Las aguafuertes indescifrables del Gremmo Magnífico

Late night at the races tonight. Our first race is the 9th, the 2009 Pak'N Save Franklin Cup at 9.50pm. #12 ZENAD, #13 AWESOME ARMBRO and #14 ALL TIGER are all off 20m, and #15 CHANGEOVER is off 30m.

In race 10 at 10.20 we have #6 PERFECT CULLEN, and in race 11 at 10.50 #9 AWOHALI and #13 FRANCO NOUVEL.

- Gremlyn

Nothing really springs to mind to write about today. For the past wee while it has been a bit hard getting out of bed, leaving me with little time to write, and now that I have time, I'm struggling to think of anything to fill the void.

Put a watch to the two-year-olds for the first time, at this stage just a slow mile, but it's all exciting and new for them. Speaking of exciting and new, the gardeners next door are picking their carrots and occasionally the odd tiger and bear will leap out and try to eat us, eh Regal?

Despite all my rage, I'm still just a prat on a stage.

- Gremlyn

Turns out Kim (the new stablehand) has a horse with the McGowans called French Fantasy who was in the same heat as Joey. Both finished midfield.

- Gremlyn

We have another staff member for a few months, which is going to be pretty good. She knows what she's doing so will be up to speed pretty quick.

Joey, Tin and Maire are going to the workouts at Pukekohe today.

- Gremlyn

Day off! Hooray. Much relaxing is planned for today, including seeing 2012 and hanging out at the mall, then returning home to watch the last F1 race of the season.

Yay.

- Gremlyn

I forgot to mention yesterday that Ian's mare was racing again down in the old swamp. She came second, so two thirds and a second since we've had her.

Tonight at Cambridge we kick off at 5.45pm with #7 WILLOWBROOK in the first. At 6.20pm #14 J WALKER in the second then at 6.57pm #3 ELLE MAGUIRE in the third. The fourth at 7.30pm is an Alabar NZ Sires Stakes 3yo Fillies Heat and we are fielding #7 MATAI MIES, #8 DE LOVELY and #15 INDULGE. Then a short break before Pete drives #9 NEXTDOOR TO ALICE in the 6th at 8.32pm. Finally at 9.32pm #11 SLOANE SQUARE in the 8th.

- Gremlyn

Mother Dearest is recovering from her latest surgery in which they have removed the breast. No doubt my mother will take this as an opportunity to return to her Amazon roots and take up archery.

- Gremlyn

Janine ran second or third yesterday but was a bit rough coming up to the line again.

Pete and the Christchurch horses (sounds like a band name, doesn't it? Probably has a drum machine and plays in casinos, but) arrived back yesterday and Spendit left.

- Gremlyn

Yesterday was quite the long day. And, for the most part, fairly unspectacular. Drove two runs each on Colonel, Regal and Sandie, and then drove Willow in hopples.

Was a good day, just a bit long.

As for today, DREAM ON BAILEY starts from 11th in race 4 at 1.35pm at Manawatu. Up against formerly Brad and Pete's gelding Brokeback too.

- Gremlyn
That sentence seems clumsy

I disagree that Phil should be facing charges for the manner in which he drove Sonny on Friday. In the first instance, Auckland Reactor has only ever show weakness when he's been attacked. In
Australia he showed that he had a possible mental fragility when he was being eyeballed.

Furthermore, Sonny had a jog on Cup Day, and so theoretically was the best chance in that field to either have a look from parked or even lead up.

Finally, an if/else arguement. If the pace was too hot in the 'speed duel' for the lead, then Purdon should have recognised the effect this would have on his own horse and handed up to Sonny and taken the trail. In this instance, I believe Mark should be facing the same charges as Phil. Otherwise, the pace was not too hot, both horses went disappointing and there is no case to answer.

Regardless, logic dictates that in order to beat the horse in front of you, you must try to get in front of it.

- Gremlyn

After a 'mare of a Cup carnival, which saw us beaten again yesterday by Monkey King, and Tom and Fonz racing to nowhere, I slept through our last chance's race, the last at Alexandra Park.

And I missed Franco Nouvel taking his maiden victory by the whisker of the flea riding on his tip of his nose.

- Gremlyn

Mies and Spendit picked up a third placing each at Cambridge last night.

Today at Addington: Race 4 2.10pm #15 ZENAD, Race 6 3.10pm #7 FRANCO HENDRIX, Race 9 4.50pm #2 GOMEO ROMEO (effectively drawn pole as #1 scratched), and finally the big boys take on the Reactor and Spank in the FFA Race 10 5.25pm #4 CHANGEOVER and #9 AWESOME ARMBRO.

Tonight at Alexandra Park: Race 7 8.54pm #4 THOMAS MAGUIRE and #7 PERFECT CULLEN, Race 9 9.50pm #3 FRANCO NOUVEL.

- Gremlyn

Tonight at Cambridge: Race 3 #6 MATAI MIES 7.12pm, race 6 #6 SPENDIT 8.32pm, race 7 #9 WILLOWBROOK and #11 SLOANE SQUARE 9.00pm.

- Gremlyn

Auckland Reactor beat our horses in the FFA, Sir Lincoln beat our horses in the Sires' Stakes, and Monkey King beat our horses in the cup.

- Gremlyn

Cup Day today!

Our first race is race 4, 4 ALL TIGER and 12 ZENAD. They're up against Auckland Reactor, but Tigger has downed the stallion before.

Then race 8 is the NRM Sires Stakes Series Final, 4 FRANCO HENDRIX and 10 GOMEO ROMEO.

Finally, race 10 the Christchurch Casino New Zealand Trotting Cup, 3200m, $1,000,000 FFA Pace, 10 CHANGEOVER and 15 AWESOME ARMBRO. Plenty of good horses in the field, with Karloo Mick, Smoken Up, Monkey King and Kiwi Ingenuity all getting plenty of hype.

- Gremlyn

First run yesterday, the shaft of my sulky broke. Regal was good, and slowed to a stop in a straight line and thus avoided skewering himself on the exposed end of the shaft, but it made the rest of my day look better.

- Gremlyn

I'm drawing a complete blank today. I've been feeling a bit of pressure recently, but after talking about it with Elaine last night, I realise that most of it is self-inflicted.

Rocking.

- Gremlyn

Cup trial day yesterday, Chang finished second to Kiwi Ingenuity, and Gomeo won his trial.

Just realised that I'll have to be here Sunday morning or all day Saturday. I'll have to be here to make the feeds for Sunday.

- Gremlyn

So much to say, so little time

- Gremlyn

On Sunday Spendit won and Dolly came second at Manawatu, Natalie was rubbish in her dressage but went double clear to finish somewhere between seventh and tenth overall.

Yesterday Tiger and Pops ran well enough in themselves but couldn't overcome poor draws in the Kaikoura Cup.

And Rach and Malcolm took the day off, Aria had the books to balance and Ian S had to take the horse truck we borrowed back to Cambridge, leaving Ian H and I to finally wrap things up about quarter to six.

- Gremlyn