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half senile, thought he'd entered in best dried arrangement at flower show next door and mixed up the venues

Apart from the elderly stables Cambridge is a good track for hosting a big race meeting. It has a main stand with 3 tiers for wining and dining, as well as the public stand. There are lots of flat grassed areas suitable for marquees and picnics. Because of hosting the Jewels, in recent years several public areas have been modified/spruced up and the team by now should have the know how to run big events. The other good thing I like about Cambridge is that it is a great viewing track - the public are close to the horses.

You probably know that a Board has very serious responsibilities to follow Governance good practise and make responsible decisions and protect their organisation's assets. It is usual to have some sort of personal liablity insurance. Of course the decision to undertake the the risky buildng venture was presented to members who OK'd it. Cases in Business that you refer to often arise when stakeholders/members claim some illegal or fraudulent activities...proving that this has knowingly occured can be tricky. In this case , the Board members were mainly folk involved in Harness and were on Board cos they were well liked participants in the Club and stepped up with good intentions. The incompetence was ultimately directed toward a dominant Chairman who sadly passed away early in project and an employee who was / is the KEY person in the club surviving the Counter-sueing court cases by Contractors which if lost would put the Club in serious doubt ! It's mainly water under bridge now...rapidly rising land values have rescued the net asset [equity] position. Little real animosity toward those at helm....be kind. Maybe lessons learned ! The Club has an excellent asset ,just need more horses in North, more people in North betting and a bit of love from the South Island dominant racing decision makers ! Onwards and upwards.

Like the streaker who run through the old folks home, one old bird had a stroke and the other couldn't reach.

So the TAB open it up at 2.50 and get swamped. Now 1.50 but noticeably lower offshore. The drive today in the last at Westport in the bog will be interesting Plenty of gaps out their so far

The only thing worse than not being able to attract a decent crowd to such a day, is attracting a big crowd and them all going away disillusioned because of third world facilities that they wouldn't tolerate in their local public bar. I have no idea what Cambridge looks like these days. Putting up a few tents doesn't make up for a basic lack of infrastructure.

What's more mystifying is what's in the water at Woodend

HIGH FLYING HARRY - held up on the final bend behind a weakening runner. Stewards opened and adjourned an investigation into the manner K Newman drove rounding the final bend when electing not to improve his position outwards when an opportunity existed. Obviously Korbyn was trying to outdo Ross Cameron in the interesting drive for the year contest. If they look hard enough they might even come to the conclusion that he could have left the rails on more than one occasion F me but there were some absolute shocking drives over there. Hard to work out of they were incompetent or something else.

A good friend said a girl told him he had the biggest appendage she'd ever seen, he replied, your pulling my leg.

I am not meaning to sound negative here, but I am absolutely intrigued by all this talk of the numerous people who might potentially want to buy slots. By my calculations, it costs $75,000 per year, $225,000 over three years. The winner gets $400,000. After deductions, and assuming a 50/50 deal with the horse owner, that leaves $170,000 for the slot owner assuming they don't own the horse themselves. So a nice profit shown for that one year if they win. Second horse gets $125,000: after deductions and a 50/50 deal that leaves $53,125 for the slot owner. So run second and lose $21,875 that year. And if the owner of a decent horse is looking for the best offer from a slot holder they might be able to do a deal where the horse owner gets more than 50%, so even less for the slot holder. I'm sure the owners of a good Aussie horse would be able to push for a good deal with their expenses paid as well. You may argue the owners of a really good horse, such as Akuta, would buy their own slot, but there would probably only be one or two that confident. And consider this situation. If All Stars had the clear best two horses in the country and could only own one slot they would actually be worse off if they did a deal with someone else for their number two horse and it beat their top horse into second. About $50,000 worse off. So it may be in their interest not to start the second best horse in the country, especially if they had common ownership.

I couldn't see the motivation for him in this. If I was doing a multi or all up I would start with those who are big sponsors currently then try and attract a few new ones who can leverage their involvement in some form. Anchors would be the Company that does the big National sales.....they also transport horses so the other main Horse freighters well favoured too. Then the near certainties are the big studs , who in Year 1 will possibly have shares in horses qualified to run ! If a slot holder I would try and get our champion young horses to represent me.....ie Krug and Akuta. assuming these horses intend to keep racing in NZ ,their connections may invest eg Krug has won $600k. Then there are the big purchasers at sales[ x 3] .....they seem to have a 'Group1 'horse each year ...they spend enough to deserve one . So thats 10.....one reneges , so nine 'race-course' certainties. The last spot goes to a group of smaller breeders / trainers who may dream up a good 'marketing' idea which could highlight their business and improve their profile. Like Horse owning / Breeding returns are low and its an expensive hobby which you only do with $$$ you can say goodbye to ! Anyone know if they give slot holders a feed on the day ?

I wonder if G Rogerson would be a player as well

Should be gelded after such a poor showing

Any updates on the potentially dramatic events that occurred a few weeks back.

Final declarations are through for tomorrow and Wednesday. Leopardstown's meeting dominates tomorrow and fortunately the big races are being shown on UK free-to-air. 11 have been declared for the staying hurdle Grade 1 over 4800m. FLOORING PORTER won the Cheltenham stayers hurdle but flopped at Punchestown where the lightly-raced KLASSICAL DREAM was a convincing winner. FLOORING PORTER returned in the Lismullen at Naas and was going well when falling two out. Both have claims but I'm very interested in ABRACADABRAS over this trip. He beat BUZZ in the Aintree Hurdle over 4000m in the spring but was no match for HONEYSUCKLE in the Hatton's Grace last time and this step up in trip looks a shrewd move. I've backed him against the front two in the hope he'll see it out well. SIRE DU BERLAIS was third to FLOORING PORTER in this race last year and then chased him home at Cheltenham. H He's another with claims but I'm more worried about SALDIER who may be 25/1 but won the prestigious Galway Hurdle in the summer and is another having a first go at this longer trip. 8 go in the Savils Chase over 4800m and A PLUS TARD is 4/6 to follow up his facile Betfair Chase win. That race fell apart in his favour but with several high-profile bubbles burst in yesterday's King George he could well be the dominant staying championship chaser currently. I expect a good run from JANIDIL who was second in the John Durkan and from KEMBOY back at a track where he often performs to his best. On to Wednesday and 8 go in the Neville Hotels, the staying novice chase championship race at Leopardstown. This looks a weak renewal and perhaps BACARDYS can finally fulfil his potential at the expense of RUN WILD FRED and VANILLIER who ducked the Faugheen at Limerick for this. The Matheson is the championship hurdle race over 3200m. - just six go and SHARJAH, last year's winner, looks set to follow up with ZANAHIYR likely to follow him home. At Newbury. the Challow over 4050m is the mid season championship for the intermediate hurdlers. Another small field and I'm not wholly convinced about the quality. Gordon Elliott may be similarly unconvinced as he sends over the French import GRINGO D'AUBRELLE but his form is nothing special. WEST BALBOA from the Skelton stable could be anything off a Warwick win but the form is with LOSSIEMOUTH who won a Grade 2 at Sandown last time and could be ready to go to the top table.

On then to Kempton and what we can think of as the mid-season championship day. First thing to note after half an inch of unexpected overnight rain, the ground was Soft, much slower than expected and that would have a considerable impact on the action. Three Grade 1 races and the first was the Kauto Star Novices Chase over 4800m for the younger staying chasers. Just four went to post and on all known form a match between AHOY SENOR and BRAVEMANSGAME. Kauto Star Novices Chase: The story of this race is easily told. BRAVEMANSGAME put in an exemplary round of jumping (as good as FERNY HOLLOW was over the shorter trip) whereas AHOY SENOR declined to stand off on a few occasions and was just too cautious and careful. Trainer Paul Nicholls suggested the winner would miss Cheltenham and come back to Kempton for the 2022 King George which is an intriguing plan but I find it hard to believe connections won't decide to have a go at Cheltenham. He jumps well and goes on decent turf. The championship race for the hurdlers was the Christmas Hurdle and the 2019 winner EPATANTE was bidding to atone for her narrow defeat last year. She had made a satisfactory if muddling return in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle dead heating with NOT SO SLEEPY: Christmas Hurdle: With NOT SO SLEEPY not in a going mood and the ground having gone against TRITONIC, EPATANTE probably didn't have a lot to beat and for all she did it well you'd have to think HONEYSUCKLE and her supporters wouldn't be too worried. On then to the big race and arguably one of the most open King George VI chases for many years. In the end, the Gold Cup winner MINELLA INDO went off narrow favourite over CLAN DES OBEAUX and CHANTRY HOUSE but both last year's winner FRODON and John Durkan faller ASTERION FORLONGES were also seen as serious contenders. King George VI Chase: A fantastic race and a right boil over as TORNADO FLYER, the outsider of the field, triumphed at 28/1. A fluke result? Perhaps - FRODON and MINELLA INDO went off like scalded cats and with the ground having softened, neither was able to maintain the pace. This allowed those who sat off the pace to come through in the final 800m. CLAN DES OBEAUX looked the likely winner at the top of the straight before fading and ASTERION FORLONGES was threatening to make it a Mullins 1-2 when capsizing at the last. This was only TORNADO FLYER's second run at 4800m - he had run in the Savils last year - but the evidence of his runs in races like the Ryanair and the John Durkan was he would relish the trip and so it proved. How he would go over an additional 400m at Cheltenham remains to be seen. CLAN DES OBEAUX lost nothing in defeat but you just have a chance his time has come and gone at the very top table. SAINT CALVADOS again for me didn't quite get home but rewarded those who kept the faith (not me). FRODON got involved in the ludicrous early pace duel with MINELLA INDO and both paid the penalty. FRODON's jumping kept him in it until the home turn and he came home a well beaten fourth while MINELLA INDO was in trouble with a mile to go and was eventually pulled up. Spring may be his time but if, as I suspect, A PLUS TARD wins the Savils today, it'll be clear who is now top of the pecking order among the championship chasers. CHANTRY HOUSE jumped poorly and I suspect the ground wasn't helping and he pulled up. ASTERION FORLONGES was again let down by his jumping late on - when he gets tired, he doesn't put a leg out to sav himself

Starting the look back with the St Stephen's Day action in Ireland. Leopardstown and Limerick both stage four day Christmas Festival meetings and both had Grade 1 races on their opening day. Both were novice chasers - at Leopardstown, the speedier novices went over 3400m while Limerick's Faugheen Chase was over 3950m. The Racing Post at Leopardstown looked a match on paper between FERNY HOLLOW, the 2020 Cheltenham Bumper winner and RIVIERE D'ETEL, a promising 4-y-o chaser who had won his three chase starts by wide margins and was getting 13 lbs from FERNY HOLLOW. Racing Post Novice Chase: This was a hugely impressive performance by FERNY HOLLOW (one of two on the day) and while the second ran with merit, the fact is this was her chance and she couldn't take it. As to whether FERNY HOLLOW can win the Arkle at Cheltenham, his jumping will help a lot but whether he has the tactical speed especially on quicker ground remains to be seen. The others were well beaten off and with APPRECIATE IT staying over hurdles and BOB OLINGER looking more likely to go for the Marsh over 4000m, you'd think EDWARDSTONE could be the one to give FERNY HOLLOW a race at Cheltenham. At Limerick, a couple of late defections (including VANILLIER) slightly devalued the Faugheen. Faugheen Novices Chase: A dramatic finish saw MASTER MCSHEE edge out FAROUK D'ALENE in the final strides. This was a huge success for trainer Paddy Corkery and a reminder even in a sport seemingly dominated by three or four big yards, the small guy can sometimes come out on top. The quality of the form of the race is more open to debatable - GABYNANKO was moderate in third - I suspect the much slower ground didn't help him. Elsewhere on the Irish cards, the maiden hurdles saw a succession of very short priced favourites, most of whom obliged, The star was SIR GERHARD who won the 2021 Cheltenham Bumper. He looked very good on his hurdles debut at Leopardstown though I'm not sure what he beat. Another for the notebook is WATCH HOUSE CROSS who won the other maiden hurdle at Leopardstown. The short priced favourite fell when challenging two out but WATCH HOUSE CROSS took full advantage - to be honest, he's a future chaser and I look forward to seeing him over the larger obstacles next season.

Am I really now ?? With Copy That's injury and the fact that Aussie Harness are having their own slot race where do you think my foresight has fallen down. The other thing the full details of the race had not yet been decided apon when I posted. l still think it may struggle but good luck with those who invest into it. I also think that it has given harness an excuse not to hold the jewels, which gave more chance to the grass roots of the industry.