who are probably guna be repeatin the dose in the months to come, gawd I wish he was comin back to Aucks over Xmas would love to see him racin in the flesh again.... Cheers Iraklis PS. JackS you may be right re fallin asleep at the wheel, didn't the guy on Chicago Bull say he was guna have a sleep LOL

Wish they all cheated like that . Could do with a stable full of them .

She needs luck 40 drives for 19 wins and 8 placings. UDR 0.5639.

A very good summary Basil of how the race eventuated. Why burn your horse early and then have nothing left at the end. Those horses didn't have the tank to do it hard and then outstay Lazarus. Lenny faced the breeze early then couldn't go on with it is a case in point. To be critical of the drivers who are their to give their horse the best opportunity indicates not knowing what a horse is capable of. I am sure the drivers know the capabilities and limitations of the horse they are driving better than the onlookers from the other side of the fence!

The three best horses in the race ran one two three although the question of ratings - if that Kawi is as good as you lot reckon he should have a rating of 158 or so. That doesn't answer the question I posed - if they want to increase those fillies ratings so dramatically for one run why was Prom Queen not reduced a heap for a poor run? But another question for all you know alls. Kawi draws four yet is the last or second last one loaded today with the other favourite Coldplay late as well. How do they justify that favorable treatment? Consensus had been loaded earlier then proceeds to miss the kick. Fair?

Well, that's what happens when one horse is in a different league to the others. As I said back in the winter, the current crop of Aussie horses isn't as strong as they like to make out, and their drivers knew it. Once Lazarus got to the death (with little effort), it would have been suicide for any of the others to have tried to wrest that off him. Why kill a horse just to run last? It's easy to criticise drivers for being cautious, but in this case it was perfectly rational.

Idiot

For goodness sake Kotare, give Brodie a break. He makes a fair point. How many attendants do you want on the track? one for each runner?

Showcasing massively underated. Very handy proven dual hemisphere stallion

No doubt the best horse won, and ably assisted by the only driver that turned up! With the best of the best racing it had the potential to be a great contest, but as a spectacle, the consolation was head and shoulders above the final. Not only did they run several seconds faster, but everyone was driving to win .... not for second! The expected contest never eventuated with the Aussie drivers all going to water on the night. Obviously Mark Purdon won the pre-race mental contest, as every other driver was positioning themselves for second money from the word go. With the first 2100m run in a 2.01MR, the one lap dash was only ever going to be won by Lazarus. He may well have won the race no matter how it was run, but watching the race unfold, I couldn't help but wonder if all the aussie drivers had been castrated prior to the race!

Brodie. Backed Lazarus. Still don't get how you think it was a boring race. But in your mind and happy place you are always right. If you can't get excited about NZ best taken on best in oz I really don' know what floats your boat.

That's brilliant, John. Well done. Love all the information so concisely presented.

Nice work John My antique spreadsheet 2002/3 will not go on here...have to post to another website then transfer here.

Roll on Trentham! 38 (and a half) entries in so far. Below are the picks for Race 1. Gift Of Power the most popular selection on the entire card - picked by 32 entrants (84%). Only two best bets in the first. Interestingly in a 5 horse field, not a single person has picked #3 - where is Mr Gee? Pete vs Sharne in the shield challenge - both have 1-2 in the first race. Steve P (66) 1-2 Sharne (31) 1-2 Richie (31) 2-4 Tony (26) 1-2 Pete (25) 1-2 Betty (25) 2-4 Skelly (23) 1-2 Hesi (20) 1-5 Roland (18) 1-5 TC (17) 2-5 Casper (17) 1-2 Korio (16) 1-4 Sir G (16) - Rees (16) 1-2 Howie (15) 2-4 PJ (15) 2-5 Catalano (15) 1-2 Jack (12) 1-2 Rob (12) 2-5 Robert (11) 2-5 Porky (11) 2-4 Steve (10) 4-5* Maureen (10) 2-5 Maria (10) 1-2 Dave (8) 1-2 Rosina (8) 2-5 Punter P (8) - John (7) 1-2 Gruff (4) 2-4 Graeme (2) 2-5 Rex Zim 1-2 Jen 2-4 Ian 1-2 Gordy 2-5 Jill 4-5* Cubes 2-4 Al 1-2 Ray 1-2 Brian 4-5 Maurice 2-4

Didn't bother to read your email sent out at the time, didn't bother to check the advisory on the website, didn't bother to read the hard copy that was sent out to all LP's to be inserted in their rulebooks. You had the opportunity, the rule went through unopposed. No right to complain now, laziness is no excuse.

I noticed Ideal Alice won Paul. This time from a wide draw?. 11 races to watch and two Kiwis getting the spoils, you would have had a great night.

I have heard Mr Pitman on occasions label a horse a certaintly only for it to run poorly. Surely that does just as much harm to more people. Crozier's horse did pay almost $45 so there was hardly a plunge on it. I imagine the trainer was more surprised by the result than most punters. I'm sure he doesn't deserve abuse after having a surprisingly good day at the races.

This was not just any old slip though, it fell & took another down behind it, huge difference. The location of the slip is bizarre in itself and with temperatures boardering on 30 all week it’s totally unacceptable.

You only need some longer grass in places that perhaps the mower missed, that can get slippery in the sun, I think we all remember days of wetting grass a little or longer grass hot in the sun that softens, and sliding over it, lawn surfing, when younger. Often a brush before the races or during can help. Some spots, one horse hits it, it causes indecision and what ifs set in and there you go.. unsafe. I don't think it needs to call for the track supervisor's scalp... we are starting to get like sports teams that lose a match and sack the manager. We are seeing, I believe, just me ... global warming and unknown seasons, weather patterns, making a huge difference to soil, growth, drainage.. many things that track supervisors in the past could monitor and forecast pretty well.. not now. It's a demanding job these days and perhaps all weather tracks will be something to be considered for more reliable scheduling.

You do have the right not to be misinformed though. Not saying this was the case here as didn't hear what was said. Where did you get that info Nice Option ?

If I did I wouldn't have posted Politely would have gained a start as scratchings above her would have allowed her in. One never stops learning then. Therefore you are saying if a horse that is one off the ballot and for example is set at a $2.50FF favourite and it doesn't run then there will be no deductions on the remaining runners if you had backed one of them beforehand. I was not aware and I just ran this past a mate who also wasn't aware, he also thinking there would be deductions. Cheers SMD for that info.

Yes, it is that time of the year again, Hong Kong international races and we send a team up there, what for, your guess is as good as mine. Another ride on the gravy train, sad but true!

Arguing with a liberal is like arguing with a monkey. No matter how many facts you propose, or evidence they still scream and throw shit. He’s just reversing Obama’s federal land grab last year and giving the land back to the state of Utah which has already had two third of its land taken by the federal government. BTW Globe, tell me, the $500 you pay for the climate scam each year, who’s pocket does that end up in? And wouldn’t it be nice to increase the global temperature a few more degrees (14.6 now but av of 22 the last billion years) so the species and forest and fauna could thrive again. But no hope of that. 0.8 in the 130 years. As for coal tell me how the South Australian folks are feeling sitting in blackouts relying on wind and solar and paying 4 times US power rates when they are the biggest export of energy in the world! Anyhow a more sensible opinion below. President Trump’s decision to reduce the size of the Bears Ears and Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah, announced Monday on his visit to the state, is a good one and an example of his policies that will benefit every American who enjoys national parks and monuments. We should all thank the president for his administration’s efforts to look at the facts, listen to the people, and act to roll back restrictive and unnecessary national monument designations that provide few advantages to the American people. While such designations may sound good on the surface, in reality they have strained land management budgets and limited public access to beautiful places. The Trump administration has been on the ground listening to those who bear the burden of these decisions – unlike the Clinton and Obama administrations, which showed little interest in talking to local people before locking up millions of acres of land around them. The Trump administration has seen firsthand what I saw when I represented some of these areas in Congress – that the consequences of locking down the West have been severe. I applaud the president for having the courtesy to do what his predecessors never did – visiting Utah personally to deliver the news that will positively impact those who love and care for these lands. His attention is a far cry from President Clinton making his Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument announcement from another state and President Obama issuing a press release with the wrong photo of Bears Ears. The notion that our only option for managing public land is a restrictive monument designation is false. In truth, we can build bathrooms and fire pits, and accommodate hunting, fishing, grazing, and permit accessibility without destroying the land. In places where restrictive conservation rules are less justified, we can even authorize responsible resource extraction. Each time the federal government levies new land designations, that new designation and management plan competes with existing parks and monuments for funding. The National Park Service suffers from a $12 billion maintenance backlog – meaning crumbling buildings, roads, and bridges cannot be repaired or replaced. Overly expansive monument designations – like the two multimillion-acre monuments in Utah – could have been spent on existing park treasures. In the case of Bears Ears National Monument, all of that land was already federal land mostly managed for conservation use. With President Obama’s monument designation, the maintenance fell to the already-strapped National Park Service. Many of these lands were once managed successfully by other agencies – like the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service – and can be again. But freeing up more money for national parks isn’t the only advantage of Monday’s decision. Access to these places will be expanded, not restricted, as required in large-scale national monuments. By lifting restrictions on motorized access, President Trump makes these lands available to more than just the able-bodied. With expanded access, the elderly, disabled and even wounded veterans can utilize bikes or off-highway vehicles to access spectacular places. Furthermore, those who wish to use the land for other purposes – such as hunting, fishing, camping, and outdoor recreation – will now also have access. For Utah Native Americans, this improved access is important. For centuries, they have used the land around the Bears Ears National Monument to hunt, gather, and worship. Many would come on foot while others would utilize off-highway vehicles to collect firewood, gather medicinal herbs or meet in specific locations for religious ceremonies. The federal government could preclude these uses under a restrictive monument designation – as it has in Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly, Wupatki and even Utah's Natural Bridges. Monument designations – particularly the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument – have been routinely abused in an effort to lock down resource-rich areas that do not meet objective criteria for preservation. By unlocking these otherwise unremarkable areas, President Trump enables high-paying resource extraction jobs to return to rural communities – a process that not only helps local economic development, but reduces U.S. dependence on foreign imports. Protecting our most beautiful places is important. But we don’t have to lock people out to do it. We don’t have to put further strain on federal land management budgets. We certainly don’t need to decimate rural economies. President Trump has done the right thing. All of us will be the beneficiaries of this decision.