Overcheck

There seems to be a standard 30 minutes for all enquiries, most of which are fairly obvious. The strange thing is a more complicated enquiry seems to take 30 minutes also. Perhaps they get paid on a time basis.

I must admit I do not mind the more "flowery" statements and words most of the time, but what does annoy me is when they are not used correctly. eg "Early Doors" is being used after a race starts which is incorrect. The origin of the saying was when people queued up for a show or event BEFORE the doors were open. Therefore to comment on a horse's chances or behaviour before the start would be the correct use of early doors.

Brodie does bring up a lot of what needs improving on in the industry, which may appear to be a negative attitude, but he has the right to express those opinions, just as we all have the right to express the opposite view if that is what we think. There is a lot to get excited about as Iraklis states, and plenty of room on here for both sides to discuss this amazing sport.

Thanks for the replies. This is staggering and just seems ridiculous. Another thing I noticed is that all of mine hit the lead in the straight only to get run down late. You can skip the race and go straight to "sorry your horse didn't win" which does save time I suppose. It certainly doesn't make me have a bet just to take part which is I guess the aim of the TAB.

Every time I have a bet and get to draw a horse in this competition it ALWAYS runs second. The same thing happened the last time this competition was run. Why not just go in the draw for a $5 win without making it look like more than it is? You would think if it was a genuine draw then my horse would run third or last some times. Perhaps I am missing something here.

I don't think that is very fair Cunnamulla without knowing whether she was told to do that game or not. Seeing Sky TV is the only TV channel we can see the races on they may have some say in who does what, and told her to go there. She might well have hated the job.

I like George in race 3 tonight and Martin John in race 10 tomorrow night at Addington.

Don't know where the name "Monte" comes from but in the fifties and early sixties in Southland they were known as "Saddle Trots" even though they were for pacers and were very popular in that area. Cardigan Bay early in his career was second to Flag Four trained by Ces Donald in a saddle trot and I am almost sure the late great Maurice Holmes won his first race in a saddle trot at Addington probably in the nineteen thirties.

Yes it was Lonestar, and going back a few years from time to time it included horses very close to Cup class. That was in the days when cup horses started racing at the National meeting in mid August.

Good to hear someone speaking up for racing in Parliament, and also at the same time chastising the NZRB for their lack of effort. NZ First gets my vote.

Long way to go yet. Last time in Australia he was almost last after the first round and then won it. May happen again.

The TAB website shows the Forbury meeting tonight as Abandoned when in fact from yesterday it was advised that it was Postponed until Saturday. Surely they could show "postponed to Saturday" so everyone knows the meeting will still be held. I have noticed in the past that as soon as a meeting is not to go ahead the trackside people immediately say it has been abandoned even when they do not know if it will be held at a later date. Abandoned means the meeting will not go ahead, and postponed means it will go ahead at a later date.

This has been going on for a long time but has got worse in recent months. It is absolute murder for place punters with $1.80 dropping to $1.10 or $1.20 quite often. It appears that the tab hold back turnover to keep a favourite showing a good value price early to tempt punters into backing it at the last minute. This held back money then goes on during the race. At the same time the fixed odds value will be very low, so taking that is not worth while.

Nathan Williamson only flicked the reins 12 times with his left hand, and that was virtually only in the last hundred metres. If the reins are now classed as a whip then it will be impossible to drive a horse out and so the punter loses again. Why he would say he was guilty is beyond me, unless by flicking the reins 12 times and perhaps was holding the whip as well (I cant see the whip in his hand) he thought plead guilty and perhaps get a lesser fine. Looks like revenue gathering to me.

I don't think it will make much difference Eclipsed as most people who are still going to the rugby would probably not have gone to the races anyway. There will be a few perhaps but not that many. There has been a lot of pre-booking done so they will all go to Ashburton. I think racing changes dates far too often to dodge rugby matches and should stick to what date they want and perhaps Rugby may become a bit more co-operative (wont hold breathe) as they need bums on seats too. There are a lot of empty seats at rugby matches these days so everyone one counts.

Typical of Auckland. Don't give a stuff about the rest of NZ.

Thanks Brodie, I will watch out for those you mention.

Can't make head nor tail of it. Horses near the top of the rating group and for some obscure reason drawn better than those lower down the ratings, don't seem to get a place even. Perhaps because the groupings are more even I think the place prices on the tote are a fraction higher now. Not sure Brodie how there is money to be made in a different way to before, unless you mean because there is not so many standouts paying a $1.20 sort of dividend.

I think his name was Eugene McDermott. I stand to be corrected.

Up against The Brooklyn Brawler and two of Purdon's but a top drive from DD could get you a place. Now $2.20 so your $2.40 is ok. Good luck.

It is almost impossible for sports outside of rugby, league, cricket and netball to get any sort of decent coverage with tv. The sports journalists do their best but the producers don't want to cover so called minor sports. In 2013 Jake Lewis won the European Junior Cup Championship in motor cycling held over 8 races with 36 starters from 18 different countries from all over the world and received about 10 seconds of tv time on tv1. Two journalists arranged quite a lot of filming of him from overseas and on his return home but the producer didn't want to know. Tv3 were not interested at all. Racing is in the same boat and has the added disadvantage in that the media are run by lefties and greenies who would like to see racing stopped altogether.

Just a money making exercise and nothing to do with animal welfare. Gives them a chance to throw their weight around and justify their jobs.

There are many fine young drivers in NZ, but Samantha Ottley just seems to get better and better.

One thing Brodie, the do-gooders will have to spend a lot of time watching races to make sure the rule is being policed. There may just be one or two of the less twisted ones that may come to enjoy the sport. Nah, now I am being silly!!

Using the whip on the sulky or dustsheet not allowed. How does this hurt a horse? Obviously they have extended cruelty to include mental cruelty in their eyes.