Blue

Hmmmm....yes, a bit disappointing regardless of the price tag. If you look back a bit, several of their stallion syndicate buys have gone better with their nuts out but it seems it only takes one or two group wins to make something into a viable breeding proposition. I guess that's what a good pedigree is all about.

Did he not work at Haunui under Frank Turner in the 70s when they stood Karayar?

I have the dubious distinction of owning the first horse to be put down at Ruakaka, March 1979. An example of how numbers have changed. A division race, drew #1, he was 5th on the ballot yet got a start. I was a sharemilker at Cambridge so wasn't there and radio commentary was scratchy. Story was that it was just a matter of who would fill the minors when he rolled in at the turn, bumped the rail and broke a blood vessell in his shoulder. Curtains. You haven't been in racing until you've had all the ups and downs.All part of the game.

Seem to remember Chelsea won on her first race ride. Always had ability but getting a lot more rides now she has an agent.

Was nicknamed 'marmite' at one stage. Grew a thick black mo that looked like marmite on his top lip.

I remember prominent horses like Blue Denim and Horlicks and also Linda Ballantynes horrific fall at the nellerslie New Year meeting but mostly in the 80's I was too busy paying 30% interest to Rogernomics and raising five kids than to have more than a passing interest at the time. Priorities, but the love of racing doesn't ever go away entirely.

yes RR, have wondered that myself on occasions. TA paid handsomely for the Katie Lee colt in January too. Named Armoury I've yet to see him mentioned in any trackwork thus far. Just as an aside I see Opie rode in the trials at Taupo but not in the races despite Khafeef being weighted at 59.5kgs. Very hard dropping that last 2kgs or so. Hope he makes it back soon.

I remember when a charter boat ran from Warkworth to Ruakaka for the summer harness meetings. Again, sadly assigned to history.

Either way the black type, 2 minute barrier achievement should be long gone from sales catalogues or pedigree records. Even the better 2yo trotters are doing that these days.

Wasn't it like that at Te Rapa, Barry? Didn't see a single soul in the grandstand when the cameras panned it - probably unintentionally.

What about a surcharge on public holidays ???

Borders closed should have meant borders CLOSED. Sure, the four positives now haven't travelled but we've had regular positives from overseas almost on a daily basis and there are apparently still an average of 700 people arriving here daily. Where's Donald Trump when you need him. Build a wall around Auckland.

Quantify "WORK" please. And now Ruakaka has picked up another meeting in a fortnights time, further proof that those in charge don't really have a handle on the industry at all.

Was it also this same Dyak who became a reasonably handy horse but then stripped of several wins due to an ownership snarl-up? I seem to recall the name of Ron Kingsnorth associated with the saga.

One thing I remember about Paeroa was Regal Ruler and Legal Ruler were synonymous with Paeroa. Hunting with Maramarua toe point-to-point was held on Viv Young's property then the Hunt Races were held there just before the Ellerslie Great Northern meeting. Going back a-ways here.