Eight wins in 2023 for Muscle Mountain Muscle Mountain is now the most “winningest” horse in New Zealand this year. The star trotter took out the What The Hill Ashburton Trotters’ Sprint for the third time on Monday. It was his eighth win this year from 11 starts. He has amassed $217,650 in stakes. Millwood Nike and Bella Button are next on seven wins for the year. Meanwhile Akuta has passed $250,000 in earnings this year with his win in the Ashburton Flying Stakes on Monday. The New Zealand Cup…
Author: NZHarnessNews
The Box Seat – October 25
Join hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin for this week’s edition of The Box Seat.
Behind The Breeds #5
Behind The Breeds is a series where breeding enthusiast Don Rae takes a deep dive into the pedigree of some of today’s trotters and pacers. Under the spotlight today is the Tony Stratford-trained two-year old Dawson, who cleared out and won his juvenile heat at the Winton Harness Racing Club Trials Meeting on Friday October 13th by eleven lengths. By Sweet Lou from Speights Girl, the ownership group comprises some well known southern identities who have also enjoyed great success with another Sweet Lou, the Grand Circuit performer Spirit of…
The latest from the trials – October 20
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. Pukekohe Workouts Friday 20th OctoberWeather Fine Track fast Mantra Blue (3f Sweet Lou – Kamwood Blue Chip) The unbeaten filly driven by trainer Zac Butcher led for fun and kept going strongly to just hold out Kahlua Flybye (trailed 3rd of 4), with the winner looking to have plenty in reserve. MR:2:02.2., 800m in 56.2, 400m in 27.4 She now…
Ashburton – the best of the rest
By Michael Guerin Yesterday’s Ashburton meeting was one of the strongest harness racing programmes of the season and the best form guide to New Zealand Cup week.Here is what unfolded in the other features outside of the two open class races: Race 4, Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies: Treacherous Love continued the great recent run of North Island-trained horses at the south’s biggest meetings when she bolted away for trainer Brent Mangos. She went straight to the front and driver Ricky May got away with a very slow early section before she…
Muscle Mountain too good once again
By Michael Guerin Nobody would have begrudged driver Ben Hope the rarest of all racing celebrations at Ashburton if he had had the audacity to launch into a double whip salute. Hope restricted himself to just one though as Muscle Mountain strode to one of the easiest wins of his career in the What The Hill Trotters Sprint, the salute dedicated to the great trotter’s late owner Ian Dosbon who died last week. Dobson showed faith in Ben when many others lacked it, allowing him to drive Muscle Mountain throughout…
Akuta and Muscle Mountain’s double for “Dobbie”
By Jonny Turner Cool, calm, and collected is the only way to describe Olivia Thornley’s winning drive behind superstar pacer Akuta in the Ashburton Flying Stakes at Ashburton on Monday. Thornley set up the first leg of a winning double for the late Ian Dobson and his family as Akuta strode to an easy win just a matter of minutes before Muscle Mountain took out the Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile. Pulling on Ian ‘Dobbie’ Dobson’s green colours to drive the New Zealand Cup favorite put all eyes firmly on Thornley…
Fergusons winning on both sides of the Tasman
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk It’s a five and a half hour drive from Hamilton to Palmerston North but Peter Ferguson made it worth his while with three wins and two seconds from five drives at Monday’s mini-meeting at Manawatu. “They weren’t all turn up and win types that’s for sure so to have a day like that is bloody good.” Ferguson combined with Always Flyin, Greater Good and Luka Doncic to go back to back to back in races two, three and four, with second placings in…
Bucket List drives Spirit Of St Louis’ NZ Cup trip
by Adam Hamilton Spirit Of St Louis’s New Zealand Cup raid is driven by the bucket list of his part-owners Summit Bloodstock and Aaron Bain Racing. The emerging Aussie syndication force has enjoyed a stellar 2023 and wants to add to it with victory NZ’s most iconic pacing race. Summit Bloodstock and Aaron Bain Racing (ABR) successfully used their slot in the Race by Grins at Cambridge back in April to partner with winner Copy That. On the same night, they went close to a remarkable double when Spirit Of…
Lovemeto makes Vic Derby Statement
by Adam Hamilton Exciting Kiwi trotter Lovemeto can wind back the clock a little in the Group 1 Victoria Trotters’ Derby. There was a time when quality Kiwi raiders made the classic their own. Houdini Star won it for John Hay in 2006 and Phil and Nathan Williamson combined to win with Springbank Richard the following year. There was a bit of a gap then John and Josh Dickie brought across Speeding Spur to win in 2015. The next year it was trotting maestro Paul Nairn and Wilmas Mate winning…