15 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said:

The great thing is it could be the best dog fight in years to qualify for the Cup.

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute...

You'll telling me that horses need to qualify, in order to start in the Cup?! So they just don't let anyone in? 

Asking for a friend. 

8 hours ago, Globederby19 said:

I would rather see a 10 horses field with the top horses., as it tramples on the prestige of the CUP and its history by introducing horses that haven't made the grade(yet), and have little or no chance. jmho

Yes, I couldn't agree more. 

NZMTC would do well, to take a leaf out of the Moonee Valley Racing Club's book (with the Cox Plate), and not try to bugger up their flagship race. 

Here is a prediction: 

Cambridge's "The Race" will overtake the NZ Cup as the country's premier harness race within 4 years. 

11 hours ago, karrotsishere said:

Gee when you put it that way, starts to lack depth. 

Yet the club will still have 15 horses start in the Cup. Regardless of the depth, or lack thereof. 

One of my pet hates, throwing 3 or 4 horses in the Cup every year, that aren't really old school "Cup Class" horses. Clutters up the field in my opinion. Dumbs it all down. Common thing to do these days though I guess. 

1- 1,2,9,10

2- 1,6,7,10

3- 1,3,5,7

4- 1,4,5,7

5- 1,7,10,12

6- 4,7,10,11

7- 2,3,7,9,10

8- 1,2,3,4,5

Thanks 

22 minutes ago, Plovdiv said:

 

 

1,3,4,5

2,2,5,6

3,4,5,7

1,5,6,7

4,7,8,10

2,5,7,11

2,4,7,10

2,3,5,6        b/b

 

Pete , With Appreciation

Throw a 5th selection in two races if you want. (6 races have 4 horses, and 2 races can have 5 horses). 

That's where the old school Weekly magazine was brilliant. More often than not, it would have a piece on a lesser known trainer, or industry participant, and it would make for a great "human interest" story. 

Sadly, it seems those days are well gone. 

On 8/1/2022 at 6:38 PM, karrotsishere said:

It's business as usual as far as we are concerned," says HRNZ Chief Executive Gary Woodham, "the New Zealand Cup and the Dominion Trot will take place at Addington during Cup week

I was just wondering the other day where the NZ Cup and Dominion were going to be run. 

Thanks for the confirmation Gary. 

I'd like to see all standing starts abolished, NZ Cup included, and make it a 3200m mobile. 

9 hours ago, karrotsishere said:

They are starting to behave like Americans. Moaning & very vocal, about how a disgrace it is. Not good enough. The waiting time. 

Clearly not used to any type of queue.

If they are starting to behave like Americans, they won't know what a "queue" is as most don't use that word. But I definitely know what you mean Karrots. 

Have you ever had the misfortune to be on a cruise ship with all Americans, that are either newly wed, or nearly dead? Oh my goodness. That's next level! 

Perhaps have a beach setting too.

Like... I dunno...

Woodend Beach! 

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/star-runner-episode-one-1990 

10 minutes ago, Royal Nod said:

Years ago there was a program based around Harness Racing.  Made in New Zealand around the late 80s I think.  Characters were fictional.  Anyone remember that and what it was called?

I vaguely recall something along those lines. I think it was in the early 90's, and featured Alex park for a bit. Based in the North Island. Only went for one series. 

1 hour ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Jones, Kerr, Alford and the hanger ons are thick as thieves. Their horses demonstrated the same freakish turnaround abilities. If you think they used a run of the mill supplement in their horses I can't help you.

Do you remember Noble Mistress?

Just incase anyone can't remember Noble Mistress...

 Credit: You Tube - Neil Bennett

You make it sound like I have never owned and cared for a horse before. 

Like I said in my post...

"if you know, you know." 

And I will leave it at that, for the time being. 

Be interesting to see if anything comes of this. As in anything decent and worthwhile, and not just a tick the box exercise. 

I will report back with any findings. 

MOU MPI SPCA and RIB - Signed 10 Nov 2021-1.pdf

I'd go one step further, and suggest he could well be a top driver in the making. Not just in the junior ranks.

I was super impressed with his win in the last race at Addington last night. 

Drew the widest on the front line, found the 1-1 early on. Moved at precisely the right time to put his horse into the race, but did so in a smooth fashion, not at break neck speed thinking he was driving a freakn Ferrari. Then when he hit the front about 100m out, he didn't panic, he kept his cool, despite his horse starting to run outta gas (not fridge gas, but you know what I mean). At this point he didn't go crazy on the reins or with the whip. He gently nursed his horse along to the line. He drove it to perfection, and if you didn't know any better, one would have thought that was AG Herlihy in the sulky. 

Off the track; a very well spoken and well mannered young man too. 

Looks like he has a very promising future ahead. 

1 hour ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Would a human want to be in the care of his two previous trainers and all their hanger-ons? Have a good think about that scenario.

My old lady says, people that are mean to animals, are mean to people. 

I'm not going to say anymore about that.

But if you know, you know. 

1 minute ago, pete said:

That is such a nice ending to a really shocking series of events. Thanks for posting it.

Honestly mate, I was bloody angry that night in December. "Knowing" (fully suspecting) what had happened, yet unable to fully vent and call it out for exactly what it was. 

But after reading the latest story, I'm just so immensely happy for the horse.

I started this thread when I was oncourse at Addington, with a very bad feeling in my stomach. 

Now, I am pleased to have read that the horse is doing really well, receiving the proper care and attention he fully deserves. 

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/129178750/former-racehorse-johnny-nevits-thriving-after-being-mistreated-by-two-previous-trainers?cid=app-iPhone 

15 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said:

I will repeat myself but if you watch enough replays of races you will see drivers go up the middle or go down to the inside instead of taking the run wide often enough. Does it always work, no, but it is a viable option rather than being stuck 7 wide with no hope of winning the race.

Dead right. And the more successful drivers employ this tactic more often than not. 

The pattern of racing now, especially when focussing on winning runners, compared to 10-12 years ago, has changed markedly.

Most (not all, but most) winners these days need to be handy, up on the speed or pretty close to it at the half mile. It's not like the old days where one could sit 4 back the running line, and then be 5 or 6 wide on the turn and leave what were the front runners for dust. These days, a lot of front runners, just don't stop, and can reel off 2, sometimes 3, pretty quick final quarters, giving those too far back pretty much no hope of winning, and no hope at all if they are too far back, then elect to come wide on the final bend. Hence why some drivers elect to try and take a few shortcuts home. 

What I take from all of that is, the racing pattern has changed over recent years. But some of the stipe's mindsets have not.

If you have ever sat in the stipes room during the course of a meeting, one thing is abundantly clear. There will always be a "senior" stipe, that very heavily influences the mindsets of the other stipes in the room, and this person isn't always the "chair stipe". It's not healthy when there is little room for debate, or even allowing the opportunity for a discussion involving a different point of view, between the different stipes officiating at a meeting. 

When the stipes are watching the race live, on multiple tv screens showing different angles, there will always be comments made by stipes during the race. But usually the comments are dominated by one individual, and sometimes the "unconscious bias" will kick in, and It will go something like:

"What the hell is Rusty (the driver) doing sitting back like that? Why isn't he making his move now? He'll never win from there. What's he coming at? Is he just wanting to drop back down in grade for next week?... Oh my God, now he's going down there (the inside looking for a gap, and not going outside, wide). Bloody hell. Right, go get him, bring him in for a wee chat." 

I've always thought some coin could come off the big races, the real big ones. Eg. NZ Cup. Then reallocate that money to the lower grades. 

Because it doesn't matter if the stake is $500,000 or $1,000,000 for the Cup, the vast majority of the field will still be happy to start at 500k. Not to mention the 3 or 4 horses that start, just to clutter up the field, not even worthy of being a "proper" Cup horse. 

1 hour ago, Happy Sunrise said:

I find it surprising given the climate the country is in the flag debate does not reappear. 

How the woke community can live with a symbol of colonisation such as a Union Jack on the flag is something I cannot comprehend.

That whole flag debate was ahead of its time wasn't it. By about 5 years, thank goodness!!! 

22 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Not sure if it is good or bad.

Those 4x $20k stakes are not too shabby in my opinion. Look they are not life changing, but it's better than $9k or $12k obviously. 

And good point about the NZ Cup Day stakes. They have been arse for some time now. NZMTC is resting on its laurels.