Very smart bloke that Michael Behrens. Good to see them successfully engaging with NZ racing.

Look up Equab's comments on housing in 2017 Budget, he thinks we should have had another 480 000 houses in New Zealand if we kept building like we were prior to 1980's and post war. (Radio NZ article May 26, 2017) He is a huge part of New Zealand's problem.   We don't think he has a clue about population spread or control and clearly lacks intelligence about our country's Geography and needs including Agriculture lands and important to the people, Quality of Life in New Zealand.   We recall an interview with him on ZB with Kerre Woodham around 5 years ago  and him saying there's lots of land to build houses at coastal farmland Awhiti...hmmmm.   We were taught when people said such things a phrase about going back to where we came from, as in our mother's womb, and come back out with a brain. There's a similar one we dare not write... It's unknown how he became a Government consultant in NZ or what role at University his father has including in Christchurch and via Samoa.   His works need to be ripped to shreds in the Pulp Paper Shredder just like those of the 111 WEF Tech Digital attendees in 2014 as it has created a serious lop sided screwed up world. There was a mere 3 people world wide Representing the Pulp and Paper sector at WEF that year.   It's unknown how many, if any, were representing the Racing Sector    There will be No Animals or Nature left because of these people.   They have Derailed The Program...  

A less-than-ideal break from the gate forced jockey Edgard Zayas to change his plan of attack with Whitham Thoroughbreds' homebred Burnham Square, who nevertheless persevered to capture the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

A classic pace meltdown in the Feb. 1 $155,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) played right into the hands of a waiting Eclatant, who exerted her superiority late with a 1 1/4-length score.View the full article

A month into 2025, trainer Dan Blacker is back winning graded stakes in California, this time with My Way Racing's El Potente, who blitzed a mile on firm turf in 1:32.39 in taking the $102,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Ellerslie is always a Soft 5 now. A month of drought? Soft 5. 8 inches of rain in five minutes? Soft 5. It wasn't initially because the idiots chose to use their own mix of grasses and ended up with a mat of knitted roots growing sideways instead of downwards, but they're on top of that now. That's the idea behind Strathayr. It doesn't bake hard and it doesn't turn to mud. It's a safe, consistent track you can run on once a week for nine months a year. It'll never suit Grey Way, but NZTR don't want tracks that'd suit Grey Way anymore.

MyRacehorse owns 50% of him, 2500-3000 people have micro shares.  They are Australian based.

Well said Bob. Agree 100%.

A very good balanced team.

He's being transferred to Ciaron Maher after the Derby.

Chad Brown and Flavien Prat showed the Tampa Bay Downs crowd exactly why they were voted winners in their respective 2024 Eclipse Award categories, sweeping both graded stakes races on the Feb. 1 card with Running Bee and Saffron Moon.View the full article

In defeating three tough runners from the Bob Baffert barn in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), Kopion reminded her trainer, Richard Mandella, of her sire, Omaha Beach, also a Mandella trainee.View the full article

Perhaps in two months trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. will start focusing on the Kentucky Derby (G1). For now anyway, he's quite content to know he has an exciting 3-year-old in Captain Cook who can be pointed to another lucrative stakes.View the full article

In winning his 13th Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and seventh straight, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert best summed up the performance from Citizen Bull during a postrace television interview, saying, "The champ is back."View the full article

For all the idiots who can’t count…..    

No great shakes at Gore but a couple of interest… R5 Xrated $5 - ran on well last start R6 The Immigrant $9 - consistent R7 Caledonie $17 - best North form right in this, Kate H might help. R8 Pivotal Ten $3 and Airpark Hustler $16

Swayzee what a horse. He's great to watch hitting it out in front like that. Big, powerful. I think he will have a go at the NZ Cup this year. Why wouldn't he? Leap to Fame the only horse that's better than him in Australasia. Grimson and Hart know they can beat all the Kiwi horses and most of Australian too. Three peat coming up!! And young Hart, what a driver. He always seems to have a little bit in reserve and asks for max effort just short of post. He drove three winners on a premier night. How many G1 has the young fulla won, Pure? Amazing.

I have just started reading it, it is fascinating. Thanks for your post.

For those who may not be aware Equab is working for Simplicity Housing that have wrecked Ellerslie Racecourse and many other previous "Reserves, Golf Courses and Open Spaces" with his Zombie Housing projects that the poor people will occupy with no outdoor washing lines so all those Disposable Nappies will be dumped on our Animals and Natural land with pollution and don't start us on extra drain on our Energy / Electricity and Water resources. It's these sorts of people who are quick to diss Racing  and allege links to Animal Cruelty, Problem gambling and drinking yet lack forward thinking of the bigger picture that have ruined our industry and economy and effectively Racing Programming!!!!

Programming and calendar have been screwed over since around 2000, exacerbated with the implementation of The Messara Report and closures of Rural Communities Race courses across not only New Zealand but other countries. Shutting down Racing in Rural regions, or to quote Shamble Equab, in Zombie Towns he thinks New Zealand has, has been destructive to our country's previous stability and it's economy. Re Sydney, do be mindful of what's going on there and take note of Gai Waterhouse's comments on it.   It's gravely concerning what's happening world wide with the wider racing industry and "economists" telling us we need more concrete jungle "housing" to accommodate escalating populations that have effectively migrated to places they can't afford to live and taking over lands that was expressly set aside as Domains and Reserves - probably the word "Reserves" has been "Lost in Translation" with different languages hence the land grabs and selling off of Racecourses, Golf Courses, Croquet courses, Bowling Courses etc and the like    Racing calendar changes and destruction of our sectors are all "Consequences" of the Bigger picture of moronics  decisions and not addressing the real issues in society - that of taking over the land of our Animals and Nature which is also dare we use the words, part of "Climatic Change".   We have mentioned it before, and for those who may not have read it, locate Lord Birkenhead's book , The World in 2030AD which was written in 1928 when he was Viceroy of India and also a Barrister. It mentions Australia and New Zealand and the decline of Agriculture and that with a little lateral thinking is because as populations of people increase, there is less natural Open Spaces for our animals. It's time our Sector woke up from the slumber and lock step and took a stand to address where and who is causing these bigger problems for our Industry. Don't expect those Apartment projects at Ellerslie to be a success because once again, there been no thinking as it's Rocks they are digging in to and any person with an ounce of intelligence knows that's effectively a "Quarry" and we all know a Quarry takes a very long time to dig in to and consents etc  Just saying...the Bean Counters leapt before they looked...