Continuing on the theme of handicaps, Dunedin man Charlie Voight is a collector and historian of racing information who gave me a call last week and proceeded to tell me the story of Hardy Wilkes.
I won't blame you if you haven't heard of the son of Marvin Wilkes. After all, he raced almost 100 years ago.
Hardy Wilkes clearly had some ability - the Addington website says he finished sixth in the 1917 New Zealand Cup.
And it was in that same year when he won off - what Charlie understands to be - the biggest handicap in New Zealand for a light harness horse.
The ''straight-out'' trotter lined up in the Crescent Handicap over two miles (in the old measurement) but he wasn't alongside the rest of the field - oh no...
... from me
The two-mile mark (3200m mark these days) is pretty much at the top of the home straight - give or take a few metres. But Hardy Wilkes started - distance-wise - from the end of the back straight - 312 yards (or 285m) behind his opposition.
Hardy Wilkes trotted the journey in 4.36.4, winning by a neck over Billy Parole - who started off 84yds - and Mayfield (60yds).
Punting prowess
Fancy yourself as a better punter than me? Not hard, admittedly, but here's your chance to show some silky selection skills - although it will involve some travelling.
Addington Raceway has started the Kiwi Punters' Challenge which consists of 10 heats from September 5 to October 31. The top three in each heat go through to the final, which will be held on Show Day (November 14).
The only catch for Otago punters is if you want to enter a heat, you will either need to travel to one of the seven heats at Addington, two at Alexandra Park, or the Southland one at the Northern Tavern on September 14.
Entry for the heat is $500, which you or your syndicate will use for betting on each heat. More details are available at www.addington.co.nz.
Good breeding
Happy days for John ''Singo'' Singleton. The last time you probably heard of him in the racing pages was during the ''More Joyous/Gai Waterhouse/Andrew Johns/Tom Waterhouse/everyone in Sydney'' saga.
Once the dust had settled around that drama, More Joyous was sent to the UK to be served by unbeaten star Frankel. The subsequent result earlier this month was a filly. Unsurprisingly, Singo is holding on to this one and I get the feeling you won't see the filly in Gai Waterhouse's yard any time soon.
Lazy Fiver
I thought The Pacman was set to at least to return me a place dividend, but he finished fourth at Rangiora. Edging closer though.
Let's try Aldebaran Star in the interprovincial (race 7) at New Plymouth tomorrow.
