Bloke

I recall another horse called Frisky Fred that ran about the same time. It was a front runner who occasionally held on to win. I recall backing it when it led all the way at very long odds, I think ridden by Rodney Heslop.

1971, Wellington Steeple Chase, Final Luca, winner Teak

Well when I was a teenager I had a girlfriend (Oh yes in the days of the mini skirt) who lived in Belmont which is in the hills above Lower Hutt. At the time there were some semi rural properties and my girl friend's neighbour had a few horses on the property and I recall that one was later named Frederick.

Was it Frederick

Maybe a Celtic supporter panicking about the "Old Firm" game against Rangers this week

The track is a huge issue. I went last Saturday and only stayed for the first two races as they were running wide. Both races were 1200 metres and I backed horses that had good draws and would be on the speed close to the rail. Silly me!

The strange thing is that traditionally the Cup attracts very large betting. I recall reading about 3 years ago that it attracted the largest betting of any thoroughbred race that season.

I have mentioned this before. Karori is the largest suburb in the Wellington City boundary and they do not have one senior rugby team. If you look on the website of Waterside Karori Football club they state that they have nearly 1,000 players and 100 teams. There are a number of colleges in Wellington who cannot field a Rugby Team.

Rugby Racing & Beer was what NZ used to be all about. I talked to an old Football mate who has recently retired to Greytown and he tells me that Greytown Football Club which was only set up in recent years has 4 men's teams, a women's team and 150 odd kids playing. Meanwhile Greytown Rugby, one of NZ's oldest clubs struggles to field one Senior team. I know that in Auckland and Wellington Football is about 3 times bigger than Rugby in participation but gee a country area such as the Wairarapa, I never expected that.

I am pleased for BGP because betting is so vital to the success of racing. I find it ironic that BGP make a huge difference to this race meeting when 15 plus years ago Auckland had a CEO (how can we forget that fool) Weaver. As well as stuffing up the racing calendar, he declared that punters with best bets hanging out of their pockets could effectively piss off as he was looking for Posers and A Listers who could look good for selfies whilst holding wine glasses. He thought they could make more money that way. Well the punters did piss off, the beautiful people got tired of selfies and the Auckland Cup on a Wednesday was down to the barmen and a few posers. Now with the exception of this meeting Auckland needs to "rent a crowd' In addition NZTR should not be subsidising these Million dollar races to the tune of $500k plus. For all the hooplah of last evening, it would be the industry's most expensive day.

NGH the most gifted Jockey I have ever witnessed in NZ

Its Opie's fourth breach of the whip rule in 9 weeks. It seems a very fair penalty given the circumstances. Opie reminds me of the Devo song from my younger days "Whip It, Whip It Good "

You would have noted that horses were running wide into and down the straight on Saturday at Awapuni and the ground was cutting out. In the last week there has been a heat wave but some how the sun is not only melting ice creams it is also melting race tracks.

Another great day and a massive crowd at Tauherenikau yesterday. Is there any track that can attract a bigger Crowd? The night before the races I stayed in the camping ground which has been set up in recent years and it was packed. Wow what a fantastic setting. You will have to come down next year Barry and bring your camper van. You are not officially a baby boomer unless you own a camper van 😀

Was there not also a competing meeting at Stratford a couple of days later in 2006? If so this may be why the fields were smaller back then.

Rugby in Wellington is dying at a fast rate. Football would be at least three times more popular. Karori which is Wellington City's biggest suburb does not have a senior Rugby Team. Waterside Karori if you look on their web site states that they have 1,000 members. Johnsonville has 5 Senior Rugby Teams, North Wellington football which plays out of Johnsonville has 21 . Tawa Rugby 4 teams, Tawa Football 12. Petone once one of the top Rugby Clubs in the country is down to 4 senior teams. If it were not for the Polynesian community Rugby would be as good as dead in Wellington.

Gee Craigos we have a large injury list and looks that many will be out for some time. Probably best we play the top teams now so that we get the weaker teams when hopefully we can get most of the injured back. But hey we have been to hell and back many times, we are all used to this.

If you look at all those weirdo National MPs, the "Do you know who I am" dick head, Jamie lee Ross, The guy who took a screen shot of penis and sent to young ladies, the sex pervert candidate, etc. etc. the list goes on. Shit they are not the looney left. Just good middle class National Party choices to lead our Country

Yes, he beat Vain over 7 furlongs at Moonee Valley when 40k turned out to watch the unbeaten Vain win. Won The Cox Plate and the VRC Derby. Went onto USA and won some huge races.

I have a copy of Bob Skelton's book where he describes his ride on Show Gate in The Trentham Stakes. He states that he felt her falter at the 1,000 metre mark. When in the straight, he asked her to lengthen stride but she lugged in and began to struggle. Bob felt that she was beaten and pulled the stick out of desperation and that was when she gave everything and passed Varnamo to win by 2 lenghts. Just as she crossed the line Show Gate faltered again ad Bob realised that she had broken down. Bob then pulled up quickly and dismounted. She really was a special horse.

The Morori settled only on The Chatham Islands. There was settlement for the Moriori in recent times where the Government clarified that the Moriori only settled on The Chathams. The reason for the settlement was that in the 1870s the Government of the day decreed that European and Maori owned greater than 90% of the Chathams. There currently is an excellent series being run on the Maori Channel about the history of The Chathams.

[Sorry Bloke but I've pulled this post. We really don't need left v right slanging matches in here] Pete

The UK has Boris, shit even they cannot stop laughing at the fool. I am unsure about the Foreign Affairs Minister but I will look it up. National had some weirdo MP down South who pulled his Dick out, took photos and sent them off to young girls. There was the other weirdo National MP from the deep South who gave out confidential medical information which he obtained from a former President of The National Party. Then there was the sex fend who stood for National in Upper North Shore who was assuming former girl friends' identities on face book and making disgusting posts. Plenty there for the your mates in The Uk to laugh at

I am not sure what you are talking about as Tongoriro National Park was gifted by the Maoris to the Crown.

Maoris have gifted huge amounts of land to the crown. The Tongoriro National Park, being a significant one.