JackSprat 947 Report post Posted April 28, 2017 1 hour ago, GOM said: I wonder if there would have been the same amount controversay if say Waikiki had been trained by someone other than Allstars. At least if Waikiki Beach was trained by someone else we might actually get to see a race, instead of the choreographed workouts that we've beem presented with of late. Yes it's wonderful to see great horses in action, but that's nothing compared to seeing them in great races. Two laps of warm up for a 700-800m sprint isn't even a race, let alone a great race. When our best go out and run repeated mid race quarters around 33 seconds - which would get you fined on many Australian tracks for not meeting the minimim sectional speed in a maiden race - you're not doing the industry any favours. To put things in perspective, there were two other 2700m races run on the night - one for 3yo trotters, and the other an intermediate grade stand - and they both went considerably faster! We need great horses, but more importantly we need those great horses to do great thing. I'm afraid for most people the Taylor Mile and the Messenger were both borefests that would have done nothing to bring a single person back to the track. shapiro and lamour 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
harewood 477 Report post Posted April 29, 2017 1 hour ago, JackSprat said: We need great horses, but more importantly we need those great horses to do great thing. I'm afraid for most people the Taylor Mile and the Messenger were both borefests that would have done nothing to bring a single person back to the track You are correct in this statement. We need great horses for people to watch and they only become great horses by doing great things. Winning them in a row is one of those great things where people like to see horses continue with winning streaks aka Winx Black C. The Taylor and Messenger were boring. But whose fault is that. You enter a horse and go into the race to win. Very few trainers say they are going out to run a race record and make a spectacle. The first priority is to win. When you have the fav, Lazarus, drawing one and leading Purdon is not going to break any records, He is there to win. It is up to the other drivers to make a race if they feel they can beat Lazarus. Unfortunately they all knew they had no show of beating Lazarus and if they took him on to "Make a great race" their horses would not have had any chance. Lazarus has never been beaten when he is in front at the 800. So whos fault is it that these former great races have become predictable and boring. I put it that it is all those trainers who have eligible horses but failed to nominate or if they did failed to accept and start. They all complaint that there is no money and yet when the big races are up they are not there. If there was a big full field the race would be much more competitive and exciting to watch. You cannot blame those few who were in the race and certainly not Lazarus and Purdon for dominating and winning which it is all about. Thejanitor 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackSprat 947 Report post Posted April 29, 2017 "With great power comes great responsibility" The Purdon/Rassmussen stable has great power - which they can either use for the betterment of the industry that feeds them - or they can milk it for every last cent they can, as the industry slides into oblivion. Running a middle half in around 66 seconds, knowing that nobody, let alone a stablemate was going to speed the race up, made a joke of the entire race. He could have run the middle half in say 58, made a spectacle of the event, and have won by even further. That would have kept people interested. The race, as an event, or a display of harness racings best on show, was simple $100k flushed down the tiolet by the ATC. If that was an exhibition of our best horses, from our best stable, on one of our best tracks, in one of our best races, then leave me out. I'm a harness racing tragic, but I'm afraid I wouldn't cross the street to see "great horses" doddle around at a grass track workout rate! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
what a post 811 Report post Posted April 29, 2017 Personally I think lazarus has not been in the same form as cup time for some time ,but we will never know how vulnerable he would have been too any pressure. I thought that is why purdon has been running the races at workout speed. hsvman 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackSprat 947 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 We need to import a few Aussies to bring some competition to our racing! Take the Bulli Cup as an example why. Lennytheshark, the toughest horse in Australasia gets no respect whatsoever. Tiger Tara went up and gave it to him for the entire mile. Made a real race of it. Lenny proved what a champion can do by copping the pressure and still drawing away in the straight in 1.49.7 That's what a real champion does! No soft trips. No favours. No choreography. Just plain guts and champion qualities. If only we had that sort of racing in New Zealand! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
harewood 477 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 27 minutes ago, JackSprat said: If only we had that sort of racing in New Zealand! And NO PASSING LANE. Yes was a great race and spectacle. Both wanted to lead and no quarter given. Maybe if there had been a passing lane Lenny would have trailed, had a softer run and still won But it wouldnt have been as exciting. With NO PASSING LANE it is hold lead at all costs as you dont want to be trapped if youve got one of the best horses. You see this time and again at Menangle and Gloucester Park. They dont always hold on and win but by the heck it makes exciting racing. None of this lead, trail dawdle along like alot of tracks with NO PASSING LANE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 11 979 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 43 minutes ago, JackSprat said: We need to import a few Aussies to bring some competition to our racing! Take the Bulli Cup as an example why. Lennytheshark, the toughest horse in Australasia gets no respect whatsoever. Tiger Tara went up and gave it to him for the entire mile. Made a real race of it. Lenny proved what a champion can do by copping the pressure and still drawing away in the straight in 1.49.7 That's what a real champion does! No soft trips. No favours. No choreography. Just plain guts and champion qualities. If only we had that sort of racing in New Zealand! Not sure if each way punters of Tiger Tara would agree. In NZ that sort of pressure would be speed duel craziness OR team driving/a conspiacy and the negaholics would cry foul ! Lazarus is a fantastic horse ,our current champion ,and his record matches anything in our long history. The horse and its connections can only beat what lines up ,should only run as fast as he has to and they have no influence what the horse pays on tote. And good on them for chasing the Group races and good stakes. The knockers need to grow up ! Spikecity, Thejanitor and harewood 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim vince 985 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 of course as usual u right gary- why didn't the club try and do what Cambridge did - offer a small share to a lucky person and trump it up- we have 1332 and 1476 as sports channels with decent amount of listeners-or even offer a share in every other horse in the race- small- harness don't help itself- they have a pr man to think these things up or promote them. northern club has a bit in common with the atc-. need someone like david branch- full of ideas- I think the word is passion. great horses should bring great crowds but can sit on your arse and expect them to turn up- hkjc give free gifts to customers- atc could have auctioned some lazarus memorabilia for charity- get mark and natalie to give signed hats away- anything but the effort seemed to be between nil and f--k all. the board just seem to be invisible. the president seems to mingle a bit and keep tabs on whats happening but the rest are full brothers to harry Houdini. why not do something at Auckland university- have vouchers for cheap drinks food- im not a paid employee but there are enough there . do the board have someone badgering tv radio etc- they aint going to come to us- steven stuart a tv 1 man great fan of harness- do they approach him.its not 30 years ago harness clubs have to get off their arses- boring boring boring seems to be their catchcry. if you get them there give them a reason to come back next week- offer the public something.not expensive drinks though that is not a good option. what a post and westview 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Value Bell 253 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 Yes, Steven Stuart has a great knowledge of harness racing. Thejanitor 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 11 979 Report post Posted April 30, 2017 1 hour ago, Flagship uberalles said: Why were the crowds so good years ago, is it saturation nowadays, too much racing? You see people at Alex park now and they don't even go out and watch the race live, they sit in the tab downstairs and watch it or worse still play the pokies! The atmosphere has disappeared, too many other things going on now all the dregs of the earth turn up now and not for the racing...... This is a bit insulting ....dont forget we all put our trousers on the same way ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kotare_Hunter 748 Report post Posted May 1, 2017 15 hours ago, Flagship uberalles said: Why were the crowds so good years ago, Almost all of the time back then if you wanted to watch the race live you had to go to the track. That was the incentive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackSprat 947 Report post Posted May 1, 2017 On 30/04/2017 at 5:00 PM, tasman man 11 said: Not sure if each way punters of Tiger Tara would agree. The trainer had been saying all week that they were going to take the race to Lenny, and that's what they did. You'd be pretty much on your own backing him each way at odds on! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapiro 30 Report post Posted May 4, 2017 they got what they asked for! the passing lane, cambered tracks, exciting! the difference between american harness racing and a.t.c club is pretty much on par what they requested and got, boring hammer to the floor racing, draw 1 win by 3 lengths and then draw 7 , run faster sectionals than the winner! (and still lose!). try again , next time,(with a good draw), biggest mistake was to try to emulate american harness racing, in this day and age of modern technology you are being rorted by your own government monopoly, the entertainment industry has changed , racing is in a poor poor position! ..will be a thing of the past in ten tears and years, unless it is propelled beyond whats on offer at the moment for the punters.(f**k all) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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