A couple of likely lurkers down the bottom of the handicaps 😉

Avondale's November Meeting to Move to Pukekohe Due to ongoing delays with the restoration of power at the Avondale Racecourse, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Avondale Jockey Club (AJC) have made the decision to relocate Avondale’s next scheduled race day on Thursday 7 November to Pukekohe Park. Following the fire to the grandstand in 2023, AJC have been working through the significant work to restore power to its grandstand, but unfortunately the contractor has been unable to confirm completion of the work in time to ensure a meeting could go ahead with confidence next week. “The decision is very disappointing for AJC given the time and resource they have dedicated to getting the track back ready for race day.”-NZTR COO Darin Balcombe “Unfortunately, the contractor completing the work has missed several deadlines and, although they have made assurances the work would be completed by Friday, it would not allow enough time to relocate the meeting should the work not be completed in time. “The decision to move the meeting needed to be made today to give stakeholders confidence the race day would go ahead.” Avondale have completed their necessary Track Return to Racing protocols and, once power is fully restored to the venue, will be available to run their next scheduled race date. The course will still be available trials through this period.

The 12 Grand finalists are listed below but if you're not among them you are still welcome to throw an entry in - you'll be in the "also rans" pool   1    SingaporeSling 2    Richie 3    Kloppite 4    Pete Lane 5    Stoyd 6    Jack 7    Ohokaman 8    Insider 9    Arjay 10   Manfield 11    Say No More 12   Gubellini  

Please take note of a slightly different Regular Scratching rule below, for the Grand Final.  No subs for regular scratchings - up to you to replace them prior to the posting deadline.  Australian scratchings are through by 10am - 10.30am (NZ time) so you will have at least 4 hours to check for scratchings.  It's a Grand Final and we'd rather have it won by picks you're made, not by a sub from a regular scratching.   1.  Pick three horses in each of the 10 races listed below - in each race you will have $5 each way on all three picks, a $2 boxed quinella and a $1 boxed trifecta.    2.  You will have two best bet races where your bet is doubled.  They can be any two of the 10 races listed below. Posting deadline this week is 2.30pm.   This weeks 10 races are as follows.   1. Flemington R2 2. Flemington R3 3. Flemington R4 4. Flemington R6 5. Flemington R7 6. Flemington R8 7. Flemington R9 8. Rosehill R7 9. Rosehill R8 10. Rosehill R9 Please enter horse numbers, with some form of punctuation (eg. / ) between each number, and don't forget to mark your two best bet races.   Regular Scratchings - any regular scratchings need to be replaced prior to the posting deadline.  If you don't replace them you will be a runner (or two or three) short in that race. Late Scratchings - any late scratchings can be replaced up until the posting deadline.  After that you will get the sub, or the 2nd or 3rd win favourite if you already have the others.  If there are equal 2nd or 3rd favourites on the tote the one with the lower saddlecloth number will be deemed as the more favoured. Abandoned races - we need 5 races to be run for the results of the Grand Final to stand.  If races are abandoned before the posting deadline you can change a best bet race, but after the posting deadline that is just the rub of the green.  Weather forecast looks good and these are Australian tracks so shouldn't be an issue.

John Langdon there with Maltese cross (won the Cup with NEROSHIP , with Bob Cameron Next to him in the IRAKLIS chequers. Then the Skinner brothers are next 2. at the back in photo .  . That is Mike De Filippi front left Charlie (passed away 2 years ago this week ) His brother Colin up there at the back in between the 2 x Purdon brothers. Owen Purdon was a great driver ! one of my favorites and drove a lot of winners in the 80's, and should of gone on with it. Now living it up at the Gold Coast with his family. might retire there myself one day soon 👍 .top spot. Graeme Harris (Harry the horseman) is next to Owen with his white Spots silks on. He did All Charlie Elliot's horses there at one stage including Derby winner Alba's Reign. 'Harry' still prepares the odd horse he breeds himself here in QLD. When they're racing well he gives them to one of our leading trainer driver's in Shane Graham to do the work with for him and get some wins. .  Peter Jones must of got 2 Cups then 🏆🏆 as Drove HANDS DOWN for his dad to beat Delightful Lady , before Borana started up.  

My old boss John Langdon such an awesome guy . He went to live in Aussie . I recognize Owen Purdon and Peter Jones he won the cup with Borana paid heaps too . Is that Bob Cameron ? If so he trained Iralis to win the cup from memory . Is that Mike De Fiilipi bottom left PS ? Is that Dennis Nyhan up top 3rd from the left ? If so Robalan maybe ?

Much higher injury rates. The New York Racing Association are in the process of installing synthetics at all their tracks for winter racing, primarily for that reason. https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/nyra-announces-plans-for-winter-racing-at-belmont-park-and-provides-details-on-new-racing-surfaces

For all Sydney's efforts to upset the pattern in Australia, Melbourne has certainly ended up with a high class field for this race. Even helped along by a bit of Everest form.

I never even imagined she would run in the Cup. Why on earth would you give her a gutbuster over 3,200m with topweight when she could race in a WFA, 2,000m group 1 for $3m?

Breeders' Cup NotebookView the full article

Cicero Farms' homebred 3-year-old filly Hope Road, winner of three straight races by five or more lengths, has been made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), which kicks off the stakes undercard  Nov. 2 at Del Mar.View the full article

My question is, why not Dirt tracks?? Seemingly easier to maintain, and much less prone to the slipping issues we are getting on grass, possibly.... I think our current range of track experts might even be able to grow some decent dirt 😁  The world's richest race is held on dirt so why not try it?? Pukekohe would be perfect with the rich red Puke hill dirt looking splendid indeed 😉

Champion Stakes last day of Cup Carnival. 2000m $3m…..easy money.

My 5 bucks gone. Had the first Leg in too 🙄  of my treble $1000/5  (Fate Awaits at Menangle ) and was sitting on Via Sistina.  along with the Jmac + 'Switzerland'  in the Coolmore on Sat  at Flemington. Reckon JMac could be on Group 1 'winner 101' with it. very speedy and strong.

Going to the paddock for a well earned rest. 

Yes I think that is a fair point and judged on his runs this year, especially the other day when he was really asked to do not much more than jog to the line - I think he is a live chance. It has the tendency to throw up long priced place getters at least - Shiraz/ Max Dynamite etc.....SNS got to be a decent top six chance for mine, 

Len Butterfield wouldn't put up with this bullshit  by today's Stewards!🙄

CT leave me out of your shit ...I have nothing to do with him or anything you do..remember that.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes field lines up at Flemington on Saturday, 2nd November Saturday 2024, over 1200m. A high quality field has been finalised for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, featuring the likes of Everest place-getter Growing Empire, group 1 placed Traffic Warden and dominant last start winner Switzerland. No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating 1 GROWING EMPIRE Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra 9 57kg   110 2 COLEMAN Matt Laurie Ethan Brown 6 57kg   102 3 TRAFFIC WARDEN James Cummings Ms Jamie Kah 3 57kg   101 4 BITTERCREEK Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin Ben Allen 13 57kg   88 5 SWITZERLAND Chris Waller James McDonald 8 57kg   100 6 FIRST SETTLER Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Michael Dee 10 57kg   90 7 BODYGUARD Peter Snowden Hugh Bowman 2 57kg   82 8 GATSBY'S Chris Waller Damian Lane 7 57kg   81 9 STOLI BOLLI Ben, Will & JD Hayes Luke Currie 5 57kg   74 10 YOSHINOBU Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Jamie Mott 1 57kg   82 11 ENRICHED Michael Freedman Jye McNeil 14 57kg   75 12 GALLANT SON Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Luke Nolen 12 57kg   69 13 LADY OF CAMELOT Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 4 55kg   109 14 BELLATRIX STAR Mark Walker Blake Shinn 11 55kg   109