Author: NZHarnessNews

Vale Colleen Butcher

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin The matriarch of one of New Zealand’s great racing families, Colleen Butcher, passed away on Monday. She was 88. Mrs Butcher was the wife of training great John Butcher, who died eight years ago and the couple’s legacy in harness racing is enormous. They had four children in Annette, Pauline, David and Philip, the latter outstanding horsemen. Mrs Butcher’s grandchildren include trainers and drivers Benjamin, Zachary, Stephen and Shane but mere wins and trophies can’t sum up the family’s contribution to harness racing, particularly in the north.…

Kiwi-bound Aussie stars hot favourites at Melton

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Aussie champs Leap To Fame and Just Believe are drawn to continue their preparations for New Zealand raids with feature wins at Melton on Saturday night. Leap To Fame will start the hottest favourite in the 50-year history of the $A300,000 Group 1 Victoria after drawing ideally in barrier three. He firmed from $1.60 pre-draw to $1.20 straight after it while Just Believe landed a decisive advantage over arch-rival and boom European import Callmethebreeze in the $A75,000 Group 1 Bill Collins Trotters’ Mile. Just Believe drew four,…

Breckon and Cole going big in new slot races

NZHarnessNews

THE ASCENT and THE VELOCITY are the brand new $500,000 slot races that will be a big part of the Show Day Twilight race meeting at Addington Raceway on Friday, November 15. The $30,000 slots for the two races for the three-year-old trotters and pacers were snapped up in quick time – so who are the people behind the names? Over the next few weeks we will profile many of the slot holders. Today it is Ken Breckon and Richard Cole (and Rick/Nick)  Industry heavyweights Ken Breckon (pictured above) and…

Captain Sampson the one to beat at Cambridge

NZHarnessNews

Tuesday racing continues at Cambridge today with much interest in commanding favourite Captain Sampson in Race 9 at 7.35pm. Successful owners/breeders Alan and Lyn Messenger will also line up three horses at the meeting as they try to extend their winning run.  Captain Sampson the one to beat at Cambridge By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Captain Sampson will have something of a NZ Cup Day audition when racing resumes at Cambridge today. The Captaintreacherous two-year-old, who has created a big impression with two wins in just three career…

Pinseeker “feeling good” ahead of today’s Methven Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love  Leeston trainer and driver Jonny Cox lines up Pinseeker as a warm favourite in today’s Group 3 Lazarus Methven Cup at Mt Harding racecourse.  The four-year-old Downbytheseaide gelding has put together an impressive record in his short career – winning four and placing four times from his nine appearances. After running a strong fresh up second in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on September 15, Pinseeker tackles today’s assignment in fine fettle according to Cox. “He’s come through his Hannon run really good. He had a quiet…

The Trials Report – October 4

NZHarnessNews

Who’s been starring at the trials from all over the country for the week ending October 4? Auckland Trotting Club Workouts @ Pukekohe- Thursday 26 September Race 6- Bettor Be A Legend (2g Sweet Lou-Bettor Be A Lady) Tr G A Rogerson Returning to the workouts following a promising start to his career in the middle of this year (2nd and a 4th from two race-day appearances). Showed gate speed to lead for James Stormont and held the runner up (Franco Salah) comfortably enough to the line. Paced the 2050m…

Age no barrier in tonight’s Holmes DG at Alexandra Park 

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Cold Chisel may be a three-year-old taking on the best pacers in the north at Alexandra Park tonight but that is not how his trainers look at it. And they are, of course, right. At first glance Cold Chisel looks out of place in tonight’s $40,000 TAB Holmes DG, the next step on the road to next month’s New Zealand Cup. He is technically a three-year-old taking on multiple Group 1 winners (and stablemates) Merlin and Mach Shard in a 2700m standing start but age is very…

Selections | Auckland and Wyndham

NZHarnessNews

It’s Friday! Selections for Auckland and Wyndham.        Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Alexandra Park     Aaron WhiteCommentator  Wyndham       Jonny TurnerRacing Journalist  Race 1 5.58pm 6 Shesgold10 Itaintnecessarilyso9 Bravehearthighlander2 Five O’Clock Gerry     Race 1 3.15pm 2 Brother Johnson8 Styrax4 Joe Kennedy1 Don Ameche   Race 26.35pm 2 The Jolly Roger1 Aventador9 Beachbreak5 Bettor Be A Legend Race 2 3.47pm 3 Saucy Delight4 Flashpoint2 Vintage Miki7 Here’s Johny Race 37.00pm 1 Sugar Ray Lincoln2 Akatea4 Shake A Leg8 Lincoln Lou   Race 3 4.12pm 3 Justanothersip4 Ada R J1 Always…

The New Zealand Cup – 40 years ago

NZHarnessNews

It’s 40 days until the running of the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway so why not look back at the winner of the great race 40 years ago. By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   In 1984 Camelot was harness racing’s king of the castle. Trained and driven by Robin Butt, Camelot won his first New Zealand Trotting Cup at his second attempt, just 12 months after finishing second to Australian visitor Steel Jaw who’d won the 1983 Cup by over nine lengths in a new…

“Red” keeps racking them up at Cambridge

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News desk  Red Rackham has started October the way he finished September – and that’s by winning at Cambridge on a Tuesday. The Vincent gelding has turned into a midweek marvel, winning five times there in his past six starts. The only time he didn’t win he was second. Fittingly his success last came in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Tuesday Pacers Final Mobile Pace while the Stephen Doody-trained Sweet Olivia took out the Garrards Horse and Hound Tuesday Trotters Final. The finals were eligible to horses…