Month: July 2020

Derek Balle’s season drought is over. The talented horseman was relieved to record his first wins of the season, as both a trainer and driver, at Alexandra Park on Wednesday night courtesy of Sheffield Sparky and Kimkar Dash. Balle’s stable has been going through a rebuilding phase this term and he said a fair number of his team were ready to resume right when the COVID-19 enforced lockdown put a halt to racing. “It has been a while since we got one or two wins, so it’s good to get…

By Jonny Turner Chinese Whisper has been delivering Nathan Williamson all the right messages ahead of search for his best form at at Ascot Park on Thursday. But whether that translates in to a winning performance is a total mystery for the trainer-driver. The talented 4yr-old goes in to race 9 having completely botched the start of his two post-lockdown runs. The worst part about it for Williamson is that the horse has felt tremendous when he finally settling in to a trot. “I think he is the best horse…

Big Fish, Little Fish is the brand new Whale Watch brought to you by Michael Guerin and Craig Thompson. Today they look over the Auckland meeting   

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk There’s no more topically-named racehorse in the country right now than Lyndon Bond’s stable star – Crusher Collins. Named by her breeders, well-known Mid Canterbury identities Bevan and Keith Grice,  the now six-year-old mare has won five from 70, with nineteen seconds and six thirds, and total earnings of more than $60,000. “She’s been a cashflow machine for us,” says Bond, who trains alongside his wife Aimee  in Mataura in Southland. Both work at the local freezing works, juggling their jobs with working a…

By Adam Hamilton THE absence of two of Australasia’s best three-year-olds has made life a lot easier for local star Governor Jujon in Saturday night’s Group 2 South-East Derby at Albion Park. Victoria and NSW Derby placegetter Perfect Stride was all set to tackle the Derby, but a below-par Menangle run last weekend prompted trainer-driver Anthony Butt to change plans and stay in NSW. And last season’s NZ 2YO of the Year, One Change, was only due to arrive in Queensland this morning (Wednesday) with stablemate Turn It Up and…

By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk South Auckland horseman Brent Mangos is hoping he will go home from Alexandra Park on Wednesday night with a couple of wins to his name courtesy of a pair of debutants. Mangos’ first debutant, three-year-old filly Elegant Peak, joined his barn earlier this year and she has done nothing but impress him in that time. She has had three workouts this preparation for two wins and a placing and Mangos said he wouldn’t be surprised if she broke her maiden at the first…

By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk Trainers Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson are itching to get back to Alexandra Park on Wednesday night with Christianshavtime after what he showed at the Auckland track a fortnight ago. The Auckland Trotting Club 2019 Syndicate-owned gelding was driven cold by Tony Herlihy at the rear of the field and when asked to accelerate five-wide turning for home he was able to show a blistering turn of foot and just came up a head short of victory in the 2200m contest. His connections…

By Michael Guerin In-form trainer Steve Telfer is bringing in some family help as he gets set to take his stable nationwide next year. Telfer has trained seven winners in as many weeks since racing returned in late May and has Silk (R4, No.6) looking for her fourth win on end at Alexandra Park tonight. Telfer would already have set a new personal best for the season had it not been for harness racing’s two-and-a-half month Covid-19 break, having trained 48 winners this term chasing his PB of 50 in…