By Adam Hamilton Former star Kiwi-bred mare Nike Franco could be as good as a mum as she was on the racetrack. Her first foal, a Somebeachsomewhere colt called Bay Of Biscay, oozed class and potential winning his first start in the Shakamaker Classic at Melton on Saturday night. More importantly, co-trainer Emma Stewart declared him the stable’s best two-year-old. “He’s big and raw and will take time to get everything together, but he’s got terrific talent,” she said. “As the season goes on you’ll see how good he really…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Carter Dalgety one to watch at Motukarara
By Jonny Turner Carter Dalgety heads to the Motukarara grass for a rare opportunity on Sunday. The junior driver admitted he can’t remember the last time the Kentuckiana Lodge team took runners to a grass track meeting. But the Cran and Chrissie Dalgety stable could make a triumphant return to racing on turf with their two runners on Sunday. Darby O’Gill looks a royal winning chance following his fourth behind Triple G at Addington on premier night. Triple G has made that form look even better when running second behind…
Devon van Til – “it’s been a huge week”
By Michael Guerin Devon van Til capped a dream week when one of her two favourite fellas Anything Goes won the $45,000 Coca Cola Superstars at Addington on Saturday. Because while the giant pacer she loves gave the 31-year-old junior driver the biggest win of her career, an unplaced drive earlier at the day meeting also heralded the start of a new phase in her career. Van Til last week started working for Mark and Nathan Purdon at the All Stars and as if the chance to work with some…
Countdown on to the $1m Race by Grins
The barrier draw for the $1m Race by Grins at Cambridge Raceway on April 14, will be conducted live on SENZ radio. The draw will be part of a “Trots Talk Special” hosted by Michael Guerin and Greg O’Connor on SENZ at 6pm on Easter Monday. The head of the Racing Integrity Board Mike Clement will be in the studio to oversee proceedings. Cambridge Raceway will also tweet the barrier draws as they happen. To listen to the broadcast, ensure you have the SENZ app downloaded on your phone, or…
Heisenberg’s chance to be a Superstar
By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s most in-form stable could be the team to follow as Addington returns to an Easter Saturday day meeting today. And driver John Dunn, the main man behind the best of Diamond Racing’s horses week in week out says the highly competitive make up of today’s Cocoa Cola Superstars Championships could suit the ultra consistent Heisenberg. Heisenberg starts off the second line in the Group 2 feature over 2600m but the front line is stacked with hard-running speedsters and Dunn says that is ideal. “I really…
All Stars continue remarkable sequence in Kindergarten Stakes
By Jonny Turner It might have been freezing, but it didn’t matter to Kirstin Green who made the most of her catch drive behind Vessem when winning the Group 2 Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham. The skies above Young Quinn Raceway were angry on Thursday, but the plummeting temperatures and sticky track only made Vessem’s performance more impressive. Despite sitting parked throughout the time-honoured juvenile feature, the Mark and Nathan Purdon trained pacer held out the late finish of his stablemate Major Hot to extend the All Stars stable’s incredible record…
Rasmussen makes triumphant return with Self Assured
By Michael Guerin The queen of New Zealand harness racing was back doing what she does best at Cambridge on Thursday night and the punters who stuck with Self Assured loved every second of it. Natalie Rasmussen, who had not driven in a race this season until Thursday, produced a gem of a drive to get Self Assured home in the $45,000 Dunstan Feeds Cambridge Flying Mile even after he started from the outside of the front line. The race was the final lead-up to the $1million Race by Grins…
Wyndham punting guide for today
Macca Lodge Kindergarten Stakes Day has arrived and the Wyndham HRC can’t wait to see who will write their name into the history books today.To make life easier for the punters we have produced a comprehensive betting guide for today’s meeting.Check it out Wyndham Winners – Race 1After producing excellent second placings, Kowhai Sundown ventures south in the hope of securing a deserved win.With great manners and reliability, he looks a huge chance of getting it. Ruby Seddon has been fronting up and running great races for weeks now and…
Green gets top drive in Kindergarten Stakes
By Jonny Turner Kirstin Green has landed in the perfect spot as the All Stars stable attempt to continue their dominance of the Group 3 Macca Lodge Kindergarten Stakes. Green links up with Mark and Nathan Purdon trained Vessem who starts in the time-honoured Wyndham feature alongside his stablemate Major Hot. The All Stars stable have produced nine of the last ten Kindergarten winners with Mark Purdon involved in eight, while Hayden Cullen produced Akuta to win two years ago. Green is thrilled to get the chance to pull on…
Red hot field assembled for tonight’s Waikato Flying Mile
By Michael Guerin For a race that might only last 112 seconds tonight’s Dunstan Horse Feeds Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge could very quickly develop into two separate races. One could contain those who find themselves handy before the red-hot field gets to the winning post the first time, the other less competitive race could be for those who don’t. Both divisions will be fascinating not only for punters tonight but those hoping for the ultimate guide to next week’s $1million Race by Grins. Tonight’s sprint contains seven of the…