Jefferson

If the horse had failed to run on and for a brief moment that almost looked like it was happening would Matt C have been penalized for not giving his horse every opportunity ?

Last Sunday on Weighin Ken  Rutherford rubbished the small clubs about their lack of irrigation knowledge; "they just chuck a bit of water on and hope for the best.  Its just not good enough. They need some advice and help from larger clubs"  Who is going to ask to give Te Rapa some advice?

1:21.92. They ran 1:20.80 last year, that is about 7 lengths, and clearly this year's winner also found a fast lane, compared with rest of field. Vespa has probably run 1:23.4

I think class of the horse helped and It was a nice clean looking piece of the track too, only one horse had raced on it if that, by the look of it, must have been what they were discussing -  it hadn't been chopped out like the middle parts of the track.   Cunning plan really, good on them
 

It's because he's a bloody super star when he's on his game. Nothing more nothing less. 

Despite cleaning up so far,  Chadsdale & Valley Girl, there are a few things today that Ken R is going to hear about when I get home.
Firstly, the anthem should have been last week on our National day. Joke track conditions when there has been no rain for Feb. The infield screen not showing I ntertrack. Members area open to anyone, if it's not members only today when the f is it?
Lucky I have a powerful to calm me down.

Reputable sources are saying over a hundred free tickets to the Hall Of Fame dinner were for NZTR (+wives) and various freebies last night.
You can't spend the night drinking buckets of piss and stuffing your gob full of food and then do your job properly all at the same time.

What a bloody Fiasco - it is no longer a joke - when does someone take control for goodness sakes

The idiots don't even tell us how much water they have put on or are putting on or when. 
Was it watered this morning? It looks like it to me. 
Idiots the lot of them. 

To be fair guys Yorkielad has a very good case in rating Balmerino ahead of both Show Gate and Grey Way and Ashoka all three raced during the same period, mid to late 70s. When you look closely at their respective records I would agree with him and that is allowing for the fact that I rate Show Gate as the second best mare behind Sunline I have seen race in NZ.
Before I do so there is no doubt all three belong in the NZ Racing Hall Of Fame Honours list.
SHOW GATE won 30 of her 51 starts with her biggest wins being:
1973: CJC Great Easter Handicap, CJC Waltham Handicap, CJC Stewards Handicap, CJC Churchill Stakes, 
1974: CJC Stewards Handicap, CJC Churchill Stakes, WRC Telegraph Handicap, WRC North Island Challenge Stakes, Awapuni Gold Cup.
1976: CJC Canterbury Gold Cup, Thames Valley Stakes, Dunedin Gold Cup, Timaru Cup
1977: Trentham Stakes
There is little doubt that she should have also won the 1977 Wellington Cup instead of finishing second. 
She went to Australia but failed to cop the heat over there and only lined up once.
GREY WAY won 51 of his 164 starts with his biggest wins being:
1974: WRC Metropolitan Handicap, VATC Chirnside Stakes
1975: Manawatu Pakistan II Stakes, CJC Great Easter Handicap, Oamaru Topsy Stakes, Manawatu Challenge Stakes.
1976: Manawatu Pakistan II Stakes, Levin Cup Stakes, Manawatu Challenge Stakes, Otago White Robe Lodge Handicap, Otago Ernie Poole Stakes, Awapuni Gold Cup, Hawkes Bay Challenge Stakes, CJC Stewards Handicap
1977: Otago White Robe Lodge Handicap, WRC George Adams Handicap, WRC North Island Challenge Stakes, ARC Easter Handicap
1978: CJC Churchill Stakes
1979: Timaru Cup, Otago White Robe Lodge Handicap.
He went to Australia once and had four starts winning the Chirnside Stakes.
 
BALMERINO won 22 of his 47 starts with his biggest wins being:
1975: Hawkes Bay Guineas, Wellington Guineas, NZ 2000 Guineas, NZ Derby,
1976: Wellington Derby, Rotorua Challenge Stakes, STC Rawson Stakes, STC Tulloch Stakes,  QTC Grand Prix Stakes, QTC O'Shea Stakes, QTC Brisbane Cup,
1977: ARC Air NZ Stakes, Awapuni Gold Cup, HBJC Ormond Gold Cup, AJC Autumn Stakes, Hollywood Park Toluca Lake Handicap (USA), Goodwood Valdoc Stakes (England)
1978: Goodwood Clive Graham Stakes (England).
He was an unlucky second in the Prix de L'Arc at Longchamp in France behind Alleged, was also second in the Eclipse Stakes and Coronation Cup in England and won the Gran Premio Del Stakes in Italy only to be relegated. After his second in the Arc he finished fourth in the Washington DC International in what was his fourteenth start in 1977 and taking in six countries. In 1975-76 he had 14 wins and three seconds from 18 starts. He won from 1200m to 3200m His 22 wins came in four countries and could have been 24 in six countries with slightly better luck (France & Italy).
As stated they raced during the same period and my personal rating of the three would be Balmerino, Show Gate, Grey Way.
The best thing though is that I have had the honour of being able to watch all three greats grace our race tracks.       
 
  

There really are some sick puppies on here, horse bashers who just can't wait to climb in. The Kawi lot have gone remarkedly quiet, no doubt now they are the Hoof lot. Thinking about it I suspect they are people who all their life have wanted to own a decent horse, one that gets a little hype, good enough to cross the Tasman and have it in for those lucky enough to. I know I have wanted the same thing, but don't get all jealous having to knock the tall poppy. They seem to get their jollies from saying he is no good and I told you so. You see with me I love watching these horses, as do others here, so please get your pleasure elsewhere. The funny thing is we know what you are all like, those of you who own shares in horses wish they were shares in the horses you knock and the rest who don't share in a horse wish you had a share in these. Pathetic. You should cross over the fence and enjoy watching the Kawi's and the Hoof's like the sane amongst us.   

There really are some sick puppies on here, horse bashers who just can't wait to climb in. The Kawi lot have gone remarkedly quiet, no doubt now they are the Hoof lot. Thinking about it I suspect they are people who all their life have wanted to own a decent horse, one that gets a little hype, good enough to cross the Tasman and have it in for those lucky enough to. I know I have wanted the same thing, but don't get all jealous having to knock the tall poppy. They seem to get their jollies from saying he is no good and I told you so. You see with me I love watching these horses, as do others here, so please get your pleasure elsewhere. The funny thing is we know what you are all like, those of you who own shares in horses wish they were shares in the horses you knock and the rest who don't share in a horse wish you had a share in these. Pathetic. You should cross over the fence and enjoy watching the Kawi's and the Hoof's like the sane amongst us.   

You can use cobalt in NZ, NZTR tell you your horse has it, but nothing happens. NZTR, just like the TAB, slow, fat and lazy!!

The young talented trainers are showing up the middle aged and older trainers as well as the TAB with their uptake of technology, the obvious step to bring in the Generation X to the industry and funnily enough those of us older than Generation X appreciate the service as well.

Ah did I miss the outcome and charges from the NZ Derby Sound Proposition positive test result? It was so long ago, I would have expected this would have already been dealt with, so obviously I missed it. No doubt you will be able to tell me.

You can use cobalt in NZ, NZTR tell you your horse has it, but nothing happens. NZTR, just like the TAB, slow, fat and lazy!!

Ah did I miss the outcome and charges from the NZ Derby Sound Proposition positive test result? It was so long ago, I would have expected this would have already been dealt with, so obviously I missed it. No doubt you will be able to tell me.

That trainer should never be allowed near a track again, should get a jail sentence. I use to love the harness industry but to many a time they pissed me off with there cheating that I have not had a bet or watched a trotting meeting since Auckland Reactor ran in the Interdoms some years ago now.

The young talented trainers are showing up the middle aged and older trainers as well as the TAB with their uptake of technology, the obvious step to bring in the Generation X to the industry and funnily enough those of us older than Generation X appreciate the service as well.

There really are some sick puppies on here, horse bashers who just can't wait to climb in. The Kawi lot have gone remarkedly quiet, no doubt now they are the Hoof lot. Thinking about it I suspect they are people who all their life have wanted to own a decent horse, one that gets a little hype, good enough to cross the Tasman and have it in for those lucky enough to. I know I have wanted the same thing, but don't get all jealous having to knock the tall poppy. They seem to get their jollies from saying he is no good and I told you so. You see with me I love watching these horses, as do others here, so please get your pleasure elsewhere. The funny thing is we know what you are all like, those of you who own shares in horses wish they were shares in the horses you knock and the rest who don't share in a horse wish you had a share in these. Pathetic. You should cross over the fence and enjoy watching the Kawi's and the Hoof's like the sane amongst us.   

I totally agree. Imagine the service we would get if the TAB had some competition. Slow and fat, time for that post Christmas diet and fitness regime, because as they get older they get slower and fatter!!

What a load of cr*p being posted here. Who better to have as handicapper than someone who is right into it. Stop living in the past when the local pastor probably did the handicapping per the local publican who was the club president.
Some of you guys are so indoctrinated into the gambling is bad creed you actually feel guilty having a bet and believe any official of any organisation is a criminal if he bets.
Put it this way someone who is turning over 50 gees per month is far more qualified to be a handicapper than some spoilt brat graduate mathematician.

He's now racing in Aussie and he deserves to be... he won five in a row here.. why not?  Why shouldn't the owners/trainers try him in Aussie?   I would ... wouldn't you?  and I would let him find his feet and go for it.
If it doesn't work out.. then he comes back and takes on fields here... like Kawi  and other horses are... is it so bad to just contest NZ racing or is everyone now saying that is second rate too?   If that's the case.. then why try and harpoon anyone that gives it a go across the Tasman.  
 
 
 

He only ran a few at Ruakaka Trump... so not sure that that is relevant    The remainder were at Ellerslie.. and I'm sure that that form was relevant for Mongolian Khan   Why is Randwick different this time of year ..?  He hasn't run there before.. so what are you comparing it to?     As we have been saying it is the betting public that moved in the tote prices not the horse himself.. or the connections.
If Turn me Loose starts and runs well good on it... but it's nothing to do with Hass.
I never understand how ready folk are on here to run down so many horses...  we have gone through so many ....   I remember back to Lonhro... yes he got dissed on here severely.... even Dundeel got a roasting at one stage because he didn't live up to someone's expectations on a start ... Black Caviar, Miss Potential, Kawi, Mongolian Khan has even been taken to task on here given it was more due to Opie... but when will everyone learn that one event is not the be all and end all... calm down and talk about horses sensibly .. you don't have to be so aggressive and run them into the ground or take sides..  just enjoy the fact we have horse good enough to discuss.
Every horse is as good as it's next start... and everyone's punt is as good as they next one they do... 
 
 
 

The 1600m was too short for him today. He didn't give it away and was still coming on in the straight. The third horse came from behind him but he still ran through the line and was not stopping. Wouldn't mind having another look at the race as I only saw it live and one straight replay.
Just as a reminder, I posted this on 7 January 2016:
"Hasselhoof has plenty of staying blood close up on his dam's side. His dam Alpine (by Zabeel) is a full sister to Manawa King who ran a close second behind Makybe Diva in the 2004 Sydney Cup. Their dam, Manawa Belle was by Zamazaan who won five races between 2400m and 3100m in France before standing at stud in NZ.  
He left Samasaan who won a NZ Cup and a Wellington Cup 3200m, Beau Zam, AJC Derby, AJC St lLger, Tancred Stakes etc, Lord Reims, three successive Adelaide Cups (3200M) and a Caulfield Cup, Veloso Sydney Cup, Yashmak, Adelaide Cup  
And of course it is what appears to be a very successful cross, Tavistock - Zabeel. Tarzino winning the VRC Derby easily in November. 
Looks more suited to a Melbourne Cup rather than a Cox Plate for sure."
After today's run I think we may have to wait until he steps up over ground against them over there to get a clearer picture.