Author: NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  A speedy customer on the track, Elite Stride had the perfect debut as a stallion when Who’s Ya Daddy won at Addington Raceway on Friday night. “He’s one from one,” says Alabar New Zealand’s General Manager Graeme Henley. “That was his first starter and first winner … he’s undefeated.” In just a three horse race Who’s Ya Daddy (Elite Stride – One Night Stand) was nursed along early in the Isaac Infrastructure Two-Year-Old Mobile Trot only to overhaul the pace-making Redpark Warrior to…

Trainers as well as owners are being encouraged to get along to Addington Raceway’s annual Owners night this Friday. Starting at 5pm, the expo is free to all. The night will feature a number of stall-holders and an array of prizes and giveaways including an accommodation package to Australia worth around $3000, Bed and Breakfast at the Commodore Airport Hotel in Christchurch, and a free entry for a yearling at the 2026 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales. “We are hopeful of getting around 250 people along,” says Addington Raceway’s Sponsorship Manager…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  With over 100 years between them, Alice Sinclair and Keira are a formidable combination. Earlier this month the Otago-based 89-year-old and her 13-year-old standardbred “Keira” completed the annual Cavalcade in the heart of the South Island. Organized by the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust, “cavalcaders” ride horses, wagons, or walk trails, retracing the steps of the old gold miners. For Sinclair it involved seven days of horse riding, covering around 40 kilometres a day. Crossing land that usually only musterers would see the destination, or…

A training first for Grant Milne and a welcome return to the winner’s circle for Murray Brown highlighted harness racing action at Oamaru and Winton over the weekend.  First training win for Grant Milne  By Jonny Turner  Grant Milne lived up to his pedigree when producing his first winner as a trainer at Oamaru on Sunday. Milne is a blueblood in harness racing terms given both of his grandfathers have been leading Southland trainers, while his father and uncles have produced hundreds of winners between them. Milne is the son…

New Zealand trainers are advised that the feed supplement MetaboLize has been linked to recent cases in Australia and New Zealand involving the detection of caffeine in race day samples.  The manufacturer has informed authorities that while the raw materials used in MetaboLize do not contain caffeine, they are currently investigating a possible contamination in a production run from November 2024. Certain batches from this run have been identified as potentially containing caffeine at levels that could result in a positive race day sample. Please see the attached notice here…

It’s been a big night for Australia’s best trotting and pacing talent. Leap To Fame, Don Hugo and The Locomotive were all among those in winning form last night as they count down to the $650,000 TAB Trot and the $1m The Race by betcha at Cambridge’s Night of Champions on Friday, April 4.  A $3.30 third favourite for the TAB Trot, The Locomotive has also been confirmed as heading to Sweden to take on the iconic Elitlopp in May.  The Locomotive full steam ahead to Sweden  By Adam Hamilton …

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   Everyone said he was unbeatable and that’s exactly how it turned out for Marketplace in the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million Final for the 3YO Colts and Geldings at Alexandra Park on Friday night. He’s a superstar in the making and the Regan Todd-trained son of Bettor’s Delight was never really in danger of being upset. Driver Craig Ferguson bided his time early. They were three wide briefly before taking up the lead until John Dunn and Got The Chocolates took the…