Trainers and Drivers

[Messenger]

R1 at Yarra Valley today would have to be the worst drive of Rebecca Bartley's career on the $1.45 fav
There were only 6 starters after scratchings and she was the lone runner on the back row
How do you manage to be held up the whole race?

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...23#YGC26072308

We will await the stewards report but no matter what excuse is given, she should have got a couple of weeks to remind her to do better - tell her to imagine her mum has put her house on her drive - would she have done things differently?

Sub standard drives like this one can cost the industry followers

[thepacingman]

Queensland stewards are investigating bar altercation involving harness racing participants at Albion Park.

Championship-winning harness trainer Jason Grimson will be interviewed by stewards as part of a wide-ranging investigation into a wild bar brawl at Brisbane’s Albion Park on Saturday night.

The brawl started in The Creek bar after Grimson was allegedly baited by several men after his horse Swayzee beat local idol Leap Of Fame in the Blacks A Fake championship which is the major race of the harness racing winter carnival.

The jewel night of Queensland harness racing’s crown was soured soon after by a brawl which is the talk of the industry.

The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission revealed it was “investigating an altercation involving racing participants that allegedly took place at Albion Park on Saturday evening’’ but gave no further detail.

Track manager Tony Turpin, father of former Brisbane Broncos rugby league hooker Jake, was privately praised by officials for trying to break up the melee which left him with a cut jaw.
“It (the brawl) lasted about two minutes and we ended up sending one group out one door and another group out a separate one,’’ Turpin said.

“I stepped in because you think of what that night means to the club, but it proved to me I’m not 24-years-old any more.’’

It is understood stewards have been given closed circuit television footage of the incident and plan to interview at least six people present on the night.

It is believed the taunts at Grimson stemmed from the improvement of Swayzee, which has won six races from as many starts under his guidance after being unplaced at its previous eight starts in Queensland.

One observer said Grimson copped taunts from several different men and shrugged off the first few before the situation escalated.

Sydney-based Grimson, 30, has an exceptional record for a young trainer with his 304 wins including eight Group 1s.

His career strike rate is a win every four starts and he won back to back Inter Dominions with tried pacers I Cast No Shadow and Boncel Benjamin.

[Messenger]

Is there a ceremony going on at Melton tonight or is the announcement of Hall of Fame Inductees only happening on TrotsVision - it is good for between races but I am thinking that the recipients must be getting honoured in a more formal way as well surely Yes, Rob just mentioned that there is a ceremony being conducted at Melton tonight

[Yabbie]

Is there a ceremony going on at Melton tonight or is the announcement of Hall of Fame Inductees only happening on TrotsVision - it is good for between races but I am thinking that the recipients must be getting honoured in a more formal way as well surely Yes, Rob just mentioned that there is a ceremony being conducted at Melton tonight

There was an induction ceremony in the Sky Box - approx 60 attendees.

Inductees were:

Trainer - Lance Justice
Driver - Dal Fitzpatrick
Horse - My Lightning Blue
Trainer - Jim O'Sullivan
Associate - Keven and Leo Newbound
Associate - Noel Ridge
Legend (elevated to this status) - Scotch Notch

[Messenger]

As you have probably seen in some articles, it was quite an effort by Kate Gath yesterday.
Not only did she drive Pull The Other Leg to win the Stawell Cup
In the morning she ran a half marathon in < 90mins, finishing 128th overall , 8th female overall, 4th female in the 40-49yo section (of thousands!)

[trish]

That's a massive effort from Kate. Could just see us in that marathon Kev. I would be still at the starting line.

[Messenger]

I have run a couple of marathons Trish
Running was my life until I turned 35 (and jumped on a bike) but I don't whether I would still have been going that fast at 40 which is Kate's age

[aussiebreno]

Got my 1hr38m covered.

[Messenger]

I didnt have any trouble doing a couple of those in a row But I was really an 800m man

[aussiebreno]

I didnt have any trouble doing a couple of those in a row But I was really an 800m man

Is there a seniors Stawell Gift? Get in training and we'll load up Fixed Odds!