Bad drives

my pet hate is bad drives. Our industry depends massively on the punting dollar and so it is essential that punters have the confidence to expect certain things from a driver.

i just watched Race 5 at Albion park. I thought From the North was a good thing and backed it.

A horse called Narvik worked to the lead and was then challenged, and then challenged again by FTN but refused to hand up the lead despite the earlier work. If Narvik was in form and in the market i could understand that, but it has not won a race since Dec 09, and has run last or second last at each of its last 4 starts beaten between 14-37m. I was paying almost 40-1.
The horse was then challenged again, this time by Jennas Regret and again refused to hnad up. The horse was gone at ther 600m and finished tailed off last.

Now the horse was not driven by a hobby trainer, but rather by someone who should know a lot better in Bernie Hewitt.

I dont know Bernie, but that was a stinker and he deserves to get a decent holiday.

Its time start getting tough with drivers and dish out holidays and decent fines. we need to hit them where it hurts, and i guarantee where will see less bad drives.

agreed... cost lanercost an easy win on saturday

Not only Race 5. It must have been a new moon or something on the night, but there were several drives that , to say the least , were dreadfully ill-judged. Results on the night would look very different if drivers had acted with more thought.

I will say that , I am not a driver , just an owner , breeder , and punter , so what would I know :-(

Strangely enough, in recent times here in NSW the worse that the drive actually is it seems the greater the chance it will escape official comment. ( at least initially anyway)
I hereby tender Jason Proctor aboard the Newcastle Club's syndicate horse & Ben Sarina aboard Beef City Beau as classic examples thereof as both went straight through to the Keeper despite both being abject shockers.
I reckon if you go 8 wide, collect the Chiko Roll sign and run over some poor bastard trying to park his car in the Members you'll be awarded Drive Of The Decade here. :(

Footnote: Of course, having gone 8 wide, collected the Chiko Roll sign and run over the poor bastard in the Members car park, the driver will have to do the same at subsequent outings lest he be done under the Change Of Tactics rule.

I can safely say I've never put in a bad drive :)

please change the name of the thread to = bad stewards...not a single mention of the driving tactics of mega alexander, its only held the front twice to run last and handed up twice to win its last 4 starts... how can they question grahams drive? hes done it plenty of times on lanercost and if he found the front like you'd expect he would have walked in the race

An inquiry was opened into the driving tactics of MISTER GNP (NZ) (K Rasmussen) in particular in the middle stages when challenged by LANERCOST. After taking some evidence the inquiry was adjourned to a time and date to be fixed. A veterinary examination of MISTER GNP following the race revealed no obvious abnormalities.
D Graham was also asked to explain his driving tactics on LANERCOST in particular after securing a trail in the early stages he moved forward three wide and challenging and finding the lead at the 900. Stewards, after taking some evidence from driver Graham, adjourned this inquiry to a time and date to be fixed.

If D Graham didn't go forward on LANERCOST the stewards would of opened an inquiry (you just can't win). I think they should be looking at MEGA ALEXANDER and MISTER GNP performance's and drive's only.

A mate of mine was driving one of his own horses one night a few months ago. Was a rank outsider @ 40/1. He decided to put it in the race this particular night by getting the death after not much work, and they only went a modest mile rate. 2.04 I think. They ran a respectable race coming 5th for memory and beating home the favorite. Not bad for a 40/1 shot I would have thought. He was promptly suspended for 6 weeks for not giving his horse every chance of winning. He was rightly filthy, but decided not to appeal due to the cost involved.

wouldnt surprise me LCL.. some people are immune, some are singled out... but without seeing the race in question cant really take his side

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithy

wouldnt surprise me LCL.. some people are immune, some are singled out... but without seeing the race in question cant really take his side

Not asking you to take sides Smithy. The facts are there. The horse was an outsider (sorry 20/1) and ran a great race beaten about 7 metres. Driver gets suspended for 6 weeks. Powers that be, pat themselves on the back for rubbing out a small time owner/trainer/driver who doesn't punt, for a suspicious drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightymo

my pet hate is bad drives. Our industry depends massively on the punting dollar and so it is essential that punters have the confidence to expect certain things from a driver.

i just watched Race 5 at Albion park. I thought From the North was a good thing and backed it.

A horse called Narvik worked to the lead and was then challenged, and then challenged again by FTN but refused to hand up the lead despite the earlier work. If Narvik was in form and in the market i could understand that, but it has not won a race since Dec 09, and has run last or second last at each of its last 4 starts beaten between 14-37m. I was paying almost 40-1.
The horse was then challenged again, this time by Jennas Regret and again refused to hnad up. The horse was gone at ther 600m and finished tailed off last.

Now the horse was not driven by a hobby trainer, but rather by someone who should know a lot better in Bernie Hewitt.

I dont know Bernie, but that was a stinker and he deserves to get a decent holiday.

Its time start getting tough with drivers and dish out holidays and decent fines. we need to hit them where it hurts, and i guarantee where will see less bad drives.

This is the stewards report:

SAM MCCOOL (N Hanrahan) was momentarily inconvenienced passing the 500m when NARVIK commenced to give ground. A veterinary examination of NARVIK subsequent to the event revealed the gelding to be suffering from minor dehydration. Stewards advised Mr. Hewitt that if the gelding was to perform in a similar manner he would be required to go back to the trials to establish some better form.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightymo

my pet hate is bad drives. Our industry depends massively on the punting dollar and so it is essential that punters have the confidence to expect certain things from a driver.

i just watched Race 5 at Albion park. I thought From the North was a good thing and backed it.

A horse called Narvik worked to the lead and was then challenged, and then challenged again by FTN but refused to hand up the lead despite the earlier work. If Narvik was in form and in the market i could understand that, but it has not won a race since Dec 09, and has run last or second last at each of its last 4 starts beaten between 14-37m. I was paying almost 40-1.
The horse was then challenged again, this time by Jennas Regret and again refused to hnad up. The horse was gone at ther 600m and finished tailed off last.

Now the horse was not driven by a hobby trainer, but rather by someone who should know a lot better in Bernie Hewitt.

I dont know Bernie, but that was a stinker and he deserves to get a decent holiday.

Its time start getting tough with drivers and dish out holidays and decent fines. we need to hit them where it hurts, and i guarantee where will see less bad drives.

This is the stewards report...

SAM MCCOOL (N Hanrahan) was momentarily inconvenienced passing the 500m when NARVIK commenced to give ground. A veterinary examination of NARVIK subsequent to the event revealed the gelding to be suffering from minor dehydration. Stewards advised Mr. Hewitt that if the gelding was to perform in a similar manner he would be required to go back to the trials to establish some better form.