Idolmite

Swayzee vs GTC vs The Lazarus effect sounds quite enticing

We were knocked out a fortnight ago, but still great fun to watch from the sidelines. Less stressful too Some incredibly close matches today well worthy of being the finals. Thanks to all who put on the entertainment, especially Scoobster and SNM from the platform and organisation side of things. And to all of the great contestants.

Different odds showing now

He's better, obviously, but still in impatient driver.

I'm still shaking my head days later

Yes, has been raised elsewhere. Friday night l can honestly say I'd have done better. It was worse than appalling. And as you say, not the first, or the second, poor drive.

100% Alf. I used to love following the Kiwis on their various Australian raids, often via transistor radio And l love seeing the best of Australia here, as - unlike any raiding Aussie gallopers - we get the very very best of the visiting harness talent to our shores. l do wish we were a little more equal however. The continual slaughter of our best by Keayang Zahara and Gus, Leap To Fame, Swayzee and Kingman, makes me wonder what it'll take for a Kiwi horse to ever win one of our big races again. No pressure on GTC, Marketplace, The Lazarus Effect, and Jumal. No pressure at all

Fatty Trump couldn't do a forward roll (with two assistants) let alone a back flip.

Terrible drive. What a gut buster for a 'nothing' race just to keep the big guns ticking over. More bad drives than good recently. They're not all LTF!!

Pennzoil?

Agreed. I do limit my intake to probably about 10% of the sweetener available

Tricky Mick, to be fair, is in something of an unenviable position. Throw a positive light on everything and while everybody will talk to him he gets known as a light weight. Do a hatchet job on somebody - no matter how deserving and truthful - and everybody closes ranks. I spent decades writing and reporting for another sport, national magazine, radio shows etc over summer, and anything remotely akin to investigative journalism was frowned upon by most. Upset the governing body and one's attendance at the AGM, well, let's just say one's name goes missing off the list for a couple of years. Tricky Mick has the inside knowledge and the contacts, but it'd be the last piece he ever wrote. A mainstream journalist - if it was possible to find a good one - starts on the back foot as they will likely know nothing about racing, and won't know the people. But a very enthusiastic independent journo maybe the only way of getting things started, linked up with the right person/people pointing him/her/them in the right direction. Oh for the days of journalism like when they freed Arthur Allan Thomas.

Thanks Flaming Ford, for posting more regularly and giving me a daily guffaw

They're not going to fire Belle Neige out of the gate, as last time they did she got to fired up all pulled all race long. Barrier 1 probably not ideal for her.

It's a slot race, so it comes down to deals done by owners with slot holders, nothing to do with a normal field selection.