We're Doomed

I don't think it was originally called the Captain Cook, I don't recall it called that anyhow. It must be the most travelled race in the history of NZ racing: been held in just about every month between Oct and March and had many names over the years.

Perhaps a bit harsh. I see the Riccarton AWT was used just yesterday. Thank god it was available. Obviously no traditional grass tracks available anywhere in Canty or nearby. The only low grade meeting in Canty for 7 weeks too. I have no idea how the SI survived before we had the AWTs.

Walker and Tata might be a bit bemused, 17 starters for the season and 35th on the trainers list by winners and they find themselves ineligible. Even Sharrock down at 21 on the list finds himself too good for the race in question. I suppose Lance Noble the lucky one, and even Roger James.

I have noticed a few random meetings scattered about the place where the whole card is $25,000 races. Riccarton on the AWT this week, then Rotorua on Sunday are just two current ones. There doesn't seem to be any logic about it. Riccarton is about as low a key meeting as you could possibly get. Is this a new grade of meeting that I have missed seeing discussed? Often meetings with $18,500 races seen to attract better fields, for various reasons. This Riccarton meeting is the only lower grade meeting in Canty for 7 weeks, at a peak time of year. Putting it on the AWT seems strange enough in the first place, then boosting the stakes seems unnecessary when I'm sure there are many trainers who would love a racing opportunity on a grass track for $18,500. It's almost as if NZTR is saying "we may not give you many lower grade opportunities, but when we do you can race for $25,000, and tough if you get balloted".

I have noticed that in Australia many of the top commentators seem to retire gracefully when they are still on the top of their game. We have seen this in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne over recent years. And their replacements have generally turned out to be just as good.

I have often meant to ask that myself. Sounds like some sort of in joke. I am sure many would be interested to know what it means. I always assumed the trainer must run a chicken farm.

Now that Tony has gone, surely they should get that commentator over to do the Wgtn Cup in future. Entain should be able to organise that.

The Aussie version used to be on the middle day of Caulfield Cup week. Today used to be Sandown Cup day.

The interesting thing is that Racing used to have a solid core of dedicated punters who used to attend most meetings. I know that group is dying out, but over time they have largely been ignored while the big clubs chase the corporate crowd and the young kids after a piss up. Now the hard core punters aren't being replaced. The saddest race-meetings I have ever attended were a couple of Wgtn Cup days a few years ago, having not been for many years. Lots of young kids, but no racing atmosphere at all. I was relatively young when I first attended Trentham and Riccarton, but I was there to have a bet and watch the horses.

I'm in ChCh this coming Saturday and thought I might go to Cup Day if its a nice day and if my friends are interested in going.. Just checked the pricing and I see its $40 to get in the gate but you have to buy the ticket by Wednesday. $120 to get into a grandstand and again you have to buy it by Wednesday. And $390 to get into a tent where the old public stand used to be. Sounds like you have to stand at ground level if you just pay the $40. Certainly a different world to when I used to attend all three days, when all the attendees were punters and everyone got to sit up in the old stand and get a great view. Obviously they don't target actual punters anymore, they all stay at home and watch the races on TV. I suppose as long as the Cup Day crowd keep attending for the rest of the season it all works out for them. I see rain is predicted Wednesday and Saturday so unless you pay the big money you get wet. I might have to attend the trots to get my fix. Haven't been there for 25 years. Sounds like it is free entry on Friday.

I thought it was a terrible ride. Drew 2 I think and then somehow started improving 3 wide. I believe he has a poor record in Aussie, although I haven't checked that.

Everyone is aware that is the way things roll on a Saturday. The TAB can't arrange its coverage to cater for one chap who is out and about and wants to watch it on a phone. Most people who wanted the full pre-race buildup and after race comments tuned into 64. It would be a bit pointless having 64 and duplicating that coverage on 62.

I don't think any of the parties would want an early election. Voters would punish Winston for being a dick. Some Labour MPs are already coming across as a bit thick, like that blonde woman in Cindy's old seat, and now the ex police minister. The Greens are coming across as raving nutters. So I don't think they would be too keen on people having a second thought. And the Maories are inciting violence. So who knows what would happen with another election. The recounts could be interesting and could change the whole dynamic. The Maories could lose two seats to Labour, which would remove the current overhang, until Port Waikato adds it on again.And a couple of Labour seats are shakey and could swing to National. So National and Act could end up only one or two seats short of not needing Winston. I think the general public would punish a party that is only just needed but causes disruption way beyond its status.

It is actually quite interesting: a Cup with no NZ horses and hardly any horses that joe public would be familiar with does record turnover. It just goes to show the power and worth of tradition. How did the Cup t/o compare to the Everest?

At least they are fairly simple-minded types and relatively harmless. Much more worrying is the almost twice as many people who voted for the communist, racist party with the environmental front-man. They are actually dangerous, as you saw on election night and from the rant over the weekend. And I doubt many of them would list Racing as their favourite sport.

He came from Waimate I think. Must have been aged in the mid 90s or thereabouts. I have always thought there should be a decent race named after him. We don't do that sort of thing well in NZ.

Someone taking a piss may have been just enough to tip it over the edge.

No bonus for me. They have even stopped dishing out the bonuses when your account gets low to encourage you to top it up with $150. I think I have only had to top my account up once in about six months so they have obviously given up on me. I always used to get offered the bonus every time my account got low before Entain took over. Of course I am an old fashioned tote better rather than a fix odds fan so perhaps that is the reason.

Bloody hell. I was considering going but not at that price. What are the entry fees on the other days? It's a pity they don't put some effort into boosting attendances on the first two days They will look silly if the young kids decide not to turn up one year. They have largely driven the traditional race goers away in favour of the piss-up party goers.

The interesting thing about Timaru is no rain for over a week. From memory ChCh had rain last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and probably other days, hence the heavy track on Saturday. It is just mind-boggling that a facility like that, so centrally located, isn't considered necessary for SI racing. It's the main reason I gave no credence at all to the whole Messara report. If he got that bit so wrong, how many other aspects of the report were faulty or based on extremely dubious research and analysis.

I have no idea whether there is any basis for this or not, but I don't really recall entire Aussie 3yo crops failing as 4yos like ours do. Hard to explain really. Of course a lot of the superstar Aussie 3yos get quickly retired to stud, both male and female. I really do hope Sharp n Smart, Legarto and Prowess come up as 4yos. Pier doesn't seem to be in that class, might have been a one hit wonder. It would be good to see the Oaks winner go on with it as well. I think she might.

I'm sure they are very pleased they scratched La Crique.

Our 3yo crops have had a shocking record backing up as older horses over recent years, with one or two exceptions, but if ever a crop of NZ 3yos was going to go on with it as 4yos it looked like last season's lot. That HB track seemed to upset a few. Last year's HOTY and the Champion 2yo both raced poorly.

Most of us probably don't drink in the right bar.

Tony must be getting on. I can remember going to racing review evenings hosted by Tony at the St George hotel in Willis St back in the early 80s when he was calling for radio Pacific.