When race 10 at Addington tonight is run and won, that will put the lid on another season of racing.
I've already touched on the last 12 months in Otago racing in yesterday's Otago Daily Times, but what would we like from the new season?
Here are a few hopes:- more days like New Zealand Trotting Cup day will be given the full bells-and-whistles broadcast treatment.
It cannot be underestimated how much work goes into a seven-hour live production, but the feedback from viewers to last year's Trotting Cup should hopefully give the broadcasting unit the encouragement to push on with such coverage where possible.
. . . of the year . . .
- changes in track conditions are relayed as quickly as possible.
I'm very much a ''punt five minutes before a race'' kind of guy, but I can imagine many of you get frustrated when a track is upgraded from slow to dead after just one race.- we have a trouble-free Melbourne Cup.
It is the biggest advertisement out there for thoroughbred racing in New Zealand and Australia, but the death of two horses - one in a freak accident and one due to a heart attack which could have happened in the paddock at home - allowed the event to be hijacked by protesters who were more interested in pushing their own barrows and less interested in the welfare of the horses.
. . . as we know it
- the commingling of First4s, quaddies and quinella pools will be back on board at the end of August as the TAB expects and hopes.
They are pawns in a larger game between rival factions in Australia, but the prospect of punting into minuscule pools isn't too appetising for now.
A dollar a day
I'm handing out a Sean Fitzpatrick-style full credit to the TAB for its latest initiative.
It will come as no surprise to many of you, but often my account slips under the $5 mark, so all I can do to try to lift it back up with an each-way bet, a $1 quinella, or maybe a hopeful $2 on the nose of some poor unsuspecting nag.
However, you can now have a crack at the exotic options for very little outlay but plenty of combinations as the TAB has reduced the minimum bet for percentage bets from $5 down to $1.
The minimum of 5c per combination remains, but you can still put on a $1 bet with 20 combinations, so that gives you variety and options.
Lazy fiver
I'm showing about as much good judgement as a dentist from Minnesota when it comes to choosing a Lazy Fiver.
I would use the excuse that Tetrick got a flat tyre with 300m to go last Friday night, but it wasn't going well enough anyway, finishing third.
Shadow Tower in race 2 at Riccarton tomorrow looks like a natural improver off his debut run.
