Seakem

The opportunity has long gone, but when Lotto was first proposed the radio personality Geoff Sinclair advocated that the TAB should apply to sell Lotto through their already established network of TAB outlets. The TAB saw Lotto as a serious rival and opposed it. It could have been a win/win situation. Today Lotto agencies are plentiful, while many TABs have closed, been replaced by machines in pubs and clubs,.

Know how you feel. Was very confident about Nashville winning the Couplands Mile. The odds were very attractive. Huge run. Almost did win. Top rider back on tomorrow. But my first pick is Abidewithme. Classy. Freshened for the mile. Regular rider Matt Cameron should get her into the clear in the straight. Trentham will suit better than Hastings did when she ran a huge race in the Spring.

Graeme Rogerson's contribution to Nz galloping, jumping and harness racing is immense. Would he have owned (part-owned) more winners than anyone else in NZ racing history?

It will be great if all four get there in top form.

Have been happily following and backing Bechtolsheimer. Thought he was a certainty at Avondale on a wet track, and he has won two at Ruakaka on better footing. He is a half brother, out of Sophie Ro, to an old favourite of mine, who raced in the deep south, Lautenschlager. On TV I saw Lautenschlager win his maiden staying race by about 10 lengths on a waterlogged track at Ascot Park. I put that in my little black book and backed him in 3 Riverton Cups. He was placed in one when paying $50 or so, when I thought he'd win. Then he won the following year on a wet Easter Saturday. Was a very capable steeplechaser, tho' he never quite won the big jumping race that I thought he would. He didn't have the best of luck striking better winter footing when he was at his best as a jumper. I always thought he could have won some steeplechases in the north on heavy tracks, if they'd brought him. He ran 4th I think in a Grand National when he just failed to see out the distance. Sophie Ro has built a successful record as a broodmare. There are a couple of others out of Sophie Ro, also with German names, racing in the South. They raced last summer. Think they've won too, tho the names escape me. Have never found out why they all have German names. Have guessed that an owner had German heritage. Can any one help?

Its only 14 weeks and 6 days til NZ Cup day. I've booked my flight down. The Jetstar flight on Cup day morning arriving Chch about 7.30 am was a bargain at $59. Any early thoughts on the Cup? Terror to Love v Adore Me v Christen Me? Three superstars. Reckon Adore Me is the one to beat.

Just googled Christchurch weather next 10 days Christchurch region forecast Today High cloud increasing, with a few spots of evening rain. Northerly becoming strong and gusty during the morning. Issued: 3:02am 30 Jul 14°CHigh7°COvernight Tomorrow High cloud, a few spots of rain. Gusty northwesterlies, gale and possibly severe gale in exposed places. Issued: 3:02am 30 Jul 15°CHigh10°COvernight Friday 1 High cloud, a few spots of rain. Gusty northwesterlies, gale and possibly severe gale in exposed places. Issued: 10:43pm 29 Jul 16°CHigh8°COvernight Christchurch region forecast Marshlands Temperature, & rainfall exceedance probability forecasts Saturday 2 Showers developing with a change to colder southerlies. Issued: 10:43pm 29 Jul 16°CHigh5°COvernight 74%Rain 1+ mm8%Rain 10+ mm

Thanks Puha. Intransigent's last 6 starts at 1600m over about 2 years or so. A better record than I'd thought. Especially as he is often very slow away. 9th of 12 3rd of 11 (beaten 8 1/2 lengths but good run) 9th of 12 10th of 12 3rd of 9 (lost several lengths at start 4th of 11 Also, Kirsty Lawrence is a very capable trainer. Freshened up, on a heavy track, a better getaway, he could come storming home. Still like Pencuri. Probably Our Gazza and Taurus for the quinella, tho I thought both were disappointing last start.

The nominations for Ruakaka on Satrurday are on www.nzracing.co.nz. There are 8 races listed with a total of 52 nominations. Two races have 5 nominations, one 7, two 8, one 9, and one 10. 13 of the 52 nominations come from the Dean & Donna Logan stable. It's usually very good winter footing at Ruakaka. A couple of seasons ago I recall hearing Donna advocating the regular use of Ruakaka during the winter months. It made a lot of sense. It's like having an all weather synthetic surface in the north without the expense. Is the lack of nominations, just the time of the year or the result of too much recent and regular racing at Ruakaka? Or something else.

You are absolutely right. I do need new glasses. It must have been Intransigent I spotted. What's worse I've just checked my TAB account activity and I backed him yesterday at $18, thinking he was Innovation, just in case it rained on the day. I wasn't expecting Intransigent to be in a 1600 m and would give him almost no chance.

Pencuri probably wasn't in the best part of the track at Otaki. I think Innovation was a late entry. She has been racing over 2000 metres.. If there's rain on the day she could bury them all. I've checked the 10 days forecast for Riccarton, and it looks like rain on Friday and Saturday. Not that 10 day weather forecasts are very accurate.

You are right, K Myers is still training Pencuri. I looked at the fields on www.nzracing.co.nz . After the first few runners the trainers don't line up with the correct horses.

I see by the the listing for Otaki on Saturday that Pencuri has changed trainers and is now with Mike Pitman.

This has probably been thrashed to death at some earlier stage, but I still can't see the sense in the 2 minutes given for cancelling mutiple bets including quaddies, place 6, trebles, etc. I understand the argument that this is necessary for win and place bets where pools could be manipulated by placing large bets and then canceling them. If you get in a queue at a tab machine or counter, put in a form to take one or more multiple bets, then leave your place in the queue, and check your ticket, often the 2 minutes has passed before you have the opportunity to change it. With multiple bets with many combinations, the ticket shows only numbers not names, so it takes longer to check. I know the answer is to carefully check bet slips before passing them over, but we all make mistakes sometimes. Surely with multiple bet types 10 minutes would be a more a realistic time.

I don't know. Doesn't seem a very strong Winter Cup lineup. Taurus seemed disappointing at Taranaki. I've been taking the fixed odds on Pencuri in small amounts, from 31s, into 26, into 16 before he won last start. Then 12s, then 8s, last time they were displayed on Sunday he was at 7s. Seeing he's 28th in order for a start it's still a bit of a punt whether he'll even make the field.