Author: NZHarnessNews

The NZ Pacing Oaks – 50 Years ago

NZHarnessNews

With the likes of Treacherous Bay and Duchess Megxit squaring off in Friday’s $225,000 Group 1 Tennant Engineering NZ Pacing Oaks for the three-year-old fillies at Addington Raceway why not look back at who won the Oaks half a century ago? 1974 New Zealand Oaks winner – Hurrania By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk It was like mother like daughter in the New Zealand Oaks 50 years ago. On February 16, 1974 at Addington Raceway, Hurrania won the New Zealand Oaks, just like her mum Arania had done 15…

Great battles looming at Addington on Friday

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin If you like a multi bet Addington’s stacked feature race programme this Friday could be the night for you. The meeting features six Group 1s, including both the NZ Pacing and Trotting Oaks as well as four “Ace” races for the two-year-old trotters and pacers, split on sex. Along with the Ian Dobson Memorial for three-year-old pacing boys it is one of the biggest nights of age group racing of the season with a mini-Jewels feel to it. But after some standout results at the Cup carnival…

Wide draw for Tact McLeod in opening ID heat

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Emerging Kiwi pacer Tact McLeod faces a tough start to his NSW Inter Dominion campaign. The lone Kiwi in the series, Tact McLeod will start from outside the front row (gate eight) over 2030m in the opening round of heats at Newcastle on Friday night. On a positive note, the Mark Jones-trained pacer, who was a late entry only last week, looks to have landed in the weakest of the three opening night pacing heats. His major dangers will be Zeuss Bromac (gate one), Blacksadance (two), Cantfindabettorman…

Miki B heading to Addington on Friday after Nursery Stakes win

NZHarnessNews

Friday Night Lights promises to be next level this week. The double-header will see Addington Raceway headline the night’s action with six Group 1s, while at Auckland there’ll be two Northern Metro Finals and two Country Cups. At Addington, Aces and Oaks Race Night will start at 5pm. There’ll be the Group 1 $100,000 Aces of Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades for the two-year-old trotters and pacers, of both genders, as well as the $140,000 What The Hill New Zealand Trotting Oaks and the $225,000 Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing…

Amalfi with strong credentials at Motukarara

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love  Richmond Park trainer Robert Stuart heads to Banks Peninsula today with a strong chance of success with maiden pacer Amalfi. Sam Ottley will reunite with him in Race 2, the NZMTC Supports Grass Racing Mobile Pace. The four-year-old Sweet Lou gelding was huge in his fresh up run at Rangiora on November 8 where he sat parked the trip and only went down a short margin. Stuart believes the gelding will be ready to run another strong race.  “He seems as good as was three weeks ago.…

“Thriving” South Seas Rock does it tough in Invercargill

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  South Seas Rock capped a remarkable three weeks with his monstrous victory at Ascot Park yesterday. The tough pacer sat parked throughout yesterday’s Woodlands Stud Thanks Southern Breeders Mobile Pace while some talented rivals enjoyed softer runs, but that didn’t stop South Seas Rock from scoring a big win for trainer Tyler Dewe and driver Hayden Douglas. Over the past three weeks, South Seas Rock has competed with merit at Kaikoura Cup Day, New Zealand Cup Day and Show Day at Addington. The travel to those meetings…

Review underway into Kaikoura’s meeting

NZHarnessNews

A joint review of Kaikoura’s two day meeting is underway, and change could be in the wind. The South Bay raceway hosted eight races under the Fast 10 format on Sunday November 3 followed on Marlborough Anniversary day by 10 races including the Alabar Kaikoura Cup. From a turnover perspective there was mixed news. Export turnover, from Australia, was strong and up significantly on 2023. On-course turnover and the number of individuals betting on the two meetings was also encouraging, though the overall turnover was down – from $2.53m to…

Start key for Rakero Rocket in Timaru Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love  The first few seconds will be critical to favourite Rakero Rocket’s chances in today’s Tyre General Summer Cup at Phar Lap raceway.  There is no doubting the gelding’s ability. On cup day at Addington he beat a field which is not much stronger than the one he meets today – though that was from a mobile. Trainer Tom Bamford feels it could go either way whether the gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven steps or not – his confidence shaken while at Kaikoura where he almost turned…