Author: NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Star Aussie trotter Just Believe showed enough in a heartbreaking Elitloppet performance last night to pave the way for Down Under trotters to tackle the famous race with some confidence in years to come. The Inter Dominion and Great Southern Star winner was travelling strongly and may have run as close as fifth before being tightened, clipping a wheel and galloping out of the race rounding the final bend in his Elitloppet heat. “I’m pretty devastated. I feel quite sick, to be honest,” driver Greg Sugars said…

By Jonny Turner Consistent performers Mighty Reactor and Fourth Amendment made full use of their opportunities when winning at Timaru on Sunday. Trainer Brad Mowbray produced a winning double with the pair with Fourth Amendment scoring in amateur drivers company and Mighty Reactor taking out race 7. Mighty Reactor ran to his eighth career win when making full use of a perfect trip in the trail driver Matthew Williamson secured him. After showing talent throughout his career and racing much tougher fields, the six-year-old was always going to be tough…

By Jonny Turner Carl Hanna and the stock of the late champion sire Somebeachsomewhere again proved a winning combination at Winton on Saturday. Hanna produced the seventh win of his training career when Oneloveonelife finally broke maidens courtesy of a perfect Kerryn Tomlinson drive. Of those seven wins, six of Hanna’s victories have come with the stock of the champion former Canadian racehorse and turned sire, Somebeachsomewhere. Known to leave horses with ability, Somebeachsomewhere has also left more than his share of quirky and headstrong horses. Hanna joked that that…

By Jonny Turner Mark Jones is taking a cautious approach to Artatac’s Timaru Winter Cup defence. The rugged five-year-old won the Phar Lap Raceway feature last year, proving too hard to catch from the front line. But the pacer faces a different challenge on Sunday, when he will line up as one of the two 20m back markers. Artatac charged home from the rear at Rangiora last weekend, running a nice second behind Champagneandwine, who also looks a key hope in the Timaru Winter Cup. While he had next start…

Trottech’s  selections for Timaru today.              Race   TrottechForm Analyst Race 112.35pm 9 Fourth Amendment8 Forty Wives3 Bolzano1 Edge Sheeran    Race 21.00pm 10 Downtown Orlando5 Bullit Train6 Curator1 King Of Diamonds    Race 31.25pm 6 Chase The Stars13 Rockenroll Graduate12 Louie Vista2 Rebound  Race 41.50pm 4 Te Rapa6 Kink8 Tom Brady5 Sue’s Dash  Race 52.16pm 1 Killinchy Kid10 Ambleside Drive11 Major Cheddar12 Loch Lomond Race 62.41pm 8 Tedesco6 Buffy Northstains5 Boyz Invasion9 Prince Teka Race 73.06m 9 Ideal Double1 Mossdale Terry8 Killarney Dance5 Mighty Reactor  Race…

by Jonny Turner Lyndon Bond’s team at Winton on Saturday are ready to meet their challenges head-on. Bond lines up six runners on the nine-race card at Central Southland Raceway, including several key winning threats. Mamma Mia is one of them, she looks the horse to beat in race 5 given the quality of horses she’s raced in the past. Barrier 7 means the race will hardly be straight forward for the mare and driver Sarah O’Reilly, but Bond thinks they are up to the task. “Her work has been…

By Michael Guerin Rarely do big races that go so wrong end as right as the Auckland Cup did for the All Stars at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Our greatest stable, under its latest version of father and son trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon, quinellaed the iconic race with Akuta and Self Assured, the pair holding out the surprise late charge of Smiffys Terror, with Copy That a fighting fourth. Akuta was in danger of even missing the Cup when he was forced out of the final lead-up, the…

By Michael Guerin Ignorance proved to be bliss as it gave young driver Matty Williamson the biggest win of his career behind Love N The Port in the Reharvest Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Williamson wrote the latest chapter of his famous family’s story in our greatest trotting races, with his father Phil and brother Nathan and Brad having already driven trotting winners at the highest level. “But I’m the first one to drive a Rowe Cup winner,” quipped Matty, fuelling the fires of the faux family…

By Mike Love, Harness News Desk Addington Raceway provided doubles for drivers, trainers and sires last night. The Williamson family combined with three wins (Krackaling, Majestic Love and Jimmy Carter) and two placings from six runners. Majestic Love picked up her third win from eight starts when she won race 3, the Resource and Recycling Trot over 2000m from the stand. It was not an unexpected victory, starting favorite and with plenty of confidence in the camp. “She’s a nice little trotter. Good manners and pretty solid,” said Phil Williamson.…