New Zealand Racing

[Messenger]

Majestic Cruiser wins the Messenger
Had the visitors draw and settled last
They went hard and he came late but was pushed 4 wide, however he out-toughed them in a time that was not far outside Christen Me's NZ record for 2700m

https://infohorse.hrnz.co.nz/datahrs...9128-race-7-dl

[Showgrounds]

Majestic Cruiser wins the Messenger
Had the visitors draw and settled last
They went hard and he came late but was pushed 4 wide, however he out-toughed them in a time that was not far outside Christen Me's NZ record for 2700m

https://infohorse.hrnz.co.nz/datahrs...9128-race-7-dl

Christen Me's record was 3:13.8 set winning the 2015 Auckland Cup. Majestic Cruiser went 3:13.1, 1:55.1 mile rate, last night. The placegetters Self Assured and AGs Whitesocks were also well inside the old record. A great spectacle ruined by Sky Channel.

[Messenger]

Thanks Trevor, I must have had bleary eyes when I read the times last night

[Messenger]

A quote from PP today:

"I have been kicking around trots tracks far too long to ever believe that old half-busted claimers who have had 90 starts (Majestic Cruiser) or 70 starts (Boncel Benjamin) can be sent to a new trainer and suddenly be turned into world beaters."

[Messenger]

If you look at a NZ Stewards Report you will see this near the top
No details so you have no way of knowing how diligent they are

[Messenger]

The 2yo Gp2 just run at Addington
Mark Purdon stable has 6 of the 8 runners
Fav leads = you can be sure this is going to be one of the most boring races you will ever see

[Messenger]

I didn't think much of how Mark Purdon on Cyrus in the Listed 3yo crossed down to the pegs when not really clear - bully boy stuff "you had better ease or I am going to collect your horses legs"

[Showgrounds]

I didn't think much of how Mark Purdon on Cyrus in the Listed 3yo crossed down to the pegs when not really clear - bully boy stuff "you had better ease or I am going to collect your horses legs"

I'd like to know what you think of the fourteen day suspension he copped in the same race for "using his whip with more than a wrist flicking motion in the run home". This comes after copping a similar suspension for his winning drive on Self Assured in The Race last month. I reckon the stewards must imagine Purdon is the modern incarnation of Vinnie Knight. My wife, a pretty good judge, reckons she has never seen a driver resort to using the whip than Purdon.

There should me a long queue of wannabe drivers for Self Assured in the Auckland Cup in a fortnight. A. G. Herlihy would be heading the running.

[Messenger]

I'd like to know what you think of the fourteen day suspension he copped in the same race for "using his whip with more than a wrist flicking motion in the run home". This comes after copping a similar suspension for his winning drive on Self Assured in The Race last month. I reckon the stewards must imagine Purdon is the modern incarnation of Vinnie Knight. My wife, a pretty good judge, reckons she has never seen a driver resort to using the whip xxxxx than Purdon.

There should me a long queue of wannabe drivers for Self Assured in the Auckland Cup in a fortnight. A. G. Herlihy would be heading the running.

Missing word here is all important

ps I don't think MP's whip action is anything other than the norm in that race. Mind you I am a fan of getting rid of whips, starting with next seasons 2yo races and hopefully all races by 2025

[Showgrounds]

Yes, I left out the word "less"; late night mistake with the cat wanting to jump on my lap. You may be a fan of banning whips but they are still legal. Without personal preference clouding your judgement, how fair is this suspension? It seems to me the RIB is focusing on aesthetics rather than animal welfare, the latter should be the focus of any or all rules.