gubellini

Great display by Reece today. One of the few jockeys remaining who can actually kick and keep balanced at the business end of a race.

Patiti I heard that interview with Maija. What a fantastic young lady. A real credit to her profession. You couldn’t help but me moved by the way she spoke.

Peter a good friend of mine Dave Richardson won the 1980 Gold Trail Stakes and the 1980 Eulogy Stakes with his good Namnan filly Full Of Grace. He was understandably upset when the name was duplicated by the O’Reilly gelding and recent winner Full Of Grace.

Hi Phantom no I am not a steward! Currently an owner with shares in eight horses with four different trainers. Having been a track work rider for many years I can tell you that MOST horses have limited ability. Easy to blame jockeys if a horse doesn’t perform when in many cases the horse doesn’t have the ability to win in that particular race!

Phantom I am a recidivist defender of jockeys. Michael has ridden a number of horses I have shares in and I have no complaints about any of his rides. In my opinion Jimmy Rocket is a very limited conveyance for any jockey. His form line going into Taupo was 080s9. This suggests to me that he can’t do much work in a race and you need to take every short cut you can on him. If Michael had gone earlier and wide it is problematical whether he would have finished most closer than fourth. Many false favourites go around these days. I suggest Jimmy Rocket was one of them.

Berri the original Melody Belle was a brown filly bred in 1971 by Taipan 2 out of Belle Of Ascot. She was bred and raced by Annie Sarten and trained by the master Ray Verner at Takanini. Annie is the mother of Marie Leicester who bred the current Melody Belle. The original Melody Belle won 10 races including the 1975 Te Aroha Breeders’ Stakes as a 3yo. Her other main wins were the ARC Ladies Mile the third BOPRC Centennial Breeders’ Stakes at Tauranga and the Avondale JC Pegasus Stakes. When she won the Te Aroha Breeders’ Stakes she beat a top field. Ernader ran second, Bellota third, Free Gold fourth and Somerset Pride fifth.Others- Kia Maia, Jandell, Battle Eve, Lovely Honey, Prepak, Sweet Offer, Princess Patrice, Soliloquy, New York and Kathie’s Orders. You would never get such a class line up of Fillies and Mares today!

Step-change has replaced best practice as the latest mantra. What will be the next one?!

Trump I totally agree with you that Mark is riding well in Brisbane. He has ridden several of the horses I have shares in. Always happy to have him on.

crusty Sir Mainlander was a bay gelding bred in 1994 by Vision Quest out of Ichiban. He raced 20 times in NZ for 3 wins 4 seconds 1 third 1 fourth and 2 fifths and Stakes of $30,900. He won his first two starts both at Waipa on 3/6/98 and 4/7/98. He then ran second at Te Rapa and then won his fourth start at Ellerslie on the 15/8/98.

La Zip I had a look at Race 2 at Matamata and couldn’t find any fault with the way the horses were ridden. If you are referring to the favourite Mexican Tycoon Matt Cameron had trouble getting around the bend then he raced erratically up the straight. Typical colt antics. Matt was hard pressed steering him let alone riding him out. If that was not the horse you were referring to please post the horses name and I will have another look.

Belinda I think that maybe head to head bets may be involved in some of these inquiries. Note that the TAB stopped head to head betting on harness races some time ago. Coincidence?

Internal Affairs have just invited submissions on the Messara Report to be made by October 19. [email protected] Looks like a delaying tactic to me. We don’t need paper shuffling we need action now eg. Immediate stake increases and the devolvement of the NZRB into RITA- the Racing Industry Transitional Authority.

85 year old Ivan Schwamm did not renew his Drivers Licence this season. If this match fixing scandal gets any bigger he might have to come out of retirement and drive again to make up the numbers in the Canterbury area.

Seems odd that the RIU didn’t act earlier.

Seems to me that the RIU has been asleep at the wheel. If so heads should roll.