The just completed Teal Pants campaign can now claim a new first. In what’s been the most successful campaign wins-wise yet, Team Teal drivers took out 75 races from February 1 – March 15. It eclipsed the previous best of 73 in 2020 – with the final tally for 2023 being $35,000. The annual fund-raiser for ovarian cancer research has been a cause that Harness Racing New Zealand’s been involved in for six years now. Every time a female driver, wearing her teal pants, wins a race a total of…
Month: March 2023
Merlin gets huge advantage for Friday’s Northern Derby
By Michael Guerin It is advantage Merlin in the early countdown to Friday night’s $135,000 Woodlands Northern Derby after the favourite drew perfectly. And adding further to the appeal of him getting barrier 2 are key rivals Sherlock and Son Of Mac drawing the second line so having to come from behind the dual Harness Million winner. Merlin was only third and peaked on his run in the Sires’ Stakes heat won by Sherlock at Alexandra Park last Friday and the winner was clearly the better of the pair on…
McIlwrick takes out half the card at Wingatui
By Jonny Turner Rory McIlwrick combined with a couple of quirky characters when winning half the harness racing card at Wingatui on Monday. McIlwrick bagged a winning treble when scoring with Gentle Mac, Bobbies Rock and Northview Rock on a six-race card at the Forbury Park club’s dual code meeting. McIlwrick wouldn’t have got to three wins had he not been able to quickly settle Gentle Mac back into a trot after he broke at the start of race 1. Seen to be something of a handful early in his…
Countdown on to Racing Rewards Series
A win and a third at Motukarara yesterday have helped propel Buffy Northstains and Ruby’s A Delight into a clear lead in the Racing Reward Series. The highly popular series, which was last year known as the RATTO Showcase, will have their finals at Addington Raceway on Saturday April 8, with three pacing and two trotting races over 2600m, each worth $27,000. There will be 16 starters in each of the trots, with 14 pacers in each of their three races. The series is all about encouraging and highlighting intermediate…
A new high for Hibell with Revell Douglas Series’ success
An already breakout year has just got a lot better for young Cambridge driver Leah Hibell. The 22-year-old yesterday claimed the second annual Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial (Junior Drivers) Series at Motukarara. After four races in the North Island, Hibell headed south to the finale with a one-point lead over defending champion Alicia Harrison. Both drivers were unable to add to their points tallies, with Hibell finishing 11th (Phone Tap), and Harrison eighth with stable-mate Mark Dunnett. That saw Hibell win the trophy with 48 points, with Harrison on 47.…
Manawatu Classic on the cards for Desert Lightning
Group One performer Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride of Dubai) will likely be given one final run this season before he heads for a spell in preparation for the spring. The Pride Of Dubai gelding finished eighth last start in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and will return to a more favourable 2000m assignment in the Gr.3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic at Awapuni on April 1. “He just get didn’t get the distance in the Derby,” said Peter Williams, who trains in partnership with his wife Dawn. “He is doing…
Babylon Berlin on song for William Reid
Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) will be out to shed her perennial bridesmaid tag when she heads to The Valley on Friday for the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (1200m). The mare has finished runner-up in her three Group One assignments this year, two of which were taken out by Saturday race rival Imperatriz (I Am Invincible). She returned to her winning ways last start when demolishing her rivals in the Gr.3 Kings Plate (1200m) by seven lengths at Te Rapa earlier this month and looks to be on song for…
So Unusual how career has evolved
When Tony and Calvin McEvoy purchased So Unusual (NZ) (Unusual Suspect) from New Zealand late last year, the trainers told their ownership group that he was a nice horse and could be a Ballarat Cup horse. If all goes to plan on Saturday, their sights will be aimed considerably higher as So Unusual could book his place in Australia’s most famous race by winning the A$500,000 Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington, which carries a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup. So Unusual has proven to be the staying find of…
Flowing ‘Tears’ ready to Launch
Considering the phenomenal success Robert Britton has enjoyed with the omnipotent ‘Tears’ dynasty – think Tornado Tears, Space Star and Here’s Tears, to name just a few – it’s a little surprising the latest incarnation has caught the champion trainer by surprise. Youngsters from the April ’21 litter by Goodesy out of Freaky Tears, a litter sister to Here’s Tears and full sister to Tornado Tears, have been turning heads since arriving in Victoria. Headline acts Trooper Tears and Trapper Tears are frontline contenders for the rich Group 3 Launching…
Salad dressed for Shepparton success
Anthony Azzopardi will take aim at back-to-back victories in the Group 2 CKH Painting Shepparton Cup (450m) on Saturday, after record-breaking speedster Salad Dodger set a scorching pace in Monday night’s heats. After springing a surprise in the 2022 Shepparton Cup Final with $15 outsider Substantial, Azzopardi set about defending the title with Salad Dodger, which made his debut at the track in the second of four heats. In a determined chasing display, Salad Dodger ($4.80) ran down last start G2 Horsham Cup placegetter Matt’s Hope ($3F) in the final…