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My wife and I have decided we don’t want children either. It will be a tough conversation but we will tell them tonight.

I know some of you are members on other forums. Brent Gardiner/Leggy/Racingoutsider/Curious has tried to malign myself and RaceCafe on these other platforms. He was placed on moderation here a few months back after he took messages between himself and I and posted them on another forum, for the reason to try to malign me. He then joined here as another identity, secretly, and was caught out last weekend posting under the incorrect name, his fault not mine. I then decided that he would be restricted from posting, not banned for a short period of time as is my right as owner here. This site costs around 6K a year to keep going and then with the comps, which I mostly fund, so people can have some fun and hopefully get some returns, all up its around 8k a year to keep the lights on here so to speak. However I am not a doormat and will not be treated as one. This forum is here for everyone to use but if you choose to disrespect me or the platform I am sorry it will no longer be tolerated and I will ask you to leave. I do not do this so people can criticize me or the forum, it is for people with similar interests to enjoy and if some have issue with how I choose to run my own site then sorry I will be unapologetic about the actions I take. We have huge traffic and people from all aspects of the industry view RC posts, of which I am very proud to say we are the leading forum in this space in New Zealand. There will be some changes coming soon, of which we will keep you updated on. Thanks for the support of most members here, it’s really appreciated. Leigh

Thanks for all the support from everyone this past year wishing everyone here and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a very prosperous 2025 for all...

Just to let everyone know I have bought Pete Lane onboard as part of the RC team in a partnership. Pete will become an Admin, along with John, and will be taking a bigger role here going forward. Pete has been involved in forums for a long while and I am happy to have him as part of the RC team.

Very sad, its one area we need to support people more in the industry he had issues for a long period of time...we can pour all the money we want into top end prize money but the people at the coal face that deliver that product need helping too...Fly high JP...good rider taken way too soon...thoughts and prayers with all his friends and family.RIP.

My Response to the survey. I don't claim to have a mortgage on all the good ideas,im just a battling jump jockey and these are just my thoughts/opinions. I'd encourage as many as possible to take the time to do the survey Michael Roustoby Jump Jockey - No. our industry has been left behind while other parts of the industry have had millions of dollars thrown at them I think Jump racing needs to be embraced in winter and more carnivals made. Australia has got behind jumping and its becoming more popular all the time. Warrnambool carnival etc. We need to create something similar. Flat racing where they are all heading to the outside fence in winter is boring,the open handicaps struggle to get 6 runners most of the time. we need something exciting. Nothing has been done to advertise jumping or attract punters or fans. There is no pathway to become a jump jockey. Your on your own. Some help would be great. Riddell is the jumps jockey coach or whatever......we dont see him.Nothing against him but we are in and out early in the day before he gets there. The jumps races have produced a great specatacle this season with some great finishes and horses like West Coast who is a maiden on the flat is a champion over jumps. NZ breds continue to dominate the Australian races. some sort of trans tasman challenge could be set up with them. Our best tracks Paeroa,Ellerslie,Awapuni etc have all been pensioned off and Te Aroha has been a disaster. Turnover per race is on the rise by those figures so you could say things are looking up. More jockeys are coming and if we are given more certainty of the future more people would invest. The last couple of years the whispers have been we are done so people arent interested. 2yo racing was a non event 20 years ago. the Karaka million came in and now 2yo racing has gone gangbusters. Investment and advertising/hype around jumps to get people excited can help grow our game the same way. Not suggesting a million dollar race but a bit of hype and further investment can be a game changer. 6. Keeping horses in the game longer. How many 10//11yos are racing without jumps? none The people. Jump racing keep skilled people in the industry and produces trainers,trackriders who ride the grubs Entertainment/carnivals to keep winter racing exciting 7. Jockey . Continue to ride and myself and my partner Jen Mcilroy will get another jumper to train if the future is certain. We have had 3 in the past but havent reinvested due to the uncertainty 8. Before hammering jumps racing look in your own backyard. How many people are employed in your offices and what money are they on? What value do they add? What expenses are drawn out of the racing coffers for trips/travel/junkets and are they neccesary? We are just working class people,cheap horses can become heros in jump races. They cant all be expensive yearlings who win group 1s. The battlers get a go to race for glory. Maybe that aspect of the game should be further explored to get more owners who cant afford the big sydicates. Its the working class peoples game. Its can be the NZB Kiwi or Karaka Million every week. Lets make jumps racing stronger to get people who cant afford big syndications into ownership And also think of the excitment jumping brings and use that to make jumping carnivals and get fans to the races Remember the turnover per race is going up not down according to your stats And another thing to consider is You guys end jump racing. You end our careers,our passion,our livelyhood. And in 5 years time are you still going to be at NZTR or moved onto something else? Dont let your legacy be the people who ended the great game with a great tradition,be the people who revived it to Make Jumping Great again It may not be easy but nothing thats easy is worth doing. Thats why your on the big bucks. I have faith in you and look forward to the changes you make to keep the game going Once its gone its gone and Winter racing will be far poorer without it. Michael

As the ring leader of the Trentham debacle I will give my point of view Feel free to keep the pitchforks in hand and torches burning. I'm a big boy and can cop it on the chin. We as jockeys are shown a map,a small map,of the track before racing and taken through the course on the map,a small chalkboard. There is 1 exit gap to get back onto the course proper on the maps. I was riding the figure 8 for the first time and watched years of replays to prepare. Once again there was only ever 1 gap to re enter the course proper. While leading over the 2nd last fence I commenced the corner looking for the 1 gap to go back onto the course proper. As I cornered I seen the wide gap marked by cones to my right so let my horse rollout and go through the gap. What I thought was the 1 and only gap. It had to be,there has never been another gap and we weren't told there would be another 1. It was only very late Hamish had realised there were 2 gaps today and called out to everyone. By then it was too late for 3 of us. Jockeys who have ridden the course plenty said they were also fooled because there has only ever been 1 exit. Yes we need to take some responsibility for the error. We "should have known" where the crossing is but when you are doing 45-50kms/hr full of adrenaline after jumping 18 fences going in all directions you are simply looking for the 1 and only gap in the fence. You see it and ride for it. You're there to win not for sightseeing. Unfortunately unbeknown to us for whatever reason there were 2 gaps in reasonably close vicinity to each other this day. That's where the confusion lay. Similar if I told you drive down the road and turn right at the Oak tree. If I planted another tree 50 metres in front of it without you knowing would you still take the right turn? Yes we take the Blame. All the blame. We lose our money,a valuable winner on a horse I love dearly and have travelled up and down the country side to ride (many times at a loss to my pocket, including Saturday) for a great boss in Chris for very loyal owners. I am gutted for everyone and even apologised to the staff at home. He's a horse I have put alot of time,effort and travel into to get him to Saturday. Nobody is feeling it or kicking me in the arse harder than me We Cop the abuse,it comes with the job. Get suspended for 3 weeks and are labelled incompetent riders. We miss out on rides and risk losing rides. It very well could completely cripple the rest of the year for us. We Cop a decent punishment for our part. It was a mistake. Do the people who left the rail down receive the same penalties?

Just turned on trackside to hear this terrible and tragic news . I worked with Jonathan whilst he was an apprentice , he was a great kid who didn't have a bad bone in his body , he had a tough start in life but was working hard to make a career for himself , and he would be the first to admit he wasn't a natural but with very hard work a great career he did make . A very under rated jockey who had lovely hands , was one of the few who could ride on a long rein and a great judge of tempo . He used to visited my wife and myself after he moved back to Wanganui , and always came up and talked to us in the grandstand if he didn't have a ride . Spent a lovely day with him at our place one Xmas day , and those memories will always be with us . A genuinely nice guy who is a great loss to everyone he touched and to the racing industry as a whole . R.I.P. Skins .

Ulrika Holmquist who has ridden successfully during the summer in NZ a few times in the last few years had a bad fall in Norway. She has neck, rib and back injuries from what was a serious fall. I would like to wish her well in her recovery and hope everything with her rehab goes well for her and she can make a full recovery. This industry can be bloody rough some times.

And we appreciate what you do Leigh. Thanks for providing a platform where we can have a voice, view/post interesting topics and especially the comps which are so much fun.

Just want to let everyone know that thanks to the generosity of Idolmite the comp will now have its prize money doubled as he is kindly donating $250 to allow this to happen. I want to thank him for this and wish him well in all he does in the coming months he is a fighter.

Industry mourns Kevin Hickman Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk The New Zealand thoroughbred industry has lost one of its most influential figures of the last two decades with the passing of Kevin Hickman after a long illness. Tributes to the Valachi Downs principal have flowed from around New Zealand and Australia, including from Gareth Downey, who was Valachi’s general manager from 2020 to its closure in 2022. He now has a management role with leading Australian stable Lindsay Park Racing. “It really is a huge loss, and it’s the end of what’s been a very difficult journey in recent years for Kevin and his family,” Downey said. “A few of us who were on the Valachi team have been catching up today, and we’re all forever grateful for the opportunities that he gave us. Even apart from the many varied successes he had in his life, he was such an inspirational, dedicated and passionate man who loved the horses and loved his people. If you were part of his team, he made you feel like part of his family. “What he achieved in racing and breeding in a relatively short space of time was remarkable and indicative of the type of man that he was. Whatever he set his mind to, be it in business or sport or thoroughbreds, he was determined to succeed, and he invariably did. But that success never came at the cost of his ethics or integrity. He still had lifelong friends from his childhood, and all of the success that he had in his life never changed him one bit. “There aren’t many people like Kevin Hickman, and a lot of people who were lucky enough to know him are feeling the pain of his loss today.” A relative latecomer to the racing and breeding world, Hickman was born in Westport and grew up in Darfield and Rakaia before moving to Christchurch to join the New Zealand Police. He progressed through those ranks to become a detective, which was just one of a number of achievements in a varied and distinguished career. He was also a competitive athlete and highly respected athletics coach, and in 1984 he co-founded Ryman Healthcare – a retirement-village business that has grown to encompass 42 villages, which are home to more than 12,500 residents and employs more than 6,000 people. It was only when Hickman retired as Ryman’s managing director in 2006 that he began to dip his toes into the thoroughbred world. What started as a hobby developed into something much more, and his influence as a breeder, owner, sponsor and charitable donor will be felt for decades to come. “Kevin Hickman made a wonderful contribution to the New Zealand breeding and racing industries,” New Zealand Bloodstock’s managing director Andrew Seabrook said. “Kevin introduced some lovely European blood to this country with the importation of several mares every year. “Not scared to think outside the square with some of his breeding theories, not only was Kevin a New Zealand Breeder of the Year, he was also crowned New Zealand Owner of the Year in 2014. There was hardly a race meeting that went by where his well-known colours weren't seen or where his beloved stud, Valachi Downs, wasn't a sponsor. The impact he made to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry will be felt for years to come.” Hickman’s pride and joy was his homebred O’Reilly mare Silent Achiever, who was trained by Roger James to win 10 of her 36 starts and more than $3.6 million in stakes. She won the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) and Gr.3 Waikato Guineas (2000m) in a stellar three-year-old season, then proved herself on both sides of the Tasman as an older horse with victories in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m), Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and New Zealand Stakes (2000m). She also finished third in the 2014 Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), where she was beaten by a neck and a short head by Adelaide and Fawkner in one of the closest finishes in the race’s storied history. Other notable performers in Hickman’s gold and blue colours included Group One performers Savile Row, Vernanme and Blue Solitaire, along with Gr.2 Doomben Roses (2000m) heroine Bohemian Lily and fellow Group winners Needle And Thread, Communique and Emerald Queen. Hickman and his wife Joanna also developed Valachi Downs into an internationally respected thoroughbred nursery. Located near Matamata and at one stage home to 80 of Hickman’s broodmares on a property spanning 110 acres, Valachi Downs was sold to Lib and Katrina Petagna in 2022 and rebranded as Elsdon Park. Hickman’s long list of breeding successes includes Group One winner and champion two-year-old Vespa and this year’s jaw-dropping Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Warmonger, plus other big-race performers such as Savile Row, Arrogant and Benaud. Valachi Downs stood stallions Zacinto, Vespa, U S Navy Flag, Ten Sovereigns and Savile Row. Zacinto’s successful stud career was the product of a partnership with his previous home, Inglewood Stud in Canterbury, with which Hickman had a long-standing and close association. “Kevin played an instrumental role in the development of Inglewood Stud over the past 12 years as a major shareholder in both Zacinto and our current stallion War Decree,” Inglewood Stud co-owner Gus Wigley said. “He didn’t hesitate to support Bianca and I when we bought both stallions, which was very typical of the man. He was a great supporter of young people willing to have a go. “He made a massive contribution to our industry – from the farm he developed, to the mares he imported, to the opportunities he offered people within our industry. He was also just a bloody good bloke that I enjoyed the company of, and he’ll be very much missed.” That sentiment is shared widely around Australasia and particularly in Canterbury, where Hickman honoured his roots with sustained sponsorship support. “Kevin had a great passion for racing here at Riccarton Park, stemming from being a very proud Cantabrian,” Canterbury Jockey Club chief executive Tim Mills said. “He was an owner, breeder, sponsor, corporate host and friend of racing. A man who never forgot his roots, he had a particular affinity with the Hororata raceday, coming from that part of Canterbury. “He set out to get both the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and South Island Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) upgraded to Group Three status, contributing significantly with his Valachi Downs sponsorship to enable stakes above the industry minimum. That goal was achieved, and the success of both races is due to Kevin’s support. “In his perpetual memory, it is fitting that the Kevin Hickman Retirement Village now borders the 1200m chute at Riccarton Park, looking out over where so many horses raced in his colours.” Hickman was also a generous supporter of charities, donating significantly to the likes of the Horse Ambulance Trust, CatWalk Trust, Women’s Refuge, Pet Refuge and the Christchurch Medical Research Centre. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2016. 23 August 2024

Sad to hear of the passing of Dr Jim Marks, one of the best vets I ever had the pleasure to know. Great guy who loved life and lived it to the fullest. Thought and prayers with his family at this sad time, give em hell up there Jim you were one of the worlds great characters...RIP.

You don't really get the point. You should read all of the comments carefully before commenting. No one is suggesting they should plow through deep water just to complete a meeting. Virtually all of the comments on here are concerned with: - Is there a problem with how the track has been maintained? - If a lot of money has been spent renovating the track recently, has it been well spent? - Could the abandonment have been foreseen and the meeting transferred the previous day? - Should the AWTs be called into action in such circumstances because that is how their cost was justified? - Is it wise to have closed lots of perfectly adequate tracks that could have been used as back-ups when necessary? - What are the costs to the industry of these abandonments: trainers and jockeys time, owners and punters frustration and disillusionment. International reputation.? - What is being done to mitigate similar things happening in future? - Is it wise to be announcing endless stakes incentives when industry infrastructure is in such a perilous state? These are the reasons behind people's comments on here, not "bleating". I realise you don't have the industry experience of many on here and nuance can sometimes be hard to understand. If you choose to come on again you would be wise to politely ask people to help you understand what is happening rather than telling people to "get over it."

I watched Joanne Moss interview after her horse won the last , where did the name come from ? well she explained Docter Askar is a doctor in Hamilton who saved her sons life so the horse is named after him , I thought what a great story most peoples lives have twists and turns and this story has had a great ending , good luck Joanne and your family . Another horse won today Zackery and I think one of race cafes participants owns a part of it so congrats on your win .

As a breeder/owner that was on course yesterday at the Ellerslie trials I was absolutely disgusted and disappointed at the lack of services available to us. At about Heat 10 (not quite half way through the trial card) the club ran out of food to serve to people! I wouldn't normally worry, but as the country's 'richest' and 'most prestigious' club - this is absolutely appalling, especially with 29 Heats operating yesterday. Not only was there no catering services to owners/breeders like myself. But more importantly, there was nothing available to any of the stable staff/strappers - most of whom had been up since about 3am, before heading to the trials up there all day. Only one little table available to serve any sorts of food and drinks.. yet Entain were having a huge meeting in their new TAB bar room and I can bet they didn't miss out on any gourmet food they wished for. ATR should be ashamed of themselves and take a long hard look at what they are about.. They are quick to get on TV and promote booze, parties and flash expensive fashion- but quickly forget the grass roots and foundations of this Thoroughbred industry. I really felt for more the stable staff, truck drivers and onsite people such as the farriers, clerks of the course, truck drivers, who had put in long hours who rely on the racing club to have something decent on offer. Country clubs like Te Aroha, Ruakaka, Cambridge, run rings around this club for things like this. I did notice ATR's racing manager looking absolutely dis-interested, and only willing to speak to his own 'mates' who he wanted too - again, this is so poor for NZ's biggest Racecourse; instead of getting around and about the facility talking to anyone and everyone as well as checking if everything was operating okay down at the horse Stables area. It's a club that certainly isn't there to help the foundations of this industry with poor performances like this. Yes they have good stake money but what else do they do? Its Quite embarrassing when you take along new and excited owners into the Thoroughbred industry and this is what they experience. The club will make an excuse and defend this situation as the always do, however there is no excuse and boils down to shaping up and having some decent management. Anyway, rant over - this will annoy some people - so what! Yesterday annoyed me, especially after all my investment in this industry. Thanks ATR for looking after yourselves as usual - you take the crown of being the most selfish club in existence

This amazing lady of the turf Sheila Laxon is surely a worthy inductee into our NZ Hall of Fame , Her back ground history before coming to NZ impressed many people. including her future husband LKL, Sheila rode as an apprentice and overcame the burocratic bullshit .She had a Linda Jones strike rate, Everything changed for Sheila in 1991 on the 23 rd January , I was Video taping the races at Makaraka Park.Gisbourne, Sheila had a fall on her horse called TRIPPLE CROSSIng, She was in a coma for 4 days, I held her little rough hand at night . Her mother flew out to be with her,designing a coffin,for her daughter . ,,,,,,,,, Ten years latter in 2001 Sheila trained The Caulfield Cup / Melb Cup mare Ethereal ,,,,,,,,,, 23 years later in 2024 Sheila trains her second Melb Cup winner. HALL OF Fame Inductee for sure

Isn’t it nice to have Emily at the track on trackside today.She is such a natural.She is always well presented, knowledgeable and a pleasure to watch.Considering what is going on in her private life it just shows she is a true professional.Hold your head up high Emily you have a lot of fans out there.

During the first 30 years of my 50+ years in the game that’s what made Trentham so great. All the best horses from the north and the south came together, plus the Yearling Sakes were on with all the Aussie’s and boy did we (they) party. Sadly the big breeders got their way and the infrastructure of NZ Racing went downhill from then on. Thank God I have lived through the great days of racing just like the music of my time. Liz

New Punting comp running over 10 weeks starting 21st June. Free entry and all you need to do is pick 1 horse racing in New Zealand or Metropolitan Australia on the Saturday. You will have an imaginary $10.00 each way on the horse. To stop any dead heats the first to post the horse will be used in the comp, so get those selections in early. I am sure we can find enough horses on all those meetings not to have the same choice. The top earner each week will get a $50.00, that I will put up, to bet the following Saturday to be used as they wish on a single horse. ALL monies raised will go to charity and the RC team will choose a different charity whenever there is a winning amount, lets hope there is plenty. I will put up 10 x $50.00 bets so the comp will run for 10 weeks and at the end of it we will have our BIG KAHUNA punting champ here at Racecafe, the person who has the highest total from their bets over the 10 week period, bragging rights for sure!!!!. Just a bit of fun and hopefully some good banter amongst the competitors. There will be a $100 prize for the overall Racecafe Big Kahuna after the 10 weeks too.

And where is Bruce Sherwin ? He's Not on the list ???? He's Out there filling in for Georgey and has grass route connections. People in the wash down bays and loading floats talk with him. He doesn't talk "at" people. Rather "with" people. He's never been shy of explaining why a particular course of action would have negative consequences. ( as I well know !) Rev

Happy New Year to all cafers , and to the wider Racing community . I hope every owners horse wins at least one race . I hope every punter wins a significant amount off the TAB at least once this year . I hope every jockey and horse returns to the birdcage uninjured after every race . I hope every retired horse find a happy home . Personally I hope I can be a bit more positive about the future of NZ racing , also be a little more understanding when someone says or does something that pisses me off , and remind myself that everybody says stupid things . Personally I don't hold out much hope of achieving the goals set out in the above line , at least not 100% , but I will try . Enjoy your New Years day racing and back plenty of winners to put us all in a good mood . Take care of yourselves and your families , and your friends . Nomates . p.s. the name isn't completely true , so to the people that count , thanks for your support . pps. FFS Spurs sort your shite out . (this is purely personal).

I must say good to see Ellerslie is racing much better these days I for one was very critical early on...it is still far from perfect as takes a ton of work but geez it raced well today after so much rain...definitely heading in the right direction and horses won from everywhere today, front back inside draws outside draws so it seemed a pretty fair surface to all...I know many other tracks if they had that amount of rain would of been bottomless.

Orchestral finished her 3yo year on 103 (6wins), with Crocetti at 101. Historically high 3yo ratings. After 4 u/p starts, she then won the 4yo $1mill race by 1.5L beating horses rated 83, 71 and 74...at level weights. Happy to explain more fully, but In short, she hasn't run anywhere near her 102 rating in this race. In the Otaki WFA she is beaten by a rating 98 horse at level weights. She has been well-placed. Malt Time started this current prep at rating 93. She ran in handicap races initially, winning three, rising 4 points each time, to peak at 105. Many anomalies can be found in ratings-based handicapping. Trainers can get an edge in placing their horses well.

I knew Don well and exchanged breeding ideas over many years. A great bloke and kiwi fruit grower / breeder who loved to take on the big boys. He told me about his punting days in Australia where on one day he took so much cash from the track he needed a bag! Others will know more about that… but he was a real gent, a race cafe regular, good contributor, raced a horse with me…. And I miss the man. so pleased his breed (and generosity) is coming out and he is being remembered

I watched the scenes and interviews after the Oakleigh Plate. You can see in Australian racing it is all about the passion and enthusiasm and respect for tradition. The NZ approach is to throw millions into some new races and expect people to get excited, while ignoring tradition. The Aussies are happy to embrace the new rich races but still appear to value the traditional races more. NZ appears to be largely intent on ignoring tradition and its intangible value.

Greyhounds make fantastic pets, calm, laid back, affectionate, my old bloke is feeling some aches and pains now ( he's twelve ) but still does acrobatics over the furniture when I get home from work! No idea what your daughter is referring to. Yes, some of these lovely dogs have been treated terribly, esp.by the bigger operations. My experience with some smaller ones is that some of the retired models shift from the kennels to the couch in front of the TV. The sad thing is that there won't be enough homes for all these dogs, the hypocritical SPCA is mouthing platitudes while destroying thousands of domestic dogs every year. Rehoming, they don't do very much, that seems to be left to numerous volunteers who do their best, but again, many lovely dogs just miss out. Councils need to be more vigilant about unlicensing breeders, cracking down on the puppy mills, etc, and try and reduce the sad outcomes.

On the Guerin Report yesterday Mick was suggesting that as all or most of the Group One Horses are based at either Byerley Park, Cambridge or Matamata it makes sense to have all the Group One races run in the North. That was part of the discussion regarding what happened at Hastings on Saturday. He even questioned why we still run the 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Riccarton! Well what happened today? Where are three of the first four place getters from? Gee whiz those poor Southern and CD horses must be tough as old nails they crisscrossed the North Island, finally ending up in Matamata not only to participate, but come up trumps, filling three of the first four positions. Just saying. Liz

This race on Sunday needs a name change .It is not the Great Northern Steeplechase .The Great Northern is 3 times over the hill ,the ultimate test of stamina .If those in charge choose to disregard tradition and abandon history then they must change the name of a once magnificent event .Maybe call it the "We sold the hill and killed 100yrs of history Steeplechase " or the "Ask your grandad how great the Northern used to be Steeplechase "

A very smart man,Peter V'landys once told a rugby league organisation that centralisation would be the death of the game. The short term sugar hit from the sale of the grounds wouldn't last. Tribalism is the key. You want everyone to have access to going to the games and that's what gets people involved to be fans/future participants and grow the game.

The teacher was having english lessons and asked the class to say a sentence with the word dough in it - Little Sarah said - " bread is made from dough" - - very good said the teacher Little Bobby said - " there is a song called mouldy old dough" -- very good said the teacher Little Johny put his hand up and said - "my mum said dad is useles so she has got a dildough"

It's not just about racing, the sports betting product that entain provides is amongst the worst you'll see & I would argue in many cases criminal - I'll paste some examples of it below. And to those banging on about this being a good thing (morons), tell me how selling out to a multinational gambling company based in the UK is a good thing for NZ? The money being taken off-shore by them will more than match that of the NZ punters betting overseas. The NZ govt just sold out to a British giant and is trying to convince us that is a good thing for NZ? I dont know if people are thinking straight here but forcing people to use your product instead of improving your product and being competitive in the marketplace is NOT what we want as a country in ANY industry, why would u guys accept that? If you're a fan of NZ TAB that is fine, and you can continue to use them, but to pretend like this is a good move is pathetic. In sports, they'll very often suspend betting on one side but allow it on the other side. They have games offering $1.02 bet pairings (instead of $1.90 pairs as it shiuld be), they offer a $1.02 fave with a $3.70 underdog?? (That pairing should be at $13-$15, not @ $3.70) In soccer, late in games, they'll offer "under" betting but not "over" (example- @ 1-0, you can bet under 1.5 goals, but not over 1.5 goals) I have seen this occur at least 10-15 times now, I imagine it's a regular thing. You simply cannot offer one side of a bet and not the other, just because the liability will be higher on your end if said event does happen. The bet delay (how long it takes to place a bet) on the gold cup soccer (international) was 14 seconds when I checked the other day - you can't even get a bet on options like that as the odds move before the bet can even be placed. Monopolies of any kind are bad, British-owned Monopolies owning our country is even worse! Nothing makes me more angry than governments or entities forcing people to do something, controlling our actions as if we can't control them ourselves. Also, how can they ban NZ hounds, but allow betting on aussie greyhounds? Hypocritical much? Reminds me of the climate change mob who act like emissions are down in western countries while China polluted everything instead (on our behalf) People will get big mad at my rambling here, instead of being mad at their own government And dammit, I can't seem to paste these images from my phone here, but I have countless examples saved that I'm going to make as many people aware of as possible

You need to fully explain your POV. How exactly is it unfair? In fact - How is removing well informed investment value options in the slightest bit fair. How is the freedom to exercise one's free will and choice after hours of study finding value unfair? What we are really talking about here is a massive $100m bribe by a multinational betting organisation to obtain a controlling monopoly on NZers sport and racing investment's freedom to choose, to meet their own profitable ends. Now If the best value in a betting scenario is provided by the NZ TAB they get the investment. Its not rocket science. It is a universal law of competition, a law of nature and a law of successful business in a democratic society. In fact this whole sorry episode reminds me of the deregulation of the mid 80's when clever but self interested investment bankers pulled the wool over inept politician's eyes by advising them on asset divestment and then buying those assets themselves. The appointment of one of the key advisors of that perverted period on our history as chair of the TAB is not, in my opinion, coincidental. History is just repeating with the same obfuscation of facts that occurred then happening again today.

FB message from Ulrika: Thank you all so much for the incredibly kind messages and support after my fall on Thursday in Oslo. I suffered multiple injuries and have since undergone surgery — I’m relieved to say it went well, and my prognosis for a good recovery is looking positive. It’s been a tough few days, especially with concussion and fatigue, but I’m in good hands and feeling truly cared for. Ulrika is not able to attend to her phone at the moment, but I’m sending all love and thanks. Your support means the world and truly helps Ulrika on her way to mending.

Thanks guys. She has given us a fantastic ride this season. Five starts winning four and finishing second in the other. Her last three starts have been winning the Karaka Millions, the Matamata Breeder Stakes and the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes and her stakes earnings stand at $1,060,750. To win a G1 race on my old home stomping ground was very special indeed. Ginni is her stable name and she is a wee star. She is just so tough. She has now gone out for a well deserved break and we look forward to seeing her back as a 3yo next season.

Now, there’s a blast from the past. Remember Shocking, who reeled in the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Crime Scene to win the Melbourne Cup for Mark Kavanagh and Eales Racing in 2009? The son of Street Cry also won the Australian Cup back at Flemington on his swansong. He has been quietly standing as a stallion at Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand since his retirement 14 years ago, cropping up every now and then with the odd top-notcher like Toorak Handicap and Makybe Diva Stakes winner I’m Thunderstruck, but he made a big noise when notching a Group 1 double as a sire at Te Rapa in New Zealand on Saturday. El Vencedor, a six-year-old gelding trained and owned by Mark Freeman and David Price, ran out a three-length winner of the Herbie Dyke Stakes and an hour later Here To Shock, a seven-year-old gelding trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, slammed fellow Australian challenger Bosustow by four lengths to land the Waikato Sprint. El Vencedor was already a Group 1 winner, having scored in the New Zealand Stakes last March, but Here To Shock was gaining a first top-level strike. He takes Shocking’s tally of elite winners to five. Not a bad record for a horse who stands at a fee equivalent to £5,700 or €6,800. Shocking’s (pictured below) weekend exploits got me thinking back to a curious little chapter in the recent history of breeding in Britain and Ireland. A decade ago this year Dunaden became the first winner of the Melbourne Cup to stand in Britain since the 1890 scorer Carbine was imported by the Duke of Portland in 1895. The apple of his owner Sheikh Fahad’s eye, he was retired to Overbury Stud in Gloucestershire, with a range of bonuses unveiled to encourage breeders to take the chance on supporting him. The incentives were inspired by French premiums, with two-year-olds and three-year-olds from the stallion's first crop having their winnings in Britain and Ireland supplemented by 64 per cent, and those horses’ breeders earning 15 per cent of the combined prize-money and premium. Furthermore, the breeders of all Dunaden’s stakes-winning two-year-olds and three-year-olds in Britain, Ireland and France would earn a one-off £25,000 prize. In truth, even at Dunaden’s negligibly small fee of £3,000 those juicy carrots were needed. He was undeniably a talented individual, as he demonstrated when grimly repelling the challenge of Red Cadeaux in the Melbourne Cup and later also winning the Hong Kong Vase and Caulfield Cup, but stamina just isn’t what commercial Flat breeders want, and his pedigree was a bit out there, too. He was one of 15 foals in the first crop of Ian Balding’s Group 2-winning miler Nicobar, who stood for little money in obscurity in France, and was one of four winners out of the unraced Kaldounevees mare La Marlia. Until his niece Ribera ran second in Listed company a few years ago, he was the only black-type horse under his first two dams. Nevertheless, the novelty factor of a Melbourne Cup hero standing in Britain, those generous breeder bonuses and that refreshing outcross pedigree all conspired to generate plenty of good will for Dunaden. His novelty factor didn’t last all that long, mind you; like London buses, another Melbourne Cup winner turned up in the British and Irish stallion ranks soon after Dunaden’s arrival at Overbury Stud. Americain, who won the Melbourne Cup in 2010, had been part of the lucky bag of stallions that Brad Kelley stood at Calumet Farm in Kentucky, and had shuttled to Swettenham Stud in Victoria for two years before it was announced in the January of 2015 that he would stand at the Irish National Stud that season. Americain was more conventionally well bred than Dunaden, being by the internationally recognised stallion Dynaformer and out of the Wertheimer brothers' Group 2-winning Arazi mare America, and he was at least as tough and classy as Dunaden, having also won Group 2s in France and Australia and regularly run with credit at the highest level down under. However, there were no incentives provided to use him, and in a market that values sprinting over stamina for better or worse (definitely worse), he unsurprisingly proved to be a bit of a hard sell, even at his bargain basement fee of €5,000. That turned out to be his sole season in Ireland. Still, the number of nominations sold shouldn’t be the ultimate arbiter of success in the stallion industry. So, looking back ten years on, how did those two Melbourne Cup winners get on at stud in Britain and Ireland? Dunaden’s first crop of 49 named foals yielded 11 winners, including two really admirable geldings: Ranch Hand, who won seven races on the Flat including the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes and one over jumps, in a novice hurdle, and Just Hubert, whose seven victories included competitive handicaps at Glorious Goodwood and the Shergar Cup meeting. Both horses, who won at two and/or three and should have unlocked bonuses for their connections, were the work of smart-cookie breeders. The Kingsclere Racing Club-campaigned Ranch Hand was the result of another pragmatic mating devised by Emma Balding, who would have known Nicobar well, and Foursome Thoroughbreds’ Just Hubert was bred by the Veitch family of Ringfort Stud, who don't tend to let fashion concerns get in the way of a clever plan. Penelope Johnson’s first-crop Dunaden gelding The Pink’n also scored at two, and was later Listed-placed over hurdles. Among the other highlights of that debut crop were Corey’s Courage, Hidden Pearl and Pearl Warrior, all multiple winners at a slightly lower level. Demand for the sire’s services petered out over his next four seasons before his death due to a paddock accident at the age of 13 in 2019. The 14 named foals in his second crop included five winners, one of them being the fairly useful three-time Flat scorer Merryweather, and the 25 named foals in his third crop included two jumps scorers in Little Pi and Weaver's Answer. The ten named foals in his fourth crop don't yet include a winner, though four have been placed, while the four named foals in his fifth and final crop number no placed runners or winners. Dunaden wasn’t a roaring success, then, but neither could he be called a failure, not least because he wasn’t competing in the commercial realm. There was no shame in getting a handful of decent winners from small books of mostly modest mares. He might not leave any mark on the breed, but he gave a good few breeders a great deal of enjoyment, and even a little profit on a few occasions. Poor old Americain meanwhile sired only nine named foals during his sole season at the Irish National Stud. They included three multiple winners over jumps in American Gerry, Early Education and Camilla’s Choice. Not a bad strike-rate, but none were stars, and it goes without saying that the sire’s brief service at the Irish National Stud will be a deeply buried, minor footnote in the distinguished history of the operation. Americain didn’t leave much of note in America or Australia either, with one Group/Grade 3 winner in each hemisphere – Causeforcommotion in the north and Eperdument in the south. He died at the age of 17 in 2022. Americain and Dunaden set a bit of a trend, as Europe welcomed several more Melbourne Cup winners as stallions in the following years. Protectionist, successful at Flemington in 2014, stood at Gestüt Röttgen in Germany from 2017 until his death at 13 in 2023, although his principal attraction to German breeders was probably his pedigree, being by Monsun and related to Peintre Celebre, and his domestic victories in the Grosser Preis von Berlin and the Hansa-Preis, twice. He has delivered the dual Group 2 winner and Group 1 runner-up Amazing Grace, who was sold to Moyglare Stud for €850,000, and further Pattern scorers Lambo and Lazy Griff. He’s also had a smattering of winners in the National Hunt sphere, including Fergal O’Brien’s unbeaten Warwick bumper scorer Kaylan, a clever €26,000 purchase by Yorton Farm from the BBAG October Yearling Sale who was resold as a two-year-old at the operation's own sale to Highflyer for £55,000. Green Moon, the son of Montjeu who followed Dunaden on the roll of honour of the race that stops a nation in 2012, appears meanwhile to have been stood on a private basis by the Comer family in Ireland, and has produced for them their dual winner Roman Palace and a few other place-getters. Rekindling, the son of High Chaparral who was sent out by Joseph O’Brien to win the Melbourne Cup in 2017, has also covered a few mares in Ireland in recent years, first at Kenmare Castle Stud and then at Longford House Stud. Weatherbys records him as having sired six foals in 2023 and another four foals last year. He will have to perform miracles to make a name for himself as a stallion, but stranger things have happened in the breeding world. No doubt about it, Melbourne Cup winners standing at stud in Europe are more for hobbyists than hard-headed commercial breeders. But I’m all for something different in the stallion ranks, in particular a healthy injection of stamina and some invigorating new bloodlines. Without horses like those the breeding industry would be awfully beige. It wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility that Dunaden or Americain might have worked out better, either; especially if they had received more mares. Sheikh Fahad and Brad Kelley deserve some credit for giving it a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained in breeding. The Duke of Portland came to realise that after he paid £13,000 to purchase Carbine out of Australia at the end of the 19th century. The New Zealand-bred, who supposedly couldn’t bear to get his ears wet – so much so that his trainer designed a small leather umbrella and attached it to his bridle so the rain wouldn’t fall on them – sired the Derby winner Spearmint and a number of other big-race scorers. Spearmint meanwhile sired another Derby winner in Spion Kop, and Spion Kop sired yet another Epsom hero in Felstead. Spearmint also made a deep impact on the breed through his daughters Catnip, maternal granddam of patriarch Nearco, and Plucky Liege, the blue-hen dam of Admiral Drake, Bois Roussel, Bull Dog and Sir Gallahad, all of whom became influential stallions.

Thanks Sir John ...another mammoth day for you. Using your slide rule and magic abacus. Legend you. You are really appreciated by all our weekly contestants I am Sure

Q & A with Eddie Lamb Paul Richards@richowp Eddie Lamb. (Image: supplied) Winning Post’s Paul Richards catches up with former leading Kiwi jumps jockey Eddie Lamb. PR: Eddie, we’ve just passed the 25th anniversary of your Grand National Steeple win at Flemington on Vowtinsk (1999). Do you remember the day? EL: Yeah, clearly. I flew over from New Zealand that morning and was back on the plane home again before the meeting had finished. It was the only time you rode him. How did you get the ride? I think Craig Durden was supposed to ride him, but he had to take something else. Robbie Laing was Vowtinsk’s trainer, and he asked around for options. I’m great mates with Scotty (Brett Scott) and he ended up suggesting me. Robbie gave me a call and I said yes and flew over. As it turned out we knocked off Scotty on Wild Trista. Had you met Robbie before? No. I think he got a bit of shock, actually. After he legged me on, he asked, “All good?” I said, “yeah,” then after a pause I threw in “How many laps is it?” He stopped in his tracks and said, “What?” He wasn’t happy until he realised, I was joking, but I suspect he was thinking, “Who’s this idiot?” Did you know much about Vowtinsk before the race? Not really. I knew he was Vo Rogue’s half-brother, so I was a bit surprised he was in a steeplechase. One of the owners picked me up from the airport and we called in at (expat Kiwi horsewoman) Amanda Lupton’s place and watched a few videos of his races. I watched the Grand Annual where he’d finished second and they were concerned that he’d gone early that day. They wanted me to hold him up for as long as possible before asking him to sprint. As it turned out, I was able to sit and cuddle him for most of the way before asking him to go in the straight. If you flew out that afternoon, I’m guessing there were no big celebrations. No, I didn’t even have time to shout a drink. My flight got diverted to Auckland instead of Christchurch. They had to put me up in a hotel near the airport and all I wanted was a beer, but I didn’t have much cash on me. I couldn’t go to the bar and the minibar was empty as the airline didn’t want to pay anything extra. It wasn’t until the next day that I got to have a bit of a party. Vowtinsk never raced again? No. I was supposed to come back and ride him in the Hiskens Steeple two weeks later — the owners promised me an extra 10 per cent if I came back — but he broke down and never raced again. Did you get the 10%? Ha ha. No, I’m still waiting. What was it like winning Australia’s biggest jumps race? It’s funny, I took it all for granted a wee bit when I was riding. I didn’t realise the talent I had, and it was only when I retired and saw the good races I’d won that it sunk in that I was okay at it. At the time you’re just looking forward to the next race and the next beer. I do remember the days after the National win though. I rode a few more winners, but also, I got a cheque for winning the Great Northern Hurdles on Serpente six years earlier. Why did it take so long? On the day, I got promoted to winner after being beaten a half-head by Majestic Blaze. He’d knocked me sideways at the last fence. It was so bad I reached out and pushed Rick Cassidy away. I ended up getting suspended for three months for reckless riding. The connections of Majestic Blaze weren’t happy with the protest decision, and they appealed it, and it ended up going to all the way to the High Court. It took a few years before they eventually confirmed that I’d won, and I got paid. You mentioned earlier you’re good mates with Brett Scott. He came to Australia and was very successful. Did you ever think about moving as well? I had plenty of offers but I was happy at home. I enjoyed being a big fish in a small pond. I suppose I was bit of a homeboy. Whenever I went to Australia I’d fly back the same day. The same when I rode on the North Island, I’d always fly back home (to the South Island) that evening. I was happy at home. I had a short stint in Australia in early 1992 but I got rubbed out and had a bit of a discussion with the chief steward about it. He suggested I shut my mouth and gave me a three-month suspension. I went back home after that and stayed there. Do you look back now and think maybe you should have come over? I do, and maybe I should have had a crack. Scotty and I were always top-two in the riding premierships back here in New Zealand. I came second to him four times and I was managing around 20 winners a season. These days they win the jumps premiership with seven wins. Then, when he moved to Australia, I started winning titles. I guess I was believing my own press a bit. The media were saying I was the best, and I thought I was the best. So naturally, when people are ringing up and saying you should move to Australia, you’re thinking, “Nobody tells the best what to do.” I used to have the attitude that it was “cash or crash” when I was riding. It was only when I broke my leg badly and spent over two years out of the saddle that I changed my attitude. I was watching the races and thinking, “Gee, these guys are pretty reckless, the way they ride.” Then it occurred to me that I was the same. I came back when I was bit older, started to ride a bit safer and wasn’t as successful. People said I’d lost my nerve a bit, and to be fair I probably did ride a year or two too long. Why did you become a jockey in the first place? Was it a family thing? No. I was very small as a kid — I was only 28 kilos when I was 14 years old. I’d been working at a stable before and after school up until then. One day I was at Foxton races and Jimmy Cassidy rode a treble. Everybody just loved him. I thought that day, “I want to be like him.” When I got my licence to ride, I’d grown to weigh 40kg and two years later I was up to 55kg. Did you have a growth spurt? A little. I’d also found beer by then … I rode around 60 winners on the flat, but as soon as I jumped a horse, I knew this was for me. What would have been your first feature win? It would have been when Region won the Grand National Steeple at Riccarton (1987). I’d finished third on him in the Grand National at Flemington two starts before. When I won at Riccarton, I was only 18 years old. I think I’m still the youngest jockey ever to win the race. I had bit of an attitude. I certainly wasn’t as good as I thought I was. I remember I was asked by a member of the press, “Where to now?” in relation to me winning the race at just 18. I said, “I’m going to the bar.” I was very naive and didn’t appreciate what I’d done. I’d certainly love the cash and the lifestyle now from those years. I’m guessing the best horse you rode was Rand. He was a sensational horse. He was the best jumper in the world in 2001. When I won my second race on him, I said to (trainer) Mark Oulaghan, “He could be something special, this horse.” He had such a high cruising speed. I won all five starts on him in New Zealand, then we went to Japan for a crack at the Nakayama Grand Jump. And how did you go? In the lead-up to the big race he kicked their heads in. On the day of the race I said to Mark, “The only way he gets beaten is bad luck.” Uh oh. Yep. With a lap to go we were just cruising, when the leader slipped coming down the hill and then the two horses behind him went down. It was absolute carnage and I had nowhere to go. I got thrown off as well. He would have absolutely bolted in. But things improved soon after in America. Yes, we won the Iroquois Steeplechase in Tennessee. That was an amazing occasion. It’s actually not a racecourse, it’s like a point-to-point course, but they get a massive crowd there. It’s another thing I didn’t appreciate at the time, to win such a big race. I met up with Craig Thornton, who was a top Kiwi jumps jockey over there at the time, and we partied for three days straight. Unfortunately, I never rode him again. I had a falling out with Mark’s partner and was replaced. Then I started to lose the passion a bit. I’d been a bit spoilt by the success and probably didn’t work hard enough. Why did you give it away? I had another fall, and I think it took my tally up to 14 different broken bones. I kept coming back but I’d had enough of it by then (2007). I trained myself to deal with pain, but now I’m a sook. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with leukemia a few years back and I think that riding experience of dealing with pain hasn’t let me down. I’ve been able to cope, though I do whinge a bit. I was told five years ago that I only had 24-36 months left to live, but I’m going okay at the moment. I’m on some good medication. Sorry to hear that, Eddie. All the best with it all, but also well done on a fine riding career and thanks for reliving it with me.

Comes across as used car salesman type...they should have given a show to Luke Radich...then there would be some proper journalism...but no he is not PC enough to fit in.

Our first donation for Saynomores Chosen charity... Compassion Soup Kitchen thanks to Foxmerts...lets hope its the first of many we donate to good causes. https://soupkitchen.org.nz/donate/

Bill Birnie was a director of "Investment Bankers" Fay Richwhite. As such he was also a senior advisor to the Lange Douglas Govt on the divestment of many of the most valuable of NZ's Crown assets. I wont expand further than that, but some research will show what hands many of these assets ended up in and at what price they were sold. He was also a director along with Fay and Richwhite of Capital Markets. The shell company JV between Brierly Investments and Fay Richwhite & Co. Capital Markets, sought to acquire a controlling stake in the BNZ through a series of complex financial transactions including the sale of preference shares to the crown, and the acquisition of a substantial number of BNZ shares. The transactions surrounding the BNZ acquisition and the subsequent sale to NAB were highly criticised and led to the public inquiry, colloquially known as the "Winebox Inquiry". because of Council's habit of carrying their significant number of documents to court in wine boxes. Court summary of enquiry on Impact on Shareholders: The transactions resulted in gains for Fay Richwhite and Brierley Investments, while minority shareholders experienced significant losses. Further reading here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/8056958/Birnies-Bergdorf-folds-owing-11m It fills me with dread on the medium/long term future of NZ Racing and I question whether in fact it has a long term future at all, given these recent developments and the appointments being made. We have not learned from the American disaster of selling horse racings valuable land assets to developers and to casino operators, the latter who use the track only to attract custom to their casinos. Consequently Horse racing in America is experiencing a slow but sure death. Or maybe those appointed to the welfare and future of the sport here have learned, and what we are experiencing now is the beginning of the long game that will end in NZ becoming an elite equine breeding country only. Maybe we will only have one or two racecourses. Ellerslie to hold elite only race meetings, and maybe a couple of feeder clubs to cater for low class or feeder meetings. I see two things that I vehemently disagree with: The sale of NZB's world class sale facilities at Karaka makes no sense to me at all except from a short term financial windfall perspective. And two: The sale of the WTR s racecourse at Te Rapa. If anyone thinks that the residential creep that is impacting the values of our race venues and Stud farms and sales complex, and being used as the yardstick for divestment, will go away by moving them to " new Greenfields venues" at a cost of billions is a solution. It isn't, because our immigration settings will ensure the demand for commercial, industrial and residential property will continue. What is Greenfields today will be intense suburban creep tomorrow. Mark my words on that. Viz Ellerslie, not that long ago a suburb full of training stables and houses and a vibrant racing and training hub, Gone: Move training to Greenfields country to Takanini, Gone to intense suburban development. Move to Greenfields country Karaka. Quickly changing from Greenfields to intense suburban development. You can't keep running away. If the industry is serious about building a strong, robust, secure and successful racing industry, it needs to put a stake in the ground. To respect our existing and valuable assets and zone them accordingly in perpetuity. I take my hat off to the members who successfully voted not to sell Rosehill to developers and their various financially vested interests. I will expand on these musings further, but this piece at least will be fuel for thought and debate.

Thanks Saynomore...been missing these...I will put up $250. as a prize...you can split is as you like between weekly winners and the overall winner. Hope we get a great response to this fun format...I know many members here love the comps you run so well and it is greatly appreciated by myself and all the members. Look forward to running somewhere near the back end as always happens.....

It seems that even our fantastic new high level stakes doesn't prevent our better young horses being sold overseas , real Class sold to Australian Bloodstock , might stay with current trainer till after our Oaks , might go before . When are we going to come up with strategies to stem this flow , or do we just have to accept it as a fait accompli that these horses will just keep being sold . If the second then it's pointless to keep funneling huge money into the biggest races , as seen the other day the Rich Hill and QE didn't have a horse rated over 90 . Start putting more money into the bottom end and keep more owners in the industry ,

Noel Graham Harris (Mount Maunganui): Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the thoroughbred racing industry Noel Harris (Te Ātiawa) was a formidable force during his 45 years as a racing jockey. His career bolted from its 1970 start as he went on to claim 2167 national victories, the New Zealand Jockey Premiership in 1972-1973, and the coveted title of New Zealand Champion Apprentice Jockey in 1971-1972. Harris shares the New Zealand record for most wins at 3200m – boasting four New Zealand cups, three Wellington cups, and three Auckland cups. At 55, Harris made a name for himself as the oldest jockey to ride in the Melbourne Cup. He marked the finish line of his racing days in 2015 by initiating the role of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Board apprentice mentor. Noel Harris mentoring. Photo / Supplied Through this he helps Kiwi apprentices improve their riding skills and abilities in everyday life. In 2018 Harris was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

absolutely right ,and well said . Then there is the bullshit slot race which is effectively the rich getting richer ..a swinging dick competition...On to the Otaki Group 1 race being run at Ellerslie in Feburary ,I dont know what to say about that ,it is so ridiculous ...On to the momentous day in March when all of the ATR major races are raced on the same day ,leaving nothing for the other dates ..too bad if it pisses down on that day aye..to hell with tradition and history ...I realise this post was relating to the south but it is symptomatic of the lack of pattern in scheduling by so called experts

Opie has come back a bit fat as usual ,so cant make the 57kg for Campionessa and Towering Vision . He will be fined accordingly ,but his agent Aidan Rodley should also be fined for accepting rides he knows his rider is not likely to make the weight for..He accepted for Billy Lincoln at 56.5 kg for goodness sake .This is amateur stuff and has a major affect on owners ,trainers,and punters..These high flying managers need to be held accountable and act in a professional manner..Fine them !!

Yes he is always pushing his and the big stud and stables agendas, that's why I do not bother to watch his show as it is always about Mick...and making sure he is the centre of attention.

Him and people like him that beat and bash horses dont ever deserve to work with these beautiful animals...end of story....they dont deserve that sort of treatment.

Great to see jockeys riding fees are to be increased from August 1: Flat riding fee $176- $200 Trials $72- $80 Trials Apprentices $47-52 Jump riders $242- $400 As a long time owner I don't begrudge these increases. Every time jockeys leave the birdcage they put their lives and limbs on the line.

All our equine heroes. The slow ones, the fast ones the old ones and the young ones. The pretty fillies and the geldings with boof heads. The retired Champions and our future as yet unnamed and unbeaten colts and fillies. Happy Birthday 2024