By Michael Guerin One of the last Group 1s of the season is set to have one of our shortest price favourites at pacing’s elite level all year. Because after Aardie’s Express drew seemingly perfectly at barrier 3 for the $110,000 Woodlands Stud Queen Of Hearts at Alexandra Park on Friday, she is going to dominate betting and be most people’s multi anchor. The pacing season has not been without its Group 1 hotshots, Millwood Nike being the most obvious, but Aardie’s Express will be long odds-on after she won…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Swayzee favoured to do Inter Dominion – NZ Cup double
By Adam Hamilton Swayzee has the draw to add the Inter Dominion final to his recent New Zealand Cup romp. Jason Grimson’s latest and best star yet had a big win in the barrier draw with gate three, compared to his half-brother and main danger, Leap To Fame in gate six. It sparked a dramatic change in betting with Swayzee firming from as much as $4.50 pre-draw into $2, while Leap To Fame eased from $1.65 to $2.60. Grimson is trying to become the first trainer in Inter Dominion history…
Berger in with a chance to win his own race at Manawatu
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Cambridge trainer Mike Berger has travelled south for today’s meeting at Manawatu – and it feels like an ambush. Much to his surprise race 5 is the Happy 70th Birthday Mike Berger Mobile pace. “I didn’t know anything about it,” Berger says, “plus I didn’t want the whole world knowing how old I was!” Berger turned 70 over the weekend. “I asked whose idea it was but haven’t heard a thing as yet,” he laughs. “But it’s pretty cool. I’ve always enjoyed the…
Next gen Kiwis heading to IDs big finale
While there are no Kiwi trained horses and/or top drivers competing on the final night of the Inter Dominions in Queensland this Saturday, there will still be some involvement from this side of the Tasman. The Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships, featuring top Kiwi juniors Sarah O’Reilly, Zev Meredith and Crystal Hackett, will have their big final night, after a series of heats during the week, starting Tuesday, and two young Kiwis, Anna Mangels and Olivia Thomas will be involved in the Inter Dominion Mini Trot Championship. To see more on…
Purdon’s split second decision pays dividends on GP day
By Jonny Turner Pulling the left rein proved to be a case of pulling the right rein for Mark Purdon in the Group One New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All at Addington on Grand Prix Day. Purdon left punters gasping with a lap to go in New Zealand’s biggest trotting sprint when he elected to stay three back on the markers with the red-hot favourite Oscar Bonavena. But those same punters were left counting their cash when Purdon shot his star trotter along the inner to claim his second big Group 1…
Under the radar trotter wins at Geraldine
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Trainer-driver David McCormick was equal parts delighted and surprised by Maui’s win in the Ecolab Handicap Trot at Geraldine on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Peak was too good for his rivals on the grass at Orari, just a week after dead-heating for second at Methven behind runaway winner Oscar Bonavena. “I was surprised that no-one was picking him – not one person picked him after that second to Oscar.” “I thought that was strange.” While the tipsters didn’t have him in their…
A Grand Prix Group 1 day to remember for Team Dunn
by Mike Love Outstanding wins by Tyron Eros and Sunnys Sister gave the country’s leading trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn a Group 1 double at Addington yesterday. Tyron Eros was far too good for his rivals in the IRT Ace of Clubs two-year-old old colts and geldings trot at Addington yesterday. “We were pretty confident. He’s got the ability and does everything right,” says co-trainer Jenna Dunn, “we had a bit of luck with the favourites galloping at the start. Any win is a good win, but when they win…
Purdon-Phelan combo nab Grand Prix Group 1 double
By Michael Guerin Northern trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan pulled off the ultimate team work double at Addington yesterday. The pair capped a wonderful last 14 months at the home of Canterbury harness racing when Merlin led throughout to win Garrard NZ Pacing Derby on Grand Prix Day a race after stablemate Duchess Megxit won the Group 1 The Box Seat Ace Of Diamonds for juvenile pacing fillies. The double is the northern stable’s fourth and fifth major race victories at Addington from small numbers since October last year,…
Swayzee beaten, Leap To Fame impressive and Queen Elida victorious at IDs
By Adam Hamilton Young gun Cam Hart is staying strong with Swayzee. The New Zealand Cup hero was beaten for the second successive time in the Brisbane Inter Dominion series last night, but nothing went right. Swayzee was headed-off from barrier one and shuffled to four back on the pegs in a nasty pocket. Hart never saw daylight until the last 130m and Swayzee charged home for fourth to the classy Victorian pacer Better Eclipse. Earlier, Swayzee’s stablemate Nerano underlined why he has been the “find” of the pacing series…
Aardie’s Express opens account at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin The first Alexandra Park victory for Aardie’s Express was a long time in the making. Our best racemare warmed up for next week’s Queen Of Hearts at Alexandra Park by overcoming the worst draw and sitting parked to down leader Lady Of The Light in the $37,200 Caduceus Club Northern Breeders Stakes on Friday night. The leader was brave but Aardie’s Express’s class showed, as you would expect from a mare who is a genuine open class player. But what punters who took the $1.80 didn’t see…