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I think you're missing the point of the Online Auction, most of the stock is sold like the May Sale , It's very well operated and there are some well priced horses available. I think the most important thing about these online auctions is that the horses are potentially going somewhere where they are being given an opportunity to be a race horse or a broodmare instead of sitting in a paddock or worse. There has been a number of winners come out of the sales and its great to see. One thing it does do though is make you think why would you pay stallion fees when you see the price some of these go for.

So its 15.26%.....down from 22.84%. We could have held an Everest but we didn't. Speaking of things that need to be watched....today's episode of Bred to Win at 2.30pm. The rest of the World is talking about marketing the horse where our marketing team are marketing betting. Any relatively intelligent person would realise that the horse comes first...especially when it finishes racing.

I would love to see a feedback section similar to trademe, would give buyers a little more confidence I recon. I have purchased two as potential jumpers, both been exactly what i was expecting so would have given both positive feedback, one was just too slow and the other having first run around tomorrow for me.

So I looked at a 1952 book and saw that the average at the Melbourne yearling sales was 467 guineas compared to 532 guineas at the Trentham sales. Balloch was NZ's leading stallion with progeny earnings of 47,798 pounds compared with Midstream in Aussie with 64,404 pounds. The Auckland Cup' stake of 12,500 pounds compared favourably with the Melbourne Cup stake (won by Dalray) of 15,000 pounds. Keep in mind that at that time the Aussie pound was worth just 16 shillings NZ currency. So the Auckland Cup was worth, get this, 15,625 Australian pounds! That is how far we have slipped.

Yes, you are right, he certainly looks the goods. As for poor Auntie, and her very ill owner; I had no doubt about the [ in ] action taken after watching Cammo sidle across the birdcage to high-five the winning jockey...' got the money, bro '.....I waited all day to have a meeting with stipes to be put off repeatedly, and then to watch them all walk away at the end of the day. One cast a glance at me still standing around and said, too busy to talk to you.

Not sure I understand why you would be sad? It’s an online auction, hence the market will determine the worth of the product. The breeder/seller can put a reserve on their horse, it’s not like they have a gun to their heads to use gavelhouse. Are you also sad for the buyer at say MM or Karaka sale when a horse sells for >$1mil and is a complete flop on the track or are you only looking at the bottom end on this said ‘sadness’?

Exactly. I had a smart filly in the 1000 Guineas, MJW led up on the Vela filly Insouciant; he eased and stacked the field so sharply that two horses fell - mine being one. She fractured a hock in the fall, not sure about the other filly but both were ruined...and nothing was ever said or done about it. At least action was taken in this case, as it should have been.

Do you mean there are no stayers in the heats Wasa or in NZ/ It's a strange set of circumstances we have in NZ, where everyone wants to see staying races but we never get any. I said once before on here that the worst thing to happen for a NZ breeder is to breed a good stayer, as there will be no races for it. If you take a look at the heats the majority of the dogs entered are Aussie imports which makes the NZ standing in stayers bleak. There are allsorts of anomalies that could contribute . The early influx of imports were mostly sprint based and they made up the basis of most of the breeding stock we have in NZ. Try and find one of the early NZ consistent strong staying lines and you will struggle but when you do find them they contain silver collar winners. The lack of stayers is worsened by some who have had the chance to help it flourish not doing so. Imagine if you stumbled across a family that was capable of leaving very good staying stock. What would you do? Breed race, sell, lease and ensure the staying culture increased or breed off the select few you choose and send the rest of the stock to GAP even though people would jump at the chance to get involved with the line, just so you have the market cornered.? The latter happens and the crazy bit is they are left with no fields for the stayers they do breed. Go figure the logic in that. Trainers of today generally do not have the skills or understanding to train stayers which is understandable as they have often not had to try. It is a lot easier to just keep putting the same dogs in the short distance races twice each week in their same area's which gives us the oh so predicable lackluster fields we witness each week. Wasa's suggestion of bringing the staying races back to 720 m is not the answer, it may have an immediate effect of getting an extra couple but that is all. Simple fact most of the stayers in NZ have only proven themselves up to 650m so no one really knows if they are actually stayers. As for Meredith she is a slow dog who looks to me as if she would run 1000m (not sure how fast though) We entered her in the collar not with any idea of even being able to qualify but it would have been the only opportunity to see if she actually can run past 700m alright. No big deal for us but it make me wonder what would happen if Swift Fantasy or her like ( is there such a thing) arrived on the scene as a maiden today. Probably would never have got going. I said a few years ago that staying racing is doomed and we should celebrate what we have in the gene pool. I was hoping I would be proved wrong but I was right

Looking good. Hopefully though, the main drain is on the inner, because if it is around the perimeter [outside] then that is still were the jockeys will still all be heading, as that will be the driest! Surely they haven't been that stupid Nerula, or have they been?

Agree should have 3 heats all get a go as there is hardly a stayer here, the distance race should be 720 the race would get more noms for sure get some speed into the race

Thank you sir I hope they run super....

I can see the point you are making but just one stat that makes it look worse is that Snitzel's son Redzel did win A$5.8m in one hit when he won the Everest. That is an outlier that should be considered I would think?

Not only that, but the % difference figures make no sense

Richie Marsh still alive and kicking, was a successful apprentice and kicked on from there.

Please post entries in Entries thread click on the link to go to harness forum... good luck everyone.

These results IMO are a function of the lack of depth of quality. So it may pay to ignore this anomaly next Saturday.

Hastings for me. Travel cost maybe a bit more but no Auckland traffic to navigate & no sand kick back. More midweek winter racing at Taupo would be a good option too IMO.

When the front runner eases the pace abruptly a chain reaction can occur in a race. Worse case scenario is that a horse can be galloped on from behind and have a tendon severed or badly injured. Sometimes these injuries can be career threatening. Just another viewpoint but it can be heart breaking to lose a horse in this situation.

Thanks guys,really enjoying being a regular at your meetings lately.wish it could be a longer stint.Will never forget max.he was a great sprinter and had sone great battles with Ti Amore Lee Denis. See you at the track

The idiots need to move some horses through the grades. It wont effect those horses chances as they will still racing against each other! Or have I got it wrong

If you've been buggered Berri, speak for yourself. Leave the rest of us out of it thanks.

I remember the same feeling of disappointment last year, surprised at the inability again to get 3+ heats for this great race. And it seems a shame that every dog nommed cant have a crack I.e. Wee Meredith for GOM...coasted to the line last start, once in a lifetime chance at this race for some dogs/trainers and no go you're number 10. Shame.