By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk She’s the gift that keeps giving. On Tuesday at Cambridge 10-year-old mare Highview Rockn Roll made it career win number 10 when she took out the Wednesday Quiz Night At the Clubhouse Handicap Trot. Coincidentally she’s also had 10 seconds and 10 thirds as well from 82 career starts. “She’s bred to pace but she trots good,” says trainer Donald Cossey, “she’s only small but she’s tough.” Making her efforts all the more noteworthy is that the Rock N Roll Heaven mare didn’t…
Category: Harness
News Briefs – March 5
Another milestone looming for Gerard O’Reilly, the return of the Duchess, the Otago and Southland Awards winners and Addington Raceway’s Owners Night all feature in this week’s News Briefs. One down one to go for O’Reilly Ashburton trainer-driver Gerard O’Reilly is on the brink of achieving two milestones in quick succession. He clocked up his 200th training success when he drove Bettor Be Sharp to a gutsy win in the Woodlands Stud Thanks Buyers Mobile Pace won at Addington last Friday and now sits on 698 as a driver. His…
Justyouwait favoured in opening Southern Oaks Heat today
By Jonny Turner Kentuckiana Lodge will begin chasing down spots in the best southern age-group features starting at Oamaru today. Trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety and driver Carter Dalgety will start the favourite for heat one of the Macca Lodge and Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks in Justyouwait. The three-year-old looks to get the perfect opportunity to qualify for the Group 2 final of the series when starting from barrier 2. “She should get her chance on Wednesday, there shouldn’t be too many excuses for her from that draw,” Carter…
Change in qualifying criteria for young horses
Harness Racing New Zealand is urging a “change of mindset” around racing young horses. From October 1 2025, yearlings can go to the trials and qualify though they won’t race until they are at least two. “Prior to the birth-date change three years ago 2YOs could qualify from August 1 and the first lot of 2YO races were programmed for mid-late October, so it isn’t that major a change,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. “It just involves a change of mindset among owners, trainers and licence-holders…
Royal Aspirations joins rare $1m club
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Royal Aspirations has become the latest trotting sire to join the $1m club. And for a New Zealand stallion that’s a pretty rare feat. Last weekend when KD Royalty (Royal Aspirations – Kazzle Dazzle) and Paris Prince (Royal Aspirations – Paris Belle) won at Addington and Rangiora respectively it pushed his progeny’s career earnings to $1,008,563. Standing at Grant Beckett’s Phoebe Standardbreds near Christchurch, Royal Aspiration has produced 20 individual winners, with 73 wins from 677 starts. KD Royalty, Paris Prince…
Vale Les Purdon
By Bruce Stewart A member of New Zealand’s greatest harness racing family, Les Purdon passed away peacefully last week in Auckland. He was 83. Les was the youngest son of Hugh Purdon and like his brothers Roy, Sandy, Foster and Joe, he trained horses. For a number of years he worked for Hugh, and in 1958 he obtained a junior driver’s licence. His first winner came in June that year when he drove Dusky Valley to win for his father. Les ultimately drove 235 winners, his last being behind Galaxy…
Metro Series heats feature at Cambridge’s meeting today
A seven race meeting at Cambridge today will kick off another busy harness racing week. The meeting, starting at 4.18pm, will include the latest round of the Metro Series heats for the pacers and trotters. Action then heads south to Oamaru tomorrow ahead of a Friday double-header at Auckland and Westport and then the weekend meetings at Invercargill on Saturday and Reefton on Sunday. So Mystifying returns in Metro Series heat at Cambridge By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Raceday temperament will play a big part in how So…
Nina Hope breaks training record with win at Rangiora
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk With one milestone ticked off Nina Hope is now just one win away from another. The Woodend-based trainer became the most successful female trainer ever in this country with Kowhai Summit’s upset win at Rangiora yesterday. That gave her 899 New Zealand wins, eclipsing the old mark set by Natalie Rasmussen, in partnership with Mark Purdon, between 2014 and 2021. Yesterday Kowhai Summit started well in the Mainstreet Sports Bar Rangiora Trot before settling into the one-one for driver Henry Sail. Turning for…
Qualifying trials midweek at Addington
Harness Racing New Zealand and Addington Raceway have confirmed that qualifying trials are going to be held before Addington’s Tuesday and Wednesday meetings. There will be a maximum of four trials, one of each gait, and a mobile and a standing start. The trials will be for only unqualified horses seeking to qualify. The trials will be held on : Wednesday, March 19Wednesday, April 9Tuesday, April 15 Wednesday, April 30 Wednesday, May 7Wednesday, May 14 Nominations should be sent to Cameron Kirkwood at HRNZ by the day prior to the trials. He…
Kiwis not helped by draws in Miracle Mile
By Adam Hamilton New Zealand’s hopes of adding to its proud Miracle Mile strike look even slimmer after the barrier draw. Kiwi prospects were dealt a blow when NZ’s two best-performed pacers, Merlin and Don’t Stop Dreaming, failed to qualify for Saturday night’s $1m feature at Menangle. Pleasingly, lesser fancied pair Tact McLeod and Sooner The Bettor did make the cut. But the barrier hasn’t helped either of them, especially the emerging Tact McLeod. While the Mark Jones-trained pacer has terrific gate speed, he will start from gate six and…