Ouch! Poor girl.

http://www.thoroughbrednews.com.au/a....aspx?id=78870

Enjoyed your Bonecrusher piece immensely. :tro:

Good Lord it is impossible to find a pic of Giant Turtle! Ah well, maybe after the Derby it'll be easier... :D

Oh, poor Silent Achiever. Hope she'll be okay.

Good question about the draw affecting the list! But I don't think I'll make any changes based on that - it's quite a long run to the first turn and most horses are able to find a good spot by then.

Happy Derby Day!

Will post my plays when I have finalized them but for now am thinking might just put Mongolian Khan in the top spot and use Giant Turtle, Sound Proposition, VSB of course and the fillies underneath but oh plenty of time left to ponder.

Anyway thank YOU for making it so much fun and for all your great insight and everything.

Yay... it's here!!! :)

edit - Man I just watched a couple of Vavasour's replays...kinda back to square 1 now. :D

Who wins, ed?

That sounds like a good call! But, yeah, Vavasour is the mystery horse here. She hasn't faced the boys in a stakes race yet and it's hard to know how the fillies compare to the colts and geldings. One way to find out!

So excited that Derby day has finally arrived. I'm here at the track now, and it's looking absolutely beautiful. :)

I'm sticking with VSB, I believe he's the best horse in the race. But if one of the others turn out to be even better than him today, I'll be happy to see that too.

Same here. :)

You were so dead on when you pointed out that that was one of his best races (that last one when he finished 2nd)... VSB might very well be the better of the two. With so little separating two horses this good I think it's more I had to reach for.... something... and the something is, I guess, that Mongolian Khan has luck cause things just seem to go his way. :D

I boxed MK, VSB, Sound Proposition, Giant Turtle, Vavasour and Chenille and did a w/s on Giant Turtle just because. I will have to look again later on this evening and figure out what else to do...

Have a FANTASTIC time!!! Do a great job covering it and hope you nail it!

(... and come home safe, everyone).

HAPPY DERBY!

Somethingvain won the first - purchased for $1,100 and won a $40,000 race. That's a nice result!

Killarney Kid nice in race two, but I thought Lucky Feather was a bit unlucky.

Benzini was so good today.

And, wow, Redeem Code!

I think that was Durham Town's best ever performance.

Now it's Derby time!

That was one of the greatest races I've ever seen.

I am still just completely speechless and numb and haven't caught my breath!!!!!!!!

VSB didn't deserve to lose - if Mongolian Khan wasn't there, he's just won the Derby by five and a half lengths!

But Mongolian Khan was even better. Unbelievable performance from him and a truly unforgettable race.

It is just insane... I just watched it again and whoa... those two! Such fantastic horses and what else separated them but luck?

Man poor VSB... he is really such a sensational horse.

Hooray for Sound Proposition, cause that was no small task, and to Dee I Cee who I never thought had any chance of being anywhere at all (... but I know you did!).

Regarding the Darley Plate...
... and there is no video up of Durham Towns win?! Nooo! Hopefully they will fix it.

It muyst have been absolutely amazing being there...

Have not yet checked the Informant as I just woke up but cannot wait to read your stuff and watch all the other replays.

Great great Derby! Feels like we got two winners out of it. :tro:

Good Lord that was a beautiful run from Savaria (considering I thought Platinum Witness could have won that blindfolded and running backwards)!

... and still, no replay!

I know it will be there eventually and I cannot wait but it's frustrating!

I did manage to watch the Derby again... where does this one rate for you? How does it compare with say the past 10 years?

That's a good question!

When it's so soon after it and you're still so stunned and excited, it's easy to go a bit over the top and say it was the best ever.

There have been some great ones - Xcellent coming from last to win in 2004, Jimmy Choux fighting back so courageously in 2011, Silent Achiever's amazing dominance in 2012, Puccini's crazy move in the middle of the race last year.

But I don't know if I've ever seen such an amazing battle between two horses in a Derby before. It was just unbelievable, and it lasted for the whole stretch.

There was almost too much sporting drama in Auckland on Saturday - across town NZ were playing Australia in a World Cup game at Eden Park, and it was one of the closest and most unbelievable games ever. But we're still undefeated, now in 4 games. :)

Awesome about the World Cup and, for the record, if an award were given for the most attempts to actually watch the Darley Plate which is now up (well the video is apparently up although it will not actually play)... I'd win!

Man I really want to see it! I think I will finally have recovered from that race where he fell and whoa it's been a couple of years now (I think).

Cannot wait. SO happy for him and for his people.

I was trying to decide if it's the greatest NZ Derby I have seen but then started remembering others from the past few years and just wanted your opinion.

I think, for the rest of my life, when I see that replay I will get chills!

Some very nice fields on Wednesday!!!

Are you there today?

Wave to Sangster for me!

Good luck to Graphic and to Rollout the Carpet... would be so happy to see either one win their respective races but alas... very strong fields (I think if I were playing I'd use Abidewithme, Ponderosa Miss and Palace Rock but rooting only... will wait for Oaks day to play).

Have a great time if you're there!

I had to be at the office for the early part of the day working on the weekly paper, but I've been at Ellerslie since just before the Sunline Vase. :) Some fantastic performances today - Rock Diva was stunning.

She was sensational!

Nice 2nd by Pu$sy O'Reilly in her race (!) and oh... I do so love Thee Auld Floozie's tail. :o

NICE field for the NZ Stakes on Saturday!

(Good luck and safe home to El Chico in his race).

Thee Auld Floozie surprised me. I didn't think she was quite as good as some of the others and I thought Saavoya would beat her easily, but she proved me wrong! A really strong win from her.

I love the fields for both G1 races on Saturday. Can't wait.

".....but away goes Bobby....."

That was GREAT!

SO happy (... and happy I finally got to see it). Love the little tidbits that are included in the race. Bobby? Who knew. :D

Oh yeah I looked quickly and, had I been playing, would have completely tossed her.

Nice girl!

Have fun today. I would imagine Rising Romance and Marky Mark both win but good luck to Strata Lady and just about every single horse in the NZ Stakes. Would love for Soriano, Shuka or Iamishwara to win (OR RR) but it will be interesting to see how Farm Boy does here (after that last VERY nice race).

Hey if you ever hear anything about Tempelten can you post it? A little surprised not to have seen him at all last month... Thanks!

Here you go. :)
http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...i-jumping-hope

Oh that's awesome! Thanks! :)

The NZ Stakes was a hard article to write - so much to cover!

Really well done. You detailed everything with respect and compassion yet still wrote about the race...

For me a good race caller is one where I could close my eyes and see the race... it's complete, you know? So your piece was like that. One could not know anything about what had happened but read it and know the entire story.

Well done!

Have not yet watched any replays but pretty surprised that Marky Mark was off the board!

Happy to read the update on The Justice League this am!

Whoa, the noms for the Oaks look fantastic! Cannot wait!

I was looking at the fields for tomorrow (...Hawera?) and there is only one name I know (Steel Rose). I honestly don't remember ever seeing this name!

They don't race there very often, that's for sure. They only have one stakes race every year, which is in October.

I was a bit disappointed that Marky Mark was only fourth, but he actually ran a pretty good race and wasn't far away from them at the line. I think it was a bit better than it looks and he'll be a big chance in the Sires' Produce on March 28.

I'm not working on Saturday but I still can't wait! The Oaks and the Guineas should be fantastic races.

This is cool - good to see them having a bit of a break from the amazing job they're doing on the field. http://www.nzracing.co.nz/News/15544...kato-Stud.aspx

That IS cool!

Happy Oaks Day!

I have been thinking Platinum Witness all along and know she will be the heavy favorite but I'm finding myself rooting for Thee Auld Floozie now. Was thinking of using both along with Charmont but instead I think I will pass altogether and just watch.

Good luck to YOU and come home safe, good girls!

What a great finish that was in the Oaks!!!

Happy that Vespa and Spellbinder both won their respective races as well. :)

That was a fantastic Oaks. The second placing for Platinum Witness is enough to confirm her as the winner of the Filly of the Year Series. :) Beats Saavoya by six points.

Well good for both of them!

Just now saw your Tavistock fee article. Geez that should go up by what... about a thousand percent?

I know! It should be a massive increase, he's just been amazing this season.

Makes you wonder about what's to come when this season has been so completely phenomenal!

I was looking at the fields for Tauranga Racecourse this weekend and it finally occurred to me to look at the clubs and courses section... interesting stuff! Cool to finally see what is where.

Some nice fields but oh I do wish Postman's Daughter would be retired now. While I am rooting for others like Recite I haven't forgotten what a nice race Julinsky Prince ran that last out.

Thoughts on who wins at Rosehill?

http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en...&meeting=56057

Yeah! I like what they've done with it, and I'm sure it's a big help for fans who aren't from here. :)

I'm not sure about Rosehill on Saturday. I think Rising Romance will win her race, and I hope Silent Achiever goes well in the Ranvet.

I think Mongolian Khan and VSB have a tough challenge stepping down in distance for the Guineas after the Derby, but hopefully they'll show how good they are as well.

VSB and Rising Romance on their way to Sydney...

Great picture!!! Good luck to both. :)

Aw, Rising Romance just misses out. But still a nice run.