Darci's Dream? Wasn't expecting that. But she was impressive! Looks like she's improved a lot since her 2yo year.

Have only watched two of the races so far and - of course - not in order. :D.

Far Fetched (!!!) That was wonderful to see and wow... Golan Express was flying at the end!

The other one was - oh geez I have blanked out on his name.... race 2 with the Council horse and the nice finish (and you're right... all three)!

Good luck and safe travles to Silent Achiever, by the way (just watched the video on the nzracing site). :)

Yeah, Far Fetched was brilliant. So good to see her come back so well.

Ended up being a busy day yesterday! My boss asked me to watch the Taupo races and just write articles for any races that were good enough to warrant it - I wrote a lot of articles!

I know, I read your work all the time!!! :D

You know ed, when you're the President and CEO of NZ Racing maybe you could implement a database for all the retired runners so that people like me, when trying to find certain horses (is I'mabayboy in Malaysia now or was that someone else I had searched for? Can't remember!), have an easier time of it!

I mean hooray for the Macau Jockey Club listing the barrier trials in along with the races but I nearly had a heart attack thinking he (Upsala!) had won one! Damn!

http://www.mjc.mo/race_en/info/lastr...n=SG&race_no=6

Oh well. He has since run one time (and beat one other horse home).

http://www.turfclub.com.sg/Racing/Pa...HeaderID=41468

Wish they would send him back home now. :confused:

That's a really good point! It's hard to keep up with all those horses. I'll do my best if I ever get any influence with that sort of thing!

Seven days until the first G1 of the season. Can't wait! My boss will be going to Hastings for that. I've got the day off - I'll either sit in front of the TV all day watching it, or maybe go up to Ruakaka and have a look at Puccini in his first race back. Haven't decided yet.

The Hastings fields are AMAZING!

G1 Makfi:


Silent Achiever is likely to scratch and run in Melbourne instead, but still a remarkable line up!

The 3yo race is fantastic as well. Amun Ra was SO impressive in his last race as a 2yo, and I can't wait to see what he does here.

Taken The Liberty is undefeated and did it well in his only race, and Turn Me Loose was also really good in winning his last start. Then there's the stakes-placed Don't Change and also Longchamp, who wasn't far away in the Karaka Million... :zz:

Pondarosa Miss is in race three! Against Kentucky Son who was 4th in the Derby, and also a really talented horse called Wolfwhistle.

Chambord v Ryan Mark in race seven!

Are you kidding??? This looks like it's a list of someones favorite horses haha!

Cannot WAIT. This is one of the best fields ever!

Ooh, change of plans. My boss has suggested we both go to Hastings! It will mean leaving home at 5:30am and not getting back until about 11pm, but totally worth it. I can't wait.

How awesome and yeah I would imagine it's worth having to miss Puccini (... and Sangster, Miss Pelear and Antonio!). Should be a fantastic day! Can't wait to hear about it.

Good luck to Vey... oh no if I start that with the fields at Hastings I'll be here all night. Just have a blast!!!

At Hastings now! The press room isn't the best, but the track is looking magnificent and the sun is shining. Can't wait for G1 racing.

First race is about 40 min away!

How exciting and oh wow ed I didn't realize Amun Ra was in the race with Stratocaster!!! You probably said it and I forgot.

Please wave to Blizzard (pretty boy! :D) and Pink Diamond and Sam and Brotha and oh God every horse in the Makfi!!!!!!

Especially Veyron :{>: though. And Shuka. And Xanadu, Zennista, Nashville (might win, huh?), Soriano (might win), I Do (might win), Survived, Ms. O'Reilly, Jesus how does anyone cap this race? This is just the best field... wish I were there!

Have a wonderful time. Hope everyone comes home safe and am totally looking forward to reading your recap!

Stratocaster! That was an incredible performance. Wow. Trying to find the words to do justice to it in an article now. That's some horse.

Oh yea! Happy to hear he won impressively and also that Amun Ra hit the board. Can't wait to catch the replay later! :)

edit Just saw something on Twitter about Ponderosa Miss. How awful. :(

Yeah, that was so sad. :( Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery. That really cast a bit of a shadow over the whole day.

But what a wonderful performance from I Do, yet again. Just a fantastic mare.

So happy for her connections and cannot wait to see all the replays.

Blizzard! Haha I was surprised!

If I ever own a horse I want Opie to ride! What a beautiful win by I Do and wow, Ms. O'Reilly! Very nice!

I just can't watch the race with Ponderosa Miss (any updates?) but can I ask you something? Was it Marco Chui's fault? I mean that is a serious question but in your heart of hearts...

I remember him well from his many episodes in HK. :zz:

Finally all caught up and I saved Antonio Lombardo for last. What a nice win that was. I wanted Puccini, of course, but nice to watch.

Oh and lest I forget the replay of that last barrier trial... whoa that was cool! Too bad Recite didn't look as good for her race.

Encouraging news about Pondarosa Miss: http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...Pondarosa-Miss

I do believe it was Marco Chui's fault. Obviously it was an accident, but he didn't check before moving his horse outwards. They cut right in front of Pondarosa Miss, and she had nowhere to go.

Marco Chui was given a one-month suspension after the race. Some of the other people in the press room said they thought he was lucky it wasn't longer.

Yeah from what I've heard he WAS lucky that he was only given a month. Ugh I just cannot watch the race.

Thanks for the update!!!