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

Messenger & Taylor Mile

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Long time races for 4 year old pacers - Messenger since 1967 and Taylor since 1986.    Now, in their wisdom, the Auckland Trotting Club has thrown these races open to all & sundry - obviously because of the lack of numbers in Kiwi racing to justify a race being run.     So they have made races open age - fair enough - BUT surely they should have not used the historical race names almost sacred to Northern (if not NZ) harness racing for 4 year olds.     It's like changing the New Zealand Cup to the e.g. November Cup.     Boy, what an outcry that would cause..     Perhaps I am a traditionalist but these two races over the next fortnight will hold no real interest to me - no more than any other race.

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27 minutes ago, eljay said:

Long time races for 4 year old pacers - Messenger since 1967 and Taylor since 1986.    Now, in their wisdom, the Auckland Trotting Club has thrown these races open to all & sundry - obviously because of the lack of numbers in Kiwi racing to justify a race being run.     So they have made races open age - fair enough - BUT surely they should have not used the historical race names almost sacred to Northern (if not NZ) harness racing for 4 year olds.     It's like changing the New Zealand Cup to the e.g. November Cup.     Boy, what an outcry that would cause..     Perhaps I am a traditionalist but these two races over the next fortnight will hold no real interest to me - no more than any other race.

I agree with you about the Messenger name, Taylor Mile I'm ambivalent. The Messenger is (was) a time-honoured race for four year olds and should remain so. Traditions matter.

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Has anyone noticed the critical shortage of horses in the North , plus the severe lack of depth in good quality horses across all of NZ.

I support this move to try and stem the bleeding and improve the health of Industry.

The RACE has created a lot of talk and interest , IMO attracting the Aussie based horses has been pivotal in this and crucial to the future.

Opening the window of the RACE , Taylor Mile , Messenger and Auckland Cup into the April/May timeslot a very good move IMO.

The Aussie/NZ clashes should create a lot of interest , now and into the future.

Remember the Derby and Oaks recently ,6 horse fields , good quality which I doubt the 4 yr olds could have mustered .

A very positive change , the ATC now needs to promote it .

Great that the admin folk are helping provide horses racing in NZ...we grizzle if admin folk lack skin in the game. Good luck to him ,for mine !

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1 hour ago, Nelli said:

Be interested to know their reasoning. It is a kick in the guts for owners of nice 4yos who were aiming for these races. Probably will help boost betting by retaining the Aussie horses that came over.

Agree and knife in the back - why would you keep a nice three/ four year old only to have to race against the like of Self Assured in a traditional 4 year old race - and they wonder why there is a lack of horses to race 

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There are sufficient 4yos racing up north - its just most trainers don't want to get them beaten up by H&T & Krug (who in turn get beaten up by the older guns).  Its more the message this change sends to northern owners/trainers: sell your nice derby horses at the end of their 3yo season for top $$ as it will be a long tough year as 4yos. Personally, I've always thought 4yo races for pacers an anomoly as the horses featuring in the Messenger and Taylor mile were generally doing well in against older horses. IMO it is the trotters that need 4yo only races, especially up north. The bulk of trotters start racing later than pacers, so hardly any race as 2yos (and why would you up here for $2000 nontotes) or even have the race experience and form for the 3yo group races.  But it is as 4yos that one starts to see who is headed for the top. It would be good to have a well-staked race catering for these young up and comers.

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I think with no Jewels in June it does not give connections any aspirations for late autumn racing. Aged group racing has a part in NZ racing and a traditional one too and these two races should remain as 4yo only races. They are open to both sexes as well .

On the calender changes it will be interesting to see how August racing stacks up because it is usually  lacking of meetings/horses countrywide.

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If the Messenger & Taylor Mile are to be open races I think there should at least be a replacement race for 4 year olds.   It could be run at Addington on Easter Saturday perhaps.  Even if it was a $40k race it would give opportunity to those that can’t compete against the likes of Self Assured.   That would make a lot more sense to me than a R30 - 45 for a stake of $30k.  I’m really not a fan of putting up such a good stake for below average performers

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Why Addington?   They have already "stolen" the "Country" Cups which was  intended to promote mainly grass trackers not intermediate & better Metropolitan horses.      Next thing you will say the Auckland Cup should be run at Addington!!     First nail in the coffin!! 

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18 minutes ago, eljay said:
25 minutes ago, eljay said:

Next thing you will say the Auckland Cup should be run at Addington!!   

Doesn’t necessarily need to be at Addington but Easter Saturday would be ideal as the top horses are in the North for The Race, Messenger and Taylor Mile.  So 4 year olds who are just below that grade have a chance to race for decent money in a race where they can be competitive.  Given that the 3 races mentioned above are all North Island your above comment is unnecessary.  

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1 hour ago, eljay said:

Why Addington?   They have already "stolen" the "Country" Cups which was  intended to promote mainly grass trackers not intermediate & better Metropolitan horses.      Next thing you will say the Auckland Cup should be run at Addington!!     First nail in the coffin!! 

Stolen? Get real! The Country Cups final is a replacement for the time-honoured Easter Cup that has been scrapped. Addington is the best track in the country and an apt place to hold the Country Cups final. Canterbury horses dominated the final, northern horses struggled. 

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At the last census, 77% of NZers were living in the North Island and half Hamilton north. This northern population dominance is predicted to intensify so if our sport is to have a future it is vital to promote harness racing and maintain top class racing in the North. However, it is a 1000+ km float trip between Christchurch and Auckland which can be tough on owners pockets and horses (some do not travel well). So with the exception of the elite seasoned horses following the carnivals, IMO it is unreasonable to expect that owners and trainers will happily send their lower tiered and especially young horses all that way for a single race. The north needs its own age group races, even if at times the fields are not full.

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Looking at how many horses turned up for  the Great Northern Derby  (for 3yo's) this year , there would be even fewer 4yo's about if Akuta is around next year for a traditional 4yp Mile and Messenger.

However lets hope that a couple of new 3yo's turn up for NZ Derby and actually beat him or push him real hard . They may just change it back to 4yo' s only..

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10 hours ago, 2Piper said:

Looking at how many horses turned up for  the Great Northern Derby  (for 3yo's) this year , there would be even fewer 4yo's about if Akuta is around next year for a traditional 4yp Mile and Messenger.

However lets hope that a couple of new 3yo's turn up for NZ Derby and actually beat him or push him real hard . They may just change it back to 4yo' s only..

Unlikely to change current plan...remember the Auckland Cup is late May this year , so the Taylor/Messenger and another  Open Group race are the lead up races for that which is hoped to attract some of Aussies top pacers each year as their Group season is over !

Seems a good plan...yes it means Easter Cup now replaced by Country Cups for lower tier and with the competition to contest this race in 2022 and its apparent success then this seems a good idea as well.

The new calendar may not please everyone but it in its infancy and with the Aussie involvement it should provide some great racing IMO.

Give it a shot. ...at least look at the entire picture to see where all agegroups and trotters fit into it.

Over recent decades , several Clubs have tried 4 year old feature races......Forbury ,  Blenheim Kaikoura , Cambridge , Addington included......most have simply fallen away or been widened. The Taylor/Messenger has had a successful run but as mentioned the stake has decreased in recent times .

Now it is a lead up to Auckland Cup and attractive to Australians along with the RACE.

How can that not be good.....and the second tier 4 yr olds from North got a crack at a $100k stake at Easter.

All good IMO , with more to come !

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9 hours ago, tasman man said:

Unlikely to change current plan...remember the Auckland Cup is late May this year , so the Taylor/Messenger and another  Ope Group race are the lead up races for that which is hoped to attract some of Aussies top pacers each year as their Group season is over !

Seems a good plan...yes it means Easter Cup now replaced by Country Cups for lower tier and with the competition to contest this race in 2022 and its apparent success then this seems a good idea as well.

The new calendar may not please everyone but it in its infancy and with the Aussie involvement it should provide some great racing IMO.

Give it a shot. ...at least look at the entire picture to see where all agegroups and trotters fit into it.

Over recent decades , several Clubs have tried 4 year old feature races......Forbury ,  Blenheim Kaikoura , Cambridge , Addington included......most have simply fallen away or been widened. The Taylor/Messenger has had a successful run but as mentioned the stake has decreased in recent times .

Now it is a lead up to Auckland Cup and attractive to Australians along with the RACE.

How can that not be good.....and the second tier 4 yr olds from North got a crack at a $100k stake at Easter.

All good IMO , with more to come 1

Agree totally Tasman man.

Perhaps not the best for NZ trainers who are still trying to battle past ALLstars and Diamonds stables in the features to have Aussies turn up and take more of the place-money, but it does increase interest, and make for more exciting racing (like the RACE the other night)

Age group classics were often filled with runners having a crack at a Derby but with horses like KRUG last year and AKUTA this season , the chances of rivals are slim. so the fields size has dropped away dramatically.

Was good to see BEACH BALL take on the Purdon Juggernaut last month in Great Northern Derby. Ran 3rd for trainer Kevin Chapman. was hoping he would spring an upset , just for being one of the few to come north and 'Have a Go'.  Bob Butt had a crack at GN Oaks with Cover girl too, but on a hiding to nothing against True Fantasy Allstars. but did win a Group 2 lead-up race which was nice. 

It is important the place prizemoney stays high in those features so when 3rd  (like Beach Ball got GN Derby ) that they return a handy profit for the trip.  Otherwise Allstars with 4 runners in those sort of races will scare everyone off.

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Hey what the !! ! has Iraklis been doing the Barrier draw again ?? and making the Aussie give them a 5m start from the second row again ? fair dinkum 

DAWSON HARFORD LIMITED TAYLOR MILE (MOBILE PACE) (Gr1)

$100,000, 1609m

Race History  

For all pacers.

Participants for Race 8: DAWSON HARFORD LIMITED TAYLOR MILE (MOBILE PACE)
Book   Form Name Age Sex Rating Draw Hcp Driver Trainer    
Notifiable Gear Changes: Mach Dan: BL-On   Legend
Horse Movements: Krug to Derek Balle at Pukekohe, Cranbourne to Andrew & Lyn Neal at Cambridge
1 Hot And Treacherous 231348 Hot And Treacherous   4 g R85 1 Ft Maurice McKendry Brian & Gareth Hughes  
2 A G's White Socks 45X483 A G's White Socks   8 g R108 2 Ft   Greg & Nina Hope  
3 Krug 102565 Krug   4 h R103 3 Ft Blair Orange Cran & Chrissie Dalgety  
4 Spankem 134X43 Spankem   7 g R119 4 Ft Natalie Rasmussen Mark Purdon & Hayden Cullen  
5 Cranbourne 3P1112 Cranbourne   5 g R97 5 Ft Matthew Williamson Brent White  
6 It's All About Faith 128X63 It's All About Faith   4 g R82 6 Ft   Mark Purdon & Hayden Cullen  
7 South Coast Arden 114124 South Coast Arden   5 g R110 7 Ft Brent Mangos Brent Mangos  
8 Self Assured 111211 Self Assured   6 g R120 8 Ft   Mark Purdon & Hayden Cullen  
------------------ Second Line ------------------
9 Mach Dan 134169 Mach Dan   5 g R110 9 Ft   Mark Purdon & Hayden Cullen  
10 Majestic Cruiser 172412 Majestic Cruiser   7 g R105 10 Ft Cameron Hart Jason Grimson

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Those inside draws probably mean the Aussies will settle in front half of field as only a hop,skip and jump to the first corner.

Plus it means that the two favs , 8 & 7 , again go to the back of field.

Maybe Krug to lead ?

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On 4/18/2022 at 5:08 PM, eljay said:

Tasman Man - have you got your gamp & red bands ready??     

Don't know a gamp , but assume red bands are gumboots.

I wear them every time to wade thru some of the bullsh*t members are served up at the Park !

Not too many 6 x horse fields this week.....a few 7's......but I note there are 4x races running for the minimum .$12 k .

On a Group race night this is  disgraceful.

The last two members newsletters stated the cub was in the best financial position ever , then the latest had a lot of back slapping saying the hard work of Board was paying off !

Did you get this eljay or was it selective ?

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Er hey Pure mate, you leave me outta this, if I was doin the draws I have the ozzies startin out the back, riggggggght out the back 🤣 be interestin to see who gets to drive the gun SA? good to see the boy HotandTreacherous with a good draw, and what the hell has SthCoastArden and SelfAssured done to the draws gods 7&8!!! AGAIN!!! dammmmm....

 

Cheers Iraklis

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