Maverick

The real (Postie) Eastwood was an Uncle of Noel and Arthur Eastwood. He was a memorable character walking across the tote lawn at Riccarton and pushing through the middle pf groups of people there. It was a rumour that he had a plate in his head after a fall where he was flipped from the saddle by another jockey. Noel Eastwood passed me driving a car near Levin one day and looked like a small boy driving. The stipes suspended him (or fined) him for pulling up a horse that he believed was sore or lame and the vet inspection could not find anything. Last news was years ago Noel was in Australia and rode a few trackwork at Warwick Farm for Syd Brown.

A reply as a result of a email last Wednesday to the NZ TAB about a horse in Australia listed as The Mansion and in results as The Big House, all later on changed to the real name registered in Australia as LA CASONA, the TAB responded blaming their data providors. Also they said occasionally, horses with foreign names are put through an automatic translator of the punter's device, these translations may alter the name of the horses. However, they can guarantee the TAB does not change any names. This still does not really answer why these three names all appeared on the NZ TAB site. I am still to have any response from Australian Racing.

How soon your country forgets the Fine Cotton episode. Today a horse was listed by name as The Mansion (No. 7). The results listed this horse first as The big house (7) and the main results page listed it as La Casona (7). I do not know what name the commentator gave as I did not hear the race, but these are the names that the NZ TAB have listed today. I have noticed this seems to happen many times when horses have foreign language names. But surely if that is the name then the translation should surely not be used. This practice of using false names should not be allowed or Australian racing will soon have another "Cotton Affair" Does the Australian TAB also change names like this to fool punters too?

What has happened to the NZ Racing Museum? I once paid up to become a Life Member of this and I never had a chance to visit. I wrote to the ARC and they could not give me any sort of answer on this subject. What have they done with the funds they were given for this new project?

There are exceptions..... One trainer of today......was apprenticed to his father and I never saw him ride any horses at the track. He finished another apprenticeship during the same time as a butcher. His weight would have limited any rides under 70kg. (and I might be forgiven for under estimating that too) Yo u probably know who I mean Pam. I remember riding track work for his dad on several occasions. There was also another apprentice with a trainer that never rode any other trainers horses work as he was off to work as a Panel Beater apprentice. He never got very many rides as an apprentice as a result...... Today he is one of the stipendary stewards.Once again you know who I mean.

Hastings Race 5: 1, 2 (BB) Hastings Race 7: 1, 2 (BB) Hastings Race 9: 2, 3 Randwick Race 5: 4, 5 Randwick Race 6: 5, 6 Randwick Race 7: 3. 4 Randwick Race 8: 1, 5 Randwick Race 9: 4, 7 Caulfield Race 3: 1, 3 Caulfield Race 4: 2, 3 Caulfield Race 7: 5, 15 Caulfield Race 8: 1, 2 Caulfield Race 9: 3, 9 Picks from Maverick with apologies last week.

Count me in

Past long time Secretary of the NZ Racing conference (Mr Algie) posted his three reasons in the racing calender many years ago why female riders would never be able to compete successfully against the males. I cut this clipping out at the time but seem to have lost it over the years. What would he think of todays riders who are successfull anywhere in the world?

Ripped all my front lawn up and after seed applied sand from New Brighton Beach. Result a great green lawn and this all accomplished in 2020.

Cure for bank pain...... Imagine this.... I have had no back problems since. The horse was to gallop with a mate in blinkers after solo work was good. She led out and then was restrained at 200 m. so the other horse could come alongside on the outer. When she saw the gallop mate she swerved left, saw a trestle and jumped this leaving me to come down for vertical landing at about 38 mph face first. Cure immediate. Cannot recommend this would work every time though!

The panic over a Jockey with a travel recorded between Sydney and Melbourne and abandoned meetings and cancellations must be over. The ten possible jockeys that this could have referred to are all back riding again. But to change the subject slightly I will name the countries that must have idiots in charge in order of reactions to Co Vid 19 ..... UK, USA, Australia, Iran...... Congratulations China..... for actions taken and although he is crazy too North Korea ...... but few would be going to that country would they?

I have been drinking Corona Light and suffered no ill effects. Every 14 days I get another dozen.

Please .... No more talk of all weather tracks for gallops. Turf is best. Only excepts are Picnics Beach Races occasionally. Riccarton wasted $ on a wood.bark chip training track years ago. Now they have a track where there is a coarse base done by a roadworks company who sold off all the top soil. The grass on the surface does not have great roots going down, so is very hard. Horses now jar up racing on this road like surface. Look at the numbers racing on it today.

Leo Molloy (Memories) Leo did me proud..... One ride one win, my first..... He had a bad check during the race, but got up to win by a neck at Motukarara. I had a $100 each way at TAB the day before... which was worth near $3000 for a winning stake of $450 in the race..... I had another $200 to put on race day but was being watched by too many as I left bird cage asking why it opened up so short, so never put that on. The odds were much better at start time however. Leo was to ride again for me at Trentham but broke his leg in a race fall at Greymouth the day before.

Driver Ricky May was flown to Dunedin Hospital last night, after collapsing during a meeting at the Omakau track in Central Otago.He fell backwards, seemingly unconscious in the sulky, before falling to the ground.The race steward's confirmed May had a heart attack.He's reined nearly three thousand winners since he began racing in 1976.

Is Dexter Dunn coming back? Two drives in Canada (Mohawk) this week for two wins. It's the first time we have seen anything of him that we can bet on. Both were about 5/1.