Opinion Dogs and Horses - The Racing Thread

[grassman75]

Hard to follow the nags as much these days from QLD. Loved my time at Flemington in the late 90s early 2000s

Got a few tips on the go. Will share shortly

 

[Next Waiting]

Geez it’s a roll of the dice isn’t it.

It's hard to appreciate what's involved in that sort of rehab and whether it's even worth the risk......and the money.

He spent 6 weeks in a box after surgery. No yard, no nothing. And they're animals that want to run. The day they let him out into the yard (not a big yard) for the first day after his 6 week confinement was the most nerve wracking experience. He ran straight at the rails (stopped fortunately), bucked and kicked and carried on like a lunatic for about 15 minutes. It was a release for him ... it was torture for those watching

 

[Chicago1]

I used to go to the trots at Moonee Valley after our matches in the 70s. My Form 4 students got me interested. They're probably looking after their grandkids now. Won $20 on Sunray for my first $1 bet. Gambolling is easy.

On SM-A135F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[seaweed]

It's hard to appreciate what's involved in that sort of rehab and whether it's even worth the risk......and the money.

He spent 6 weeks in a box after surgery. No yard, no nothing. And they're animals that want to run. The day they let him out into the yard (not a big yard) for the first day after his 6 week confinement was the most nerve wracking experience. He ran straight at the rails (stopped fortunately), bucked and kicked and carried on like a lunatic for about 15 minutes. It was a release for him ... it was torture for those watching

We’ve had a couple come through for tendon or ligament rehab and it sure can be a dicey process. Just getting into the box to muck it out can feel like having a death wish sometimes if they’ve been on box rest for quite some time - colts especially

Having to lead them anywhere after they’ve been on box or box-sized yard rest for a while can certainly be a bit Wild West too. Livin la vida loca

 

[Next Waiting]

I used to go to the trots at Moonee Valley after our matches in the 70s. My Form 4 students got me interested. They're probably looking after their grandkids now. Won $20 on Sunray for my first $1 bet. Gambolling is easy.

On SM-A135F using BigFooty.com mobile app

I don't really have an interest in harness racing but I do have an association with a particularly famous pacer.

When I was a kid, we lived on a farm and I had a pony ... as you do when you live on a farm. My pony had a room/paddock mate and his name was Cardigan Bay.

Turns out he was quite famous. You Americans in particular loved him. We used to get bus loads of people coming to see him.

I have been a centrefold once in my life (that I'm admitting to) and it was in an American trotting magazine with Cardigan Bay.

 

[Next Waiting]

Hard to follow the nags as much these days from QLD. Loved my time at Flemington in the late 90s early 2000s

Got a few tips on the go. Will share shortly

I generally don't follow the Qld racing ... except for May. Have been burned too many times ... and WA ... I was in Perth the day they carried Rocket Racer off the track .. anything goes!

Hard to beat a good day at HQ

 

[Next Waiting]

Had bit to do with some Dundeel’s, they can be hot buggers !

Dundeel himself had/has pretty good manners from what I understand but a keen competitor on the track. High Chapparal was such a fierce competitor it's perhaps not surprising that it comes through the line.

Those good ones have a very competitive streak. I always found that interesting as competitiveness is something we typically associate with people. But some horses want to win. They're the ones you want to own ... if only they could talk

 

[Doggies7]

Any early Melb cup roughies I can chuck a few bucks on in the hope they firm up nicely by November?

 

[Zeno The Great]

I'll join in. Will be good to share any mail here. Having a few bets in hk tonight.

Super unicorn short priced fav in race 3 absolute smashed the field, one to watch.

 

[King Harold]

The first horse I ever bought had knee troubles. Prepped as an autumn 2 yr old, showed more than a hint of promise and then chipped a knee in a trial before scheduled debut.

Then you have to make a decision. Is it promising enough (an unraced horse) to warrant the expense and associated rehab of knee surgery. He debuted as a spring 3yr old, 7 months after surgery and won by 6 lengths.

Similar story, had a very promising 2 yr old filly by Pierata, ran second coming from last at Wellington.
Asked Mick Price for an opinion, he said get her on the plane !
In the stable only a week , when they detected her action was very ordinary !
End result, chip in one knee, non displaced in the other.

As I said earlier, always have their knees x rayed ——- broke my own rule.

Sold her on gavelhouse for peanuts ( with all the vet report )

 

[grassman75]

Any early Melb cup roughies I can chuck a few bucks on in the hope they firm up nicely by November?

Still working Cup, it’s hard because of the internationals

I used to go really well on the early markets but the form lines are hard to line up

Stay tuned

 

[grassman75]

Similar story, had a very promising 2 yr old filly by Pierata, ran second coming from last at Wellington.
Asked Mick Price for an opinion, he said get her on the plane !
In the stable only a week , when they detected her action was very ordinary !
End result, chip in one knee, non displaced in the other.

As I said earlier, always have their knees x rayed ——- broke my own rule.

Sold her on gavelhouse for peanuts ( with all the vet report )

I had one by Shamardal called Shamtastic that debuted up in country NSW. There were big wraps on her and I was excited

Booked Jockey didn’t turn up for the race on debut and she flopped to something like 7th

Second race she blew them away at Taree and I just about blew my load

They put her away for a spell and she was a feisty girl and got in a paddock fight with another horse, got her hind leg caught in a wire fence and absolutely destroyed it. Never raced again.

Fortunately she survived and has had a few foals that I’ve been able to follow, a couple have gone ok

 

[Bulldog1954]

I'm in a syndicate with shares in some horses trained by Sheila Laxon and John Symons. I'd give some tips on them, but they're no good

 

[Scottish Bob]

I’ve got a friend who has 2.5% in Mr Brightside, last years cox plate was maybe one of the biggest highs to lows I’ve ever felt. But we have dined off the back of that horse for years. Absolute champion.

 

[Next Waiting]

Similar story, had a very promising 2 yr old filly by Pierata, ran second coming from last at Wellington.
Asked Mick Price for an opinion, he said get her on the plane !
In the stable only a week , when they detected her action was very ordinary !
End result, chip in one knee, non displaced in the other.

As I said earlier, always have their knees x rayed ——- broke my own rule.

Sold her on gavelhouse for peanuts ( with all the vet report )

Sorry to hear that Harold. It's a great but at times cruel game.
The one I was involved with did his knee a second time and never won another race after that.
Between his first and second knee chips/operations was pretty exciting though. He won 8 races including a Group 1.

 

[Cam1967]

Great thread. Count me in.

Have involvement with 3 atm. 2,3 and 4yo. My fav 6 yo just retired with bone chips in front left. Gone to a nice home in retirement (as they all should)

 

[Next Waiting]

Great thread. Count me in.

Have involvement with 3 atm. 2,3 and 4yo. My fav 6 yo just retired with bone chips in front left. Gone to a nice home in retirement (as they all should)

We used to console ourselves by saying only the fast ones get chips in their knees ... never happens to the slow ones. No idea if it has any basis in fact but it got us through two ops ...

 

[Cam1967]

We used to console ourselves by saying only the fast ones get chips in their knees ... never happens to the slow ones. No idea if it has any basis in fact but it got us through two ops ...

He ran a place at stakes level, then last 10 months just couldnt get to 100%. Had a great run with him. Onto the next as they say.

 

[Dogs 13]

I’ve got a friend who has 2.5% in Mr Brightside, last years cox plate was maybe one of the biggest highs to lows I’ve ever felt. But we have dined off the back of that horse for years. Absolute champion.

I’m here Been a busy morning.

My dad took me to Redcar and Catterick races in England as a kid and I was hooked.
When we came to Australia he took me to Flemington and we saw Rain Lover, Galilee, Tobin Bronze, etc even saw Crisp who became a legendary jumper. They took him to England for the Grand National where he ran the bravest 2nd to Red Rum.


As a teen I loved Vain the glamour Victorian colt who went to Sydney and beat their star filly, Special Girl, in the Golden Slipper. He was the first Victorian to win that race.

Like Chicago we used to go to the trots on a Saturday night, but at the Showgrounds which was much more exciting as you were super close to the horses on a tiny circuit. You had to be 21 to gamble back then, but we somehow managed to get our bets on

As I said in another thread I have a share in Mr Brightside’s half sister. She’s in her 2nd prep and will have a jump out Monday week. Boring name, I submitted something much more creative, but they voted for Lady Brightside
Mr B really is a pop culture icon(horse and song) now. It seems to be sung at the end of every wedding, 21st, etc I go to (although weirdly not funerals ). Everyone belts it out, especially the line “It was only a kiss” and that’s what I submitted (ITWASONLYAKISS)
Seen The Killers three times, going again next year

My Dundeel mare is in Cranbourne tomorrow night, but is 3rd emergency in a tough maiden. Doubt she’ll get a run. She’s been very unlucky, apart from the dodgy knees she was kicked in the eye by another horse and they thought she’d lose the sight in that eye. Wouldn’t be allowed to race then, but a lot of veterinarian care (around $12,500 ) and nursing she pulled through.
Made it to the track, with no joy so far. Changed trainer for a different training regime to help her knees. $$$$

I had a More Than Ready mare who was a half to Amangiri and full to More Secrets. Victim of at least 3 terrible rides by very good jockeys. Also a questionable decision by the trainers to run her over a distance too far coming off a 6 week let up after a minor injury.
She finally won a race, it was on my birthday, on one of the last days of COVID lockdown, so I couldn’t go
At least we sold her for a profit.

Best not to talk about my Starspangledbanner colt, er gelding

Had a Racer’s Edge filly a long time ago, but she broke her leg in the paddock as yearling.

I had porridge and toast for breakfast.
I’ve got blue undies on.
What else have I left out
Oh yeah, I think I forgot to take my ADHD meds.

 

[SPower]

I generally don't follow the Qld racing ... except for May. Have been burned too many times ... and WA ... I was in Perth the day they carried Rocket Racer off the track .. anything goes!

Hard to beat a good day at HQ

I was there too on that infamous day.
Laurie Connel and his associates could not whisk him away quick enough, dosed up with elephant juice and died very soon after.

They reckon the members ran out of Dom Perion and never saw such heightened levels of drinking and celebrating.

 

[Next Waiting]

I was there too on that infamous day.
Laurie Connel and his associates could not whisk him away quick enough, dosed up with elephant juice and died very soon after.

They reckon the members ran out of Dom Perion and never saw such heightened levels of drinking and celebrating.

I wasn't actually at the track that day. I'd been to the WACA for a one dayer and the trots the day before I think and a bit the worse for wear so sat it out and watched it on TV. Wish I'd gone. Right up there with Fine Cotton as an infamous colourful day for racing.

Absolutely appalling what they did to that horse. Hard to forget the vision of it staggering before basically being carried off the track.

And then there was that horse about 10 years ago that lost a Group 1 at Ascot in the protest room ... for interference at the 600. The 600! You've got to be kidding

 

[Next Waiting]

I’m here Been a busy morning.

My dad took me to Redcar and Catterick races in England as a kid and I was hooked.
When we came to Australia he took me to Flemington and we saw Rain Lover, Galilee, Tobin Bronze, etc even saw Crisp who became a legendary jumper. They took him to England for the Grand National where he ran the bravest 2nd to Red Rum.


As a teen I loved Vain the glamour Victorian colt who went to Sydney and beat their star filly, Special Girl, in the Golden Slipper. He was the first Victorian to win that race.

Like Chicago we used to go to the trots on a Saturday night, but at the Showgrounds which was much more exciting as you were super close to the horses on a tiny circuit. You had to be 21 to gamble back then, but we somehow managed to get our bets on

As I said in another thread I have a share in Mr Brightside’s half sister. She’s in her 2nd prep and will have a jump out Monday week. Boring name, I submitted something much more creative, but they voted for Lady Brightside
Mr B really is a pop culture icon(horse and song) now. It seems to be sung at the end of every wedding, 21st, etc I go to (although weirdly not funerals ). Everyone belts it out, especially the line “It was only a kiss” and that’s what I submitted (ITWASONLYAKISS)
Seen The Killers three times, going again next year

My Dundeel mare is in Cranbourne tomorrow night, but is 3rd emergency in a tough maiden. Doubt she’ll get a run. She’s been very unlucky, apart from the dodgy knees she was kicked in the eye by another horse and they thought she’d lose the sight in that eye. Wouldn’t be allowed to race then, but a lot of veterinarian care (around $12,500 ) and nursing she pulled through.
Made it to the track, with no joy so far. Changed trainer for a different training regime to help her knees. $$$$

I had a More Than Ready mare who was a half to Amangiri and full to More Secrets. Victim of at least 3 terrible rides by very good jockeys. Also a questionable decision by the trainers to run her over a distance too far coming off a 6 week let up after a minor injury.
She finally won a race, it was on my birthday, on one of the last days of COVID lockdown, so I couldn’t go
At least we sold her for a profit.

Best not to talk about my Starspangledbanner colt, er gelding

Had a Racer’s Edge filly a long time ago, but she broke her leg in the paddock as yearling.

I had porridge and toast for breakfast.
I’ve got blue undies on.
What else have I left out
Oh yeah, I think I forgot to take my ADHD meds.

Did you see Light Fingers?

She lived in a paddock outside my bedroom window when I even more of a kid. She was a such a beautiful mare with a fantastic nature. She liked to eat my hair. I had very blonde hair and was just the right height for her to nibble on. I have a photo of her doing just that somewhere.

Bart was always interested in our yearling draft as Sobig was the sire of quite a few of them. He had some success although we didn't produce Think Big. That's someone else's claim to fame.

 

[Dogs 13]

Did you see Light Fingers?

She lived in a paddock outside my bedroom window when I even more of a kid. She was a such a beautiful mare with a fantastic nature. She liked to eat my hair. I had very blonde hair and was just the right height for her to nibble on. I have a photo of her doing just that somewhere.

Bart was always interested in our yearling draft as Sobig was the sire of quite a few of them. He had some success although we didn't produce Think Big. That's someone else's claim to fame.

She was another bonny mare.
I don’t think so, I was trying to work out when I first went to Flemington, may have been 1966.

 

[Next Waiting]

She was another bonny mare.
I don’t think so, I was trying to work out when I first went to Flemington, may have been 1966.

My first visit to Flemington was Derby Day 1990 (I think). Had always watched the big races at HQ and MV from across the ditch but hadn't been. Hayes had a day out. There were some good horses running around that day.

Actually the Jenni Brightside rivalry reminds me a little of the Super Impose, Sydeston and Better Loosen Up clashes. Good horses going toe to toe on a regular basis.

 

[Dogs 13]

Some of those small field WFA races, but all quality runners, were absolute classics.
We don’t seem to have many now.

That two horse race Big Philou v Rain Lover “match” race in 1970 lacked nothing for excitement.