By Jonny Turner Craig Ferguson warmed up for his Group 1 tilt at Addington on Friday night by turning heads at Wyndham on Thursday. The trainer-driver produced Rustenburg for a brilliant maiden win in the stunning time of 2-54.4 for 2400m to win the Lazarus Standing at Nevele R Stud Mobile Pace. The three-year-old was beaten by a classy type in Dreams Are Free on debut at Winton. But Ferguson had a plan to avenge that defeat on Thursday. “We’re pretty pleased with that, he sat back last start and…
Author: NZHarnessNews
The latest from the trials – October 11
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 11th OctoberWeather Fine / Track Good Smoke On The Water (3g Art Major – Left In The Dark) The Purvis trained runner, in the hands of the trainer, sat midfield before working into the 1×1 1000m from home swept up around the final turn to quickly establish his superiority. MR: 2:03.3, 800m in 56.9, 400m 28.5. Big…
Trotting’s big rivalry is back
by Jonny Turner After nearly eighteen months of anticipation, a long-awaited showdown of superstars will finally take place on Friday night at Addington. Brilliant square gaiters Muscle Mountain and Bolt For Brilliance will finally renew their massive rivalry in the Group Three Canterbury Park Trotting Cup. Bolt For Brilliance started off his season in style, triumphing over a lower-grade field before making his way south for the huge night of feature racing at Addington on Friday night. Just a week prior, Muscle Mountain powered his way to victory in the…
Cambridge’s big chance to shine at Addington’s mega meeting
By Michael Guerin When punters think of the biggest harness racing meetings Cambridge trainers Arna Donnelly and Matty White are probably not who first come to mind. Especially at Addington on a NZB Harness Million night, the kind of age group races usually completely taken over by mega barns like the All Stars. Yet the two Cambridge trainers, and in White’s case also as a freelance driver, find themselves with huge winning chances in three of the richest races and upset hopes in two of the others at the strongest…
Wicked Wanda poised to strike at Cambridge
By Brigette Solomon With seven drives at tonight’s meeting at Cambridge Raceway Peter Ferguson reckons he’s got one winner at least – and probably more. And the one he’s circling is Sweet Lou three-year-old filly Wicked Wanda who fronts up against just five other rivals in Race 8, the IRT Your Horse, Our Passion Mobile Pace over 1700m. A winner of one from 10, Wicked Wanda’s recent form makes for compelling reading. The Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson trained filly most recently ran second when beaten just 1.8m by the…
Raklou rated big chance on race day return
By Jonny Turner Outstanding filly Raklou will make her return to racing a little later than first planned at Wyndham today. The Peter Hunter trained two-year-old showed outstanding talent as well as plenty of grit and determination when stringing together three wins in the autumn. Raklou looked destined for top-level racing in the spring and it is hoped that race 1 at Wyndham will be a springboard for that. But not everything has gone completely to plan this time in and today’s outing will give Hunter a real line on…
Stars fly in a month out from IRT New Zealand Cup
Some very serious horsepower has been safely delivered to Christchurch from the North Island, and the majority of them will be in action as early as Addington on Friday night. With New Zealand Cup and Show Week now only a month away, a total of 16 standardbreds have arrived on a flight from Auckland organised by IRT (International Racehorse Transport). Among them was star trotter Bolt For Brilliance (pictured above), who will renew his rivalry with Muscle Mountain in the Dancinginthedark M Canterbury Park Trotting Club on Friday night. The…
News briefs : October 11
Change of plan for Old Town Road The second favourite for the IRT New Zealand Cup is set to take a different path to the great race. Old Town Road moved into $5 for the Cup with his come-from-last win when returning at Alexandra Park last Friday and initially trainer John Dickie thought he would take the wonderful pacer to Ashburton for the Flying Stakes. But Dickie has had a change of heart and Ashburton’s loss is likely to be Kaikoura’s gain.“We were going to go to Ashburton but I…
The Box Seat – October 11
Join hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin for this week’s edition of The Box Seat.
Two expert opinions on Addington’s big Friday night
The fields are out for what is shaping up as an epic night’s racing at Addington on Friday. So we asked two of our experts, Jonny Turner and Michael Guerin for their thoughts – who’s fared well in the draws, and who’s fared poorly? Jonny Turner : The stars are likely to have to do it the hard way on a huge night of harness racing at Addington on Friday. Second row draws have been handed to several key runners as a mass of young talent from across the country…