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October 30, 2011

"THE WEEK THAT WAS"...29/10/2011

"TROT TACTICS"...29/10/2011..

A horse does not have to be a superstar to be a "good horse".Nor does it have to earn millions for its connections.What will earn it the respect and affection those who own and train is the animal's positive attitude to racing,and its ability to turn out week after week and do its best.Walloon based "Team Benham's" latest aquisition,Wobbly Archer,has a large serving of those two key assets.Recruited from a Redcliffe Claimer several weeks back,the gelded son of Live Or Die and Elizabeth Eden boasts a win and a third placing rom his three subsequent starts,taking his career performance to 165 outings which have yielded 20 wins,26 seconds and 16 thirds for $77,513."Wobbly" has won for every trainer whose colours he has sported over the years,and,in his short time under the care of Steve Benham,has provided a winner to mark the return to the sulky of class trainer/driver,Lynn Paton.Paton,who successfully switched to the gallops some years back,missed the hands on aspect of light harness,and will be dividing her loyalties in the future.Not too shabby for an old gelding whose first Australian mentor,Norm Lang,told the owner that,at best,Wobbly Archer might win one race.The horse was not listening it seems..

In the market for a valuable piece of Darling Downs property? The local arm of Burns Bloodstock has decided that,under the present method of distributing the Queensland harness dollar,there is no incentive to breed for sale.There is no stronger position to take than that based on fact,and Paul Burns is right on the money when he claims that there are three groups of people who are hands on with the horses.These are breeders,trainers and drivers.Currently the breeder gets one crack at the money,and that is the day the horse is sold.There is a very skinny handful of juvenile Q-bred races which carry a breeders bonus,but it's nothing to boast about.For trainers and drivers there are weekly training fees and a base driving fee.Come raceday,should a horse earn more than $400,both trainer and driver receive 5% of the amount involved.The breeder gets zilch.Paul Burns is quite rightly chasing a percentage of the win purse only as a breeders bonus,and claims that such a move would re-vitalise Queensland harness breeding.

Victorian breeders are clearly in a stronger position with last season delivering $765,000 to the breeders of 425 individual winners,based on a bonus of 10% of the total purse.Paul Burns underlines this by his statement,"Victoria races for more money,sells yearlings for more money,and had 103 vendors with stock at the normal Melbourne Pacing Gold Sale and this picture is underpinned by the Vicbred bonus...The Queensland equivalent drew only 13 vendors,and is currently underpinned by nothing.Owners do not want their prizemoney reduced in any way,but if commercial breeders cut their foal numbers,the current shortfall in the racing pool will only worsen.We must learn to tighten our belts so that ALL segments of the sport survive.There is no price on Egmont Park with Paul Burns suggesting that any offers would be based on what the intending purchaser would hope to do with the property.He is,however,99% certain that the famous stud would not be bought by harness interests..

The best news all week is that the Rocket Harness man,Ernie Anforth,is making great progress in the Ipswich General Hospital's rehabilitation unit.Recently sidelined by a severe stroke,Ernie is regaining more mobility every day.He loves a yarn does Ernie and any visitors will be most welcome..

Next Saturday,November 5th is "B" quaddie day again.Beer,Betting,Best country racing and absolutely the Best Burgers around..Come along..you will love it..

Resultsville...Gold Coast 21/10..Onward Christian (Pete for John Mcmullen)..Highstead (Pete for Lynn Beaton)...Albion Park 22/10..nil...Redcliffe 22/10..Mister Attitude (Lola Weidemann for Ricky Gordon)..Melton Big Gunna (Pete for John McMullen)..Pricess Colraine (Lola Weidemann for Joey Dileva)..Makora Street (Lola Weidemann for Ricky Gordon)..(Lola for Julie Weidemann)...Albion Park 25/10..Montrose Kid (Pete for John McMullen)...Redcliffe 26/10..Mirfak Prince (Brad Cowen for Shane Sanderson)...Gold Coast 27/10..Im Tina Turner (Pete for John McMullen)..Judd Chris Petroff for Lynn Beaton)..Weneedahero (Ken Belford)..Montana Pablo (Darrel Graham)...,/font>

Posted by dlsmith at 01:16 PM | | Comments (0)

October 28, 2011

AVENCHES SWITZERLAND.."KADETT" CHARGES AWAY..

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foto courtesy of Fredy Moder

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October 26, 2011

THE START OF MANY IMAGES FROM THE CAMERA OF FREDY MODER..ENJOY..

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Foto courtesy of Fredy Moder (Switzerland).

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WORDS OF WISDOM FROM JIM WALSH.INVENTOR AND INNOVATER IN THE REALM OF HORSE AND DOG DRAWN VEHICLES...

Download file
This top item is courtesy of Jim Walsh..R.J.Walsh and Sons..Regal Sulkies..Sydney ..Australia..

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October 24, 2011

SARA WADDON CUTS LOOSE AT YONKERS.."MONTE" IS THE WAY TO GO..

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Helene Gregory pic.

Posted by dlsmith at 02:19 AM | | Comments (0)

"THE WEEK THAT WAS"...22/10/2011..

"TROT TACTICS"..22/10/2011...

Where did he go?The highly regarded but unsound Famous Forever has been under the radar for several years,while any number of rumours circulated,including the story that he had gone to join the list of geldings.Where is he now? The answer is that FF,who is thought to have a fertility problem to go with his legs,is at Cold Mountain Stud,where managers Jason and Nicola Carkeet are collecting semen which will be sent for analysis.You may wonder why would anyone do this exercise when there are a truckload of high fertility stallions available at a fee to fit any budget.

Before you classify the new owner as a starry eyed dreamer,consider Famous Forever's most recent stud performance.An unknown number of matings produced 34 live foals,and now the figures take on a new significance.Of those foals,12 raced.At 33% + this was way above the national average.Five won,equalling 42% winners to starters,again,way above the national average.Two more were placed and a further two ran 4th so nine from twelve were earners.The new owner is Alan Boyd who,for the last six years has successfully battled a number of nasty medical conditions with the help of alternative treatments.Somewhat chuffed with the success of his own regime,and the incredible figures produced by FF,AB is anxious to try some of the medications and techniques on the horse in an attempt to give him a future in the breeding barn.If you are intrigued by this story,and might like to take part in this trial program,contact Alan Boyd on 0402 804 490.No promises and no guarantees are the order of the day,but,at the end of the rainbow maybe not a pot of gold,but another Forever Gold,which would be just as good..

No greater argument for the return of the standing start handicap format could be put,than one citing tonight's Garrard's Quensland Pacing Championship.The mobile start and the uncertainty of the random barrier draw has put all the serious firepower on the front line in barriers 1 to 4.From the fence,they read,Mr Feelgood,Smoken Up,Be Good Johnny and Washakie.These four pacers have won a total of $8,146,758 between them,but Washakie,lowest earner of the big four at $1,139,975 still has a personal total which is only $115,050 less than the combined total of the six remaining runners.In a handicap situation a realistic backmark might be 40metres with Mr Feelgood and Smoken Up back there together,Washakie on 30 metres,Be Good Johnny on 20,Atomic Ark 10 and the rest on the front.The end result of this might well be an entertaining spectacle and a good betting race.If you disagree,and you are entitled to do so,then scratch the lower six runners and leave the big four to do battle for the $200,000 on offer,without,horror of horrors,the possibility of a boilover result which could only do further damage to our shaky credibility.

A distant early warning for the Marburg Non-TAB meeting on November 5th.Come along for a Saturday afternoon of country trots where the food is definitely a feature.What can be better than a sunny day and one of "Barry's Goumet Steak Burgers".The answer to that is a beer,a bet and two burgers..Put it in the black book..

The public meeting last Sunday of residents and gallops trainers to be affected by RQLtd's proposed revamp of the Deagon training facility,drew a crowd of approximately 250 interested people.From the crowd's response to addresses by Brisbane's Lord Mayor Graham Quirk,Gordana Blazevic (LM's representative for Deagon) and former star racecaller,Wayne Wilson,any change in the status quo at Deagon will be opposed tooth and nail..

Resultsville..Albion Park 14/10..Falcon JD (Ray Cross)..Supper Waltz Wilson (Graeme Harris for Francis Weston)...Gold Coast 15/10..Well Caught Marsh (Gary Whitaker for Tommy Sanderson)..Melton Sotera (Pete for John McMullen)...Redcliffe 15/10..Laughing Fury (Glenn Dawson)...Albion Park 18/10..nil...Redcliffe 19/10..Wobbly Archer (Lynn Paton for Steve Benham)...Gold coast 20/10..Judd (Chris Petroff for Lynn Beaton)...Signowar (Barty Cockburn for Shane Sanderson)...

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October 21, 2011

USA LADIES...READY FOR THE "MONTE" DEMO...

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Helene Gregory pic...

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ONE OF THE FITZPATRICK BOYS WITH A TROTTER AT MENANGLE

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October 20, 2011

"HELENE GREGORY"..A LADY WITH A VISION FOR AMERICAN TROT FANS"..."RACING UNDER SADDLE=MONTE"...HERE SHE COMES!!!

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October 18, 2011

THE CAMERA OF GRAFMO WEBER..LATE AFTERNOON AT HAMBURG ON A LOVELY DAY..

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Foto by GRAFMO WEBER.

Posted by dlsmith at 11:58 AM | | Comments (0)

October 16, 2011

THE WEEK THAT WAS"..15/10/2011...

"TROT TACTICS"...13/10/2011...

He lives a little outside the Ipswich footprint at Middle Park,but 18 year old "rookie" driver Joe Taaffe boasts breeding and knowlege connections which seem certain take him a fair way in the light harness sport.Young Joseph is a grandson of the skillful and astute veteran,Barry White,who had considerable success with Paddy Jones and Northern Prince.BW was a man who could condition a horse and place it to advantage when it was right.A good driver into the bargain,if the money was there,the horse was usually there as well.Having Gary Vernon,a trainer/driver very much in BW's style for a step father is just the next step with Vernon providing the "hands on" experience with a small team.From half a dozen drives,Joe Taaffe has already landed a winner at Gold Coast eight days ago driving Darcy Darling for Gary Vernon.Not a bad start,to score at the best provincial meeting and run a very tidy 1-57.7.JT seemed to take it all in his stride.A sign of the times I suppose.My first winner went 2-14.0 on the grass at Richmond (NSW) and I was off my tree for a week.

That mysterious Ipswich made race sulky,the "Aussie Eclipse" has been approved,and is in production with five sold in three weeks and already appearing in winning photos.Gavin Crone is the man to see.

"Each incident we deal with helps increase our knowledge base to work toward a safer environment for horse owners, vets and the community,” he said. “We acknowledge there is much more research needed to understand the virus." These were the words of Dr Rick Symons,Chief Veterinary Officer of Biosecurity Queenslandafter it had been announced that the last property under quarantine had been released on October 5th.Since then two of four horses on a Caboolture area property have been euthanased and the second case,which drew attention to the first has tested positive to the Hendra Virus.A further $7million has been provided for research into this dreadful disease,and horse owners and lovers should google Biosecurity Queensland for a full appreciation of the problem.Start taking Hendra Virus seriously...1994 to 2011...14 cases..April/May/October 2011..Northern NSW and Southeast Queensland..22 cases.. Start worrying NOW!

Marburg Pacing Association's new Committee hosted their first NON-TAB race meeting last Saturday week and the post race de-briefing identified a number of areas which they hope to improve.The end of the day saw a slight profit,and a number of initiatives will be introduced as meetings are run through November and December.

If you wondered how the Racing Queensland Limited version of the Q-Bred Bonus scheme is working,figures tabled at a Botra meeting last Monday indicated that in September 2009,the scheme then in operation provided $70,000 for winning owners.In comparison,September 2011 provided $3,000 (one bonus).The keeper of the purse is no doubt delighted and the would be recipients are devastated..

Resultsville..Gold Coast 07/10..Flying Hardwick (Gavin Crone)...Albion Prk 08/10..Glengarry Sunrise (Trent Dawson)..Greenmans Valley (Gary Whitaker for Shane Sanderson)...Redcliffe 08/10..Helava Big Dog (Nikki Johnson for Trent Knack)..Bully Beef (Lola Weidemann for Ricky Gordon)..Black Cruiser (Ron Sallis)..Pemberton (Brian McCall for Lynn Beaton)...Albion Park 11/10..Montrose Kid (Pete for John McMullen)..Random Act (Ricky Gordon)...Redcliffe 12/10..nil...Gold Coast 13/10..Our Poppa Jack (Mick Dux for Francis Weston)..Pucka Up Princess (Natasha Day for Mark Rees)..Forte Denario (Natasha Day for Mark Rees)..Signowar (Barty Cockburn for Shane Sanderson)..Onward Christian (Pete for John McMullen)..Mighty Memories (Pete for John McMullen)..

Posted by dlsmith at 11:05 AM | | Comments (0)

October 09, 2011

"THE WEEK THAT WAS"...10/10.2011.

"TROT TACTICS"....08/10/2011...

There is much rejoicing in Sydney this week with the announcement that the NSW Harness Racing Club has won the first tender for a block of three Inter-Dominion Carnivals.The "blues" will host the great event from 2013 to 2015 inclusive.All three Grand Finals will be run on the first Saturday in March,at Tabcorp Park,Menangle.First run in 1936 at Perth's Gloucester Park,the Champion,decided on points accumulated over the whole series was Evicus,while the actual Grand Final race went to Logan Derby,a Tasmanian bred son of Globe Derby,who carried his sireline on in a spectacular stud career.The overall point score system was later abandoned with the mare Bandbox taking out the last series under those conditions in 1947.

The "Inter" had its "golden age" when it was conducted over a fortnight,with three rounds of heats in the first week at the sprint distance on the opening night,the Grand Final journey on night two and the final round over the distance closest to two miles run at the host venue.The Grand Final was run a week later at the distance closest to 13 furlongs (2600m).It was the ultimate test of horses,trainers and drivers,and was,of course,run under standing start conditions.

What we should class as the"modern era" began in 1983 at Auckland NZ when Gammalite emerged victorious. At that point,the great race had gone permanently to the mobile start format with various methods of determining barrier positions tried in order to present a level playing field.Undoubtedly the greatest horse to perform under "modern" conditions has been Blacks A Fake,which started in five Grand Finals winning four and running an unlucky second in another.Inter-Dominion prizemoney contributed heavily to "Blackie's" swag of $4.4 million which made him the richest pacer in history.

HRNSW's CEO,Sam Nati described the new look Inter-Dominion as fresh and innovative,featuring seven qualifying heats across Australasia.There will be no less that six genuine Group One races on the Grand Final night program.Sadly,there has been no mention of a feature trotters event on the big nights.

The most frightening event of last week was the lack of money and interest in the Burns Bloodstock Egmont Park broodmare and yearling reduction sale on Sunday.Of 18 mares offered,only six were sold,one at $3,500,one at $1750 and four at the upset price of $1,000.Four of seven yearlings cleared,again at the $1,000 minmum.Given that the mares were well credentialled,nearly all in foal or foal at foot and offered with the massive sweetener of a free service to PB Bullville,Jeremys Gambit or Marika,the result is disturbing.One can only hope that of those that failed to attract a bid,at least one or two become first class horses.All three big number studs,Cold Mountain,Burwood and Egmont Park have said that,despite genuine concerns for the future of the sport,they would put their usual number of home mares in foal this season,thus avoiding a shortfall in 2yo numbers in three years time.No one can say that they not doing their bit..

Resultsville..Gold Coast 30/09..Gladys Emanuel (Gary Whitaker for Graham Harriott)...Albion Park 01/10..El Charro (Brad cowen for Shane Sanderson)..Rusty Sailor (Pete for John McMullen)...Marburg 01/10..Of Liberty (Dale Chalk for Ann Perrin)..Pursuing A Dream (Lola weidemann for Ricky Gordon)Zachery Boy (Lola for Julie Weidemann)..Holy Camp Harry (Glenn Walsh)...Albion Park 04/10..My Mate Billy (Greg Elkins)..Hitemup (Darrel Graham)...Redcliffe 05/10..River Blue (David Litzow for Shane Parrish)..Oz Striker (Justin Pascoe)...Gold Coast 06/10..Martini Sunrise (Brad Cowen for Shane Sanderson)..Heez An Ace (Gary Whitaker for Doug Lyon)..Livet Lady (Gavin Crone)...

Posted by dlsmith at 09:27 PM | | Comments (0)

October 02, 2011

"RIKTIG NICE" WARMING UP..

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Foto courtesy of Redac Newstrot..

Posted by dlsmith at 06:21 AM | | Comments (0)

"THE WEEK THAT WAS"...01/10/2011..

"TROT TACTICS"..01/10/2011..

You can have the full harness experience this weekend with Marburg's non-TAB race meeting this afternoon and then journey to Oakey tomorrow for the Egmont Park Broodmare and Yearling reduction sale.Back some winners on Saturday and re-invest in a "value for money" broodmare and free service package to breed yourself a better than average winner.Burgers,Bets,Beers and viable Broodmares sounds like a winning combo to me..

I know there are a lot of broodmare owners out there who are still agonising over the current state of the light harness sport,and are thinking "empty" mares is the way to go,but empty mares still have maintenance costs and stallion prices (some with even sweeter deals) are much reduced.If you bite the bullet and breed now,you won't be lamenting the lack of a competitve 2yo in three years time.

Botra members will meet on this Monday night at Albion Park at 7.00pm.Discussion will centre on the first three months of racing under the new scheme.Race fields and handicapping..what has gone wrong?.A report from the Hendra virus forum conducted by Biosecurity Qld,and the lack of stallion service bookings.You should attend,member or not..

By the time you read this,the first round of heats for the D.J.Alexander Memorial Trot Series will have been run and won at Gold Coast last night.The best 24 of the trotting gait in Queensland are sure to provide a super spectacle as they try to qualify for the $20,000 Final which will be run on Saturday night,October 15 at Gold Coast.Whether we can pick the winner on our current tipping form is a matter for debate but we will be in there trying.Of the 24 acceptors for the series,no less than 15 are trained in the Marburg catchment with Graham Harriott and Francis Weston supplying four runners apiece.

On the "distant early warning" front,light harness will return to Toowoomba's Clifford Park on Friday night,November 25th for a seven race non-TAB program.The accent will be on family fun with the gates open at 4.30pm and the first race goes at 6.00pm.there will be a live band,restaurant,bar,entertainment and rides for the kids.The bookies will be there,working on the local trots and Moonee Valley night gallops..Put it in the black book..

Resultsville...Gold Coast 23/09..Star Of Jordaine (Lola Weidemann for Graham Harriott)...Albion Park 24/09..Our White Knight (Kelli Dawson for Brett Cargill)...Redcliffe 24/09..Mister Eye Bolt (Justin Storie for Ron Sallis)..Still To Come (Dean Belford for Bruce Wyborn)...Albion Park 27/09..Bettor Be Magic (Charlie Cini for Shane Sanderson)..Montana Pablo (Darrel Graham)...Redcliffe 28/09..Old Mac (Ricky Gordon)..Party In Paris (Ron Sallis)...Gold Coast 29/09..Rarangi Gold (Gary Whitaker for Graham Harriott)..Cold Native (Murray Sullivan)..Melton Claus (Pete for John McMullen)...

Posted by dlsmith at 06:15 AM | | Comments (0)