Trainers and Drivers

[Messenger]

Chris Alford is off to a flying start for the season with a 44% winning strike rate from his 34 drives so far

http://www.harness.org.au/ausbreed/r...ins?d=10092018

Especially amazing when his main source the Stewart stable are taking a break

[Diablo]

I was nearly going to title this topic as "Does Chris Alford Think He is God?". Last race at Hamilton trots today he has a horse back from a spell and although it has trialled extremely well, he gets involved in a speed duel having to go 25.9 for the first quarter to hold the lead. I'm not sure if his ego has got so big that he expects everyone to lay down in order for him to dictate to them but surely he knows the form of the other runners and traits of the other drivers that he should have know he was going to be pressured for the lead and therefore had a plan 'B'. If it were a Junior driver, he/she would be still sitting in the Stewards Room being grilled harder than a T Bone steak. Time will tell if he had a case to answer but bad decisions for a driver of his calibre are a bad look to most onlookers.

[Messenger]

Although I agree that a driver has very likely got it wrong when he goes a 25.9 Q1, maybe he thought Wardan Express was his danger and he could not afford for it to get any easy lead - it would have been correct as after doing all that early work Wardan has come home the winner. Even though it got a cushy fence trail mid race, I was still surprised to see it finish it off, although everyone would have expected the fav to tire

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fie...ic#HMC24091801

[Dot]

I was nearly going to title this topic as "Does Chris Alford Think He is God?". Last race at Hamilton trots today he has a horse back from a spell and although it has trialled extremely well, he gets involved in a speed duel having to go 25.9 for the first quarter to hold the lead. I'm not sure if his ego has got so big that he expects everyone to lay down in order for him to dictate to them but surely he knows the form of the other runners and traits of the other drivers that he should have know he was going to be pressured for the lead and therefore had a plan 'B'. If it were a Junior driver, he/she would be still sitting in the Stewards Room being grilled harder than a T Bone steak. Time will tell if he had a case to answer but bad decisions for a driver of his calibre are a bad look to most onlookers.

Oh please....
A whole lot more questions to be asked if he meekly hands up to the second fav and it boots away and brains them. Alford was entitled and all things considered I'd say expected to lead, Craven was entitled to challenge and then got a fortuitous trail when he couldn't lead, fav then copped a little more pressure in the run and was found wanting in the end, whilst Cravens horse with a second wind flew home, it happens. Cravens horses flying here on the day, and been going exceptionally well all month, probably only thing wrong here is by the last the Stewart and Craven runners should have been closer in the market.

[Diablo]

Oh please....
A whole lot more questions to be asked if he meekly hands up to the second fav and it boots away and brains them. Alford was entitled and all things considered I'd say expected to lead, Craven was entitled to challenge and then got a fortuitous trail when he couldn't lead, fav then copped a little more pressure in the run and was found wanting in the end, whilst Cravens horse with a second wind flew home, it happens. Cravens horses flying here on the day, and been going exceptionally well all month, probably only thing wrong here is by the last the Stewart and Craven runners should have been closer in the market.

You use the word 'meekly' to exaggerate your point. Many horses taken on in an early speed duel go a bit harder in order to 'gas' the outside runner then hand up especially when there is a sprint lane on offer later on. If Wardan Express can come from three fence after going the early burn, why couldn't Alford's horse be effective from behind the leader? A rather weak response on your behalf. You seem to have taken affront to someone making a negative comment about the country's best driver. We all know his record but as I asked earlier, would there be an outrage if a Junior or lesser qualified driver had driven that horse, that way?

[Diablo]

Chris Alford is off to a flying start for the season with a 44% winning strike rate from his 34 drives so far

http://www.harness.org.au/ausbreed/r...ins?d=10092018

Especially amazing when his main source the Stewart stable are taking a break

His strike rate is irrelevant. The issue is either poor judgement or he was out driven in this race. Possibly, if he used better judgement he would have a slightly higher strike rate.

[Messenger]

His strike rate is irrelevant. The issue is either poor judgement or he was out driven in this race. Possibly, if he used better judgement he would have a slightly higher strike rate.

I wrote that post 2 weeks before your post Greg - it did not pertain to his Hamilton drive

[Messenger]

You use the word 'meekly' to exaggerate your point. Many horses taken on in an early speed duel go a bit harder in order to 'gas' the outside runner then hand up especially when there is a sprint lane on offer later on. If Wardan Express can come from three fence after going the early burn, why couldn't Alford's horse be effective from behind the leader? A rather weak response on your behalf. You seem to have taken affront to someone making a negative comment about the country's best driver. We all know his record but as I asked earlier, would there be an outrage if a Junior or lesser qualified driver had driven that horse, that way?

Only if the Junior had been on Wardan and kept challenging the way Craven did but then he would have been off the hook if he got up a won the way Matty did.
I think it makes a bit of difference - who is inside of who, if Alford had been outside of Wardan then it is definitely questionable (unless you win)

[Dot]

And your point is Diablo? We all know Chris Alford and the Emma Stewart stables record, it includes many short priced, first up going hard early, holding the lead, or in the middle stages to get the lead, running fast time and winning often by open lengths. Yet when one gets beaten by likely a better horse on the day and perhaps a better drive you come out with a thread titled Chris Alford and "does Chris Alford think he's God". Maybe you should have titled your post Matty Craven "gee looks like he had the fitter horse and got the better of Alford in the last at Hamilton today" or do you expect Alford to have a 100% strike rate!

You didn't ask if a junior driver would be grilled you said they would be. You said strike rate doesn't matter but that Alfords strike rate might be a little higher if he showed better judgement. One race where maybe he could have done things differently and his strike rate isn't good enough for you? No doubt he expected a challenge for the lead, does anyone expect that he should have known that challenge would result in a 25.9 quarter before it was run? If Alford and Craven had persisted at that speed, or one and a junior, or two juniors beyond the quarter then they would have been called in, but they wernt juniors and they weren't called in. Maybe the result would be different if he handed up, maybe it wouldn't but how do you know better then the driver and the stable that a horse that has won 5 times leading will be better if it takes a sit? Time will tell if he has a case to answer, I'd say it already has, the stewards haven't queried the drive, and I don't expect the Stewart stable will be sacking him any time soon.

Are you talking through your pocket Diablo, I haven't seen you wrap a winning Alford drive, just this one where he hasn't won, didn't you get the memo "be kind to your driver" ?

I don't punt so no chance I'm talking through my pocket, but my last word on this: good on you Matty Craven, you've got your team flying!

[Diablo]

I wrote that post 2 weeks before your post Greg - it did not pertain to his Hamilton drive

Puts it in perspective. I thought it a bit strange that your post was placed above the topic starter. All good.