By Adam Hamilton Greg Sugars has plenty of unfinished business with Aussie trotting star Just Believe in Sweden. The pain and disappointment of striking trouble and galloping in a heat of the famed Elitlopp last Sunday week still stings. But they will team again, albeit in a lesser race, to chase some consolation in the $A85,000 Jamtlands Grand Prix in Ostersund, eight hours north of Stockholm, on Saturday night (NZ time). “The disappointment has subsided a bit. As we all know, everyone in racing goes through plenty of disappointment, but…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Team Kyle nabs double at Ascot Park
by Jonny Turner Teamwork led to the Kyle family’s outstanding day out at Ascot Park yesterday. Alister Kyle produced a training and driving double when Ask Me Lou took out race 1 before Terror Cove stormed home late to take race 3. A creditable fourth from Tashs Bad Girl in race 6 completed a successful effort from the stable’s three-horse attack on Bluff Cup day. Though Kyle is listed as the official trainer, the Winton horseman said his wife Vicky and daughters Natasha and Maddie deserved their share of credit…
Hopkins back training in very familiar colours
By Brigette Solomon As of this week, the North Island will welcome a young trainer back into the fold, with Tate Hopkins returning to the ranks. Hopkins, who has been working at Woodlands Stud for the past 18 months, said a return to training has always been in the back of his mind. So when Frank Cooney gave him the opportunity to train from his Kumeu property, he thought it’s now or never. “I’ll be starting off with a team of five horses, including one racehorse, a two-year-old, and three…
Maiden Group victories all round at Ashburton
By Mike Love, Harness News Desk The Group 2 Sapling Stakes was taken out by local trainers Brent & Tim White when Shards Matrix produced a sustained rails run to knock off race favorite A Little Silence at Ashburton yesterday. It was co-trainer Tim White’s first Group success in his second season of training – with father and co-trainer Brent White having tasted group success previously with Cranbourne and One Apollo. “It’s pretty cool,” said Tim White. “I’m actually in Brisbane on a family holiday – I couldn’t have picked…
I’m Watching You ready to strike at Invercargill
By Jonny Turner Tom Nally’s harness racing career will take another step forward when he lines up his second runner as a trainer at Ascot Park on Monday. Rebecca Dale will start for the first time since joining Nally and she’s among a handy book of drives for the junior reinsman. The five-year-old’s main mission will be to hold out Nally’s regular drive in Better Be Watching who will start favourite after her late-closing fourth at Winton last week. “I have been happy with Rebecca Dale’s workouts,” Nally said. “Hopefully…
Aussie News – June 4
By Adam Hamilton The second coming of South Coast Arden couldn’t have started any better. The former Kiwi star made it two wins from as many starts for NSW trainer Paul Fitzpatrick when he scored narrowly but impressively at Menangle last night. And he smashed the clock with a 1min49.1sec mile. In a spirited affair, South Coast Arden did what few can do at Menangle by sustaining a big run around the field to beat some serious opposition. He was helped by a scorching 53.3sec opening half set-up when Abouttime…
Purvis shooting for Group race glory
by Mike Love, Harness News Desk The two-year-old colts and geldings are set to battle at Ashburton today in the 104th running of the Group 2 Sapling Stakes, for $45,000. Fixed odds favourite, the Mark and Nathan Purdon trained Bronson ($2.70FF) will be looking to turn the tables on the Katie Cox trained second favourite, and Welcome Stakes winner, It’s Tough ($2.80FF). However, the sleeper and 3rd favourite in the field A Little Silence ($5.00FF) may have his connections making the most noise when he lines up for Woodend Beach…
Browns’ golden run continues
By Michael Guerin Waikato trainer Peter Brown could barely have had a better month and not just because he is now the country’s leading strike rate trainer. If you don’t know Brown he has been knocking around the northern harness racing scene for years, never over playing his hand, a happy, respected guy. “The horses are just a hobby for Ros (wife) and I and we have waited a long time to have a couple of good ones,” explains Brown. What Brown should have said was the harness horses are…
Fernetti’s debut win has them roaring at Addington
By Jonny Turner First time harness racing owners and their mates nearly lifted the roof off the Addington stand as they roared home Fernetti on Thursday night. Carter Dalgety syndicated the three-year-old among five of his friends and three of his family members, but there were many more on track to cheer the three-year-old home in his debut win. Not even the reinsman could escape their outstanding enthusiasm as their roars were heard when he passed the post. “After we passed the post I heard this huge roar, it was…
Salvo upsets at massive odds at Addington
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Jack Harrington had every reason to be beaming after reining home Salvo at Addington last night. It was his first win in the sulky in more than two years, and the four-year-old mare that he trains had just won by a neck, paying $104 for the win. It was Salvo’s fourth career victory from 44 starts. “The 12 months have been a bit of a nightmare with her, she’s had a lot of seasonal complaints, she’s very hormonal and that’s been affecting her…