Scotch Thistle

Sounds so good it could be the new best thing since Oxyshot, and just look at the level Pitman has got to with that!

With your logic, in a rape trial the best jury should be full of rapists, preferably with strings of rape convictions.

Of course it can go lower, and will need to given the industry's trajectory. Will not surprise to see NZTR grovel to Hong Kong to drop the qualifying stake to $6,000 or $5,000 or .....

Are we going to see self-service machines on course anytime soon? Will be a delight not to have to front up to a coven of crones to place a bet.

n response to Leggy's query, I sent an enquiry to NZTR yesterday as to where one can find the policy Leggy is enquiring about. The prompt answer from David Jewell, GM Racing and Operations, was ..."please note the wording of the NZTR Venue guidelines policy document that all clubs are expected to comply with. Clearly Wellington did not achieve this on Saturday and both the Club and NZTR want to understand why? All venues that have Group or Listed races scheduled must have an irrigation system capable of producing a track rated as Good 3." I can't find the NZ Venue guidelines policy document on the NZTR website.

Beware of the social racegoers on Cup Day, especially if they go quiet and are green at the gills, often a sign that a Champagne turf is imminent. That's if they're in the flashest of the corporate marquees. Elsewhere the turfing is likely to be more of Lindauer origins.

When the expert panel is named tomorrow, perhaps we can be told the basis of each member's expertise. There might be some credibility if the panel consists, say, of a soil scientist, a meteoroligist and a hydrologist, all with particular knowledge of the Trentham track and the level of competence with which any irrigation they give the nod to will be done (abysmal). Would be good to learn, too, how much the panel will cost, and where the funds to run it are to come from.

What a fiasco, what incompetence was laid bare for all to see. As well as loss of turnover on the day, consequences will include wariness about the integrity of track preparations and descriptions in future. A couple of curiosities ... According to the NZ Racing Calendar 2010 - 2011 put out by the TAB, Slow 7 describes a mildly rain affected track. Perhaps this description should be changed to mildly rain- affected or incompetently-watered. The same source states that "In all cases, once the first race is run the time of the race becomes the key determinant of the track condition on the day". The first race was a maiden 1400 run in 1:25.3. That time supports a decription of Dead, say Dead 5. Note that the key determinant is supposed to be the times in which races are run, not what the jockeys say about the track, or how far Cameron George's Guccis sink into the ground. Finally, think what amateurish watering of tracks would have done for the records of the likes of Grey Way. He won 50 races, as I recall, and loved the ground like concrete.

Not only would it be refreshing, it would demonstrate the holy of holies, INTEGRITY.

Best: 1 Mark McNamara 2 Tony Lee 3 Aaron White 4 Bruce Sherwin 5 Peter Earley. Worst: 1 Tom Wood 2 Mike O'Sullivan

From discussion on Trackside seems there were black-coated goons stopping owners gettng to see their horses in the stbles before they raced. Must say it was great to hear Steve Davis and George Simon leave no doubt as to their views on this new outrage under the guise of integrity. The stewards report said: RACE 9: WILSON PLUMBING & WILLIAMSON BUILDERS 1400 ELUSIVE CHIK was declared a late scratching at 4.55 pm after being withdrawn by the connections. A charge laid against trainer P Jenkins in that he scratched the horse ELUSIVE CHIK without there being circumstances which warranted him doing so was found proven and a fine of $350 imposed by the Judicial Committee

Given that so many of them are obviously wankers, they are probably asking each other whether they have themselves in hand at the moment?

Rumpole, see TAB website, Terms and Conditions, Betting Rules ..... which include 11.9.6 Scratchings Where a Race Entrant is Scratched from any of the two Races of a Double, the Board will substitute an alternative selection for that Entrant after the closing time for receipt of Double bets. 11.9.7 Refunds After the closing time for Double Investments, no Investor shall obtain a Refund except where the first Race of the Double, or both Races of the Double have been abandoned in accordance with Rule 11.9.8.

Was good to see the hen party having fun. Took the mind briefly away from the malfunctioning starting gates, and the lack of fun the parties associated with the 2 late scratchings had experienced. Clubs should get the basics right.

Whereas we used to have a bet or a punt, with decent turnover, we now supposedly spec something or play something, with reduced throughput. And we have blather merchants, like Brendan Prattlewell, full of marketing jargon and vacuous piffle, driving us to other pursuits.

I've had a nightmare in which Maija's supposed love interest, PH, is Paul Harris. In it, they've been sharing the pies, and Maija needs to waste off 10kgs to ride the topweight in an event for amateur riders.

I was a subscriber til it folded, and don't cry over it folding. Best Bets/Turf Digest has improved greatly recently, with Aussie fields. I doubt Sir Patrick's concerns are for the small punter, more that he's missing full colour advertising for his stallions, and articles which peed in his pocket.

Seems that NZRB and the publishers of The Informant are involved in brinkmanship. Both sides are likely to damage their interests, and the industry's. How many subscribers to The Informant will renew subscriptions when Wrigley tells them the next issue might be the last? How many people consider it fair for NZRB to pay newspapers $millions to print race fields, yet to charge The Informant for race fields? I stopped buying Best Bets when I subscribed to The Informant. If The Informant folds, I will not go back to Best Bets. I'll access fields on the TAB and/or NZ Racing websites, as I do now for meetings not covered by The Informant.

Great field, great stake, great race. True, however, that the provincial representation angle now involves more than a little bollocks.

I hope Gavin excels at whatever he chooses to do beyond fatherhood. If he wanted to be a presenter/personality on Trackside 36 he would light up that channel, and be set to take over from one or more of the aged brigade there [Karen, Des, Stu].

That's sensible. With tongue in cheek, though, what is the difference with one that plays up at the barrier and will not go into the gates? It will be late scratched, after exhaustive efforts to load it, even though it is at fault. Same for horses which toss their riders in preliminaries, then bolt. Or ones which get injured on transport to the course, or after arrival.

I'm not sure about Donna, but certain that Brendan Prattlewell is not the answer. I didn't realise how good Darryl is until Brendan stood in for him a few weeks back.

I see that an inquiry into this horrifying incident was opened and adjourned. No mention in the stipes report whether the starter was breathalised - as were 19 jockeys at Tauranga today - or tested for drug use or poor eyesight before carrying on.

Watch out if Pitman arrives with loads of Oxyshot, and his horses go to another level! They might even get as high as the ones Maroney got nabbed for?

Bruce Sherwin is under-used as a commentator. Also, he comes across as a keen form analyst, with a mind of his own, so might be great in the studio too, for gallops anyway.