By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Southland trainer Brett Gray is looking forward to heading to Addington Raceway on Friday where he will line-up Joes Rock in the Group 1 Fahey Fence Hire 51st NZ Standardbred Breeders’ Stakes (2600m) at 7.54pm. The daughter of Racing Hill bypassed last month’s Group 2 Premier Mares Championship (1980m), taken out by Leeston mare Folklore, and he is happy with his mare heading into the Group 1 feature in a fresh state. “We have targeted this race. We missed the first one as this…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Race track return for star three-year-old
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Last year’s exciting juvenile Merlin will be looking to resume his winning ways when he kicks off his three-year-old season at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday. The Art Major colt established a perfect record in his first eight starts, with his victories including the Group 2 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes (1700m) and Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3 – 2YO C & G Mobile Pace (1980m). His perfect season was brought to an end in his final outing in the Group 1 Sires’ Stakes…
Addington Weekly : February 8
Here’s Greg O’Connor and Darrin Williams with the latest Addington News.
Rangiora going all out for 75th anniversary meeting
It’s a couple of years later than originally planned but the Rangiora Harness Racing Club is celebrating its 75th jubilee this month, and is determined to make the meeting on Saturday, February 18 a success to match the occasion. “We just want to have a really good day,” says long-standing committee member and former president Robin Wilson. To help with that the club has decided on minimum stakes of $10,000 for all races and $14,000 for the day’s top-rated trot. Kurt Ganzl is the sponsor of that race while the…
News Briefs : February 8
Vale Noel Poingdestre Harness Racing New Zealand sends its condolences to the family of Noel Poingdestre who has died in Hawera. An owner and trainer, he is being remembered as a real character who loved the sport. The Hawera Harness Racing Club has also paid tribute to him, saying they will “certainly miss his quick wit and endless supply of stories”. His last official runner was the fourth-placed Manny at last Sunday’s Hawera meeting. He died after a short illness, aged 74. A farewell service will be held in New…
Six slots left for the The Race by Grins
By Michael Guerin If New Zealand’s only $1million harness race is anywhere as frenetic as the build-up it should be worth the wait. The Race by Grins will have its second running at Cambridge on April 14, with the prize money for the slot race rising by $100,000 after starting at $900,000 last season. The 2200m mobile pace will contain 10 runners and four are already confirmed, one as good as done, another high-profile name has pulled out and the connections of some other stars are now waiting until after…
Winners keep rolling for Team Teal
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The Teal Pants fund-raiser has got off to a successful and lucrative start, with more than $5000 raised so far. The annual campaign is all about increasing awareness about ovarian cancer, and raising funds towards research. Between February 1 and mid March money is raised for the cause every time a female driver, wearing the teal pants, wins a race. The money comes from contributions from Harness Racing New Zealand ($100), the clubs ($100), individual sponsors, public donations and more. So far there…
Williams gets another winning shot at Menangle tonight
By Michael Guerin Fresh from finally making an impression at the home of Sydney harness racing Kiwi driver Tim Williams wants to double down today. Williams won his first ever feature race at Menangle on Saturday night when B D Joe declared himself a contender for the A$1million Miracle Mile by sitting parked to pace 1:50.6 on his Australian debut. It was a significant first strike for the Telfer/Cullen stable as they start to target Aussie riches from their ever-expanding empire which has grown to be the biggest harness racing…
Smith racks up the wins over Waitangi weekend
By Jonny Turner Gavin Smith enjoyed reminding everyone of his class in the sulky during a double-cup winning weekend. Smith got Waitangi weekend off to a great start with a winning double at Addington on Friday night with Trot To Chevron and Skyvale. The reinsman completed a double of a different kind when driving Sam’s Town to win the Amberley Cup at Rangiora on Monday. The victory followed up Smith’s win with Heston Hall in the Waikouaiti Trotters Cup just a day earlier. “It was a good night Friday, a…
Franco Marek top chance in today’s Amberley Cup
By Jonny Turner John Morrison will have plenty of options in front of him when he teams up with Franco Marek in the Rangiora Equine Services Amberley Cup on Monday (4.17pm). The Greg Manson trained pacer takes on a very competitive country cup line up in the Amberley Club’s annual feature at Rangiora. Though the Rangiora grass circuit is known as a track that most horses have to be handy on, punters shouldn’t panic if they see Franco Marek slightly off the pace. Driven on the speed in many of…