Rusty

Great to see a trotter get up to run a place last night at Alex park... It's name? Recycle. 11/12 in the betting. Paid $7.70 the place. This suggests a few things to me... obviously there weren't too many tree hugging hippies on track last night. And secondly punters that were ontrack or tuned in, automatically dismissed the horse, based purely on it's name. To be fair, my eyes completely glazed over it... it was my dear wife that laughed, I mean pointed out it's name to me. The best part? The trainer/owner is Mr Green. Kid you not. I vote this horse gets automatic entry to the climate change race meeting. Never mind votes for the All Star mile. We need votes for the climate change race meeting. We all need to "raise awareness" for climate change. And HOW DARE YOU if you don't. We owe it to the world, to our children and our children's children. First vote: the 4yr old trotter; Recycle.

And I'm not having a go at Ben Hope. I have given him plently of good raps before on different forums. I think he is a good horseman. But jesus, he might just need a freshen up or something for a bit.

Has Ben Hope just locked wheels with Sarah O'Reilly again, for the second time within 3 days?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work it out... But I agree with Tim's comments. Best not to speculate. Especially within a public forum. As one racecafer has found out recently.

Isn't it great to see so many people posting in this thread. Just goes to show how valued and important the climate change situation is to racegoers, I am sure Greta will be absolutely delighted. Now, I have had another idea with regard to this climate change race meeting. Stake money... we don't need it. Let's do away with all stake money for this meeting, and instead, winning and placed horses can be given some carbon credits. I'm sure that will go down well and really get the number of horses up at the meeting.

I'm surprised NZ racecourses haven't sold out yet to naming sponsorship rights, like some other sporting and entertainment venues around the country, and the world for that matter. A few of the trotting tracks have sponsored passing lanes and the commentator has to work the sponsor's name into every call. It's annoying to listen to, but I guess it results in coin going to the club. I hate sporting venues having an added sponsorship, corporate name. But, I can't help but feel that some racing entities may be missing out on an opportunity.

This is exactly what I'm talking about... the white non-biodegradable, non-recycleable plastic hamburger container, with a few discarded plastic single serve sauce thingys on the side... Whichever club runs this climate change race day, please take Addington raceway's example on this. P.S caged (non-free range) egg, for an extra dollar. Can't beat it.

Wherever the venue may be for this climate change race day, it is vitally important that the meeting is held on a Friday afternoon, kicking off at about lunchtime. Guaranteed to get the school aged kids there then. Take advantage of this, and run a kiddys tote for the feisty wee buggers. I wouldn't bother advertising or promoting horse races at the venue for the day either. Just invite the tree huggers to have their gathering at the racecourse. Then conduct the meeting as per normal. Guaranteed to get oncourse numbers up, and raise the awareness of horse racing. Could even fire up the rent a crowd even more.... Get the oldest, dirtiest, gas guzzling tractor that pisses out black smoke to move the starting gates, and leave it running throughout the day. Dish out as many plastic straws as possible. Even if people don't buy a drink, give them a free straw. Make sure all food is wrapped in plastic. Even hot chips. Throw plenty of glad wrap over the pottle. Get a sh!t load of those small single serve tomato sauce packets. Plastic of course. Make them free. Just like they do at Addington raceway. Serve all food in those white non-biodegradable plastic holders, you know the ones, with the lid. Think old school hamburgers from the 80's. Track manager should cut down some trees on course with a couple of Stihl chainsaws between races. The wood can then be used as fuel for the fires that can be lit in the old metal 44 gallon drums, to keep the racegoers warm. Just a few thoughts there, off the top of my head.

"Gang bang" ??! Hahaha wow. This would have to be an R18 event. Are you sure that's the correct term you were wanting to use?! If so, that is a novel idea to bring people to the races. Definitely thinking outside the square and although I would pass up this opportunity, this gang bang day out at the races, would perhaps get a new breed (for want of a better term) to the racecourse.

The Kaikoura Trotting Club is going to have to hold this event at their South Bay racecourse. Only because this racetrack has the ocean right behind the back straight and all attendees for the day need to sail to the races, no trucks, cars etc allowed. Standing starts only, no mobile starts obviously as this isn't environmentally friendly. All racegoers on the day get to take home with them a pile of horse poo, to put on their organic gardens when they get home (2-3 days later, depending on sea conditions). It goes without saying, no plastic bags will be given out to get said horse poo home. Definitely has merit this idea. I can see it getting off the ground.

Look, I know this in the gallops thread... but surely to goodness it should have been posted in the harness racing section?! Let's invite the Amish along!! Afterall, they have had some influence into the NZ standardbred breeding in recent years.

Mr David Phillips (the complainant) must have a lot of spare time on his hands haha good on him. In the BSA's decision, there was no requirement for the show to broadcast an apology or even a statement on the BSA's findings.

Seems legit. NZ Herald; 1 December 2018.

Good on ya Shad. The late, great, Richie Benaud once said; "never bet on anything that can talk." I have to agree with Richie there. Unless of course it is one of those bloody smart horses that can talk. Keep your ear out for them. All too often, one will hear a trainer say to a racing journo or broadcaster: "yeah nah, we decided to give him (their horse) a brief spell, but he'll tell us when he's ready (to come back into work)." Smart animals those talking horses.

Lot 140 Thanks

You called it RR. Good to see the stipes picked it up too. Obviously they read your post or blind Freddie told them. Just as a comparison, junior driver Sam Thornley had his very first raceday drive at Addington last year. His whip action was really bad. Looked awful. Anyway he went to town whacking the daylights out of his horse and the the horse won. He subsequently lost his junior driver licence (immediatley) as a result from that drive and was demoted to a trials only horseman, until he had received further training and education. One can only hope someone has a quiet word to the jockey in this particular case at Reefton.

Pretty sure Macmillan Feeds were involved in one part of it, but that may have been back in the "Harness Racing Weekly" days.

Has to be cost cutting. Surely. They had to fork out over a grand in gift cards for the most recent competition. I was fortunate enough to win some decent coin 3 or 4 times over the years, it was a good concept and provided some extra interest during the season. It would be good to see it come back sometime in the future.

What is National radio? Is it some political party broadcast?

They do have a finishing post oncourse. If you look closely enough at the photo I posted, you can see it's shadow. Two vertical sticks and a horse shoe style. Now play the CSI theme show music...

Exactly this mate... There was no year zero.

Mate I just received an email this arvo saying exactly that. I don't know, it could be good oil like you say, or it could just be spam.

Kumara got the green light for track clearance today.