Happy Sunrise

I like 3 today. Big Mama Morris in Race 2 at 6ff, poor draw but looks like it can do more than most in this field. Brave 2nd to Haiti Franco but more significantly beat Ascento, The Morning Star and Nikki Noto which franks the form very well. The Moring Star won at Addington yesterday but Big Mama Morris out did it on merit at Rangiora and a trial previously. I think it is a good each way whack. Angel of Montana in Race 6 at 5ff, another poor draw but dropping back from some tough races but is still running on. If it drops back at the start it can come over the top of them at the end. A better bet than Endless Dreams at 5.50ff who has been less impressive in comparison to Angel head to head. Another each way go. At slightly longer odds in Race 3 is Rogie Falls at 11ff. I have never really been a fan but it is in the best form of its life and has a draw. The 3rd to Outamyway was good at Addington, the win at Forbury was strong and previously had been running on in its races. Drawn to get a trip with a few head cases drawn the front line and an average second line. I will take a trotter in form over this opposition any day.

Not a bad effort. Rocknroll Mama came home good.

Has a zoom meeting with the horse I imagine. And Friendly Eyre in Race 2. I am expecting vastly improved performances from both of them. A Hoffman double is 156 to 1 on the FF but it is not beyond the realm.

How long does Archman have to be at John Dunn's before he is considered the trainer? Been ages. The interesting watch tomorrow is Dalness Arizona now being trained by Amber 'Aveross' Hoffman and to be driven by Blair Orange.

Imagine having 370m races at Methven. Starting start, the length of the straight. What a dash. Might replace the greyhounds... Did you utter "where's the line...where's the line...where's the bloody line..."

They won't use any criteria as I think they are just trying to create a different spectacle and I severely doubt they are trying to increase turnover by it. Anyway, 90% of punters won't even realise the race is over 1390m and most again wouldn't even consider the difference between 2000m and 2600m races for horses so I doubt it will have an impact people's betting habits. Today's novelty distance is more in line with Addington's 2400m (lottery being so close to a bend) stand whereas the mile / 1700 stand racing at Methven is something which is much more considered and with a view to the long term. Personally, I like inventiveness of what Methven does.

I can't see anything today. Those super short races will be an eyeopener.

The stipes have made another monumental decision last night regarding what constitutes a fair start. So, the horses were not 'afforded the opportunity to come up into the correct barrier position' which is fair enough in theory. Which leads them to directing the guilt towards the starter for this. The 2 non starters have red dots on their heads. But compared to the example of Madame Frost race above, how can they miss that start but see this one? These horses are only slightly out of position! The punters of Classic Call lose a couple of dollars on their win bets (11 to 9s) while the punters of the 2 horses get a gift from heaven with their money back. If they are going to call these horses non-starters then they will have to be eagle eyed because it happens much more than just this time. This is another example of the inconsistency of the stipes at the start which leads to a lack of faith in their abilities. Maybe Greg O'Connor and Mick Guerin could bring it up on the Box Seat? Oh no, that is right, they don't bring anything up on that show which is a negative for the industry (Kerr, Alford etc) as they are puppets of the industry beholden to their sponsors. I will say it again, the stipes are much worse than the starters.

Now Geraldine has 2 meetings for next season. The dates suggesting they are trying to take pressure off the Methven track. Common sense prevails in my view.

Sure are. The fridge gas newspaper article awhile back was the turning point for me as I realized the horses that went to these stables were not suddenly running fast because the trainers were up and comers with new methods but were just given them concoctions. There are more than a few examples that most people can name. Most trainer's horses perform consistently and the stable form goes up and down gradually with a distinct pattern. Horses generally don't keep winning them on end these days as the grade jump is too much, so for these shady types, it is all about the plunge and then the subsequent resale. Easiest way to make money. Good on The Press and the journalists who are willing to bring light to these trainers who are destroying the game as none of the self appointed harness racing commentators are willing to even go near it and I now have no respect for any of them. They just comment on what suits them and think about how they can stay in favour with the industry. Parasites who are part of the problem.

Same owners I would say. Robbie Close is a great driver and would really like to see him train more horses as I rate him. I was not casting aspersions about him in my first post but it was to highlight the Woodend factor. Lennox Bromac certainly needed a freshen up to find the ability he does possess. As an aside, I wouldn't believe ownership papers anyway. Best not to have some of the names in the racebook as it wouldn't look too good on occasions. I see Alford pleaded guilty to administering the 2 horses with prohibited substances and Woodham says he glad to see people owning their actions. I think the loss of license should be at least 2 years, at the very least. They can charge him over the 2 horses but there were clearly other times his horses performed extraordinary eg Skidaddle at Ashburton but that can't be considered. Oh, and before they give the sentence to Alford they should be opening an investigation into the death of Jimmy Cannon and the whereabouts of Skidaddle.

Good odds there! Taumata VC, Admirable amd Samantha's Moon all value.

Robbie Close has taken over the training of the very mediocre performing Lennox Bromac. Now, Lennox is not without ability but the TAB opened him at 10FF which is way under what he should be in a field like that today at Rangiora. It just goes to show the paranoia the TAB has with trainers based in this area after being taken to the cleaners several times by punting set ups involving form reversals. Close doesn't have the track record of Alford or Kerr, and I don't associate him with the likes of them, but it does show the TAB are not going to be taken for a ride again. There will be some in the harness community who think comments like this are unfair but they have their head in the Woodend sand. As an aside, the Government should build all new hospitals by the beach as it would fix all ills of the population with a simple jog along the sand. No need for an air ticket to Lourdes.

Matt Cross thought Jimmy Cannon was racing tonight. He called it by mistake in the melee after the finish of Race 9. Bit of blue considering the horse is dead and was in the news this week. No racing journalist / media person has the balls to talk about it though. Harness racing is full of shit at the moment.

Good work there to finish the night. I think she needs a decent spell. We have made money off her but she has been going since before Cup Day and is racing like a horse who has lost her zest in the last 2.

Close Close Close Not so close to the winner but very good for 2nd Is the winner coming soon?

Worth a look today.

And for anybody who follows the racing closely this situation today was only a matter of time away from happening. Drivers have taken matters into their own hands recently to judge whether a race is still going or not. Now when one decides it is off and gets it wrong he is described as being significantly inexperienced. Should Ideal Grace have been late scratched too? Were punters not denied a fair bet due to the actions of the driver? It is a lottery, a mess, take your pick.

I thought you were going to go close after it was in the one one but it does your head in seeing it break in the straight. Those types of trotters are the worst punting ones. You can't back them with any confidence.

It is not good enough, especially considering the track is barely used. At least it is Motukarara next week so the dreary leader bias will take a break for a week.

That was a disappointing performance.

The crossing at Reefton is poor today. Hello Adele is going to have blaze off the gate before she hits that high jump if she is going to do any good.

Quite like this one as she represents value. Hello Adele at 11 and 3.30 is a good each way bet in Race 10. She ran well on Friday in a much tougher race (R40 to 54) from a stand to be only 5.6L from Sport Mental. She is off the unruly in stands and was not even in the picture at the start (see photo below) goodness knows how far away she was because it took ages for her to get in the picture. She made up plenty of ground and wasn't stretched in doing so shouldn't have been knocked around. Another notable fact is she was out the back of the field with Songbird but beat her home. Songbird is paying 4.20ff in another tougher race. Previously, Hello Adele showed plenty of gate speed at Nelson against strong maiden fields so should be handy early, if not lead. The grass and mobile is her go. She has 4 favs inside but represent no value. Malinka will be fav from one but she has had plenty of chances like the others. Hello Adele did start in this race, she just didn't start with the field! Into picture 10 seconds after start. Not pushed at the finish

Wasn't the double figures you were looking for but a good second.

Now, if there is a loose horse the race is 99% abandoned. Nothing like even a few years ago. Did you notice the driver's in the back portion essentially stopped the race using their own judgement before the stipes made a decision? While that is probably a good thing (certainly after the heavy fall of Jim Curtain) I await the day drivers pull their horses up but the race continues. This is much like the starts where if a horse swings sideways at the start and you are inconvenienced you should pull up voluntarily because you will be declared a late scratching.