Rusty

I like Ricky May, good driver, but I guess like most people within any profession they can sometimes have off days or make split second decisions that upon reflection, they would have done differently in hindsight. Talking of drivers putting their charge into a race; where is Neil Brady these days?

12 day holiday given to the jockey.

Good stuff. Give you an example of how 2nd rate the NZ TAB is (when their site is actually up and running that is). They offered money back today if you backed a certain horse and it ran 2nd. So your bet is refunded, but it's at reduced odds for this bet type. Ladbrokes have a promo where you pick the horse, any horse in the nominated race(s), and if it comes second they pay out as if it won. At the original odds (not reduced). And they wonder why there is offshore leakage, bloody hell wake up NZ TAB.

My bets all went on ok. Including the free bets and a cheeky odds booster bet and the bet which pays out as a winner even if the horse runs second. Thanks Ladbrokes, you guys are great! Said it before and I will say it again. Forget about the NZ TAB. The outfit is useless, incompetent, so far behind the times and they take the punter for granted. Gotta love the offshore betting; the entertainment and customer service they provide, well done.

Marcoola. (From an All Stars fan).

As in what Red Rum said was correct. Hope he didn't actually physically hit anything on the head lol.

Can't exactly pack any heat under your riding vest these days can ya. So you need a whip. RedRum hit it on the head.

One of the best drives I have seen in a race, trotting or pacing. Brilliant tactics employed, in a very unusual race tempo wise, and over the extreme distance. Clint Ford knew what he had, and knew what he was doing. Always a bonus when the "trainer" (unofficial) is also the driver. They usually know their horses, and what they can and can't do. Helped he got the back of a half decent horse in K Blur but then he was hindered by it heading into the back straight from the last time. Race was like the Bonecrusher Our Waverley Star Cox Plate, but only one horse took off! Congratulations to the connections. Very well deserved.

1) 16 2) 10 3) 3 4) 1 5) 1 6) 12 7) 5 8) 11 9) 16 10) 13 BB * 11) 13 Thanks for a great comp.

1) 13 2) 11 3) 2 4) 8 5) 14 6) 5 7) 5 8) 6 9) 4 ** BB 10) 9 11) 7 12) 11

Rightly or wrongly, there is a big stigma with whip use on any racecourse. I have introduced a few mates and family members (non-racing people) to the races (mainly the trots) over the last few years. My attempt to try and spread the good word on racing. Most if not all of the newbees were put off by it. And they are not the PC types, far from it. It's a big perception thing the whip use and I think it may be time to get rid of the whip use altogether. Aussie harness racing were looking at progressively banning the whip, by age group racing, one year at a time until it's 100% banned, but I think that plan fell over. One look at the top animals over the years, like Sunline, Black Caviar, Winx, Lazarus, Lyell Creek, Monbet, Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire etc hardly ever had the stick turned on them more than a few times in any of their races. Didn't need it. Maybe carry a whip for safety reasons during a race, but ban the use during the race?

1) 2 2) 2 3) 2 4) 2 5) 2 6) 2 7) 2 8) 2 9) 2 10) 2 11) 2 12) 2 BB Thanks.

1) 16 2) 1 3) 11 4) 10 5) 7 6) 6 7) 4 8) 10 9) 3 BB 10) 12 Many thanks

1) 9 2) 13 3) 10 4) 6 5) 12 6) 13 7) 4 8) 12 9) 13 10) 8 **Best bet 11) 7 12) 4 Thanks for the competition, great idea.

Don't rabbits have good ears to hear things? Clearly not. Good on you giving them something to think about. Very unprofessional of him to get abusive. He needs owners more than what the owners need him! They lose all credibility when they state something will happen, and it doesn't (noms will close at a certain time and date, then they don't end up doing it). Good luck to ya Stables, hope you do put in a protest one day, and win the bloody thing.

1) 6 2) 3 3) 11 4) 7 5) 2 6) 12 7) 10 8) 2 9) 5 10) 3 Thanks

1) 3 2) 1 3) 3 4) 5 5) 3 6) 8 7) 9 8) 17 9) * 4 BB 10) 11 Many thanks

1) 2 - 4 - 9 2) 2 - 4 - 5 3) 7 - 8 - 9 Thanks

The standing start is too much of a lottery. Wish HRNZ would take a leaf out of Harness Racing Victoria's book. #behindthetimes

There is no question Tiger Tara can stay longer than an unwanted mother-in-law. Just have a look at the last two NZ cups, he put in a very good performance in 2016 and produced a gutsy run last year sitting parked outside the champ for a lap and a half, broke down the back straight and lost an easy 2 lengths and momentum, before coming 3 wide into the straight to take 3rd place behind Laz. There is no doubt at all he'll get the 2 miles, he has always displayed good staying qualities and he is a lot tougher now after being on the grand circuit for a wee while. He is clearly one of the more classier runners in the field and whoever beats him will probably win the Cup, IF the start goes to plan for him.

Mate if I had any ability as a punter I wouldn't be yahooing over a free $10 bonus bet. I know 2 guys that are restricted with Ladbrokes, but they still enjoy the punt, and that is all part of it. You're not telling us anything we don't already know. Enjoy the NZ TAB experience if you can, good luck to ya. By god you'll need it.

Dead right and good to hear. Make sure you check your email that is registered with Ladbrokes, as I wasn't expecting to see an email with the bonus bet offer from them. Maybe having been with the NZ TAB for so long, before joining Laddies my expectations were pretty low?!

You sure know your Pomgolian horses Red Rum. Ladbrokes don't have those two in the market unfortunately, so I'll put a request through to them and see what they come back with. Dead right re: the talking horse thing. As soon as you read somewhere that either of those 3yr olds will tell their trainer that they are ready, let me know immediately.

The Ladbrokes app was down for a short time on Tuesday, so they gave their punters a $10 bonus bet to say sorry. A small gesture sure, but this is just one of the many reasons as to why I, and many, many others use their services over the NZ TAB. To the punters out there, if you haven't already got an off shore account with an overseas betting agency, get one. Or two. Or three. There are many options out there. To steal a Tony Lee phrase, they are "waaaaaaay too good" and way better than what the NZ TAB can offer, with product and customer service.

1) 3 2) 3 3) 3 Many thanks