john legend

Do you try and act as if your thick or does it come naturally Shad?

after several replays and reading comments (having never driven in a race) agree with most statements here. Strange. After first look  thought in favour of JJ why not wait for passing lane then slide through for easy win.... BUT the leader was being driven out and not responding so she had a decision or 2 to make . (without luxury of replays) Secondly thought why not sit in 1/1 then attack ... good idea  No not a cunning plan as all 3 horses and drivers were hard at work A split decision number 3  she made, go out should be capable passing the 3 strugglers. Her horse did run a bit wider than expected but she still finished faster than the others and in retrospect it looked a wait  would have produced a winner instead of placing. As a non bettor on race felt NOT BY FAR WORST DRIVE EVER'''''PS. once a fellow owner went crazy at our driver (who happened to be one of most respected drivers in NZ) when he made a split decision that didnt pay off  .We all commiserated with circumstances but the pocket of a fellow owner   overuled  common sense..... Not a happy moment.!!

Didn't see the race. Haven't seen the race. But we know that 9 times out of 10 a drive/ride is seen as worse if the person concerned has backed that runner. That may well be because their eyes are glued on that particular horse throughout the run, thereby noticing the error of judgement but missing far worse mistakes at the same time.
The horse was paying $9.30 to win from a second line draw. Third could also be considered a fair result. Although I admit I might think differently had I of seen the race (who on earth watches all these non-event affairs at this time of year?) and especially had I actually backed the runner in question. Might have a look at the replay.   
PS: have now watched the replay, and in retrospect I suspect she made the wrong decision, and that waiting for the passing lane would have been a better option. However, as said above, such decisions are made in a split second and not from the same angle as the camera showing us the race, and not with the knowledge of the final result. Crystal would have known approaching the home turn that she was travelling the best of the first 4, but looked in danger of getting held up with a wall of 3 horses in front of her. The parked horse had just taken over from Stickyfingers (the leader throughout) who was obviously struggling well before turning for home. She made the decision to get into the clear ASAP and not risk getting caught behind three runner that had done more work in the running than her horse. Sometimes a tired leader veers into the passing lane, so her move guaranteed her a clear run for the entire length of the straight. It didn't come off, but I don' believe it can be called "a shocker" either. The early pulling of the earplugs was strange. 

The way I look at it Palliser is that the horse in front of her was under pressure, and she had a decision to make as to whether to wait and hope for a gap in time or go wide with a certain run. She may have done the wrong thing but theses drivers often have to make their decisions very quickly and it doesn't always work out. As a punter I would have been glad she did what she did with the certainty she would not be held up.

Yep - was sad watching only 8 races at Cambridge Xmas Eve .... if memory serves correct, even with the inclusion of the grass tracks in the old days Xmas Eve attracted good fields and a full programme.  Has the deletion of the summer grass meetings been the catalyst for the lack of horse numbers in the North?

The Pirongia Picnic Day Races

Sad to see the disappearance of what used to be a grand time of racing in the Northern NI.  The crowds that used to come to watch good fields of the best of the best trotters and pacers racing at Auckland and Cambridge on the warm summer evenings. The families at multiple picnic meetings. Nowadays the general public up here is barely aware harness racing exists (except for the bad press). Where are our future NI punters and owners going to come from? More importantly, with the bulk of the NZ population living in the NI, we need racing and good exposure up here to maintain our social licence to operate throughout the country. There is no single quick fix, but we just can't continue as we are if we want a future. 

Oh cmon JJ mate, she (SarahO) did a bloody good job which is what she is there to do, she used her brain an her talent and got it done, in the end that's what it's all about....
 
Cheers Iraklis

Helps with horses that get better with age, that family just does that . 1/2 sister Eclipse Me goes well in USA, another , from close relative is Beyond Words which beat Amazing Dream in Mares Group 1 and doing the business in America, No Apachemee running up against Field Marshall  , Cash N Flow, and the like, returning a 1:50 unplaced run at Menangle at around 10yo. Also King Of The Claimers title at Melton.
So you would think American Me and Sarah may certainly get another chance at victory in Open Class, cause as pointed out that was a great drive and effort.

Wowee, that was some scalp SarahO claimed there 😀 mighty MP on his SelfAssured, if she doesn't get some top drives now then what she gotta do.....
 
Cheers Iraklis

agreeNelli  thought it not a bright idea.. Most reasonable horses can get the qualifying times then need to improve to be racing propositions. The mr50 can be ok but if a good maiden wins they then face racing horses that may have won 6 or 7 races straight away.. I can see the logic in getting more race horses but  maybe 2 wins in mr50  permitted before increase in class. .You  c ould have say a r30 t0 32 range for a lower stake but it depends if punters and trainers would be keen. the idea of better innovation in use of conditions should suffice.

Oh JL to true, yuh gotta make sure nothins off, or evaporated; in everythin there's gotta be test runs, rehearsal, I mean I mean yuh gotta be sure 🤣 right? 
 
Cheers Iraklis

Never too early Iraklis, Merry Xmas to all Race Cafers.  . Been a good year and although sometimes difference of opinions have happened of course. the majority of time especially with humour and support it has been worthwhile.. Predictions for 2024... ?
P.s. getting prepared for xmas day I do have the problem of trying the ham  early !! then sampling the drinks purchased for guests then this weekend having to replenish the stocks of everything  (no willpower !)🧑‍🎄

Never too early Iraklis, Merry Xmas to all Race Cafers.  . Been a good year and although sometimes difference of opinions have happened of course. the majority of time especially with humour and support it has been worthwhile.. Predictions for 2024... ?
P.s. getting prepared for xmas day I do have the problem of trying the ham  early !! then sampling the drinks purchased for guests then this weekend having to replenish the stocks of everything  (no willpower !)🧑‍🎄

Never too early Iraklis, Merry Xmas to all Race Cafers.  . Been a good year and although sometimes difference of opinions have happened of course. the majority of time especially with humour and support it has been worthwhile.. Predictions for 2024... ?
P.s. getting prepared for xmas day I do have the problem of trying the ham  early !! then sampling the drinks purchased for guests then this weekend having to replenish the stocks of everything  (no willpower !)🧑‍🎄

FINAL TALLY and winner of the $75.00 bet prize is JOHN LEGEND.  Congratulation John !!!!!!!!
John with ALL Six horses collecting some cash .
WIns with Sunny's Sister, Aardiebythe Seaside, and Beachball, 2nd with Don't StopDreaming and TreacherousBaby, 3rd with Princess Sadie.  
FINAL LEADERBOARD  after Race 10
John Legend  $403.00    and Winner of $75 Bet with Scooby Prize 
Idolmite        $347.00
Winner 69     $345.00
Jayar      $241.00
the Lyric    $239.00
Mikie     $230.00
Charlie B    $224.00
 Joan  $215.00                              8 out of 22 players returning a profit for the day. 
PureSteel Whale  $177.00
Montydrum  $155.00
The Janitor  $154.00
DeepSooth   $150.00
Zak H   $146.00
Tarantula   $136.00
Liz        $120.00
Gubellini   $118.00
Pegasus  $110.00
MisterEd  $106.00
Piper    $96.00
Tacula  $92.00
Pakaraka Star $90.00
Spike City   $52.00    
thanks for Playing to all. Have a great Christmas  

Go Sarah, you beauty. She's a cracker Iraklis mate...

1st   9 Ooga Chaka 9 fr  Stakes:  9,625.00     time : 2-28.1   driver : K T Newman (J)  Trainer : Tim Trathen  

The pre race comment on OOga Chaka was that he/she just wasn't feeling it (love)  Most will know the song of course.That was proved to be complete craziness as OC had only 2 starts for 1st and 2nd.... well I for 1 was a believer (lol) and so it happened ,,,almost last to first  at Addington in the straight for a Downbytheseaside with good form. I can hear the chants when Ooga Chaka really gets motoring .....congratulations to owners (sadly not one of them)

Long live Manawatu   and Wilson House. Oh and I suppose old Michael H should get a mention but we all know Wilson does all the work eh!😉

well stated Ivan, over the years the sad closure of the Park has grown into a mythical fantasy land where ill informed commentators run riot !! This is concerning due to the many years and effort by many good people who sacrificed their time and finance to keep the Capital with a true HR asset There are very few true harness racing lovers who 'welcomed the closure of a true icon. 

John the Legend was just too good on the day. Way too good. 
Thanks to PS for running/scoring the comp, and to Memphis and Scooby obviously. I finished on well late, but The Legend had skipped clear on the turn. A fun day out though. 
I went rough in the last, just in case I was well off the pace come the final race [and I was] but I needed a winner. Third was not enough. Scored a good priced winner with Sunny's Sister, but those around me on the scoreboard selected it as well. 

The Kidz Kartz 2 reps will head over there on Thursday, they got a tour around stables and Redcliffe ( Friday) where they will be presented with their NZ colors and compete at Albion Park Saturday night between races.
Also the Junior Drivers have their competition.  So we should be excited to see our future compete.

Team driving at its worst and people why harness does not attract more support.
I hope they throw the book at G Thornley for the obvious move when in the trail to allow  its stablemate who was facing breeze into the trail behind fav. Absolute nonsense and probably  cost her drive 3rd place if she had stayed where she originally  was.

may follow demise of commonwealth games.... So many options for best pacers and trotters. No excitement here .