Author: NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Fresh from a two-week break from driving and running a marathon, Kate Gath dominated the weekend’s Bendigo meeting. Gath drove four winners (half the card), three for husband Andy and one for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin. The first win was on former Kiwi mare Dannemora for Stewart and Tonkin, who made it six wins from as many starts since coming across from NZ. Gath then won on a trio of former Kiwi pacers for her own stable, firstly Tango Tara in the Koala King free-for-all (2150m)…

By Adam Hamilton Even the notoriously sedate Grant Dixon was buzzing after Leap To Fame’s latest and biggest feature win at Albion Park over the weekend. But Dixon’s excitement was nothing compared to those on track and the broader harness racing industry who think the sport has found its next megastar. It was 17 years ago when the great Blacks A Fake burst into the big league winning the Hobart Inter Dominion and Leap To Fame is starting to have the same sort of aura. It’s a huge call given…

By Jonny Turner An autumn and winter of longtime maidens breaking through for success continued when Sir Monty scored at Addington on Sunday in his 50th attempt. The five-year-old’s gate speed helped driver Sam Thornley secure him a sweet trip in the trail before he sprinted up the passing lane to win the Bev Little Memorial. By recent standards, breeder-owner-trainer Gavin Turner didn’t have to be too patient. Sly Tricks broke through in his 85th start recently, while Santeria made it win one in her 64th start late last month.…

By Jonny Turner Black Mach heads the tidy book of drives Sam Thornley combines with at Addington on Sunday. Thornley will be out to rack up another win for his boss Ken Barron when Black Mach starts in a junior drivers assignment. Black Mach scored for Thornley at Addington a month ago and the reinsman has given the five-year-old the nod as his best chance on Sunday. “I’d have to say Black Mach, he has been going pretty good races and he is quite a tough horse.” “The draw (8)…

by Brigette Solomon It was a night to remember for Crystal Hackett – four winners from four drives. At Cambridge last night the 19-year-old, who’s in just her second full season of driving, produced a career best performance. “It was a great night, I’m still buzzing and I’m very grateful to everyone who puts me on and trusts me in the bike!” says Hackett. The first of those wins came in Race 1, on Ilsa’s Son trained by Hackett’s employers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan. “He went well, I went…

By Jonny Turner Beach Flybye faces the toughest test of his winter campaign at Addington on Friday night and driver Tim Williams thinks he is up to it. The Stonewall Stud pacer will be out to make it three-from-three this time in when he steps up in grade to race hardy types in race 7. He’s currently a $1.90 favourite. With a new harness racing calendar year and the spring and summer loaded with age group features, most talented three-year-olds are yet to return to the track. But Beach Flybye…

The dates for three key Junior Drivers’ competitions have been confirmed. Between October 2023 and February 2024 there will be the New Zealand Junior Drivers’ Championships, the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championship and the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series.   NZ Junior Drivers’ Championship : The 2023 New Zealand Junior Drivers’ Championship will be held over an action-packed three days in October. The races will be held at Addington (Thursday, October 5), followed by Ascot Park in Invercargill the following day and then the finale at Methven on Sunday, October 8.…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The Express is back, and her trainers have big plans. After a sensational three-year-old season that saw her win eight of nine starts, Aardie’s Express successfully negotiated yesterday’s trials at Rangiora, with co-trainer Amanda Telfer saying the ultimate goal is the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday, November 14. “That’s the plan, we think quite a lot of her and as long as she stays sound we think that’s realistic,” says co-trainer Amanda Telfer. Yesterday was all part of that. After having all her…