Addington R1 - Disgraceful

[JJ Flash 2,141]

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.

[TurnyTom 1,543]

Just another day at the office JJ, stopped betting on them years ago but remain bemused at the obvious

[Dynamite 321]

1 hour ago, JJ Flash said:

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.

Extremely hard to bet in NZ harness with repeated team driving……

[canon47 84]

AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS 50% OF THE REASON  why trotting is rapidly loosing the punters and new comers. 

[Value Bell 253]

In the 3rd race, Dreams are Free, you can see MP and BO, on the close up camera talking to each other just after the start to keep DAF parked out

. 

[JJ Flash 2,141]

G Thornley (TEMPO WARRIOR) [Rule 869(3)(f)] - Drove improperly when restraining to allow outside runner into the trail 1700m (6 days). Suspended from 11/12/2023 until 22/12/2023 inclusive. An even bigger disgrace that she only got 6 days. Doesn't get many drives so its the usual slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket. IMHO.

 

Must add that its stablemate got nailed on the post so it was a bad result all round for GT,SO and MJ

[Dynamite 321]

Improper driving here would result in a minimum 6 weeks suspension……..

[JJ Flash 2,141]

As i said above Dynamite she got off way to lightly, but there's no surprise there harness Stewards are weak/ineffective in NZ from top to bottom. Drivers treat them like the fools they are at times

[TurnyTom 1,543]

I don’t follow harness that much but given the situation, uncontested, I would have thought the penalty was totally inadequate

Thoughts?

[lamour 673]

You’re right Turney,  this type of stuff is a serious breach of the rules IMO & needs to be stamped out.   I think 6 months would be appropriate & a repeat offence 1 year.  It puts everyone’s livelihood at risk because it discourages betting. 

[Shad 1,560]

Certainly surprised by  the very light sentence, guilty plea or not, now had this happened to a owner trainer or  other, would the same sentence apply, we've seen some hefty suspensions in the past for the poor old battlers and part timers, I'm sure if this had occurred 30 odd years ago, I'd say a hefty sentence would have been handed down.

[MisterEd 332]

Stablemate or not this happens every week in harness racing in NZ. Someone lets someone in and misses out on a place when if they had kicked up and held the other horse out they would have been in the money. Thats the unfortunate part of a harness racing group that is quite close and everybody is friendly with each other. In aussie you are out there for the trip and have to go back to last but here they let you in.

[Lincoln1 33]

MisterEd,  the difference in push down rules contributes to that greatly. NZ drivers often pull back and let someone in or else get forced to the fence line unlike Aus where you can not push down at all. 

[TurnyTom 1,543]

14 hours ago, lamour said:

You’re right Turney,  this type of stuff is a serious breach of the rules IMO & needs to be stamped out.   I think 6 months would be appropriate & a repeat offence 1 year.  It puts everyone’s livelihood at risk because it discourages betting. 

That’s what I thought Lamont, if you pulled this trick in galloping in Aussie, particularly Sydney I imagine you would be outed for 12 months 

From the few trot races I watch in NZ this shyte goes on all the time, particularly the rabbiting the handing up the lead to a stablemate then bingo it pulls off the rail on the turn and the stablemate goes whoska up the passing lane …. Just a bloody nonsense with the Stipes approval as nothing done

Love watching the trots but not a cent spent on them as I don’t know whose turn it is

[lamour 673]

the handing up the lead to a stablemate then bingo it pulls off the rail on the turn and the stablemate goes whoska.                                          
 

You are right again Turny but it’s impossible to do anything about that scenario because it’s easy for both drivers to assert they are giving their horses the best chance of winning.  It’s different in this case because you can’t argue that when you ease to 3 back on the rail. 

[Littletramp 390]

Now do race 3 - a Group 1. What chance was Dreams Are Free against the stablemates - or is this just the way it goes? Makes it impossible to consider betting on them when a stable has 2 runners or more in a race.

[JJ Flash 2,141]

Completely different Littletramp as AS team were always 1  and 2 and neither Mark nor Blair were facing the breeze and let in by stablemate as was case in R 1.

JMO but im coming to the belief  that whilst NW is a very handy driver he gets found out a bit at Addington. He surely knew AS were the obvious dangers but yet was happy to sit 3 back the rails.Definitely a very good horse as i have posted a few weeks ago and was unlucky on Sunday due to poor driver tactics IMO

[Richjamie69 7]

This is where you bet knowing there could be team driving and think who will gain from it and bet accordingly

[Thejanitor 1,243]

On 12/12/2023 at 12:12 PM, JJ Flash said:

Completely different Littletramp as AS team were always 1  and 2 and neither Mark nor Blair were facing the breeze and let in by stablemate as was case in R 1.

JMO but im coming to the belief  that whilst NW is a very handy driver he gets found out a bit at Addington. He surely knew AS were the obvious dangers but yet was happy to sit 3 back the rails.Definitely a very good horse as i have posted a few weeks ago and was unlucky on Sunday due to poor driver tactics IMO

This clown is talking through his pocket. Clearly, he didn't even watch the race because his account is nothing like what actually happened. The Williamson horse drew inside the Purdon pair but couldn't hold them out because not enough gate speed and it went roughly. It had an easy trip on the fence, but then when angled out for a run in the straight it again ran greenly. The horses bad racing manners cost it victory and zero to do with team driving. A G1 at Addington is a higher standard than racing against maidens at Winton. 

[Gruff 2,809]

On 12/10/2023 at 3:33 PM, JJ Flash said:

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.

The horse had a soft trip 3 back even after an ' interesting ' decision to allow stablemate the trail. Was it ever a solid place bet given how weak it's final 200 was even allowing for the fact there were no mid race moves on a 31.7 mid section?  Not great on many fronts including the Punt

[eljay 1,720]

Remember when there was no passing lane?

Remember when there was no 1000 metre peg

Remember when drivers were skillful

[JJ Flash 2,141]

20 hours ago, eljay said:

Remember when drivers were skillful

At not trying

[JJ Flash 2,141]

latest on G Thornley is that at the conclusion of Blenheim races, where she drove a winner ,she is departing to work for Prices as they seek Olympic Equestrian glory.Cleary an equine talent but with a tainted CV after the Addington charge. As the old saying goes" Your reputation is  everything"

[JJ Flash 2,141]

What's confusing about that Shad?

[MisterEd 332]

On 12/10/2023 at 3:33 PM, JJ Flash said:

Team driving at its worst and people why harness does not attract more support.

Will we see some more team driving tonight at Auckland. Only a mile and Sooner The Better looks the certain leader. Could hold the whole field out if it wanted to and go close to the all the way win but will it let Merlin ease to the front. Who would bet in that race with that scenario unless you were privy to that information from the stable?