Belinda

Add to that the girl who was killed in a race in the NT yesterday. Very sad.

Linda Jones the jockey was first granted a license to drive in the 1978/79 season and it was following on from that, that women were granted a license to drive against the men.

The earliest woman driver in the North Island that I recall was Nola Agnew and that was well before ladies were licensed. She worked for Bob Barry at Ardmore and if my memory serves me right she drove, possibly Miles Gentry, in a time trial at Alexandra Park in an attempt to be the first woman in Australasia to better 2 minutes. I stand to be corrected on this but it's how I remember it

Pleased to see Thenamesbond has been retired, he didn't want to be there any more. And I feel TD is in the same boat. I don't think its an age thing, it's a mindset. So setting an age limit serves no purpose.

Awesome to watch again. And how good was she going on the home turn in the Air NZ Stakes. She was cantering.

Thank you, fingers crossed for her. Love and best wishes to you guys.

Does anyone know how she is? Hope she is ok.

Well at Blenheim one of those favourites named in the race fixing, won the race. So?

The one thing I do wonder about, how can you have race fixing involving only 2 drivers in the race? What about all the other starters? There is no guarantee that one of them isn't going to come along and win. It seems rather odd to me. Race fixing presumes that most of the drivers would be in on it. Otherwise it's nearly as much a gamble as betting on a straight race anyway.

I trained and drove in that era, no one ever asked me if I wanted to win.

And there maybe a perfectly good reason for the difference in weights but how is it decided? I am thinking of the weights for the Winter Cup. Two mares, on the same rating,, same number of wins, similar stake earnings although the higher weighted one of the two has won about 30k less and is one year younger (6 as opposed to 7).

Another 100% guess, Syntax?

Must be one of the tougher jumpers of recent times. What a wee cracker of a horse, he never gives up. But I rather fear weight will get the better of him sooner or later.

And carrying 71kg. I couldn't see any value in lining him up myself

crustyngrizzly, yep the meat is fine to be eaten from these cows and the milk is fine to drink

However it is uneven/rough surfaces that break a horse down not wet ones

Porky, most of the trainers are passionate about the game and horses. That's why they hang in there hoping for a miracle

And these lovely mares have mostly left winners by less than "desirable" (certainly in the sale ring) sires.

I do think that most of those cheaper ones weren't commercially bred. Fine if you are breeding one to race yourself but no point in trying to get good money for a foal with little breeding on the dam's side.

Globederby12, just to have a look

I am going.

Ah yes, But Cardigan Bay was returned to NZ to live out his retirement. Going by a post further up, no such provision has been made for Christian Me?

And Rikki Tikki Tavi doesn't rhyme with Tavistock.

Iraklis, I get frequent notifications on my facebook page from a group that tries to save standardbreds from being slaughtered. NZ horses often pop among the ones they are trying to raise funds for. In fact it was nice to read recently that a horse from NZ's original owner paid the money to save him.

And you know what happens to most ex racing standardbreds in the USA when they finish racing?They either end up being a buggy horse for the Amish and are worked hard and then go as live meat export to japan or they go straight to Japan :(.