NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club Inc

Workd fwrd,ld 1500,held them off

Chkd,found 1x1.wd 400,chal,thwarted

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - checked by a breaking runner at the start. Driver G Hall Jnr was spoken to for the manner in which he used his whip in the run home.

Prkd,3bk otr 1200,held up,good wd

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - held up early in the run home.

3-4bk inr,3bk otr,outsprintd at bk

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - over-raced middle stages.

4-3-4bk otr,5bk 800,angld,smart wd

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - over-raced middle stages.

5bk otr,wd rear tn,big dash wdst

Eased,rear otr,wd 600,wdst,bt slows

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - raced wide early. Again raced wide from the 650m. When questioned regarding the performance driver R Close advised the gelding had been obliged to race wide on the final bend after being unable to improve in the middle stages due to the strong tempo and he was pleased with the effort.

Ld out,trld 1650,thru,breezed on by

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - over-raced middle stages.

Held ld,eyed 700m,responded bravely

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - lay outwards throughout the run home.

Soon prkd,3bk inr 750,waitd,sound

SPIRIT DOWNUNDER - over-raced when racing in the parked position through the early and middle stages. Held up early in the run home. Stewards questioned driver C Ferguson regarding the tactics he adopted near the 900m when electing to shift down to the marker line as opposed to remaining in the one one position. Mr Ferguson explained that he felt that his best option was to shift inwards and follow ROCKINGOOD and DEADLINE who were both favoured runners rather than remain in the one out line following NICKEL AND DIME which had improved quickly to race in the parked position through the middle stages as this would have resulted in him having to improve wide on the final bend. After considering the matter, Stewards were satisfied that Mr Ferguson's tactics were not unreasonable in the circumstances and took the matter no further.

3-4bk inr,waitd tn,1-paced inr

MATAI HARRY - hung inwards and struck a track marker near the 1500m.

Trld,3bk inr 1800,askd tn,1-paced

Easd,5bk otr,wdst rear tn,imprvd wd

MATAI HARRY - raced wide early.

Soon 3bk otr,to inr-mid tn,honest

3wd,prkd 1300-tn,up,won dogfight

MATAI HARRY - raced wide early.

4-5bk inr,held up tn-100,cheeky

MATAI HARRY - lay inwards rounding the first bend striking a track marker. Held up until late in the run home.

4-3bk otr,up 3wd tn,rattled home wd

3bk otr,up,prkd 1600-tn,felt pinch

MATAI HARRY - crowded by outside runners racing into the first bend. Lay inwards near the 1100m having to be corrected by driver W House.

9th otr,5-bk,wd 1100,posted,no more

MATAI HARRY - raced wide without cover from the 1100m. Lay in near the 900m and then again passing the 400m when commencing to weaken. When questioned regarding the performance Driver W House stated that the race had not been run to suit when having to attempt to improve wide in the middle stages.

Lobbed trail,thru 150,just thwarted

1x1,prkd,ld 1300,fght hard,cght 100

Wd,7-6bk otr,wd rear tn,pluggd

BETTOR BE SHARP - raced wide early.

3rd inr,3-bk 2400,off,fght mid,blkd

4bk otr,5bk 800,wd rear tn,cheeky

BETTOR BE SHARP - over-raced middle stages.

Led,trld,ld,trld 1800,fght hard inr

BETTOR BE SHARP - broke briefly at the start losing ground.

Wd,made ld,trld 1400,off,too sharp

BETTOR BE SHARP - raced wide early.

3bk otr,1x1 600,tight,steady mid

3-4bk otr,3wd rear,no extra mid

BETTOR BE SHARP - over-raced middle stages.

Eased,3bk otr,wd rear tn,battled

Trainer G O'Reilly advised Stewards on 3 October BETTOR BE SHARP has been treated for a virus since last racing.

5th otr,prkd,3-bk,wd 450,no punch

4th inr,3-bk 2400,held up,sound inr

TEDS LEGACY - held up in the run home until near the 150m.

3rd,3-4bk inr,held up tn,steady inr

TEDS LEGACY - when questioned regarding the performance driver J Curtin advised he was not overly disappointed given the way the race had been run after racing back on the inner.

3rd,up,led 1600,joind tn,run down

Prkd 2600,1x1 1100,up,game,hdd

3wd cvr 1400-500,postd tn,fght on

TEDS LEGACY - raced wide with cover throughout.

4th inr,3-bk 2500,off,steady in mid

Trld-3bk,off,ld 1800,joined,toughst

TEDS LEGACY - broke at the start losing ground.

Wd,prkd,ld 1400,dictated,gunned dwn

TEDS LEGACY - raced wide early.

Cght prkd,1x1-3bk,flat 5th tn,ok

TEDS LEGACY - over-raced middle stages.

4-5bk inr,off rear tn,imprvd mid

Wd,parkd,1x1,up trn,steady

6th inr,4-bk 2400,off,ran on nicely

DANCE TILL DAWN - raced in restricted room when MISTY BLUE lay inwards simultaneously to BRYCE'S MEDDLE shifting outwards near the 200m.

Brk,5th,prkd 1800-tn,weakened str

BRYCE'S MEDDLE - broke briefly at the start. When questioned regarding the performance driver J Dunn advised the gelding failed to handle the track conditions today.

Up,led,trld 1900,held up,good inr

Prkd,ld 2800,joind 500,fght,bested

6 & 7-bk mrks,off,whacked away gap

4-3bk inr,prkd 1600,fght well,faded

Up,soon prkd,there tn,fght,hdd

3-4bk otr,3-5wd tn,useful bid wdst

BRYCE'S MEDDLE - out of position at the start despite the efforts of driver R Harrison. A warning was placed on the barrier record of the gelding.

Gate spd,ld,trld 1800,thru,fair inr

Gate spd,ld,trld 1500,short bid inr

Gt spd,led,trail bell,parkd,too big

Mid otr,3w,parkd bell,fght ok

MUNROE'S MATE - over-raced middle stages.

Gt spd,led thrghout,kept givng

MUNROE'S MATE - shied outwards approaching the winning post on the first occasion. Shied outwards again late in the run home placing an outside runner in restricted room simultaneously to PALLADIUM laying inwards, resulting in TUA LIPA (J Cox) having to be steadied. A warning was placed on the racing record of MUNROE'S MATE. When questioned driver J Cox confirmed his chances of finishing ahead of MUNROE'S MATE and PALLADIUM had not been affected.

Wd,parkd,soon 1x1,fading trn

MUNROE'S MATE - lay in when weakening final bend. When questioned regarding the performance of a favoured runner driver S Thornley advised he was disappointed with the effort. Trainer T Barron also expressed his disappointment and advised he would have blood tests conducted on the gelding in the coming days and undertook to report any findings to Stewards.

4-5bk inr,4bk otr,off,handy mid-wd

Up,led,3bk inr 1000,urgd tn,battld

MUNROE'S MATE - lay inwards final bend striking track markers. Driver G Hall Jnr was issued a warning for using his whip with more than a wrist flicking motion in the run home.

Brk,6th otr,1x1,4-bk,wd top,steady

COMMANDER BEN - broke at the start losing ground. A warning was placed on the barrier record of the gelding.

1x1,shffld mid,angld trn,nice fin

COMMANDER BEN - broke at the start losing ground.

1x1,brf 3bk 500,off,steady mid

4th inr,4-bk,fght on inr,never clr

COMMANDER BEN - tangled away. Held up late in the run home.

Prkd,1x1 1150,felt pinch in str

COMMANDER BEN - weakened leaving the final bend.

Gate spd,ld,held ld,hdd 300,faded

COMMANDER BEN - over-raced when leading through the middle stages. Driver O Thornley reported the gelding had been striking the sulky wheel discs during the running.

Prkd,1x1-5bk otr,4bk,inr tn,sound

Gate spd,ld-3bk inr,off tn,no kick

Trld out,4-bk 2000,prkd 900,outfin

Trail,3bk bell,off trn,solid bid

Up,prkd,ld 1800,kickd tn,held best

TAKETHEPLUNGE - raced wide early.

Thru,3bk otr,4bk 700,off,useful

3bk otr,up,prkd 1150,askd,fght,fdd

5bk otr,up,prkd 800,ld tn,fght,cght

13th otr,wd cvr 600,failed to spark

TAKETHEPLUNGE - driver D Dolan reported the gelding had failed to handle the grass track today.

Up,prkd,ld 1350,kickd,held best

TAKETHEPLUNGE - raced wide early.

4bk otr,5bk 1000,wd trn,smart wd

TAKETHEPLUNGE - over-raced middle stages.

5bk otr,3wd,ld 900,fght,hdd 100

TAKETHEPLUNGE - over-raced middle stages. Shifted in marginally near the 100m.

Brk run-up,wd cvr rear top,no punch

TAKETHEPLUNGE - paced roughly in the score up and was out of position at the start. A warning was placed on the barrier record of the gelding.