Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin 1: Just how good are the open class pretenders? There is no doubting the Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase has some good horses, maybe even very good horses, in it but are they going to be good enough. The open class scene and the build-up to the New Zealand Cup is going to be completely dominated by the big three of Copy That, Self Assured and Akuta because they have won all our Cups in the last two years. Challengers like B D Joe and Old Town…

By Jonny Turner Itoje stood tall to win his debut in style amid a drama filled running of a quality maiden race at Wyndham yesterday. The five-year-old announced his arrival from the harness racing wilderness with a powerful display to beat a line up billed as one of the deepest maiden fields seen in Southland in many months. At the ripe old age of five-years-old, Itoje made his debut on the trials track earlier this year for owner-trainer-driver Brendan McLellan, who races the horse with wife Megan. In his build…

By Michael Guerin It was an emotional victory for young horseman Nathan Delany at Cambridge on Thursday night and not just because it was his first training success. Delany has just started training and reined one of his five horses Illustrious Arden to win at her second start in race 2 on Thursday. “It was very emotional, firstly because of the win,” says the 23-year-old. “But it is a tough time for our family at the moment, it is the anniversary of my brother passing this week. He died when…

By Jonny Turner Tim Williams is hopeful giving away a head-start won’t be a headache for Allamericanlover in the Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington on Friday night. The Stonewall Stud mare will be out to make history in the first qualifier for the 2023 New Zealand Cup. No horse has started from a handicap in the 12-year history of the event, let alone won from the 10m mark Allamericanlover will face. Though they face a daunting task, Williams hopes his mare can overcome it with a fast beginning. “I don’t…

By Jonny Turner The careers of several talented horses are set to get underway in a red-hot maiden field at Wyndham on Thursday. Punters have plenty of talent to choose from with a promising line up of horses assembled for race 5 at the Gore meeting. Always On Sale, Itoje, Ramblin Rover, Gunner Andy and Secret Potion have each shown their share of ability when trialling ahead of their debuts. While they have already made their debuts, Artmore, Glenkenick, Summit Ultra and Captain Meister have each shown they are well…

By  Rob Courtney Respected northern horseman James Stormont, by his own admission, is a ‘no fuss’ kinda guy and tries to avoid the limelight. With 1284 driving wins,from 1988, and 227 successes as a trainer (from 1995) behind him, Stormont has now been living in Canterbury for the last two months. Based at Pukekohe for most of his adult working life and having just finished a stint with Stonewall Stud, by word of mouth, he recently responded to a job vacancy within the Fred Fletcher stable at Weedons. “I’ve never…

This Friday Addington Raceway holds its “Road to the Cup” race night. But it also marks the official start of the prestigious 2023 Nevele R Fillies series which will culminate in the $140,000 Group 1 final at Addington on IRT NZ Cup day, Tuesday November 14. “You look back at past winners and the series is like a roll call of our best three-year-old fillies, Armalight won it in 1980, Kate’s First in 1997 and of course she went on to win the Auckland Cup the same year, and horse…

By Jonny Turner The New Zealand Cup got another contender when Mossdale Ben produced a powerful victory in the Kurow Cup at Oamaru yesterday. The Greg and Nina Hope trained pacer rounded up a quality field with ease to give driver Ben Hope his first win in New Zealand since May. After handling his first standing start well and producing a slick victory, the Hope camp now plan to nominate Mossdale Ben for the New Zealand Cup and give him his chance to show whether he can foot it with…

By Adam Hamilton Reigning Victoria Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo has put behind him a career-derailing NZ campaign and looks right back on song. Winless in seven runs since winning last year’s Victoria Cup, trainer-driver Mick Stanley gave the brilliant pacer a long spell and, judging by his stunning return, it certainly worked. Rock N Roll Doo’s barnstorming third to star mare Encipher in last Saturday night’s Westburn Grant free-for-all (2240m) at Melton was off the charts. He was clocked to go a low 53sec last half, much of…

by Adam Hamilton The field for the world’s richest harness race is complete. Victorians dominant Saturday week’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka on numbers with half the 10-horse field trained in the state, headed by Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave. The other Victorians through are: Queensland Derby winner The Lost Storm, star mare Encipher, the gifted Captain Ravishing and now emerging three-year-old Captain Hammerhead. The last slot, that of John Singleton, went to the David Moran-trained Captain Hammerhead when he upstaged some older and more fancied rivals to brilliantly win last…