Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Regular Inter-Island flights for racehorses look set to return with the first major beneficiary to be New Zealand Cup week in Christchurch. Negotiations are being completed that could confirm weekly flights between Auckland and Christchurch starting as early as the third week of October, giving the connections of horses heading to Canterbury’s massive Cup Week the option to fly them down. Just as importantly, if the new deal is struck, horses who head to Cup week, or any South Island race meeting, will be able to fly…

This week’s edition of the Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.  

Aardie’s Express has been the big mover in the latest IRT New Zealand Cup rankings. The mare jumped from 30th place to 15th in the rankings after her Group 3 Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. Other movements in the rankings include Republican Party jumping up to 12th from 17th, and Anything Goes moving to 11th, both being rewarded for their minor placings in the Hannon Memorial. Deceptive also passes a few with his 5th in the race moving to 34th from 40th. The top 10 rankings all remain the…

By Michael Guerin Lady Luck and star juvenile filly Kiss seem to have gone their separate ways in the second half of 2023. The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained filly has looked maybe the best young female pacer in the country with two wins and two huge placings in her four starts but she has come up with the outside of the front line in the $110,000 Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Not that she isn’t getting used to it as she has had to contend…

Now that we are in spring the good horses are coming out to play and that’s why we are regularly updating what’s happening at the trials right around the country. Here’s the latest installment.  Winton Workouts Thursday 14th September(Weather Fine Track Fast) Raklou (2f Sweet Lou – Raksbet) The smart 2yo, a winner of three from just four starts, was back from her spell running fourth in behind Captain Tom (R35 to R66 pace) who led over the final lap and stayed on too well for his rivals in a…

Greg O’Connor continues his one-on-one series with John Dickie. 

There will be two new faces at the upcoming McMillan Equine Feeds Junior Driver Championships. The championship, which dates back to the 1970s, will kick off at Addington on Thursday 5th October, then head to Invercargill on Friday 6th October and conclude at Methven on Sunday 8th October. It’s hoped there will be two races at Addington, three at Invercargill and one at Methven.  In each race seventeen points will be allocated to the winning driver, with 12 for second, and 10 for third. Points will go all the way…

Harness Racing New Zealand’s Blue September campaign has exceeded the $15,000 mark. The country’s leading driver Blair Orange has a total of seven wins raising up to $300 per win, with Matty White, Jonny Cox, Nathan Williamson and Matty Williamson all on three wins. Zachary Butcher, Robbie Close and Mark Hurrell are sitting on two wins for the campaign. This is the third year that HRNZ has been involved, with 12 ambassadors, each wearing their distinctive blue pants, raising money every time they win a race during the month. HRNZ…

By Jonny Turner A powerful victory in the Hannon Memorial doesn’t necessarily mean Aardie’s Express is heading straight towards the New Zealand Cup. The Stonewall Stud mare powered along the inner to clinch victory in the traditional New Zealand Cup lead-up at Oamaru yesterday for driver Tim Williams. Despite being the veteran of just 13 starts, the four-year-old showed all of the poise and power required to be a genuine New Zealand Cup contender. But the Stonewall Stud camp, headed by trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer, is not ready to…