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#382
07-29-2013, 12:31 PM
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#384
08-01-2013, 12:51 AM
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 Happy birthday to all the wonderful boys and girls. Make a wish! 
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#385
08-01-2013, 03:33 PM
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Love the birthday wishes pic on the NZ racing site!
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#386
08-01-2013, 08:50 PM
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There was a nice story on TV news about the horses' birthday. I'm not sure if it works outside NZ, but here's the link in case.
http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/happy-...-video-5524907 So nice to see Ethereal and Bonecrusher.
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#387
08-01-2013, 09:32 PM
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Just lovely.
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#388
08-04-2013, 01:24 AM
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AWARDS PICKS
2yo: RECITE My call might be a bit of a surprise here. Ruud Awakening is the likely winner of this award. She definitely generated the most hype and excitement with her big wins in the Karaka Million and G1 Diamond Stakes. But Recite was perfect through four starts, including the G1 Sires' Produce, G2 Breeders' Stakes and G2 Wakefield Stakes. I just feel like she accomplished more. 3yo: SACRED FALLS (just ahead of Habibi) Again, I completely disagree with the awards committee. They nominated Dundeel, and of course he's going to win for his amazing performances in Australia. But I don't think a horse who didn't race in NZ at all as a 3yo should be eligible to be declared our country's best 3yo. So I've gone for Sacred Falls for his spring winning spree - Northland Challenge Stakes, G2 Hawke's Bay Guineas, G3 Sarten Memorial and G1 2000 Guineas. I remember thinking the award was settled as soon as Sacred Falls crossed the line in the 2000 Guineas in November. But then Habibi had an AMAZING late summer and came so close to taking the award - wins in the G2 Great Northern Guineas, G2 Championship Stakes and G1 Derby. She was fabulous, but Sacred Falls just beats her for me. Sprinter FINAL TOUCH At the start of the season, Final Touch hadn't won a single graded stakes race. Over the summer she won the G1 Captain Cook Stakes, G1 Telegraph and G1 Waikato Sprint. She was unbelievable! Of course Mufhasa and Xanadu are phenomenal horses too, but I think this is one of the easiest picks. Middle distance horse OCEAN PARK This one's pretty easy too. Two G1 wins in NZ, and also three in Australia (including the Cox Plate). He was sensational this season. Stayer SANGSTER I thought he was done - he had quite a long series of failures after his G1 Victoria Derby win in Australia in November 2011. But he suddenly awoke from his slumber this season, winning the G1 Auckland Cup, G1 International Stakes and G2 Avondale Cup. Horse of the year FINAL TOUCH Ocean Park or Dundeel will win this, but I went for Final Touch because she did more in NZ than either of those. She was on the only horse to win three G1s in NZ this season, and that's good enough for me.
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#389
08-04-2013, 12:41 PM
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I like your reasoning for Final Touch being Horse of the Year. I thought it would go to Ocean Park but am suddenly thinking no maybe Habibi will get it. Exciting! Too many good ones to choose from.
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#390
08-06-2013, 02:00 PM
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Seems to me it's almost time for the new, annual thread!
Going through withdrawals so it's nice to read about some of them any way. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/racing/new...ectid=10909064
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#391
08-09-2013, 09:26 PM
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#393
08-11-2013, 03:10 PM
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2YO - Ruud Awakening 3YO - Fix Sprinter - Final Touch Middle Distance - Ocean Park Stayer - Silent Acheiver Horse of the Year - Habibi * * * Kinda wish he were just staying home. Good luck, Veyron!  http://www.nztm.co.nz/Media-Centre/N...0m-on-the-24th.
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#394
08-12-2013, 12:45 AM
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Yeah, those picks make sense! All have good chances of winning.
Speaking of Fix, some disappointing news... http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...-sidelines-Fix I thought she was in for a big year. Oh well. Hopefully in the autumn!
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#395
08-12-2013, 01:22 AM
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Good news about Single Minded.
http://www.nzracing.co.nz/News/9512/...-recovery.aspx
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#396
08-13-2013, 02:09 AM
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#397
08-13-2013, 11:52 AM
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When she races I will go and see her and let you know how she looks.
Great about Single Minded and aswww... poor Fix. On the King... http://www.racingandsports.com.au/ra...asp?NID=282449 As usual mixed feelings but am thrilled to read about how fit and happy he sounds.
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#398
08-13-2013, 10:30 PM
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Yeah, very mixed feelings for me too. On one hand, I'd LOVE to see him win another big race at Hastings this spring. On the other, I'm a bit worried about him. Just really hope he comes home 100% safe and gets the long, happy retirement he deserves.
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Good luck for 2013-14, Matt. 
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