Month: August 2020

By Jonny Turner Would the real Robyns Playboy please stand up? That is the question trainers Ross and Chris Wilson will be ask their 5yr-old when he steps out in the feature pace at Ascot Park on Thursday. The Shadow Play pacer labelled ‘the beast from the east’ by some of his fans was scintillating first up after lockdown, before running fifth of six behind See Ya Write among a classy line up a week later. Though the result was not too inspiring, Robyns Playboy’s closing sectionals were. And if…

Jason Teaz, Jason Broad and Justin Evans provide us with their selections ahead of Invercargill’s meeting today.  Selections can be found here Head to www.tab.co.nz to make a bet!

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

Training and Racing/Trials/Workouts Under clause 14.4.4 of HRNZ’s constitution, Harness Racing New Zealand has made Orders and Directions prohibiting public access to race meetings, and taking other temporary steps, in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The following Order and Direction documents have been issued and are applicable to the Alert Level in the region at the time: – HRNZ Order and Direction – Level 2 – Racing/Trials/Workouts – HRNZ Order and Direction – Level 2 – Training – HRNZ Order and Direction – Level 3 – Racing/Trials/Workouts – Health Screening Questionnaire –…

Harness Racing New Zealand has confirmed that its scheduled meeting at Cambridge tomorrow night has been postponed.   Racing and Marketing Manager Darrin Williams says HRNZ was left with little option but to transfer the meeting, with the hope it can be re-run as a day meeting on Saturday.  “The fields would have been decimated by scratchings because Under Alert Level Three no Auckland-based horses, drivers or trainers would be permitted to head to the Waikato,” he said.   While the preference is for Saturday’s meeting  to run with the present fields…

1. Driving and training milestones  What a week it’s been for Tim Williams. He reined home winner number 500 with Down To The Bone’s success at Addington on Friday night. The team of Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson also had a milestone of note, chalking up training success number 100 when Christianshavtime won at Auckland. They first started training together in 2008.  Amanda Telfer (who trains with her brother Steve) had her first New Zealand training success when Cloudy Bay also won at Auckland. Mimi E Coco was another winner…

Harness Racing New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Phil Holden is urging everyone in the industry to “keep calm” in the wake of the latest Alert Level 2 and 3. What the new levels mean for racing is being assessed by HRNZ and there will be regular updates on the website as they come to hand.  Holden also addresses the new funding model which has been the topic of much debate and discussion this week, and talks about the “in arrears” proposal and how it will impact the industry. 

By Adam Hamilton THE All Stars influence is starting to hot up in Queensland. Megastar filly Amazing Dream opens her Queensland campaign for trainer Darren Weeks and Kylie Rasmussen at Albion Park on Saturday night. The Bettors Delight filly, who boasts 11 wins and six placings from her 18 starts, was sharpened-up with a close second to stablemate Ashley Locaz (yes, he’s in Queensland now too) in an Albion Park trial on Tuesday. Ashley Locaz, now with Vicki Rasmussen, led the 1660m trial and dawdled through a 60.7sec first half,…