virtual1

I haven't seen a performance like that since 1987!  Outstanding!
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Greyhound racing is the bulwark for the horse codes. Anyone who doesn't see that a ban on greyhound racing is a stepping stone to a ban on harness, then gallops, then farming, then pets, is an idiot.
If you support anything towards the end of that list, you must stand up for those things towards the start of it under the banner of "Don't tell us what to to do and we won't tell you what to do".

The most accurate caller in the country is Craig Rail in my opinion.

In a word WOW .. hope he stays sound for the first week in November. Congrats to James and Wellwood team .. brilliant day

Why does everyone always say you try doing his job. Thats like saying if I was a Jeweller, I should be able to turn my hand at being a butcher. And as far as accuracy goes Tony Lee was excellent at getting the first 4 or 5 correct even in tight finishes. Justin Evans pretty accurate as well.

Even though he hasn't called for years, he was great today at Palmy. Head and Shoulders above Rosanowski, so come on get him back fulltime and get rid of Rosanowski as a commentator.

Or Luke Radich

I can tell you Ollie Ritchie and Alex Chapman are mad keen punters and racing enthusiasts.
I'd employ them in a heartbeat.
Not so much their "head of sports" Andrew Gourdie.
Those 2 young guys really are the young guns Trackside and Entain need right now. 
 
McRoberts , don't even go there , nice enough guy but not a racing man , Sam Hayes utter professional and that laugh of hers ! She'd get by but the 2 young guys are the key !

With the imminent demise of Newshub, there is going to be up to 200 very talented people with "media skills" come on the market, between now and June.
Entain/TAB, NZTR and the Harness people should be putting the feelers out now, for anyone who might have an interest in our Industry.
My guess is that many of them would have an immense amount to offer, if you simply took a line through what Guy Hevelt brought to the Karaka Sales/Karaka race-night presentation.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have Samantha Hayes fronting Trackside.
Don't laugh, maybe not Sam, but there are surely dozens of quality people waiting in the wings with nowhere to go.
Liz
 

Great to see JMac in NZ and winning both the big races yesterday at the Karaka Million meeting. Well done to him. Hopefully we will see him more in NZ now.  The best in the World. And he is such a really nice person, modest, charming and totally genuine. Great ambassador for NZ and the Industry.

Some might not know. No swapping to other races. Just 100% pure KM coverage.  How good.

Sad day today for whatever reason...he has been one the best we ever had...wish him well in the future.

Very sad day tomorrow thanks Tony Lee for the memories...wish you well whatever you do.
 

I liked Luke's comment, when referring to those who say Tony isn't as good as he used to be, that "90% of Tony Lee is better than 90% of commentators". 

Seems like Luke Radich is agreeing with us regarding Tony Lee sacking. 
Had two rants on Weigh In and they were both about Tony. This guy makes a lot of sense. 
Oh he had a third rant and he was spot on again about how many Group ones we currently  have. 

Luke Radich seemed to have a lot to say on this topic on The Weigh In today.  Not one to shy away from speaking his mind.  Need more of him.  

Im sorry but the state of this channel is pretty dire and the reappearance (thank God!) of Luke Radich on Weigh In heavily illustrates how low it has sunk.
Luke does his rants - I wouldnt call them rants, instead it just plain sense. It sounds like a rant because all we usually get from TS is the rose-tinted glasses perspective from presenters and producers. Sitting across from Luke is Emily Bosson. You may as well fast forward the programme (if youve taped it) to the race clips or when Luke is given time to speak. She adds nothing. Zero. A talking head if youve ever seen one. To make matters worse shes absolutely silent on all things Luke raises. Why? Because she might "rock the boat" and she has agendas. Luke was bang-on with his criticism of how Tony Lee has been treated and also the overall loyalty to our quality broadcasters in the industry. Dont worry Emily, he wasnt putting you in that category. The classic comment though was when Luke labelled (and rightly so!) Legarto as the best horse in NZ. The Te Akau squirm from Emily was priceless.
However, probably the worst TS "incident" from the weekend was the presentation crew at Trentham on Saturday. Rodley interviewing Centaine Spittles......he didnt have a clue about her history with Trentham or even the fact that her horse Eulogy Show was on the ballot for the Wellington Cup! I bet she walked away from that interview wondering why she even bothered.
CS: "....and Eulogy Show might just need the run for her assignment next Saturday".
AD: "Oh and what race is that?"
Deathly silence and pause
CS: "The Wellington Cup"
AD: "Oh right" - embarrassment and shock.
Things didnt get any better after the running when Bevan Sweeney said that the Spittle horse ran a nice race for 2nd and would put it in good stead for the Cup. It was actually her other runner In Vegas who was runner-up in what was the run of the race. 
Whatever this Entain lot are doing they need to have a serious meeting with someone like Luke and get the channel heading in the right direction. Put the s&%$# up some of the current crew who have been below par for too long now.
 

Good on him on a job well done with his team the track looked to be racing in fantastic order....once the rail is in the true position things will even out more and be able to win from anywhere...good crowd there to for a change. KM night will be huge for them and some great racing on the night.We now have one world class facility in NZ just need a few more.

The new track looks beautiful 
after 2 races a leader wins and another down the centre of the track…..
lot better than synthetic tracks

As we all know, Tony’s last day will be Wellington Cup Day, the same day 30 years ago that created his famous one liner ……… “and the dream burst’s into reality”
You can be assured that the WRC will do something really appropriate. I sincerely hope so anyway!
Trackside Premier (channel 64) will be playing that day, so they will certainly have the time, the staff or whatever else is needed to do something really special and broadcast it live.
I guess that will be the test of their “true colours” for the best commentator in NZ, since the great Peter Kelly, the other magical voice of Trentham. 

No offence to Justin..but not in the same league..JMO.

Tony is one of the best race callers there has been in NZ..for him to be told to go is really sad, why could they not have just let him go after two years like the others are doing, he makes most of the ones they are keeping look 2nd rate...poor decision and I for one wish him well in whatever he chooses to do from here on...thanks for all the great calls over the years Tony and thanks for your lifetime of service to the industry.

That is not only sad, but also wrong.

Was great to see Luke on Weigh In again, really enjoyed his 60 second rants, cheers Luke, more of what our industry needs. 

If the insurer of this competition was a rugby loving Irishman who voted Labour, it was not a great weekend upon reflection.