Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Barry Purdon has been training great horses long enough to know tonight’s $110,000 Dawson Harford Taylor Mile could look very good, or very bad, for Merlin after just 200m. Purdon and training partner Scott Phelan have three reps in the Group 1 sprint at Alexandra Park but most eyes will be on Merlin, the last-start $1million Race by Grins winner and maybe the best pacer in the country. Merlin has drawn one on the second line in the glamour sprint and if the horse he follows out,…

By Brigette Solomon Pukekohe based trainer Jeremy Young has just two horses entered at Thursday’s ANZAC day meeting, but he is confident both are capable of strong performances. “Both horses are well placed,” says Young, “they’ve both been working well and I’m pretty happy with both of them.” Young’s first runner for the night is Gladys Greenland who takes part in Race three, the Watchu Security Mobile Pace for Junior Drivers. The four-year-old mare by Downbytheseaside, starts fresh up from a spell over 1700 metres with Monika Ranger engaged to…

Check out this week’s Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.   

By Michael Guerin An almost perfect set of barrier draws has turned Friday’s $110,000 Dawson Harford Taylor Mile into one of the races of the season. The $110,000 sprint will highlight one of Alexandra Park’s biggest nights of the year sitting alongside feature races for almost all grades from country cups handicappers to juvenile pacers and trotters and the open class squargaiters. The latter, the $60,000 Lone Star Lyell Creek Stakes, looks a gift for Aussie hero Just Believe after his last-start victory in the $600,000 TAB Trot slot race.…

Southland’s premier harness racing event will go to a new level today with the first running of a Group 1 on Diamonds Day. Racing journalist Jonny Turner has picked out his horses to follow on the outstanding card of racing. Summit Ultra Summit Ultra opened at a tidy $7 win price in the fixed odds market for Sunday’s opener. On the strength of the pacer’s last start placing at Winton, that looks nice value. Summit Ultra showed excellent gate speed in his last outing, pointing to him being a big…

Diamonds Day at Ascot Park, Invercargill is Southland harness racing’s time to shine so we have produced a liftout complete with stories, selections and more. To see it click here 

By Mike Love Canterbury reinsman Tim Williams has a busy book of eight drives at today’s Ashburton meeting, and shouldn’t have to wait long before adding to his tally this season. He has 36 wins this year and is currently fourth on the drivers’ premiership. In the very first race of the day (11.53pm), the Chelsea Properties 2YO Fillies Mobile Pace, he reins the Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained debutante Sweet Maggie May ($1.55FF).The two-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou has trialled well, hitting the line with purpose in her most recent.…

By Michael Guerin Trotting training supremo Phil Williamson has just retired his best ever trotter but he has a new apple of his eye in at Alexandra Park tonight. Williamson’s multiple Group 1 winner Majestic Man has run his last race after 105 starts for 24 wins and $855,545 in stakes. His new trotting excitement machine Empire City has an awfully long way to go to get to Majestic Man’s level but she has started her career on the right trajectory with five wins from seven starts and winning juvenile…

By Michael Guerin Driver Bob Butt says Bet N Win is ready to confirm what so many have thought about him for a while at Addington tonight. “I am sure he is an open class horse in the making,” says Butt, who will partner the four-year-old in the Future Wealth Sires’ Stakes Aged Trot. “And I think he is ready to show it fresh up.” Bet N Win has the stride of a good horse for trainers David and Stacey White but hasn’t raced since a huge Alexandra Park win…

Check out this week’s Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.