RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
Bruce M

Nostalgia

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Quiet morning at work which has led me to a bit of nostalgia about a couple of betting stories which could never happen now.

Before the mighty Jetbet system arrived in the early '80s many bet types were only available oncourse.One was the oncourse treble which could regularly reach a $5000 or so pool here in the South.They removed the quinella option from the race and used the quinella machines...you selected the first two legs and then exchanged your live ticket for the first leg.

At Wyndham one day I was lucky enough to have two live tickets into the last after two real roughies won the first two legs.A helpful "informant" inside the tote told me there were only five live tickets and a pool of $4000 (a lot of money then).The third leg was a nightmare to pick so I just hung round the exchange window and soon sorted out who held the other three tickets...one guy had two and the other one...a quick conference and we quickly decided we'd all be happy with $800 ish for each ticket.We then placed all the tickets on a $100 shot which ran a distant last and happily collected our payouts on the first two legs and any other runner.

It couldn't happen today of course but it was one of the fun elements of the old exchange system.

Another common bet type was running an oncourse double on division races...they couldn't sell quinellas so utilised the machines by having a double on the two races.Those of you of a certain age will remember that they bracketed horses with one running in each leg...if either won you got paid.

One day at Invercargill the first winner paid $2.50ish and the second paid $3ish and the double was declared at over $200...what happened was that the very unfancied bracketmate won each leg.Again it can't happen today

That brings me to another thought...often each division had 16-18 runners yet there were nearly always enough riders without someone riding in both divisions.

 

Am I right is saying that very rarely there were three division races? 

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quite a few years ago I got made redundant at feltex in morningside. didn't want to tell the wife as we hadn't long been married and had just had our first child...

a co worker and myself decided to go to ellerslie.. mid week. (day after we were given notice) I got 2 legs of a treble in and they were both roughies..

everyone around me tried to buy one of my 2 tickets from me.. as I was looking at another roughie and  good lord was  in the race, I ended up putting both on him

think it only paid $350  but for me that was like winning lotto..  x2.a few drinks and I made it home and told the wife about the job..

can't quite rewcall the other horses. but one was delemia something in the 1977 about October ish.but the best on was on the trots..

spent $2 my last $2)  ginger megs thunder mate and Calgary. $4,000+ brought my first house (deposit anyway)

 

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I have many fun. (And not so funny) stories from race bets. When Ethereal won the Caul/Melb Cup Double, I bet on that double. I ran into The late Philip Vela and congratulated him on the great achievement, adding that Ethereal had won me $3000 on the double! Philip replied, "good on you - I won $30,000 on the double so we are both happy!". :) 

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6 hours ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

I remember as a kid Reefton running three division races so if it happened there it will have happened elsewhere.  Riders rode in more than one division as well of course.

 

and they were bracketed, and if both won you got a double whammy.

 

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1 hour ago, Chris Wood said:

I am sure it was an oncourse only meeting , Avondale, I had a ride in a 3 division race, 1600m maiden I think!

 

I think you are correct.

Many years ago  the stable i strapped for had a horse desperate for a start and got in at Avondale.

It was a 3 division race,of which he was in the third,drew 16,race timed to start 1700 or thereabouts,decision made to scratch .

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12 hours ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

I remember as a kid Reefton running three division races so if it happened there it will have happened elsewhere.  Riders rode in more than one division as well of course.

 

As the Reefton Trotting Club was celebrating its 50th Jubilee meeting in 1949 it was decided to give a start to every horse that was nominated.

The race programme back then - and for many years later - allowed for only 8 races 

The amount of nominations was such that six of the races, including the Cup, were divided into two, and the other two races were divided into three.

So the 8-race card became a remarkable affair with 18 "races" in total. A record for its time, I believe.

The picture in my mind still today is of horses everywhere - at both ends of the rugby field inside the racetrack and, of course, coming and going on and off the track.

I don't recollect a three-division race at any of the Reefton Jockey Club's meetings. That would surprise me but there may have been. 

 

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4 hours ago, Jape said:

As the Reefton Trotting Club was celebrating its 50th Jubilee meeting in 1949 it was decided to give a start to every horse that was nominated.

The race programme back then - and for many years later - allowed for only 8 races 

The amount of nominations was such that six of the races, including the Cup, were divided into two, and the other two races were divided into three.

So the 8-race card became a remarkable affair with 18 "races" in total. A record for its time, I believe.

The picture in my mind still today is of horses everywhere - at both ends of the rugby field inside the racetrack and, of course, coming and going on and off the track.

I don't recollect a three-division race at any of the Reefton Jockey Club's meetings. That would surprise me but there may have been. 

 

Well I know there was because I was there and saw it.  I think it was more than one time as well in the 70's. Morty will confirm as he was riding a the time

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Loved the 60's betting on horses as a school-boy! Selling empty bottles found on road-sides, bins, parental waste etc. ALWAYS took doubles (exchange if on-course). Managed to buy a motor-bike and a Mini as a 16 year old with the winnings! Big fields and big divvies. Krazikid x The Greatest (Timaru? 1 and 10), Forebrace x Impartial( Pukekohe13x13).  Prince Petary X Robin Royal ( Ellerslie), Untried X Blue Blood (Ellerslie). First win I can remember was Unpainted in the last at Ellerslie at 45-1. Also Clarendon,Proud Chief, Ben Lomond, any Head Hunter in the wet. Always backed anything with a formaline ??40.

Punting was an art in those days where there was clarity of thought before women, kids, booze, NZTR started to cloud the process.

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I remember the old tote board at ellerslie.. was standing next to some bloke that knew it all.even had the winners...

tall fella, reckoned he was a jockey.. I go okayyyy.. barry yeo was his name.. must've been the tallest sod I knew in the saddle.

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1 hour ago, final luca said:

I remember the old tote board at ellerslie.. was standing next to some bloke that knew it all.even had the winners...

tall fella, reckoned he was a jockey.. I go okayyyy.. barry yeo was his name.. must've been the tallest sod I knew in the saddle.

Yeah, that tote board with the "ribbons" going up and down to indicate divvies--massive size so that all the hundreds of punters could see it, before they packed the grandstands to watch full fields and division races. That's enough, I'm just about to burst into tears!

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11 hours ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

Not that I remember but I suspect if all three won you may well have got a triple whammy!

Now that would be a punt worth taking!

Just dug out old reefton race book, 1947, picture of kindergarten on front, quite hard case, the flag signals red for protest, blue for dismissal, gold for protest sustained, green for meeting of stewards, and yellow for doctor required for casualty ward, the good old days gallops and trots, the mawheraiti trot and the boatmans hack handicap, just a couple of the races.

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Going into the TAB on Linwood Ave, where Eastgate is now, and placing bets when I was in the 5th form. No questions asked.

Also remember, in Timaru, the bet ticket being filled out in biro - yellow bet tickets I think. Only part of the country must have been computerised (early 80's?).

tony

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1 hour ago, Shad said:

Just dug out old reefton race book, 1947, picture of kindergarten on front, quite hard case, the flag signals red for protest, blue for dismissal, gold for protest sustained, green for meeting of stewards, and yellow for doctor required for casualty ward, the good old days gallops and trots, the mawheraiti trot and the boatmans hack handicap, just a couple of the races.

First day I was Raceday Secretary for Greymouth the one thing I didn't know was where the button for the siren was - first race protest(and a birdcage presentation underway to the 'winner')  and I had no idea how to get the signal going.  A couple of minutes of mayhem till I discovered it behind a curtain.  Like the day I turned up and the phones had not been connected(despite being assured - and billed - by Telecom they had been).  This was a Friday with the races an hour and a half away and my helpful Telecom call centre tells me someone would be there Monday.  Some good earthy Molloy abuse was forthcoming.

Or at Reefton having the stipes come in after a couple of races asking where their typist was(having not bothered turning up despite being organised to do so).  Lucky the Missus was there to step in for me.  She remarked afterwards what evasive and tricky little chaps those jockeys were when being questioned.  I told her it was a good job Morty was retired by then.

Only on the Coast

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Yep I remember biking down the TAB at lunchtime from school or later, drive in mini, midweek races,Friday Flash / Dominion and local rag

had comprehensive liftouts with barrier draw stats.

Trots Friday night / Races Saturday...I wasnt fussy...Sapling,Lord Module,Sir Castleton,Rocky Tryax  etc put paid to any favoritism of codes.

Doubles were worth taking...(cracks me up these days when people pointlessly take doubles)...pay less than all up!

Ahhh the good ole days. yellow tickets, family pic-nic thermos/blanket/sammies and grog. 

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10 hours ago, chevy86 said:

Loved the 60's betting on horses as a school-boy! Selling empty bottles found on road-sides, bins, parental waste etc. ALWAYS took doubles (exchange if on-course). Managed to buy a motor-bike and a Mini as a 16 year old with the winnings! Big fields and big divvies. Krazikid x The Greatest (Timaru? 1 and 10), Forebrace x Impartial( Pukekohe13x13).  Prince Petary X Robin Royal ( Ellerslie), Untried X Blue Blood (Ellerslie). First win I can remember was Unpainted in the last at Ellerslie at 45-1. Also Clarendon,Proud Chief, Ben Lomond, any Head Hunter in the wet. Always backed anything with a formaline ??40.

Punting was an art in those days where there was clarity of thought before women, kids, booze, NZTR started to cloud the process.

My "hard drive " has been corrupted with age. After a "re-boot" last night need to correct a couple of those big doubles. It was Roman Consul x Prince Petary at Ellerslie and Untried (she left something pretty useful) x Robin Royal at Ellerslie (midweek I think). Blue Blood so good don't think he was ever part of a big double.

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21 minutes ago, Tauhei Notts said:

When you say your hard drive has been corrupted by age, I presume you are talking about your computer.

We don't want anything smutty on this site.

TN, the thought of an anatomical "hard drive" at my age is an oxymoron.

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remember trying to listen to races in  dunedin on their local radio station from here in nelson (pre radio pacific) up the top of princess drive (a high point)car aerials right up  fading in and out (usually at the wrong time) hell you wouldnt bother today would you n 3 division races ..reefton definity had one at their 1975 meeting ..remember a false start there at that one at the top of the straight most went round n had verry little room to get between the gates n that bloody great macrocarpa tree up there pretty sure colada won the rerun as he only went 200m ..fun times

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35 minutes ago, elbow said:

remember trying to listen to races in  dunedin on their local radio station from here in nelson (pre radio pacific) up the top of princess drive (a high point)car aerials right up  fading in and out (usually at the wrong time) hell you wouldnt bother today would you n 3 division races ..reefton definity had one at their 1975 meeting ..remember a false start there at that one at the top of the straight most went round n had verry little room to get between the gates n that bloody great macrocarpa tree up there pretty sure colada won the rerun as he only went 200m ..fun times

That's dead right about the false start - remember that - Hi Roona was in it a deadset speedster who was unable to be pulled up until he was well ready after 1200m or so.  They promptly loaded the poor bloody horse into the gates and ran him around again(then probably ran him three days later at Kumara, two days after that at Hokitika and four days later at Greymouth).  No vet inspections in those days!  

The 1400m gates were nowhere near that tree however - that obscured them from the stand and the commentator for many years.  Good job we had the legendary R Murtha doing the calling to overcome that issue.  The tree is still there but been trimmed a tad since then.  The 1400m record at Reefton is sub 1,24 which is low flying given how tight the track is.

I might add in 1979 or 80 that Flying View won the open sprint at Kumara then went on to win the Telegraph next start. Don't under estimate Coast form.

 

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