Pam Robson

Hmm. Flattering comments, but with a racing team of six, things may come to a stop quickly! The team really on a roll is that of Kenny Moore, would be lucky to have ten in proper work and all would be NI hand-me-downs .

You and me both. A smart filly, didn't have quite the work experience at 2 as did Vaudevire, but she will catch on.

Absolutely delighted with the win on many counts....but can't claim those instructions!

Sticking my nose in where it probably isn't wanted...but - as far as galloping is concerned, my understanding is that NO meeting earns sufficient in betting revenue to cover the stakes paid. Despite all the b/s otherwise, the bigger [ higher- staked ] meetings lose more. From what I'm reading, harness is in the same leaky boat. Although the Entain involvement in extra funding is great for those who are fortunate to get a slice, the fact remains that our industries are reliant on revenue from betting to sustain ourselves. Whether extra stakemoney will have any effect on betting at all, remains to be seen. In the past, throwing money at a few selected races has had zero effect overall. When Entain's promise comes to an end in 5 years and they and NZTAB return to a 50/50 share of actual income, that will tell the story. In the meantime, both harness and galloping have to sort out their code - managed issues of programming, dates, handicapping, etc. Otherwise that slippery slope will become steeper.

Just watched the Japan Cup. Apart from the hapless Panthalassa [ sp? ] I don't think any of them felt the whip.

Malicious, or maybe just plain stupid. I still think that the change to an overall limit - say 5 strikes, or 6, as is done in some European jurisdictions, would be both easier to function under and easier to police. And by firmly policing the limit, riders will be forced to use balance, skill and upper body strength to urge their horses, not flap around.

I can't believe that it isn't compulsory.

Yeah. I'm not against information in any shape or form, but what one does with that information has to be the important factor. Time of breeze? largely irrelevant, for mine. Influenced by so many other factors. Best distance indicator? HTF can anyone ascertain that with any degree of accuracy, there are so many variables involved. Fortune telling is a pretty inexact practice. Stride length/rate - and respiration - may be influenced by pain/discomfort, anxiety - sheesh, a decent rider could tell you as much.

As he confirmed when we had a chat at the races. Home is still home, he grinned. Once a Southlander, always a Southlander. A bit like the Coast. You might move, but the Coast is where the heart is.

?

Yes.

Not needed, flimsy dresses and a capricious breeze was quite sufficient.

Actually, to my amazement, the young ones did like DD. The 20-something lass who led one up for me was buzzing at the prospect, and one of her friends was flying in from Adelaide to be there. I was surprised , I thought he would only be appealing to boomers.

From my perspective, the crowd seemed reasonable, the day was pleasant enough and at least, the creaking old monolith that has been casting a shadow for so long, has now gone. No doubt the presence of Dave Dobbyn had a bit to do with the number of younger folk on course... without those young ones, the numbers would have been tragic.

Haha...brilliant!

The lead singer of a local ensemble which used to entertain regularly at the Racecourse Pub, would always start his set with a rendition of ' A Whiter Shade of Pale ' as a nod to the ghost of Donald Fraser.

Wow. Well done, Erin.

And do your best to utilise stallions that have demonstrated the ability to train on successfully for several seasons. For the same reason.

Don't forget, D, that he took a fair bit of local advice. In the time frame he had, he had no choice but to take notice of those charged to help him. He would have had no way to ascertain the agendas at play.

Obviously I'm living in the past...but last time I had anything to do with Addington the HRNZ offices were based there? So, they moved to Birmingham Drive [ agree re. parking ] and now back again? plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose...

Agree....however, in any operation that size, there will be specialized office staff and other appropriate personnel to deal with wages, employment law, and the programmes will involve many people, not just Mark. The many large operations in Australia and elsewhere must be equally well managed, what about Waller, Maher-Eustace, Waterhouse-Bott to name just a few....not to mention Aiden O'Brian and others. All a logistical masterpiece of management.

NZ racing must have Grp races to maintain relevance, I would have thought. That is the whole point of the Grp system and to destroy 'the pattern' is ultimately, IMO, to destroy the perception of the quality of the NZ horse. Perception being the point here. Nothing wrong with a glamorous day to showcase the excitement of racing to the less informed; but to consign the pattern to the scrap heap ignores the development of the thoroughbred to the elite athlete it has become. The history behind a thousand years of selection in the desert and another 400 years of selection on the racetracks of Europe - and the Americas - shouldn't be cast aside. The whole rationale for selecting the best of the generation is to further the excellence of the breed. The money-scramble should not be part of that. The tradition here, in NZ, to geld our lads is also counterproductive to this principle, but that's a topic for another discussion.

She's a lovely kid and deserves every success. She's worked very hard and made the right moves.

Fantastic initiative and well done to the Nahkles and all concerned. Some good sponsors too, I see. But where is NZTR in all this ?

And bloody unrealistic. Driven, as you point out, by non-riders. The legs are the means by which a horse is given the office to go forward. There has to be a set of signals to direct the animal. A written letter doesn't work. The dressage rider complements and refines the leg aid with spurs; the advanced rider and horse can complete an amazing and intricate set of movements with aids [ instructions] imperceptible to the uninitiated observer. The whip is an extension of the driving legs, which - once limited by the shortening stirrups - become less and less effective. The whip replaces the legs to an extent and provides that instruction to move on. I abhor animal abuse and hammering with whips is unacceptable. But common sense must prevail, a quality lacking in many decisions.