Ashoka

von Smallhaussen... The Dead Kennedy's version of that song is better...and, certainly, more accurate. All the best. Ashoka

Wasn't there a spate of firebombings of night clubs in Wellington in the era you are all talking about? I recall (I think) that the Sunset Strip was one of the first targeted...and the surname that has been mentioned is very well known around the greater Wellington region for reasons that I will leave unstated. Rose-tinted glasses indeed... However, it's great to reminisce from the safety of the future. All the best. Ashoka

rdytdy... Thank you very much for this information. For some reason, I was confusing Cradle Me with Crack Me Up. Freudian? If so, the connection is beyond my comprehension. All the best. Ashoka

Can anybody tell me anything about Cradle Me? This is a currently racing 3yo filly...right? Thank you. All the best. Ashoka

gubellini... I backed Candyboy when he won his first start. I still recall being very disappointed at how short he was in the betting. All the best. Ashoka

We haven't seen the best of Harriet Of Mot yet. The only luck she has had of late has been bad. If she can get a cart into the race and peel out late, then I think that there is every chance that she can do to "The Ruby" exactly what that mare did to her. A great race coming up, that's for sure. All the best. Ashoka

Goat... You are right...I'd completely ignored this obvious factor. I guess that I have just gotten too used to the usual suspects being contenders. I think that the emergence of Robert Dunn as a chance is great for harness racing. All the best. Ashoka

Ohokaman... Yes, that Le Filou mare Suttle...that I was two-thirds right about... All the best. Ashoka

rdytdy... Thanks for the memories, rdytdy. Tremendous stuff, for me at least. Some great training centres represented in that three-horse list...Awapuni, Woodville and Otaki. I remember Count Kereru's win in the Ormond Gold Cup (or, at least I think I do). Mid-week listening at school...Count Kereru in front with Peter Kelly stating that Young Ida (a top 3yo filly then, I think) was rushing at him, calling in a tone that suggested a Young Ida win was a formality, then raising his voice as he called Count Kereru lifting himself with the latter winning. I really enjoyed that call. I think that Young Ida was the hot favourite for that race. Young Ida was a very good horse but, for me, Count Kereru was a people's champion. All the best. Ashoka

2Admin2... I had posted before I read your comments. Further to what I have said above, the last vestiges of integrity disappeared from the management of the racing industry during Stiassny's tenure. The items I could iterate would require a novel, the length of which would manifestly exceed that of "War And Peace", before they could be adequately listed and fully understood. Truly, a ruination of what was once, a proud and successful industry. Cheers. Ashoka

Midget... Fair comment. Googling me will present an inaccurate picture but, as you say, people will make up their own minds. I was referring to Mr Stiassny's choice of Chief Executive and his choice of a computer system implementation provider. You are right about what we all expected. The inception of the Racing Act 2003, which amalgamated the Racing Industry Board and the TAB Board, was supposed to eliminate the "tail wagging the dog" scenario by putting the racing industry interests above those of what was supposed to be the funding provider. This did not, and has not, happened. It is clear that sector interests outweigh the interests of the racing industry as a whole. The interests of the major thoroughbred breeders hold sway above all else, but bias extends even to matters as seeming simple as the provision of basic information to punters, with the interests of so-called "track mangers" taking precedence over the financial welfare of the industry as a whole. Unfortunately, the corruption inherent in the management of the racing industry is present in all governance areas in our country, which is why it is not possible to bring about change. When you have a manifestly corrupt judiciary at the highest level, working hand-in-hand with the most corrupt set of so-called politicians to ever disgrace our Parliament, add in a police force which, at the most senior level, is not deserving of that description, you have a recipe for a country in the process of disintegration. My employer, the Manawatu Greyhound Racing Club, was placed into liquidation by an associate High Court Judge who walked out of the hearing part-way through. When he didn't return after five minutes, I asked the court registrar to take my document, which I was in the process of deposing, and give it to the Judge. Ten minutes later, she came back, returned my document to me, and told me that the Judge would not accept my document and that the hearing was over. The next day, the Judge delivered a written judgement, the content of which was upwards of eighty percent pure fiction. When I applied to the Court for a copy of the proceeds, I was informed that there wasn't one. I made a submission to the office of the Judicial Conduct Commissioner about this corrupt Judge. My submission was dismissed without any tangible explanation. The, now, wife of the said then Judicial Conduct Commissioner is the newly-appointed Governor General of our country. More power is now consolidated within the corrupt cabal that, effectively, runs our country. Apparently, it is a standing joke among the legal community in Wellington that you cannot find a senior Judge who does not have a conflict of interest when it comes to the thoroughbred breeding industry. The, then, associate High Court Judge was, shortly thereafter, promoted to a full Judge of the High Court. His older brother is an even more senior Judge of long-standing who has a significant interest in the thoroughbred breeding industry. The newly-appointed High Court Judge, a corrupt individual of demonstrably no integrity, now decides the outcome of people's lives who appear before him in the Christchurch region. Welcome to the new New Zealand. All the best. Ashoka

Those that try to tell the truth get shafted and the industry just lets this happen while mouthing platitudes as Midget2 is doing. I recall Midget2 vehemently supporting his, then "patron", in relation to what was termed "one racing". The fact that this plan was progressed in as underhand a manner as was possible now seems to elude the mind of this face-changing individual in much the same way as any sense of decency often seems to do. I wonder what Midget2's attitude to Avondale is these days? Who cares, because at any given time, his professed attitude will be whatever it suits him to say at that time? Stiassny's tenure as NZRB Chairman was an unmitigated disaster. Is it not strange that Midget2 never seems to address this obvious fact? I can't recall Midget2 ever stating the truth about Stiassny, not even when he is denigrating everybody else in creation except himself. How can this person claim to have known what was going to happen when he was an integral part of defending the indefensible even as it occurred? Midget2 needs to stop trying to rewrite history, acknowledge past mistakes and try to become part of a structured solution. Will this happen? Not a snowball's chance in hell. Regards. Ashoka PS Yes, I know what to expect. It won't bother me one bit. What anybody else says about me cannot even come close to what I say to myself about me.

Timon... Thank you for your reply. All the best. Ashoka

Timon... Do you have an answer to the question you have asked? Please advise. Thank you. All the best. Ashoka

barryb... Insider asked a question to which your reply was "old news". Have I missed the official report and the outcomes that must have arisen from said report? Who was responsible and what have been the repercussions? Given the high-profile industry insiders involved in what happened at the said track, the answers to these questions will have significance for the entire industry and so are much more important than being of just local interest. All the best. Ashoka

jess... Yes, the truth may hurt, but it remains the truth. The actual extent of what you have described in your last post is now at absolutely mind-boggling levels, but only perceived by those who still think for themselves. This is an ever-dwindling minority group, unfortunately. All the best. Ashoka

gubellini... My recollection of Loch Linnhe is as a spectacular jumper, brilliant to watch but, on occasion, more than a bit dicey. I think that he was fatally injured in a jump's race fall in Australia, a tragic demise for such a great jumper. Cheers. Ashoka

Did anyone else get an email message from the TAB regarding the fee change and the date of its implementation? If so, did they notice the inherent contradiction? Cheers. Ashoka

gubellini... Thank you for your reply. I think that the Le Filou mare Suttle was the favourite and ran second in Watallan's NZ Cup. I think that she also ran second in the Wellington Cup, when favourite, and the Easter Handicap (behind 40-1 bolter Evenstead?). Why do these thoughts still concern me? Gubellini...please, please, please? Thank you. All the best. Ashoka

gubellini... I believe that Whakamoa won on the flat when aged 10. Is this correct and was this the last season in which he was a winner? Please advise, if possible. Thank you. Ashoka

Newmarket... The makeup of the JCA Board was a Chairperson along with one representative from each of the three codes...four members. Has this changed? Please advise. Thank you. Ashoka

rdytdy... I agree. I remember being very surprised when Battle Heights won that sprint. First up on a wet track mid-week? Gubellini? However, even as a seemingly avowed "Northerner", you would have to agree that, for versatility, no horse would even come close to Show Gate. One thing that these two horses share is a seemingly, at time, ad hoc approach to the art of thoroughbred racehorse training on the part of their conditioners...more so in the case of Show Gate. Both horses bring back golden memories of a past age very much different to that of today. All the best. Ashoka

Swynford... Thank you for your reply. I have always admired horses who were versatile when it came to the distances over which they raced. The great Show Gate immediately comes to mind in relation to this ability. All the best. Ashoka

Berri... Thank you for your informative response. It is much appreciated. All the best. Ashoka

Ohokaman... I have felt your pain...literally. I am looking at an old tube as I write this (Finalgon). I note, now, that the first instruction on the tube states "apply sparingly". As a person who tends to use things up rather than discard them...I'm bloody glad that there is bugger all left in the tube. However, from memory, its still more than enough to generate severe pain... If a little of something works, then more must be better...right? All the best. Ashoka