john legend

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 . 

thanks PS and to Memphis and Scooby great fun and Idolmite yes had nothing in last race and thought it all over but if you had won last, I might have been  second. Anyway many of us beat the large fish which is reward in itself    my contact ph. 027 360 1966

TN what happened to hawera  easter dates.... the gods in control (forget tradition !) decided easter dates too valuable to waste on such insignificant places as Hawera. (absolute disgrace)so changed to 2 dates in February.2024.  at least its not gone completely... other negative nellies here dont post if you are going to just want to argue black is white... By the way Keneperu. I happent to come from deepest Red mt roskill  and grew up with unionist father who stood for Labour many times and believe your response to the Lux on smoking is fair and will be a thorn in his side forever unless attitude changes

Argue all you like.
Us oldies who have been active breeders, owners, committee members (club and national) and punters got involved because the sport was accessible in our cities/ region.
It encouraged us to socialise and introduce clients and friends to the sport by attending.
Hutt Park despite its negatives was a catalyst for the public, owners, trainers and drivers. It encouraged participation which does not exist today.
North meet south for both horses, drivers and trainers.
Turnovers were regularly on average the fourth and fifth highest over many years.
At the time of closure of Hutt Park HRNZ was gutless and offered no support..
 I personally challenged (as President)  and partly financed the Councils reasons  for closure in the High Court but to no avail.
We were rail roaded by the Council. End of story.
The demise of Harness racing in the Central Districts can only be blamed on ineffective administration  by HRNZ s past and current administrators.
Manawatu s efforts to retain the sport within our region deserve our support to keep the sport within the CD region.
I
 
 
 

thanks PS and to Memphis and Scooby great fun and Idolmite yes had nothing in last race and thought it all over but if you had won last, I might have been  second. Anyway many of us beat the large fish which is reward in itself    my contact ph. 027 360 1966

thanks PS and to Memphis and Scooby great fun and Idolmite yes had nothing in last race and thought it all over but if you had won last, I might have been  second. Anyway many of us beat the large fish which is reward in itself    my contact ph. 027 360 1966

thanks PS and to Memphis and Scooby great fun and Idolmite yes had nothing in last race and thought it all over but if you had won last, I might have been  second. Anyway many of us beat the large fish which is reward in itself    my contact ph. 027 360 1966

Pure Steel, Memphis and Scooby, on behalf of Joan, Monty and myself, thank you for inviting us galloping girls and guys to participate.
For a few moments I thought that Joan may have made a clean sweep, but it wasn't to be.
Well done John the Legend, Idolmite and Winner 69, with the tiny dividends available all day, you guys did super.
Congratulations.
Liz

The New Zealand Pacing Derby feature hits the line and Northerner MERLIN takes the choc's ahead of Mark . (think he'll be ultra keen with Oscar now to get 2 Group 1 's today to get level with Dunn's and Brother Barry /Phelan who already have 2 Group 1's each today.
The Cafe boys/girls on the winner were Piper and Montydrum . 7 Cafe tipsters left disappointed 2nd again (like the previous race lol )   
 
LEADERBOARD  after Race 9. Just one to go . looks an Oscar benefit race
John Legend  $403.00    and Big leader 
Winner 69     $345.00
the Lyric + Idolmite    $239.00
Mikie     $230.00
Charlie B    $224.00
Jayar   $206.00
 Joan  $180.00
The Janitor  $154.00
DeepSooth   $150.00
Zak H   $146.00
PureSteel Whale $142.00
Tarantula   $136.00
Liz + Monty    $120.00
Gubellini   $118.00
Pegasus  $110.00
Piper    $96.00
Tacula  $92.00
Pakaraka Star $90.00
MisterEd    $54.00
Spike City   $52.00
 
1st 4   MERLIN ZACHARY BUTCHER FT - - 2.00 1.10 2nd 6   DON'T STOP DREAMING MARK PURDON FT   -   1.30 3rd 2   SOONER THE BETTOR TONY HERLIHY FT   -   1.80

The Trotting Derby goes to the Oaks winner in Sunn'y Sister . 
We had a few great tipsters on the Good trotting filly there. The lyric, John Legend (3 wins in a row to John well done !! ) , Idolmite , Winner69 as well.
Charlie B got 2nd place with Melsadele and picked up a handy $182 for his trouble !!!! excellent stuff mate.
and we had Gubellini, Jayar and DeepSooth running in 3rd with Marky boy .  so $44.00 to each of them.
 
LEADERBOARD  after Race 7 ,The Nz Trotting Derby.
Winner 69     $345.00
John Legend  $333.00
the Lyric + Idolmite    $239.00
Charlie B    $224.00
Joan    $154.00
Jayar  $136.00   
Zak H     $122.00
Liz    $120.00
Mikie  $116.00
Tacula + Tarantula $92.00
Pakaraka Star $90.00
The Janitor  $84.00
Gubellini  $82.00
 Montydrum  $78.00
DeepSooth  $70.00
Pegasus   $66.00
MisterEd + Piper   $54.00
Spike City   $52.00
 PS Whale   $42.00
 
 
1st 1   SUNNYS SISTER JOHN DUNN FT - - 10.30 2.90 2nd 5   MELSADELE TODD MITCHELL FT   -   9.10 3rd 10   HIGH ENERGY MARK PURDON BL   -   2.20

The Aussie outclassed by Nz's Best and Sunny's Sister the Filly WINS the Derby !!
Well done John Dunn and Team . we gave him plenty of flak here and he is back with 2 Group 1's today . 

Didn’t know they had a marketing team John…pretty ineffectual if they have….
Used to love going to Hutt Park by the way. Great support from North ( Purdons, Wolfenden,Holmes, Jessop and co ) and South ( Noble/McKenzie, Derek Jones etc ) provided some great racing and entertainment. 
Surrendering the lease on the track back to the Hutt Council in the mid 90’s was never going to end well unfortunately.

johnlegend, strikes.
rce 4    no.5 princess sadie
rce 5    no.3 aardiebytheseaside
rce6     no.5 beach ball
rce7     no.1 sunny's sister
rce8     no.7 treacherous baby
rce9     no.6 dont stop dreaming

Keneperu,while in a mood to correct your bland statements that have no substance in facts, your extra "throw away line" regarding demise of Hutt Park, we used to get great support from South Island including MH but also John Lischner, Robert Dunn ,Derek Jones and many more so a young MH had a small part  but was a regular supporter which was appreciated. .Lets see if your negativity can be corrected by some facts. The major rise in costs were from a city council that decided it was a commercial operation not a sport therefore would rate and ground rent us  from $4000 per annum  to $125000 per annum a figure that was unsustainable amortised over 17 race nights.It was appealed and I personally addressed the Council  unfortunately unsuccessfully... Most people enjoyed Hutt Park racing and were saddened when it was forced to close.. (osh also played a part wanting lifts fire rated and emergency lighting everywhere etc. $1000s more )

North Island harness racing is about 10% the product it was when the grass tracks were racing. The people who led to the demise of grass tracks in the north are a complete bunch of douchebags. 

Used to really enjoy having a horse racing at a 2 day 'Naki meeting.  As well as the racing on beautiful courses, we'd throw the golf clubs and walking shoes in the car and make a real holiday of it. New Plymouth has plenty offer including a great art gallery. 

It's sad we no longer have grass track racing in Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Yes, it makes short term economic sense and less hassle to run all the races at Cambridge (which with all the grassed areas is family friendly) and Pirongia, the biggest attended meeting of the year, wasn't up to modern track safety requirements. However, it does mean way less promotion of harness racing to a wide audience and therefore has accentuated the decline in interest and acceptance of horse racing in the North and the observable flow on effects on punting and ownership. Who is responsible for promoting our sport in the regions? The clubs, HRNZ or both?

Champion filly Millwood Nike is out of Sunday's Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing Oaks with her immediate future in doubt.
One of the biggest drawcards on the massive Grand Prix day at Addington, the hot favourite was scratched on Thursday morning after she was found to have a swollen tendon, with co-trainer Mark Purdon hoping it is from a paddock knock.
“We will know more after we get it scanned,” says Purdon.
The setback means not only will Millwood Nike miss her shot at the Oaks and ending her season unbeaten at 18 from 18 but puts in doubt her early campaign in 2024 and her steps up to mares' racing.
The scratching saw Mantra Blue move from $6 second favourite to $1.85 with the TAB for the Oaks.

sorry Nelli but the well attended picnic meetings in the area eg. otaki, now a motorway virtually from wellington to the course were stamped  out by HRNZ some time ago .the 2 day meeting was a highlight but someone in deepest Christchurch decided  to fix that club by  tacking only 1 day on to wairarapa" s half day in the sun (gallops other half) So its a sad day when great ,well run Clubs have their very existence threatened by simply a bad decision.There has to be an improvement instead of seemingly a desire to wreck Harness Racing from Cambridge to Wellington.

sorry Nelli but the well attended picnic meetings in the area eg. otaki, now a motorway virtually from wellington to the course were stamped  out by HRNZ some time ago .the 2 day meeting was a highlight but someone in deepest Christchurch decided  to fix that club by  tacking only 1 day on to wairarapa" s half day in the sun (gallops other half) So its a sad day when great ,well run Clubs have their very existence threatened by simply a bad decision.There has to be an improvement instead of seemingly a desire to wreck Harness Racing from Cambridge to Wellington.

sorry Nelli but the well attended picnic meetings in the area eg. otaki, now a motorway virtually from wellington to the course were stamped  out by HRNZ some time ago .the 2 day meeting was a highlight but someone in deepest Christchurch decided  to fix that club by  tacking only 1 day on to wairarapa" s half day in the sun (gallops other half) So its a sad day when great ,well run Clubs have their very existence threatened by simply a bad decision.There has to be an improvement instead of seemingly a desire to wreck Harness Racing from Cambridge to Wellington.

Was sitting with sweet one-one sit after the start for  600m then she's pulled out in home straight and then  whips out .... then ear plugs are out .
I think she thought it was the finish ?  as they came down to the post.... but was Still A Lap to Go lol    
 Had no reason to give up the nice trail she was getting while driving one of the outsiders of the field.  Very bad error. even in a junior drivers race.