You are on the money mate. I think most are being too harsh on the horse. The horse clearly didn't handle the wet track, he was floundering and not steering straight. Fergusson didn't knock him around and why should he? Alexandra Park is a tricky when it raining like that because it is difficult to get round the home bend. If wet the track gets sticky and gooey and it catches a lot of horses out. It's the track surface I don't know what they use, but clearly different than Addington that is still good track if when sodden. Marketplace is the real deal Charlie mate. That was amazing. I didn't think Got The Chocolates was a show because the 2700m finds them out old mate. The Art Majors are not as good staying horses as Bettors Delight. But what a shocking drive, John Dunn he had a horse that would need nursing to get the distance and he drives it like its Secretariat!! Crazy stuff old mate. If I was the owner the horse would be gone from that stable. Shocking drive. He should have been charged for not giving his horse a chance, cheating punters. Shameful. 

What an effin mess the whole thing is, really can’t we get the very basics right … seems not  Hastings, Trentham and Awapuni all cot cases with a future that is totally under question Thank god I have my HQ in Mlb and Royal Randwick 

Lack of grass growth anywhere these days can also be attributed to works that have gone on in various areas. Think of how the quarrying in the area and excavations for the Waterview Tunnel, Wastewater underground systems and Underground Train / Rail projects have all impacted on previous natural creeks and streams flow of water in the wider catchment area of Avondale and pockets of Auckland. It's likely that combined with all the towering apartments built in the area have also impacted on wind and rain directions which has a flow on impact with grass growth.   Add to the equation the closure of Training Horses at Racecourses and grazing leases as animals naturally plough up the soil which used to encourage grass growth. Wake up people. There will be no Racecourse Reserves,  Public Domains or nature left anywhere at the rate some in charge of decisions are making and have previously made.

Brad Taylor from RACE mentioned that it will be moved to another track on Weigh in this morning, he suggested Trentham but the venue will be confirmed shortly.

HK  R1.   # 6 Smiling Collector. First start past a mile. He has Collected plenty of mine since being in HK> A Turn Me Loose gelding.               Should be at 30 /1 or better.  But the fact he is at 15's makes me think he is favoured by Trainer . Maybe a trifecta chance.               Look to Joey's mounts as anchors tonight .He has 9 rides.  

Which Real Estate agents will pounce? Bayleys? Or will it be a given for Kainga Ora housing with Sam Stubbs and Simplicity housing with Aman Gulia and his mates lurking in the background at the expense of the need for balance of the economy?   Incidentally why not sell off Rangitoto Island and build houses there???

Out of interest, what year did they ban the use of live Rabbits at Greyhound racing/ training establishments?   The population of Rabbits was at that time, in part controlled partly by the wider Ecological system, as in by Dogs, now they sell Opossum meat for Dogs in the Supermarket.   Where are the statistics for injuries / deaths of Greyhounds prior to then?     What year was Calcivirus introduced into New Zealand to control the spread of Rabbits? Wild Rabbits used to also be a food source for human consumption. Calcivirus, like most chemicals has had ongoing Consequences to Animal Welfare in general terms. The Animal Welfare Act was introduced in 1999, era Y2K / Deregulation, after having not been reviewed for around 40 yrs - that of the late 1950's.  

The connections of Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Journalism expressed relief after the anticipated Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite drew post 8 for the $5 million classic May 3 at Churchill Downs.View the full article

Zak, have you got the inside word or is that a guess? Trentham, if they don't back off from there, that will be the next problem!

The 17 May meeting will be transferred likely to Trentham.

task has been made easier by a couple of late scratchings   Ohokaman tipped a couple of good one's yesterday

mereana was good, always good to see a horse ridden correctly so we can put that down to other influences...go Palmarrow😀

I am in total disbelief. I am stunned. I don't what to say. I am confused.   However I do have one [well actually two] questions. 1] What is happening to the scheduled James Bull Rangitikie Gold Cup Meeting of May 17 as nothing has been said? 2] Are they intending to hold it on the track after doing the renovations? Surely not!

I simply don't get the renovating of a fully renovated track , after some trials and on race , oh and let's not forget some jump outs .  It simply beggars belief . Maybe I should say BUGGERS belief .

Who cares they are incompetent in my opinion, why was the rush to get back to racing going into the winter I could never understand the lack of logic for this.

Some trivia. Race5  6:50pm Chairmans SprintRace Card - Racing Information - Horse Racing - The Hong Kong Jockey Club Race 7  8:00pm   Champions Mile     Race Card - Racing Information - Horse Racing - The Hong Kong Jockey Club Race 8  8:40pm QE Cup                       Race Card - Racing Information - Horse Racing - The Hong Kong Jockey Club * All riding fees are paid by the HKJC Club directly into the Jockey’s account on a monthly basis. Jockeys receive 10% of all winning prize money and 5% of prize money for placings from 2nd to 5th. Owners contribute HK$2200 per ride of which the rider receives HK$1200 ( divide by 5 for approx NZ dollars.) * Strike Rates this season. Note: Craig Williams    J McDonald this season in HK  (  8 rides tonight ) ace Meeting of 23/04/2025 Nationality : NZ No. of Wins : 25    Total Rides : 108 Stakes won : $92,467,005 ( $18NZ Mill) No. of 2nds : 15 Win % : 23.15% No. of Wins in past 10 race days : 0 No. of 3rds : 9         No. of 4ths   Zac Purton this season in Hong Kong.(10 rides tonight)            Up to Race Meeting of 23/04/2025 Nationality : AUS No. of Wins : 97  Total Rides : 409 Stakes won : $149,514,300  ($32m NZ ) No. of 2nds : 57 Win % : 23.72% No. of Wins in past 10 race days : 13 No. of 3rds : 54         No. of 4ths   Hugh Bowman ( 6 Rides tonight)      Up to Race Meeting of 23/04/2025 Nationality : AUS No. of Wins : 56 Total Rides : 439 Stakes won : $95,760,490 No. of 2nds : 55 Win % : 12.76% No. of Wins in past 10 race days : 6 No. of 3rds : 43         No. of 4ths : 51      Up to Race Meeting of 23/04/2025 Karis Teetan * 7 rides tonight) Nationality : MAU No. of Wins : 32 Total Rides : 467 Stakes won : $70,010,330 No. of 2nds : 42 Win % : 6.85% No. of Wins in past 10 race days : 5 No. of 3rds : 51         No. of 4th : 59 Joey Moreira  ason         Up to Race Meeting of 23/04/2025 Nationality : BRZ No. of Wins : 3 Total Rides : 22 Stakes won : $22,148,925 No. of 2nds : 2 Win % : 13.64% No. of Wins in past 10 race days : 2 No. of 3rds : 7         No. of 4ths                  

Your not bashing RACE are you ? Someone won't be happy .

Now someone on another forum has mentioned that the Awapuni A/W is about to be flipped . I'm not sure what the inference means . Does anyone have any info on this ?

My ears pricked up at this statement in the corporate waffle released by the spin Drs... THE TRIALS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE RENOVATED TRACK Why not  just own up to the fact it WAS NOT ready for racing on yet, but oh no lets spend a fortune on more experts and cover our own incompetent arses...this is why the industry is Donald ducked. RACE, NZTR and RIB hang your heads in shame, if you even have a clue what the word means.

I have to say this all just astounds me . I simp[ly don't comprehend what they have been doing , are doing and going to be doing . Plus I see the same experts from before are again the go to experts , go figure . This situation shows just how incompetently the industry is being led , where is the NZTR CEO in all of this? Haven't heard a word from him , or is he already curled up under his desk asking himself WHY? , WHY , did I take this job . The money mate is the answer .