Happy Sunrise

You are becoming quite the stirrer 🤣

For a start, no back up plan. Methven has moved to Ashburton. Grass tracks should have an alternative grass or all weather venue. Yesterday on trackside Matt Cross said he had been informed the track was good to go. Then, this morning there is a 6m pool of water on the home straight but it takes till after 10 to tell everybody. If it rained that much overnight surely someone would have been concerned enough to go and have a look early enough. At least then, they could have informed participants much earlier. They want Rangiora sold off don't they to collect the $$$. Geraldine is consigned to history after two more meetings. Both Methven (can't handle too much use as seen by the self limiting number of meetings they give themselves) and Motukarara (can be a bog) I am not sure where grass workouts and trials will be held if the weather is bad in the future. I doubt a horse will set foot on the grass at Motukarara before its next meeting in 2 weeks. Now that it is sodden, what happens if the weather in the preceding week to Akaroa is poor? Another cancellation?

Hopeless. Grass racing reliant on methven and the mot in the future is fraught with danger for the code Anyway, HRNZ know best. 😂

Exactly! 😂 What is depressing are the words that come out of HRNZ do not match their actions. They say they are all for animal welfare but are letting a person back who had no regard for it. It makes everything they say and do worthless.

Who got lucky? Tim Williams let off, Sarah O'Reilly gets 4 days. They look the same to me. Driver T Williams (FERNLEIGH CASH) defended a charge issued by Stewards under 868(2) alleging that he failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures near the 400m when electing not to shift his drive outwards prior to being covered by STEEL THE SHOW when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to do so. After viewing the replays and hearing evidence from Stewards and Mr Williams, the Adjudicative Committee dismissed the charge. Junior driver S O'Reilly (assisted by G O'Reilly) admitted a breach of Rule 868(2) in that she failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure TASMAN TEMPEST was given full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place by not shifting wider on the track on the final bend when an opportunity existed resulting in her horse being held up for clear racing room in the run home. After viewing the replays and considering penalty submissions the Adjudicative Committee suspended Miss O'Reilly's driver's licence from the conclusion of racing on 7 July up to and including 17 July 2022 (4 days).

Won't need one as he will be back training for his own stable soon.

Fair enough. Though, it means any variant from normal behaviour which does not affect any other horse does not constitute a false start and said behaviour is irrelevant to other runners. This could see a horse drawn 5 breaking for a distance in the score up but as long as it doesn't affect anyone it is ok but once the start begins they are at the mercy of the behaviour that was happening before the start of the race. If a trotter on the front row is is misbehaving pre race and then the race starts and gets caught up with a 20m runner it is fine too. Fair or not? Stipes say yes but in my book they are inconsistent.

If a punter decides to back Rakero Rebel tomorrow at Timaru against Obsession and Anna Love etc at 3FF good luck to you. Stop and contemplate on the reasons why it was a massive effort at Ashburton. Don't ask anyone in charge of harness racing as they are so thick they couldn't work it out.

Pretty much. Know the right people. He will say it is a non story as per his Kaikoura statement. These people in charge do whatever they want. Code of Conduct lol. They ultimately work in their own best interests. Those 2 and a few more.

Someone needs to explain to me how there were no late scratchings. Valerie Verde looks like it hits it's nose on the gate and breaks before the start, then cleans out a few due to it breaking. Of course, the stipes dismiss the inquiry. First photo shows the moment Valerie Verde broke. Before the candy pole and before the start. Second photo shows the candy and I presume the start which is the pink pole on the ground, as that is when the mobile sped up and he went 'right'. Valerie Verde is still in a full blown gallop. I lost money on treasure trail so I am speaking through my pocket but someone tell me how a horse drawn 1 galloping before the start doesn't constitute a fair start for it and the others it wipes out. Harness racing is really not worth betting on.

A lot on these sites don't even care full stop. Won't make a comment, would rather just believe everything they are told and believe everything is just fine about racing. At least the people who you say are negative would like things to be better. Is it being negative to say the announcement after the postponement by the power brokers is a waste of time when they have already supposedly addressed this issue? Cup Week reflected the racing industry to a tee in my opinion. Drug cheats. Mismanagement. Hypocrisy. Inappropriate behaviour. Inconsistent stewards. Favouritism. Inappropriate leadership. Great racing. But that is being negative, isn't it. Can't have that, people don't like it because they can't think for themselves. The sand is deep in racing.

And Lionel Dobbs gets a bit of time leniency. Fast learners those RIB types. He can drive tomorrow but then out for 6 months. The real head scratcher is how Imajollywally only opens at 41s. Are the TAB in a competition with the RIB?

Good on you, Craig. You are a true blue supporter of racing. Wish there were more like you. I go to the races pretty often, more than most. There are not many 'regulars' who I recognise from race meeting to race meeting and there is a distinct lack of a 'racing' public these days. Race books are free usually, on the odd occasion you pay a gold coin for a fundraiser etc. No problem with that. I just wonder how they can justify $10, especially after paying so much to get in. Maybe that is why HRNZ couldn't be accessed yesterday because so many wanted to see the fields on it (?) The fact the crowd was down 5000 on a normal Cup Day is a worry, mainly through lower numbers in GA. Maybe the $10 price tag has to cover the cost of producing all the race books but looks like a money making exercise to me and people are just turned off, especially in the economic climate. Anyone know how much the drinks were yesterday?

That is a good article. Good on him for writing it. It won't be received well. Most, after sticking their ostrich necks out to impressive levels for Colin De Filippi will be quickly sticking them back in the sand pretty dam quick. And when you have former Chair’s and acting CEO’s publicly going into bat for a ‘kid’ (full grown adult) with a tough upbringing who once again has shat the bed, where too now? Should the people who allowed this to happen resign? Doubt it, as the ostrich racing crowd will just move on.

After paying 60 to get in?

No wonder the website didn't work. 10 dollars is embarrassing. No wonder nobody comes back.

Purdon gets 3 days....starting Saturday 😁

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/horse-scratched-amid-allegations-it-has-been-adminstered-prohibited-substance/VA23GUPAWZEHHJMQUKM6EEJMAE/

How do they have it in for her? She got suspended for her drive on Tasman Tempest in winter, that was fair enough. Colin has been breaking rules regularly for quite awhile. Doesn't seem to learn with the whip rule.

Listening to the Cup Preview Show they said the GA was lower than expected. 15 000 crowd expected. 1. Addington don't cater for the general public during the rest of the year. 2. Everyone knows it is a day for the social elites. 3. $60? Best to sit at home and use that money to have a bet. Better coverage as I doubt with all those tents etc you would see half the track.

I just laugh at the outcry over how he will miss his Cup Day drives. He was found guilty and received a punishment but all the supporters of him are crying foul and rallying around him, even saying to have a driver boycott on Cup Day. What a joke. It is ridiculous to have different treatment for different drivers but fairness has got nothing to do with harness racing. Where are all of these justice seekers when the RIB make alarmingly poor in race decisions over late scratchings, false starts (Sigrid, last week another example but no one cares) and the awful standing starts etc etc? These justice seekers are nowhere to be found because they couldn't care less as it doesn't affect them. The RIB inconsistencies have been going on for years without anyone standing up in opposition. Those involved involved in the industry can't blame the RIB for this, blame yourselves for your laziness and acceptance of a poorly structured organisation and its rules. Suck it up like the punters do each and every week and see you after your suspension Mr DeFlilipi. Oh and maybe, Colin DeFilippi should be charged under harness racing's code of conduct for his comments about the RIB in the Lincoln Farms articles? 😂

A lot of words to say nothing indeed. Just to clarify they kind of do something in a roundabout way, but not really what they are supposed to do.... Thank you? Really, if you sent this request to me and had to reply like they have, I wouldn't be thanking you Rusty!

It went enormous. Will be a 3 horse war in the Dominion. The big races are shaping up nicely.

The movie 'cocoon' for harness racing followers is set at a beach somewhere.

Only time the conversation seems to get going on here is when the filly is present and all the geldings come out of retirement to have a chat.