Month: August 2023

Locals enjoy successful start to home carnival

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Makabar winning at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo: Race Images South Local trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman made a pleasing start to the Grand National Festival of Racing on Saturday with Makabar winning. The son of Swiss Ace was given a beautiful run by in-form southern hoop Tina Comignaghi, trailing in behind King Cougar and was too strong in the straight, winning by a long neck over Midnight Runner, with a further neck back to stablemate Benaud in third. The father-and-son training partnership were duly pleased with the performance of the…

Ray Green tweaks Copy That’s New Zealand Cup build up

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Trainer Ray Green has a surprise bonus for southern harness fans as he starts to plot Copy That’s road to a record-equalling third New Zealand Cup. Because that road is going to run predominantly through the two big South Island lead-up races, setting up some mouth-watering clashes with Self Assured and Akuta. Copy That has been back doing serious hoppled work for a week and Green says he has a lot to work with. “He has come back big and round because he really can put weight…

Warwick Farm betting preview, best bets & quaddie picks | Wednesday, 9/8/23

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What Warwick Farm Races Where Warwick Farm Racecourse – 2 Hume Hwy, Warwick Farm NSW 2170 When Wednesday, August 9, 2023 First Race 1:25pm AEST Visit Ladbrokes We’ve got metropolitan racing coming out of Warwick Farm Racecourse on Wednesday afternoon, with a quickfire seven-race card lined up for punters. The rail is out +5m from the 1000m to the winning post, while the remainder is out +3m for the meeting. As of Monday, the track condition is listed as a Good 4, and although there are some showers predicted prior…

Sandown Hillside races tips & quaddie | Wednesday, August 9

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What Sandown Hillside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, August 9, 2023 First Race 12:25pm AEST Visit Ladbrokes Mid-week metropolitan racing will return to the Sandown Racecourse this Wednesday, as it will host a very competitive eight-race card on the Hillside track. With no rain on the forecast until Wednesday, we expect that the track will stay at the current Good 4 rating, with a chance for a downgrade during the meeting. The rail will go back into the True position for the…

Official Notice re Breeding Incentive Scheme

NZHarnessNews

After receiving a number of enquiries from breeders, Harness Racing New Zealand wishes to clarify aspects of the Breeding Incentive Scheme (BIS). Introduced last year, the scheme will not be continued for the 2023/24 season. But HRNZ wants to advise breeders that all outstanding credits will be honoured. Under the scheme a $1000 stallion service fee credit was given to the breeder for any mare that produced a microchipped foal in the 2022/23 season and then rebred the same mare or another mare in its place and obtained a 42-day…

Uptown Funk gets well-deserved spell

NZHarnessNews

After a great run of early-winter form, Uptown Funk has headed off for a spell, though it’s planned he’ll back in time for some key assignments in November. It’s been quite the year for the Art Major three-year-old with three wins in nine starts, with his form justifying the faith shown in him by trainer Trent Yesberg at a young age. Yesberg secured Uptown Funk (Art Major – Uptown Attitude) at the 2021 NZ Bloodstock Yearling Sales. However his familiarity with the horse goes back further than that. While doing…

Brett’s Mate bounces back to secure second win

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner Kyle Cameron took a chance on Brett’s Mate and it paid off again at Addington on Sunday. The usually consistent trotter put a last-start mishap behind him with a faultless display to win race 7 for the trainer-driver. Cameron was offered Brett’s Mate as a young horse to train and race with breeder-owner John Allan and he took a chance on the trotter which is now paying off. “John offered me the horse and I didn’t have too many trotters at the time,” Cameron said. “I had…

Hope stable set to wheel out the big guns

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin The stars of the Hope racing stables are almost ready to return, and they are not all equine. Trainers Greg and Nina Hope have already welcomed back their three top trotters headlined by Muscle Mountain, who will be racing in a month. He will be joined in the Ordeal Cup at Addington by Anzac Cup winner Eurokash while Midnight Dash will be back even earlier, being set for the Basil Dean on August 25. But before the powerful squaregaiting squad returns the stable’s prodigal son makes his…

Aussie News – August 6

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hanilton Normality resumed when Leap To Farm returned to winning form in stunning style at Albion Park last night. Australasia’s most exciting pacer was made to earn it after sitting parked in quick time, but switched into another gear when asked to by trainer-driver Grant Dixon. Leap To Fame quickly put away the emerging leader Mr McLaren and zoomed clear to win by 10.1m in a slick 1min53.2sec mile rate for 2138m. It was just 1.2sec outside half-brother Swayzee’s track record, but he ran the time on the…