By Jonny Turner It didn’t start as the perfect preparation but it will be if Southland trotter Smokin Bandar enters harness racing’s history books at Addington on Show Day. Southland-trained trotters have been unable to make their mark in the Dominion in the modern era, but Smokin Bandar gets the chance to buck that trend on Friday. When the flashy grey battled to match it with a middling bunch of Brisbane’s best trotters during a Queensland winter campaign, he didn’t exactly look on track to be a major threat to…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Thames Country Cups headline Cambridge meeting
By Brigette Solomon Minutes after Show Day racing at Addington concludes, The Thames Country Cups meeting gets underway at Cambridge Raceway. The two feature races of the night are Race 5, 7.59pm The Dunstan Thames Trotters Cup and Race 7, 8:51pm The IRT Thames Pacers Cup. Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett bring two horses to compete for the Dunstan Thames Trotters Cup over 2200m, Kiwitrix and Melsadele. The latter was somewhat unlucky in her last start after being held up in the final stages to finish fourth at Alexandra Park…
The Dominion Trot – 50 years ago
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Trotting’s premier race dates back to 1911, and 50 years ago the great Jack Smolenski won his first and only Dominion Trot. Driving the back marker and favourite Philemon Smolenski completed a notable Cup week double. One of all-time great drivers Smolenski had won the 1973 New Zealand Cup with Araphao on the Tuesday and then doubled up with Philemon in the Dominion three days later. Starting off 15m, the combo went forward after just 600 metres before being taken on in the…
Michael Guerin’s best bets at Addington today
Show Day is another massive day at Addington, highlighted by the three Group 1s – the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot, the Dunstan Horse Feeds Sires’ Stakes Series Final for the 2YO Fillies, and the Airpark Canterbury NZ Pacing Free For All. To help out Michael Guerin has selected his five of the best. 1: Muscle Mountain (R9, No.15): Adding pull-down blinds to his gear seems to have super charged his already impressive motor. Traffic looks his biggest concern. 2: Akuta (R11, No.1): The Cup runner-up looked a great chance in…
Princess Sadie set for Classique
By Mike Love Princess Sadie will be out for listed level spoils today as she looks to win the Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes 2YO Fillies Classique at Ashburton today. Princess Sadie has been very strong in her three career starts to date, including showing some blistering gate speed to lead from wide out at Addington last time. Oamaru trainer and driver Matthew Williamson is going in with some confidence. “She came through that run really well. She seems to be handling the racing at this stage. She hasn’t had the…
Big draw upgrades for many for Show Day features
By Michael Guerin Most of the big-race favourites for the massive Show Day meeting at Addington should not have to repeat the Group 1 heroics we saw on Cup Day. Because while the winners of the Group 1s on Tuesday all came from the second line to record astonishing winning performances on Friday most of the big names who could draw well have. The obvious exception is hot favourite Muscle Mountain in the $300,000 Renwick Farms Dominion as he had to draw wide on the second line as he starts…
Creatine filly raising money for Katie Cox Appeal
by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After facing his own cancer battle, Gerald Cayford felt compelled to help out Katie Cox. He responded by putting up a Creatine yearling he owns on auction site gavelhouse, with all proceeds going to the Katie Cox Appeal Fund. The horse named Courageous Katie is currently at $2000, with the auction closing just after 7pm on Friday night. “I’ve only met Katie once but when you think of what she’s going through and I thought you have to do something.” “The response from…
Agreement reached over Forbury Park site in South Dunedin
Update : Forbury Park The Forbury Park site in South Dunedin will soon be on the market, following an agreement this week between Forbury Park Trotting Club Inc (FPTC), Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and SEED Housing Limited. In 2019, SEED Housing contracted to purchase land at Forbury Park from FPTC with a view to developing affordable housing that is resilient to the future impacts of climate change in consultation with the local community. A new Racing Industry Act came into force in 2020 granting HRNZ new powers in respect…
Michael Guerin’s take on IRT New Zealand Cup day
By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s most important and historic harness race got a shot of Aussie adrenalin at maybe the perfect time when Swayzee smashed the locals in the $750,000 IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington on Tuesday. The New South Wales pacer won the tactical early battle over Canterbury favourite Akuta and was able to stroll to the lead after a lap, from where he never looked like being beaten. While Akuta moved to park outside him with a lap to go and even secured the trail at the…
Purdon trifecta in Sires’ Stakes final
By Mike Love A breathtaking display by Chase A Dream spearheaded a Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained trifecta in Tuesday’s Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes final at Addington. Heading home We Walk By Faith and Major Hot, Chase A Dream made it his fourth win from six starts in a dazzling performance to secure his first Group One victory. A hot pace early saw the Bettor’s Delight colt stalk the speed with driver Olivia Thornley, before making a move from the 800m. Chase A Dream made up at least a dozen lengths…