All Weather Finals day continues to be a big success in the racing calendar. In 2024, the crowds were: Fri 29/03/2024 CHELMSFORD CITY 6,488   89 Flat Awt Fri 29/03/2024 LINGFIELD PARK 9,350   90 Flat Awt Fri 29/03/2024 NEWCASTLE 9,088   83 Flat Awt I suspect there were similar numbers on Good Friday this year. It didn't make the results all pleasing for the punters - at Newcastle, a filly called HEAVENLY HEATHER won the Fillies & Mares Championship Race over 1400m at 200/1 - only the eleventh time this has ever happened and I'm pretty sure it's the longest price ever for a winner of a race shown on national free to air television.  CLOUD COVER, rated 103, headed the weights carrying 9 st 12 lbs (62.5 kg) so technically HEAVENLY HEATHER rated 60 should have been carrying 3st 1 lb (19.5 kg) less to be on level terms so her weight would have been 6st 11 lbs (43 kg) but the minimum weight allowed in the race (any race in the UK) is 7 st 13 lbs (50.3 kg) so she had to carry the extra 7.3 kg but she still won the race up the stands rail as CLOUD COVER ran mid division. The race was a Class 2, HEAVENLY HEATHER struggles in Class 5 races. The weight differential explained why she drifted from 125s to 200s. The on screen competition called the ITV 7 normally has around 250,000 entries (it's free - you just have to find seven winners). Incredibly, 260 had HEAVELY HEATHER (the name perhaps?) in their selections so survived on to the next leg.  The on course Tote paid £199.10 for a £1 win stake, the Exacta paid £1828.50 and the Trifecta a mind blowing £14,855,17 for a £1 unit.

I was watching some racing from England a while ago.  The commentator said he was having some difficulties as there were a bunch of primary school kids on course making a lot of noise.  I'd say a school field trip to the races in New Zealand would result in public outrage and some teachers looking for a new career.

Looks like not only can you pull the same stunt twice, but you can also get away with it twice. Can't believe people bet on this kind of stuff with real money.

Now people… I post every now and again, but this is important. I agree with this post, and that LOWE did his ground breaking work a long time ago… and now we have DNA.. So it’s important to reconcile the old LOWE numbers (and their known errors) with the next generation of knowledge (DNA understanding) if you are (say) trying to line breed or whatever … so here is something to consider / take into account in your thinking (sorry I don’t have a reference)  in a nut shell… some LOWE lines are mitochondria related…I think going forward a better way to think…should over take the LOWE numbers.  

Pardon but wasnt this thread about Avondale???????

And yet if he sits parked and locks Get the Chocolate in or flushes him out he probably wins.  Moral of the story is never back him confidently in any lead ups to the big races if drawn wide as they never seem to try that hard. For example the previous time he got beaten and then winning the big race the very next start where driven completely differently.

No surprise  he buried that field! I think he was 3rd up, stepping up to his more favoured 1400m on softer track. A bit unlucky  last start with  good sectionals. The favourite  was always questionable stepping  up in distance. Agree re Ethan Brown Pete!

They will be praying the dry summer God's to rain  down sunshine and good tracks! I'm  in  a chillyish Fairyhouse today and tomorrow, where the track has turned against  us for our runner. Coolmoore will do all they can at home to get SB used to the style of racing and the type of undulating courses he will come  across this summer.

Nice horse . Just wondering was Blair or Johnny Cox questioned over the handling of their drives ? As a punter i would be pissed off as they were never a hope and no driver made any effort to put them in the race

Ethan Brown is a very underrated jockey. I always look out when Ciaron Maher puts him on a runner.

I think Jimmy surprised everyone today but being handier than usual . You just knew once in the clear he would be too strong . I love watching him race 

I know a lot of punters were really unhappy with the results , however I loved the drive and I bet the owner did too . Too often you see horses punished but Craig didn't do that . Rather than sit parked he chose to go back and only asked the horse for an effort about 500m out . That's how you look after a horse and the big one is still to come 

You tried bullshit in a previous post about this so why would we believe the latest story from you. At the end of the day The Supreme Court has made a ruling and to date Trump and his mates have ignore it.  Therefore, they are facing criminal contempt of court

100%. Thanks Scooby. It was all becoming a bit tiresome trying to have an honest debate with the ex South Islander. Did he get deported I wonder?

I actually initially thought it was some sort of blooper but obviously not. Pretty cringeworthy.

This guy had due process  he has a existing deportation order against him , it was about 10 years ago which no one followed up on and the obvious he is an illegal immigrant , do you seriously think placing millions of illegal immigrants before the courts is a viable option , NO 

100% agree keystone cops LOL

What I think he was meaning is that RACE cant manage what they have and it will be even worse if Hastings is included...maybe I am wrong.

Once again you twist to suit your agenda...why do you hate Trentham and Ellerslie so much...you seem to have your own agendas against both.

Did you mean the other TWO tracks needed massive expenditure to bring all THREE tracks you named to an acceptable standard as a collective?