RACING RETRO APRIL GOSSIP

[mal]

HONG KONG RACES
----------------------

The big news eminating from HONG KONG is that a groundsman has
discovered a plot which could have caused catasthropic results.
The news is that at the start of the 1200 metre races a devise was found
by the groundsman to make poison darts go off into the horses
This will be Big news by Friday morning
Bloody unbeleivable.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


PRE RACE TESTING
----------------------

Trainer Ron Johnson has sold his horse Dandy JESTER and refuses to train in SA.
It is alledged that the pre racing testing is done by injecting an intravenous needle
into the horses neck about 45 minutes before race time.
6 of the 66 horses running at Cheltenham were swabbed in this manner I believe,
and FIESTA BOY won one of those races.
JOHNSON says there should be a database set up to monitor performances of injected horses.
JOHNSON also was not keen on this injecting in NSW as well
Im not sure but is this injecting unsettling ?????????????????????????????????????????


55 MILLION GRANDSTAND AT VIC PARK
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Getting a lot of adverse publicity in the press of late.
Seems a bit much for a rarely used complex.
If they had dogs/races/trots in there it might be a good investment.
Any thoughts ????????????????????????????????????????????????????

OAKBANK
------------

Without doubt the best race meeting in the country
I rate it better then being at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup.
Might be $20 + admission but worth every single penny.
Which bank Oakbank.

[Dutchy]

'Poison dart' device found
From correspondents in Hong Kong
March 22, 2007 AN elaborate device apparently designed to shoot poison darts at horses at the start of a race has been found embedded in the turf at a world-famous racetrack in Hong Kong.

A track supervisor unearthed the device while making a routine check of the starting points for races scheduled at the Happy Valley racetrack last night, the Hong Kong Jockey Club said today.

The remote-controlled device included 12 metal tubes, each 30cm long, filled with darts. The device was found buried in the grass under the spot where the starting gates were to be located for 1200 metre races.

The tubes, spaced so each would aim up at a horse, were wired together and linked to a wireless receiver, a police source who declined to be identified said.

"The obvious intent was that it was going to fire these little darts which have got some kind of chemical in it ... up from the ground up to where the horse's starting gate is," the source said.

"I doubt very much that it was meant to do anything more than just slightly tranquillise the horse. That's my speculation."

The source said the device was almost certainly related to betting, and it could be linked to organised crime syndicates known as triads.

"It could well be that triads are part of that, especially the gambling, which is done outside the Jockey Club's system," the source said.

"If you can get the horse to slow down just enough, it looks like a normal race and the favourite may not come in."

The darts had been sent to a laboratory to identify the chemical used.

"The full nature of the device and its intended purpose has not been established at this time," the Jocket Club said.

"However, no explosives were found."

The races proceeded as normal.

Reuters

[mal]

I thought poison darts were only produced in jungles by savages
or when Nathan Hauritz takes wickets.

I am stunned how it could have been attempted on a race track.

[another grub]

truly unbelievable....

reminds me of scoob as a youngster at the lincoln dogs where he tied fishing line to the inside rail......at the 300m mark and hid in the trees on the outside rail...... he would pull the line if he wanted the dog in front to fall.....lol..... Ahh those were the days.....

[bayman]

whatabout the race with irish patrol in at angle park over the distance, it drew 1 it was about 1/4 & they had dug a 'pipeline into all the boxes bar the 1 to gas the dogs, the police told them (greyhound authority) to say nothing they watched the betting & there was BIG $$$$$$$$$$$$ on it, they let the race run it won & the cops confiscated the tickets & arrested the bettors on the spot

the other one i remember was a race at the strath dogs it was the start down the back straight but i can't remember whether it was a sprint or distance race but the dog was gillespies gift & it drew 5 from memory & when the starter checked the boxes he found taks/drawing pins in all the other boxes


what i dont get with irish patrols 'scam' why back something that was 1/4 anyway

i've often said to mal & mt that we should take a cat or chook to the gawler dogs & back a dog that is unbeatable if it leads but if it didn't lead i'd be down the back straight & throw the said aniMAL onto the track causing a no-race & us getting a refund

does anyone remember the 2 cases i've posted ??

[mal]

I remember tacks in front of the boxes.

About 15 years ago they used a stun gun.
They put it on the leading dog and it would veer off the track and pull up

[mal]

KAYLA STRA
----------------
Jockey Kayla STRA missed a couple of rides today.
Wait for it.
she was asleep and didnt wake up in time for Cheltenham today


IMPACT RATING
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Ascot R4-3 IMPACT RATING
Unplaced favourite today
I wonder if 2 of the owners will be swabbed

CHRIS MUNCE
-----------------

Appears that arrangements to do his jail sentence of 2 years and 6 munce have fallen thru.
His offence in China is not an offence in Australia so will not come home.
Meanwhile MUNCE has changed solicitors for an appeal.

[mal]

Ive had a go at 2 feMALes today.

KAYLA STRA for sleeping in
GINA BELL for being a poor trotting driver.

It was ironic but at GDP tonight
BELL won the feMALe driving challenge
STRA presented her on course with the award

[another grub]

Ive had a go at 2 feMALes today.

KAYLA STRA for sleeping in

there's a line there but under the circumstances I had better leave this one alone......

[mal]

Iconic veteran South East racecaller George Kay has passed away
He died on Friday.
Kay called for 45 years between 1952-1997.

My memories of Kay are quite humourous.
He was an excitable caller and really made the last few hunderd metres
his own with his Jimmy Jaques like finales.
I always enjoyed his calls, a remnant now of the callers I grew up with.
RIP GK

[mal]

OAKBANK is synomonous with the great Jumps trainer Jim HOULIHAN
The news is the 93 year old jumps stalwart is in diminishing health and
is struggling health wise.
Lets hope he gets through this carnival and he can sit up wherever he is
and watch the races.


Whose going to win the GREAT EASTERN the finest jumps race in Australia ?

I can remember seeing my first GE when i was about 8 years old and
seeing that marvellous win of KOORASHALI.

Its a great day out at OAKBANK my favourite meeting on the racing calender

[mal]

JIM HOULIHAN DEAD
-----------------------

The great jumps trainer died aged 93.
Surprisingly only started training at 57 years old.
Houlihan was inducted into the hall of fame in 2004


CRAIG MACAULEY
----------------------

Victorian trainer MACAULEY arrived in SA on Thursday and
He went to race acceptance with his jumps horse JUNGLE GEORGE and could not
because acceptances closed on Wednesday
JUNGLE GEORGE was to race in the Great Eastern Steeple on Monday and is now not running.
MACUALEY had travelled 800km to get here and will now travel 800km to go back.