By Jonny Turner Max Hill notched his first win at Addington in style with his calm and collected steer behind Smokin Bandar. Hill was tasked with giving the trotter a vital hit-out which would a deciding factor in whether the grey trotter headed across the Tasman to the Brisbane Winter Carnival. It was mission complete for both Hill and Smokin Bandar when they cleared out from the field in race 5. And in the process the junior driver enjoyed one of the thrills of his career. “He would have to…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Fernleigh Cash is back, with big targets ahead
By Michael Guerin A winter night at Cambridge is rarely the first stepping stone to a New Zealand Cup start but one of the best trainers in the country thinks that unlikely journey could begin tonight. Premiership winner Steve Telfer is sure Fernleigh Cash has what it takes to get to open class, maybe even the great race at Addington in November, and says if not for injury the big gelding wouldn’t even be at Cambridge tonight. Fernleigh Cash has won five of his 13 starts and was a head…
Whispering Artist impresses with four in a row
By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s most surprising mare may be running out of ways to keep surprising us. Whispering Artist was a huge mover up the pacing ranks over the autumn, winning four races on end culminating in the Powell Transport Northern Breeders Stakes at Alexandra Park last Friday. In doing so she beat a genuine Group 1 mare in Manhattan not once but twice in seven days and while the first of those wins came courtesy of a good draw, last week Whispering Artist had to show gate speed…
Spirit Of St Louis is back to take on top class field
By Adam Hamilton Young gun driver Jack Callaghan can’t wait to reunite with star pacer Spirit Of St Louis at Menangle on Saturday night. The pair has been a huge force on the Grand Circuit for the past 18 months and are aiming at a string of majors again through the back half of this year. And Callaghan has his heart set on winning one of them, as much for Spirit Of St Louis as himself. “He just deserves to grab one of the really big ones,” he said. “He’s…
The Box Seat – May 31
This week’s Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.
News Briefs : May 31
300 for Wallis/Hackett Bernie Hackett and Michelle Wallis brought up their 300th training success when Five O’Clock Gerry won his northern debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Daughter Crystal Hackett drove the perfect race, positioning the What The Hill in the trail before zipping up the passing lane to win by three quarters of a length. It was the horse’s first win and came after six placings from seven starts down south. The Wallis-Hackett team have been training winners since 2012. Before that Wallis had 323 winners between 1999…
Copy That likely to miss Queensland trip, Merlin out too
By Michael Guerin For pacing hero Copy That only one race matters now and that looks certain to see him miss the rich Queensland winter carnival for a well-earned break. Copy That was among the favourites for the A$400,000 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park in July but trainer Ray Green and owner Merv Butterworth are now lukewarm on another Trans Tasman trip. “He has had some hard racing and done plenty of travelling since last September and he is only flesh and bone, he needs a break at some…
Over $5000 raised for Breast Cancer Foundation
The Breast Cancer Foundation has received a $5300 donation, courtesy of harness racing show, the Box Seat. Every week this series hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin, as well as well known businessman and harness racing enthusiast Graham Hand, have been placing $100 multis through the TAB, with all proceeds going to the Foundation. “It’s been a bit up and down,” says O’Connor, “we started strongly and have had a few dips along the way but it’s all been for a great cause.” “As you can imagine getting Mick to…
Perseverance pays divvies for winning trotter
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Many times it seemed that Downtown Orlando was not going to cut it as a race horse. And many times trainer Amber Lethaby felt tempted to “pull the pin”. But now she, and the rest of the horse’s connections, have been rewarded – the four-year-old trotter is a race winner, after prevailing at Timaru over the weekend. “It was good result, good for dad and good for the owners,” says Lethaby. Lethaby’s father Ray Jenkins has driven the horse in all 13 career…
30 years on and the Mossdale horses just keep winning
By Rob Courtney The Mossdale horses are synonymous with Archie Affleck and his origins within the Southland farming community, and Mossdale Ben’s win at Addington last Thursday, with Ben Hope in the bike, continued a family tradition which began over 30 years ago. “Charlie Smaill and myself both farmed in the same area (near the present day home of Macca Lodge in Southland) and our kids were the same age so we saw a fair bit of each other,” says Affleck. Together we got Keyali off Neil Timms in the…