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STOPPPPPP IT - or I'll hunt you both down and bang your heads together!! Aaaaargh ....

But IF he did stomach tube the horses or his staff did on his instructions is that no different than what Warner and Smith did???? He has cheated to win.... IF it is proven he should cop some punishment, not just walk away...in my opinion its not a good look.

TRAINERS BECOME RESTLESS AS RACING AWAITS OVERDUE CHANGES 29 March 2018 Respected horseman Roger James is just one of many thoroughbred trainers disillusioned with the state of the racing industry. (By Brian De Lore, The Informant) If 2018 goes down as the most pivotal year in history for racing and breeding, then all the action has yet to occur because the absence of change has so far brought with it a deafening silence, as the first three months of the year roll over. April is now upon us as we wait for significant, anticipated changes that will revitalise this racing game and put it back to where we all believe it should be – in a position of sustainability and encouragement for owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff and every other participant that makes this business tick over. A former industry leader expressed this view last week: “It’s not that the NZRB aren’t trying, it’s just that the business model they are pursuing is 10 years out of date and they don’t recognise it, and the culture they have developed has isolated them from the three codes and made them defensive against an ever-increasing barrage of criticism from industry stakeholders.” And if all the racing codes don’t share that view then we can only be sure the thoroughbred sector does. If you could make the analogy of NZRB being a racehorse, then without stipendiary approval they have adopted numerous gear changes – fully blinkered, ear muffs and a tongue tie. Blinkered in the manner they have focused only on their predetermined priorities against NZTR advice, earmuffed to drown out the howls of industry condemnations, and tongue-tied in their refusal to enter into a full discussion about the needs of the thoroughbred code at all levels. While on the subject of industry dissatisfaction, especially since the release of the Deloitte Report, unhappy rumblings are reverberating from the ranks of trainers in an ever-increasing volume. In August last year after receiving mandates from Trainers’ Association branches, a proposed vote of no confidence did not proceed when NZTR advised it would be untimely. Now the trainers are looking to once again reignite the NZRB vote of no confidence with talk of subsequent action in the absence of change for the better. What that action might be is undecided at this point but it may involve the withdrawal of the product. If you are a trainer reading this and the vote and potential strike action is news to you, that wouldn’t be a surprise. Ardmore trainer Stephen McKee confirmed to The Informant this week that the Trainers’ Association had not canvassed its members. “I had heard Chinese whispers about certain trainers wanting to take strike action but I’ve had no contact from anyone,” he said. “No-one has been in touch with me; I haven’t heard a dickie-bird.” The Deloitte Report has further highlighted the plight of the industry and particularly that of trainers. They are seeing and experiencing the corrosion first-hand. They are the ones able to fully gauge the depletion of the ranks of owners, and they are also the ones who know through their own experiences, rather than reading it in an academic report from Deloitte – albeit agreeing with the findings – that under the current regime racing is not sustainable. The anecdotal evidence suggests trainers now have an increased ownership interest in the horses they train. “Yes, we do race a lot more horses now ourselves than we used to,” continued McKee. “Dad has always been an owner but there have been times when he’s had to be as well. But we’d prefer to be in a position where we just train them for owners, to be honest. “We train about 35 at the moment. Out of that we would be racing 10 of them. It’s definitely because of a lack of owners and most of the stable is divided amongst only three owners –they would have 20 between them. “There’s been quite a lot of decline; I don’t get the same support from the breeders now. There are a lot more syndicates today and your single owners have dropped away appreciably – even the small syndicates have dropped off and now you see groups of 10 or even more – the overall interest has waned along the way. “The problem I see with racing industry people is that they keep saying they need government help but they don’t go to government organised in any way, so they’re not taken seriously. Government then say racing can’t run their own ship properly, so why would give them money.” Former top jockey and now Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley is another stakeholder dissatisfied with the NZRB and is ready to take action. “After reading the Glenda Hughes response to the Deloitte Report, if ever I’d been a little reluctant in the past to take action, that has now passed and now is the time to do it,” he said. “I’m over it. We have a lot of young trainers licensed and we have a duty to make sure they stay in the game. Glenda Hughes’ reply was the biggest load of rubbish I’ve read. We all voted for Winston so he owes it to us to do something. “I have 38 horses in work but only 25 will race in New Zealand. From those 25 Lee and I own or part-own 11 of them. That’s nearly half – the others are all going elsewhere and won’t race here. “Before the past five years and compared right back to when I started training, I would have owned about five per cent of my horses as opposed to now when we are getting up towards half the stable. It’s hard to keep owners in the game now. “Let’s get rid of all the top-heavy administration costs,” concluded Tiley. Over the years Cambridge trainer Roger James has prepared a lot of very good horses for major owners, but the normally reticent horseman now believes it’s time to speak out and take action before it’s too late. “I came out of a recent meeting with some local trainers with the view that if nothing came out of the next NZRB meeting then we should go ahead and ask our members for a vote of no confidence in the NZRB,” confided James “That can only take place after an executive meeting of the Trainers’ Association. “I lost three horses recently from an owner with eight or nine horses who says it’s no longer viable to race his horses in New Zealand. When that owner read the Deloitte Report he could see no future in racing horses in New Zealand. He’d been waiting for changes but wasn’t prepared to wait any longer. “The situation now compared to 10 years ago is tenuous and becoming increasingly unviable. Without a doubt the decline has been a continuous one. The ability to earn a living from training has become markedly more difficult. “That’s why there’s been a drift away from training here and an increase in numbers going to Australia. People underestimate the weight of the history of racing and the experience our old heads have – we are foolish if we don’t draw on some of that,” lamented James. James’s reference to the ‘old heads’ is simply to bring back an administration that values the history and understands the grassroots of the business so that decision making at the highest level is made with a full understanding of the mechanics and people at the coal-face of racing. For too long we have put up with a succession of lawyers, accountants and professional directors who have added very little over a long period of time and in fact have cost the racing industry dearly. The succession of financial failures includes the Typhoon betting system which resulted in a $14 million-plus write-off in 2012, although the real cost was thought to be more like $20 million. The NZRB does as it pleases because the Racing Act of 2003 gives it that right – it virtually says do what you like with very little accountability or transparency back to the codes. The National Party showed little obvious interest for racing over nine years in Government and five years ago the then Minister for Racing Nathan Guy appointed National Party board member Glenda Hughes as the Chair of the NZRB. In turn, John Allen was shoulder-tapped for the CEO job and that started a succession of shoulder-tapping appointments that today, in this writer’s opinion, has not only provided the NZRB with sub-standard governance and management but given us an organisation that’s little more than an over-blown National Party gravy-train riddled with nepotism, cost over-runs and wastage. I won’t be the only one that’s noticed a lot of NZRB appointments have come from such places as the Post Office, Kiwi Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other government departments. There’s a club happening and a lot of shuffling around. The NZRB has developed its own culture and it’s not that nice – one of alleged intimidation towards some of its employees and a workplace environment that’s been described by one former employee as toxic. By May our Racing Minister Winston Peters should have a short-list of possible replacements for the NZRB board that will undergo some vacuum cleaning work when six of the seven positions come up for re-election in July. We can only hope the fresh appointees are the right people – vested with racing interests, impartial and doing the job for the right reasons.

Geez 3 under 5!....if you two win the comp I will add a bonus so you can have a big night out as well!!.

So nothing was said that might have messed with the defence of the cobalt in the troughs? And the valuable, highly strung derby thorougjbreds hanging out amongst his dairy cows, contained by most unsuitable single electic wire fences, rolling in cow pats, risking colic as they gorged on lush annual rye grass pasture, braving whatever the elements threw at them despite being accustomed to the luxury of a cosy stable, and having their elegant silken tails chewed by curious bovines as they napped on sunny afternoons .... THAT farm manager Robert? ....

I thought moose are vegetarian

Weasel, many years ago, some one (I don't recall who, but obviously wise) stated 'champions shouldn't be compared, merely admired'. Makes sense to me.

Middle ground here we come. R1. 4-8 R2. 1-14 R3. 1-11 R4. 2-6 R5. 1-4 R6. 2-4 R7. 1-4 BB R8. 2-9 R9. 1-8 R10. 6-9 BB Riverton R2. 1-7 R4. 5-7 R5. 4-6 R7. 3-6 R9. 5-7 BB Go well Roland. Time to kick backside team Misere (being monitered have to tone it down). Give it death

This is a bloody disgrace and sets some awful precedents. Further IMHO, what compounds the issue is that its taken 8 months to get this far and the RIU sought not one cent of costs which even surprised the JCA chairman.

Awapuni Weather and Track... Forecast rain for Thursday did not happen.....another nice sunny day today [Friday] Expected rain for Saturday not expected until late afternoon/evening Track has been upgraded from S 7 to D 6 With current sunshine and breeze the probable track will be a D 4-5.

What a wonderful win from a great dog. Congratulations to the Coles, Craig and all concerned. Home bred as well' The run for third from Levi was almost as good, huge effort all round Now add the Lois Henley , the Graham Hayden-Holmes, and the Palmerston North Gold cup plus chuck in a few more grade races and can anyone think of a more successful day for a trainer in NZ ? What a successful brood Romberg Lass has been. And to think she never won a race past sprint distance. Throw's some theories out the window. Went to some great studs though.

I must take issue with Poundforpound. Apart from the idiotic handicapping system (Patrick Erin and too many others) I have some respect for NZTR. Okay, they should have recruited a CEO from inside rather than an Aussie dole bludger. My real concern is the NZRB. And I was reminded of that when I attended a Fonterra interim results meeting on Thursday. Just as Fonterra are busy building a monolithic structure, so much so that answers to my questions (curly, I know, but they should have had the answers), the NZRB are doing a similar job. A monolithic structure to try to become a world leader in wagering, but with a CEO who thinks that five to two is 1.55 p.m. I note that over the past five years the number of Fonterra employees receiving more than $100,000 has risen by one third. I have not seen the NZRB figures, but would bet that something similar has happened. And just as Fonterra's suppliers have been getting the same or less than they were five years ago, participants in the NZ racing game have similarly been downtrodden. Fonterra should recruit a CEO from within, just as the NZRB should do so.

Can't confirm the veracity of this but I've heard a rumor the timing is no coincidence ... Smerdon tipped to take over from Darren Lehmann ...

But if anything was given illegally in any form its not a good look and must be classed as cheating...

I drive every corner of Ak for my job Richie, the best by far close to Mt Wellington is 'Headin Home' bar and grill, they do the best medium rare steak lunch meal at a good price too. Open early (in the am 7 days) full T.A.B service plus self serve, very spacious, on site chef good food good price...10-15mins by car from Mt Wgtn, to 333 Ti Rakau Dr, East Tamaki..Get in mate and enjoy mate..!!

What a disgrace. $7,000 each. A joke. They should both have been given banned sentences. You push the boundaries then be prepared to suffer extreme consequences not a monetary loss only. What are the odds that they do not reimburse the owners for loss of stake money.

Mainly $$$ v The Royle Family Brian 1 Awap 1 8-9 2 Awap 3 2-12 3 Awap 4 2-11 4 Rose 2 2-6 5 Awap 6 2-8** 6 Rose 4 1-3** 7 Awap 8 1-4 8 Rose 6 1-3 9 Rose 7 1-7 10 Rose 8 8-9 Dark Horses v Five No Trumps Rosina 1 Awap 1 6-7 2 Awap 3 2-4 3 Awap 4 1-7 4 Rose 2 1-6** 5 Awap 6 1-3 6 Rose 4 2-7 7 Awap 8 2-4** 8 Rose 6 4-5 9 Rose 7 3-4 10 Rose 8 6-8 Betza Grand v Ad Augusta Betty 1 Awap 1 4-6 2 Awap 3 3-8** 3 Awap 4 1-4 4 Rose 2 3-4 5 Awap 6 1-9 6 Rose 4 2-4 7 Awap 8 3-5 8 Rose 6 1-2 9 Rose 7 1-6 10 Rose 8 4-10** Riverton Brian 3-6 2-5 6-8 2-4 2-10 Rosina 2-8 2-11 2-3 3-8 2-11 Betty 2-13 1-8 1-3 3-6 1-3 Thanks PJ GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

Why have a boring $40k guaranteed Pick6 at Awapuni and a $25k bonus quaddie? Why not just a $50k terminating Pick6? And what if Guaranteed Pick6 is struck by a full unit and only $20k bet? As a caller on Des Coppin's show said last Sunday, the TAB has to front up with extra $20k! C'mon TAB, give it a go just for a month and get some sizzle back into punting.

R1 1/2 **R2 2/14R3 2/10R4 1/2R5 5/6R6 3/8R7 3/9R8 2/8R9 1/8R10 8/11 ** Good luck all - apologies for late picks - bit rushed today. Crazy how you have one day when the shops are shut and next day every single person in NZ decides they need to drive into town.

in case I miss deadline can I please have R1: 1/2 ** (best bet) rest to follow shortly - hopefully before cutoff

Most likely will be PC issues, ram absorbed with other programs etc. or the Media Player he is using. https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-media-player Hold down Shift & push Esc, google task manager will appear and show you whats consuming Memory and CPU, starting point for solving issues. As an example, here is my PC showing a huge CPU leak when Race Chat is open.

There is a huge anomaly with NZRB/TAB. With the investment into Sports Betting infrastructure they are building their own empire whereas for racing profitabilty their structure should be as lean and mean as possible. Sports betting should have been seen as a separate business contracted to NZRB. By no means should racing resources been sacrificed for this separate business.

Morning all, For the LDM's R1 .4/6 R2 . 7/14 R3 . 2/11 R4 . 1/2 R5 . 3/6 R6 . 3/4 R7 . 2/6BB R8 . 1/2 R9 . 6/7 R10 6/10BB Good luck Hesi

All good!, even if I had not heard back from you by 12.30 I would have rejigged your dual entries to some form of "WITH MERIT" entry....as I was very impressed that all that was on your minds at 1am this morning after a big night .....was getting an entry into my comp!!!.

The problem is apart from registration and licencing service providers TR have little power. Essentially they dont have econonic power in the generation of income. They have little power over clubs. Leo I remember your mate GeeP saying when it came to Ellerslie that club did as they pleased. in the next breath he said if ARC folded that would the end of the game in NZ. The whole system is archaic. Dozens of clubs doing there best to keep themselves alive and racing in their community viable. Its a curious fact that some of the smallest are more viable by the dint they have very few meetings and less opportunity to lose money..

R1 - 4/9 bb R2 - 11/14 R3 - 2/13 R4 - 1/2 R5 - 1/12 R6 - 1/3 R7 - 1/10 R8 - 1/2 R9 - 1/8 R10 - 8/9 bb Riverton R2 - 2/8 R4 - 2/10 R5 - 1/9 R7 - 7/8 R9 - 2/10 Good luck Kloppite GO MIZERES

Yes that is my understanding, from time to time sector groups are asked for suggestions of lesser roles but the minister appoints. Glenda is a Nat party hack and it wouldnt surprise to see her dumped. JA is a fence sitter and would know where Winston bodies are buried and would survive but he may not want to. Really the whole thing needs a complete demolition from the top down, then with a defining mission statement, a complete rebuild. I would be ambivilent if the Govt stayed in as a minority shareholder, but the handbrake of the last century racing act has to go for racing to survive. Will that happen under Peters? I would say no as he is too busy and too old.

R1 - 6/7. R2 - 5/14. R3 - 2/11. R4 - 2/6. R5 - 8/9. R6 - 3/4. R7 - 1/6 BB. R8 - 2/9. R9 - 1/2. R10 - 2/4 BB. Riverton: 2/8. 2/13. 2/9. 2/3. 2/10 BB. All The Best Cubes (original BaaBaa' teammate!), Thanks PJ, Good Punting All, Go The Misère's, Steve.

Peter , they still have no connections. Plenty of flood water thou. Dad lost his home of 45 year's. We are about to leave Mexico to head back home. Apologies , for the lazy presentation of the guy's tips this week. You can appreciate it being 1.00 AM here . Good luck to all you Vendor's at the Inglis Sale's. I know it has been a tough year for many of you in the Thoroughbred Industry. Flowin With The Breez ROUND 10 - Sat Mar 31 Races are: 1. Awapuni R1 - 12.39pm - Landmark Homes Premier - $40k, 1550m, R85 10/11 2. Awapuni R3 - 1.49pm - LJ Hooker Premier - $40k, 2100m, R75 12/16 3. Awapuni R4 - 2.24pm - Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (Gr3) - $70k, 2100m, 3yos SWs 2/7 4. Rosehill R2 - 3.10pm - The Daily Telegraph Neville Sellwood Stks (Gr3) - $150k, 2000m, 4yos+ SW+Ps 5/9 b/b 5. Awapuni R6 - 3.34pm - Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stks (Gr1) - $225k, 1400m, 2yos SWs 9/12 6. Rosehill R4 - 4.20pm - Jim Beam Emancipation Stks (Gr2) - $200k, 2000m, fillies/mares SW+Ps 2/8 7. Awapuni R8 - 4.49pm - City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr2) - $100k, 2000m, open SW+Ps 9/10 b/b 8. Rosehill R6 - 5.30pm - KIA Tancred Stks (Gr1)- $1.5m, 2400m, WFA 4/6 9. Rosehill R7 - 6.10pm - Vinery Stud Stks (Gr1) - $500k, 2000m, 3yo fillies SWs 5/9 10. Rosehill R8 - 6.50pm - Mounties 50th Birthday Doncaster Prelude (Gr3) - $150k, 1500m, qlty hdcp 6/12 Palmerston North has rain scheduled for the next 12 hours and rain all day Saturday. I have added substitute races at Riverton. Please select for both meetings. If racing is abandoned at Awapuni then the comp program will continue from the next race chronologically at Riverton. Alternate NZ Races are: 1. Riverton R2 - 12.56pm - South Pacific Meats Maiden - $10k, 1400m, maiden 7/9 2. Riverton R4 - 2.06pm - Ewan Allan Honda Fairfax Hdcp - $25k, 1400m, R75 12/15 3. Riverton R5 - 2.41pm - Elmwood Catering Pourakino Hdcp - $25k, 2147m, R75 8/9 5. Riverton R7 - 3.54pm - Waiau Hotel Aparima Hdcp - $35k, 1200m, open hdcp 3/6 7. Riverton R9 - 5.04pm - Wintons Top Pub Waipango Hdcp - $22.5k, 1200m, R65 1/8 Wrinkles ROUND 10 - Sat Mar 31 Races are: 1. Awapuni R1 - 12.39pm - Landmark Homes Premier - $40k, 1550m, R85 2,5 2. Awapuni R3 - 1.49pm - LJ Hooker Premier - $40k, 2100m, R75 5,11 3. Awapuni R4 - 2.24pm - Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (Gr3) - $70k, 2100m, 3yos SWs 5,13 B/B 4. Rosehill R2 - 3.10pm - The Daily Telegraph Neville Sellwood Stks (Gr3) - $150k, 2000m, 4yos+ SW+Ps 6,7 5. Awapuni R6 - 3.34pm - Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stks (Gr1) - $225k, 1400m, 2yos SWs 3,4 6. Rosehill R4 - 4.20pm - Jim Beam Emancipation Stks (Gr2) - $200k, 2000m, fillies/mares SW+Ps 1,3 7. Awapuni R8 - 4.49pm - City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr2) - $100k, 2000m, open SW+Ps 1,4 8. Rosehill R6 - 5.30pm - KIA Tancred Stks (Gr1)- $1.5m, 2400m, WFA 1,5 9. Rosehill R7 - 6.10pm - Vinery Stud Stks (Gr1) - $500k, 2000m, 3yo fillies SWs 1,2 10. Rosehill R8 - 6.50pm - Mounties 50th Birthday Doncaster Prelude (Gr3) - $150k, 1500m, qlty hdcp 4,14 B/B Palmerston North has rain scheduled for the next 12 hours and rain all day Saturday. I have added substitute races at Riverton. Please select for both meetings. If racing is abandoned at Awapuni then the comp program will continue from the next race chronologically at Riverton. Alternate NZ Races are: 1. Riverton R2 - 12.56pm - South Pacific Meats Maiden - $10k, 1400m, maiden 3,9 2. Riverton R4 - 2.06pm - Ewan Allan Honda Fairfax Hdcp - $25k, 1400m, R75 5,13 3. Riverton R5 - 2.41pm - Elmwood Catering Pourakino Hdcp - $25k, 2147m, R75 3,9 5. Riverton R7 - 3.54pm - Waiau Hotel Aparima Hdcp - $35k, 1200m, open hdcp 3,5 7. Riverton R9 - 5.04pm - Wintons Top Pub Waipango Hdcp - $22.5k, 1200m, R65 2,5 Thanks , Peter J.

The Board appoints the CEO hence that’s who appointed John Allen, with probable persuasion from the National Minister at the time, Nathan Guy. The same Minister appointed the Chair, Glenda Hughes, who is a high up National person. The three independent members also get appointed by the Minister!!! (That’s the Racing Act that Gary Chittick presided over, and that at the time, I told him was flawed. He told me that I didn’t know what I was talking about! Who is right now Gary? - Sorry to digress guys.) The three codes get to put forward ONE Board Member each. So as you see the Codes have very little say, especially when trying to push their own interests, and are effectively kneecapped by Clause 16 anyway.

Any decent person would at least show some fight to clear his name? Seems he rolled over meekly, I only assume he is guilty? In which case it makes sense. I would still like to see him charged, send them to jail. Harden up on these chests, over it

Q: Has Smerdon made any direct statement to the effect that he's done nothing illegal but has decided it's too costly to defend the charges so he's retiring? If it were me, I'd defend my integrity this way (directly deny wrongdoing) rather than walk away without stating my innocence. Q: If he had chosen to appear - and subsequently been vindicated - could he sue the authorities?

DIRT V TURF

1) 6x9 Best Bet 1 2) 3x5 3) 11x13 4) 4x9 5) 6x9 6) 3x4 7) 3x5 8) 2x4 9) 8x9 Best Bet 2 10) 4x10 Riverton 1) 7x8 2) 3X12 3) 3x6 BB 4) 1x4 5) 1x3 Good luck, Ian. Dark Horses ....comp leaders ... and staying there.

That's the one I was thinking of when I said Botany in my post above. Couldn't remember the name though. Yes, a good recommendation.

Who really does run racing, makes you wonder sometimes.

Maybe never one as juiced to the gills as that 31 length victory either, it has been discussed frequently in recent years.

Hard to believe they got off so lightly when compared to others especially Cran Dalgety and Richard Brosnan

1. Awapuni R1 - 12.39pm - Landmark Homes Premier - $40k, 1550m, R85 – 3,8 2. Awapuni R3 - 1.49pm - LJ Hooker Premier - $40k, 2100m, R75 – 7,10 3. Awapuni R4 - 2.24pm - Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic (Gr3) - $70k, 2100m, 3yos SWs – 7,11 4. Rosehill R2 - 3.10pm - The Daily Telegraph Neville Sellwood Stks (Gr3) - $150k, 2000m, 4yos+ SW+Ps – 4,11 5. Awapuni R6 - 3.34pm - Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stks (Gr1) - $225k, 1400m, 2yos SWs – 5,13bb 6. Rosehill R4 - 4.20pm - Jim Beam Emancipation Stks (Gr2) - $200k, 2000m, fillies/mares SW+Ps – 2,8 7. Awapuni R8 - 4.49pm - City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr2) - $100k, 2000m, open SW+Ps – 4,6 8. Rosehill R6 - 5.30pm - KIA Tancred Stks (Gr1)- $1.5m, 2400m, WFA – 4,8 9. Rosehill R7 - 6.10pm - Vinery Stud Stks (Gr1) - $500k, 2000m, 3yo fillies SWs – 6,10 10. Rosehill R8 - 6.50pm - Mounties 50th Birthday Doncaster Prelude (Gr3) - $150k, 1500m, qlty hdcp – 7,14bb 1. Riverton R2 - 12.56pm - South Pacific Meats Maiden - $10k, 1400m, maiden – 1,5 2. Riverton R4 - 2.06pm - Ewan Allan Honda Fairfax Hdcp - $25k, 1400m, R75 – 5,9 3. Riverton R5 - 2.41pm - Elmwood Catering Pourakino Hdcp - $25k, 2147m, R75 – 6,7 5. Riverton R7 - 3.54pm - Waiau Hotel Aparima Hdcp - $35k, 1200m, open hdcp – 5,7 7. Riverton R9 - 5.04pm - Wintons Top Pub Waipango Hdcp - $22.5k, 1200m, R65 – 5,6bb Happy Easter everyone. Good luck TC and to team Royale. Thank you Peter.

Perhaps not quite as ardent as you Iraklis but he's a great little horse, rarely does anything wrong and from memory has only ever finished further back than 5th on a couple of occasions. Given his ownership I think he will move to Aussie before long. Could be wrong though. Not sure he can overcome the 30m handicap though. These days with front horses, trotters or pacers, coming home in 58 or better, anything 3 or 4 lengths away at the turn just cant seem to quite make up the leeway. He must be in the finish though, simply on the basis of honesty.

I have a modicum on Buster Brady at 3.'s. He has won and placed at the distance.He was 5th beaten 8 lengths in the Cup behind Lazarus so if he can bring that form on Saturday he looks value to me. On another note what say the All Stars bashers about them co sponsoring the Easter Cup this year or is this another silence is golden moment from them all.

at the risk of putting the cat among the pigeons...and with a disclaimer.. I love Winx! Q: when deciding her greatness In the pantheon of true champions of the turf (and she is definitely one of them!): only one win over 2400m, against her own sex/age... how does she compare with Secretariat? (Belmont Stakes agst own age by 31L in time (2:24) that is still a world record For me, there has never been a horse to surpass Secretariat.

Race 1: 1,9. Race 2: 6,9. Race 3: 1,2. Race 4: 2,6. Race 5: 1,8. Race 6: 3,4. Race 7: 1,4. (Best Bet). Race 8: 1,9. Race 9: 2,8. Race10:2,4. (Best Bet). Riverton. Race 2: 6,8. Race 4: 2,8. Race 5: 2,9. Race 7: 2,8. Race 9: 1,2. (Best Bet).

you think you have time for a cup of tea and a lie down before the first ?

Yeah, good stuff Iraklis. Great to see you get excited about the harness game

I found the PR BS totally over the top actually I absolutely respect the decision, and think I would've made the same one myself. But why didn't they just say "hey we decided to stay at home in the interests of the great mare and the Australian racing public and industry. Thanks for the interest and offers though"

I’ve bought about 10 of the site . Like they say buyer beware as 95% of the tried horses did have issues and sacked them all . But have managed to pick up two very nice horses at good prices .Love this option .

See you tomorrow

Power is Coolmore owned and was a shuttler, new Owners/Plumptre have decided he doesnt fit with maybe Burgundy fitting the profile Power has. They also have their 2 domestic G1 horses in the wings they have brought into, both are 0/2 in Australia.

Don't know - and not sure whether decision dates back to Sir P or if he doesn't fit the bill for the new owners at Cambridge ...