Author: NZHarnessNews

The two day Kaikoura race meeting is a highlight for many. The annual event takes place this Sunday and Monday and we have put together a comprehensive form guide for Kaikoura Cup day. Check it out here

Today’s Methven races today have been called off after a bitter wintry blast ripped through Mid Canterbury, and will be held next Wednesday instead. “We’ve had very heavy sleet and snow all morning,” says Methven Trotting Club President Michael Heenan, “and it’s a massive disappointment to have to make the call.” The decision was made in conjunction with the Racing Integrity Board just before 11am, though the forecast is for the weather to get better as the day goes. Race 1 was due to go at 1.25pm. “We had to…

By Michael Guerin The over achievers of the northern juvenile pacing scene were at it again when Minjee made a winning debut at Cambridge on Friday night. While Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan as the undoubted kings of training juvenile winners in the north these days it is increasingly hard to ignore the record Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson are building with their babies. Backed from an opening quote of $9 to $4, Minjee was punched off the gate hard by Peter Ferguson before he let Obadiah Dragon go to…

Here’s Greg O’Connor with the latest Addington News. 

Now that many of the very best horses are coming out to play we are regularly updating what’s happening at the trials right around the country. Here’s the latest installment. Rangiora Trials Wednesday 25th OctoberWeather Fine / Track Fast Play It Cool (2g Bettor’s Delight – Cool Sandy) The Boyd trained runner in the hands of Blair Orange was indeed playing it cool, sat last of five until the final 400m, came wide on last bend and kept coming strongly to just miss picking up Rock Me Lou who raced…

by Jonny Turner Drivers rallied to support their colleague Katie Cox in her battle with cancer before going on to racetrack success at Winton yesterday. Kirstin Green recently put the call out for her fellow drivers to offer their financial support to a fundraising campaign for Canterbury trainer driver Cox, who has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer. A charitable trust set up to contribute to paying Cox’s medical expenses, which are set to go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, hit $55,000 in the…

By Michael Guerin Trainers Andrew and Lyn Neal don’t have to wait long for their potential new stable star to return to the races. Because just a week after their former headliner Nicholas Cage left their Cambridge stable, Northern Oaks placed filly Diamonds Are Forever returns on her home track tonight. Nicholas Cage was fast enough to defeat Akuta and Copy That (no mean feat) in the Founders Cup at Alexandra Park on March 10, a display of speed than earned him a slot in The Race by Grins. The…

By Michael Guerin One of New Zealand’s most accomplished young harness horsemen is returning home and straight into one of our prime driving roles. Multiple Group 1-winning trainer and driver Joshua Dickie will return early in the New Year and work at Stonewall Stud’s northern stables and assume the role of their regular North Island driver. Dickie will be accompanied by his partner Sammy Kilgour, herself a talented horseperson, who will also work for Stonewall and Steve Telfer. The 32-year-old Dickie moved to Australia two years ago and while he…

By Adam Hamilton Young Kiwi horseman Dylan Ferguson is more than confident with Lovemeto ahead of Sunday’s $75,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters’ Derby at Maryborough. While the gelding thrashed his rivals by 31.2m in a Derby heat last Sunday, Ferguson knows the final will be a different ball game. “The other heat was much, much stronger,” he said. “I think the first three home in that other heat would all have won our heat just as impressively,” he said. “We needed to win as easily as we did to show…