Blue

Haha.....we used to call those guys Opium. Same reason.

Meant to be wetter tomorrow Col and despite what they've done I'm very wary of both the Richards runners especially TAS, fresh up, they're aiming for the Cox Plate and Jamie says he's not screwed down yet. Either way a lot of improvers will come out of it as the tracks get better.

What happened to the Aussie guy who was touted to replace Mark Mac?

We got the commentary on course and the judges placings but are still waiting for George to give us the divvies. Maybe they didn't bother because there was nobody there to hear them anyway.

In the end it doesn't really matter what the track's like. Racing people just want to race. I bet they don't have any meetings canned like we do.

Some great names and memories coming out here.

Sure is. Might qualify in 2,50 but if they cant run 2,43 or better they might as well be trekking ponies.

Is it the tracks, evolving type of horse or training methods that are producing these times? Very soon 1,50 will become the benchmark but it's not only your grand circuit horses, babies are running incredible times too, both pacers and trotters. Exciting stuff.

Was handy horse. Won his way to open company incl Kings Plate at the 1967 Cup meeting.

Raced by te akau or Ngaruawahia farmer Eric Davies. Was also a Waikato committee man.I rode in shows with his kids. I believe his widow still shares ownership in a TA syndicate or two.

Yes, 1st August. First day of the 19/20 racing season. Whoever won the most races, the most money, rode the most winners, ran the fastest times etc, etc is all gone now. All back to square #1. Ain’t it funny that it’s a psychological barrier too. How the old season finished is not necessarily how the new one will start. Who will star this year? Who will disappoint? Who will come from obscurity and sweep all before them? What babies plodding around now will play a major part in the $1million races after Christmas. What sadness and heartbreak will befall some of our stars, equine and human ?– because there will be that too. In the end we accept all these things because we are realistic, are married to this sport for better or worse and are eternal optimists whatever fate befalls us, so lets just get on and back an outsider, put our faith in a cheap sales purchase, back our own judgement, play the odds and enjoy not only the Sport of Kings but the King of Sports. Good luck y’all.

Saw that too. I can't see the point of going to the trials running 1.05 or 1.06 for 1,000 metres on a heavy track. Surely they can do that at home, its only a working gallop.Might as well run for the money.

Geez Tim, don't confuse the rating system any more than it already is. Too much maths, too little commonsense.

Just my opinion but I thought he looked a fraction behind the eight-ball in his two starts before heading overseas and reckon he should have gone a year ago. He's an eight year old stallion and at that age all he's gradually going to do is top up, plus he's going from middle and distance racing to quickfire mile racing against specialist mile horses and at an advanced age. Not sure he can do it but happy to be proven wrong.

Thanks Lloyd, got my colors mixed up. Should have gone to Specsavers.