Scotch Thistle

Hopefully there will be a few NZ-trained starters next year. Some of our best ones would be right up with yesterday's lot. The likes of .... ahhmmm or ...... mhhmm .... or .......

Don't worry, Winston could be Minister of Racing next week, or sometime, and boy will he sort this out quickly. As long as the logistics don't overcome him, he will have it tidied up by Christmas, or Easter, or before next winter.

Yes, but would Noel Eales have been half as bright as Butch Castles, or have known half as much as Butch has forgotten?

Assuming the numbers are in the right ballpark, I think that's a reasonable assessment. Incidentally, top marks to Best Bets for calling a spade a spade. The formline for Myrcella's last start, at Ellerslie, reads "5th middle, urged turn, plugged in bog".

I agree with most of that. However he and his co-trainer have a modest strike rate with winners to starters, averaging one winner to 10.7 starters over the last 4 completed seasons. The range over that time for the Rogersons was from one winner to 8.03 starters in 2014/05 to 1 winner to 14.27 starters in 2013/14; last season it was 1 winner to 12.25 starters and in 2015/16 it was 1 to 10.46 [source: NZTR website].

7 races at Ellerslie. One has attracted 4 nominations and two have attracted 5 nominations. 58 nominations in all. 9 races at New Plymouth. One has attracted 3 nominations and two have 6 nominations.

If they can get away with that for free they could develop a line of income with the likes of the Air New Zealand Melbourne Cup, or the Clean Dairying with Fonterra Cox Plate.

I've had a hard job working out who the two are. One must be Castles, but the other is a challenge. It helps that Michael Pitman and Jelly Williams don't have anything in, and that Danica Guy isn't a boy. I've got it down to Allan Sharrock or David Ellis, but the chances don't end there!!

Surely the bureaucrats in the NZ High Commission in Canberra must have picked up the risk to NZ interests in the legislation passed in August 2017? And sent an alert to Foreign Affairs in Wellington, and through them to Internal Affairs and the NZRB? Maybe the diplomats turned a wilful blind eye, to spite John Allen for the shambolic restructurings and staff victimisations he pursued for McCully when CE of Foreign Affairs. The amendment bill which did the damage was before the Federal Parliament in Canberra for a full year. It was introduced in August 2016 and assented to on 16 August 2017. If the NZ diplomats in Canberra are hopelessly overwhelmed in schmoozing and pocket pissing, Allen might have a clerk in NZRB spend half an hour a week on the internet scanning parliamentary business in Australia and other countries for risks, to avoid being blindsided again. A clerk paid less than $100K a year, if such exist in NZRB.

Are you suggesting they're both bisexuals?

Looks like the faarkwits who failed to pick up the blunder with the form for Secret Squirrel have now moved on to ballsing up results details. Race 2, over 1200, was supposedly run in 1:44.77.

With the range of track conditions possible it might be prudent to have more than 4 emergencies in the Group 1

Stick is the nickname of trainer Stephen McKee. Trainer Peter Williams is known by some as Jelly.

If Peter Marquand is supplying stuff that goes down Stephen McKee's throat he's chosen a poor specimen for publicity. Those wanting to build up their horses would be more likely customers if it was Te Aroha Grains & Jelly Feeds Ltd.

Good post. The only item I would quibble with is the last sentence. I'm not sure the government (current or next) would wish that local racing implodes. Rather they would despair that the parties within local racing are so selfish and so parochial that there's no way out of the current death spiral. So the government will join the successful elements in the domestic racing industry (the breeders and sales agents/traders) in turning their backs on the shambles across the rest.

... and bloated his ego too... "thanks for joining me"...

The stipes' report from Hastings today is posted in very good time, an hour or so after the final event on a 10 race programme. A pity, however, they didn't take another 5 minutes to read through it, to avoid the embarrassment of rubbish such as: D Hirini – (IN DREAMLAND) - [Rule 638(3)(b)(ii)] excessive use of whip prior to the 200m. Suspended from close of racing Saturday 8th July up to and including Friday 4th July (1 day).

Well, they are after all the Racing Incompetence Unit.

He probably means "medium"

Those attending should stand well clear if she attempts a pirouette. And have a bucket handy if she wears a tutu.

I suppose he had to have a lie down when he was asked for entrance fees of $240 x 3 for the Great Sensations Marquee (silk-lined, with buffet luncheon and more)?

There's a whisper that Nathan Guy is in line for Glenda's job at the NZRB after the next election, if National clings on for another term. No mention of whether he'll also chair NZTR, but I reckon Purcell will not be losing sleep with another plodder to deceive.

If a maiden winner doesn't get a rating penalty, what chance has it got of getting a run in a Rating 65 field?

The one-fingered salute should appropriately be given to the CJC for the start being 8 minutes late. The Prime coverage was scheduled for 4.00 to 4.30, and had the race run to time that allowed for 5 to 6 minutes of post-race activity. I would not criticize Prime should it decide not to bother with the race next year.

Second failed Te Aroha meeting in 2 months. Abandoned (12 August) now relocated (12 October). What odds a treble being completed on Breeders Stakes day?