Alan B

Only if the trainer was an owner I would think.

Well the obvious thing here John is the owners could have shown more interest in the horse by giving it a good paddock to walk around for the rest of its life. They chose not to which indicates they were only interested in the commercial aspect, i.e. what they could get out of the horse. If others can't see this they have tunnel vision.

Why do you guys have to get so personal and cast insults? When all we are saying the stable was caught administering something illegal and got fined in Australia. Who cares what the name of the trainer is? The fact is he got done and also just happens to train Lazarus!

You must have too much time on your hands. You can't speak for other owners and trainers. If he was my horse and there was any issue he wouldn't have started.

No answer given to your question FU I notice! It is not legal as far as I am aware close to race day, that is the point.

Didn't Purdon get found out in NSW about 12 months ago for a horse having something administered close to race day? I am not sure how sound some of these horses from big money stables are without the assistance of the veterinarians.

Far from it. There has been domination by two large stables for a number of years bringing in horses to WA from NZ. i.e. Hall and Bond. It's good to see someone else come in and win some big races. Well done the Purdon stable.

Each case will be investigated on the individual situation. Trainers usually do it when their horses aren't quite up to it and they get desperate. If a trainer has been training for 20 years or so with a clean sheet, then you would be suspicious it may have been a stablehand. Mostly though the trainers that get caught become repeat offenders over the years, they tend to rely on giving their horses some additional "help".That's what I've noticed anyway.

Fully agree. Usually there is a pattern of offences and suspensions relating to particular trainer. i.e. they usually get caught more than once over a period of time. Having said that the are getting smarter and able to pay for expensive vets. I know I bought a horse from a leading stable, just afterwords the trainer was suspended for 12 months for a high Co2 level. This wasn't his first offence, yet he still only got 12 months.

Not uncommon, I have seen it before they think they are bigger than the game and their performance can't be questioned. Withdrawing seven horses from one meeting, if that's the case it smacks of taking your bat and ball and going home. Not very professional.

Very interesting points about it being a bit easier to pick with the tables showing of what sires are doing in the US. Its always a risk going to great horses that are unproven as they are new sires. I have noticed some of the newer sires don't last long at the larger studs, they don't make it as sire.The other table I think is good to use is the average stake money earnt. It can show what sires are doing that maybe aren't getting the larger number of mares (as yet). A good example is Betterthancheddar which is ranked 7th on the two year old averages, but didn't get a large number of mares.

I understand most horses bleed internally. I am told that if a horse bleeds externally from the nostrils more than 3 individual times after a race in Australia, then the horse is banned for life from racing. "Maintenance medication" to be able to continue to racing, if that is what you consider being looked after is then so be it. Otherwise, I have no doubt the horse is treated like equine royalty in the stable, horses from top stables usually are.

This is a myth that has been spread around for years by greedy trainers that horses love racing, particularily after years of racing after injuries and so on.If this horse bleeds then it has serious problems with his lungs. I know because we had to retire our best horse after 78 starts because it became a bleeder. This is about looking after the welfare of the horse, which the owners of Christen Me obviously aren't interested in. By the way we had vets scope our horse and they still don't know what causes bleeding. Champions are born to run when they are fit and healthy, not when they need drugs to keep them racing. I agree with John. Jack you just don't get it.

One of the best from the 70' s was Mount Eden a sensational horse gave horses a 80 metres start by galloping and still beat them. Have a look a at this Miracle Mile.

This indicates they are only interested in money and not the welfare and best interests of the horse. Fully agree shame on the owners!

Not sure if any one has seen this, worth a look. Cardigan Bay in action Inters Final 1963. Spills a plenty as there were in those days. You don't get crowds and atmosphere like that anymore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGioLHsgKQM

That way you don't flatten your horse for when it next races. There are still some big races coming up.

Yes and what an excitement machine he was. The horse actually got me back interested in harness racing again. Wouldn't he rate as second best behind ever behind Lazarus? Though I must admit I don't like comparing horses from different eras.

I think we agree to disagree Jack.

Agreed times are irrelevant, it is winning that matters most, ask any trainer/driver. Times are only relevant in that your horse needs to be able to run the fast times if required.

I agree they shouldn't be immune to criticism and everyone can have an opinion but you need to be able to justify it. Of course in hindsight the race tactics would be different if the race was run next week, that goes without saying. I would agree with you fully about the driver tactics for one major exception LAZARUS. If you took him out of the race and they drove the same way I would 100% agree with you. The point is the drivers had to drive their horses soft otherwise they couldn't get over Lazarus. Hall drove his horse soft behind the leader and could still only run second.

The race was run slow because the Tiger Tara's driver and Purdon elected not to go fast.The swoopers from behind then didn't have a chance. The other drivers knew they couldn't over work their horses and then run over the top of Lazarus. As for drivers you are criticising Lewis, Alford, Prentice and Hall, between them they have won about 10 Inters Finals between them. I'd suggest that's 10 finals more than you have won as a driver Jack.

And yet another trainer's licence suspended, this time for cobalt. www.harnesslink.com/News/Gary-Elson-s-licence-suspended What is significant about this? Well in case it hasn't been posted earlier this is the same stable where Lazarus is based in Perth. I'm sure Purdon wouldn't be happy!

That's right this is a classic example of where the horse is treated as a commodity. The owners aren't really interested in the horse rather than what they can get out of it. Indeed a sorry situation which I see as not uncommon in the industry. Surely when a horse does a great a job for it's owners it is entitled to a decent retirement. I agree this is a disgrace.

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!