The 2024-25 Seddon Districts Bob Rochford Memorial Trotters’ Series is nearing its halfway point, with two more meetings at Nelson this week. Targetting R51-70 trotters, the 10-race series being held around the top half of the South Island started at Kaikoura in November and will go through to Reefton in March. After four legs so far three trotters, High Step, Masterly, and Premium Player, are at the top of the leaderboard and have already qualified for the $30,000 final at Addington on March 21. High Step booked her place by…
Category: Harness
Syndicate’s “best day ever” at Cromwell
By Jonny Turner The wheels were far from wobbly as brothers Fitzthebill and Winnyzbak scored back-to-back wins at Cromwell yesterday for their passionate group of owners. Older brother Fitzthebill started the winning run for The Wobbly Wheel Syndicate before Winnyzbak won the Shannon Farm Cromwell Cup just a matter of minutes later. Both pacers are trained by former Waikouaiti horseman Andrew Faulks, now based at Burnham. And Waikouaiti is where The Wobbly Wheel’s Syndicate’s outstanding Cromwell success can be traced back to as Fitzthebill and Winnyzbak’s dam, Ferry Glide, was…
Harrison Orange continues bright start to 2025
By Brigette Solomon Junior driver Harrison Orange had another successful day bringing up a winning driving double with Michael House-trained runners at Otaki’s grass track meeting yesterday. “It was really good to get another double, today’s was probably more satisfying because both won outright whereas Son Of Patrick was promoted up on Thursday,” said Orange. Orange’s first win of the day came when Fabricate took out the Kidz Kartz 19th January @ Otaki Mobile Pace. In a well rated drive, Fabricate found the lead easily where she remained throughout, only…
HRNZ Awards – Best Moment of the Season 2024 – Voting Open
The four finalists for the ‘Stevie Golding at Harcourts – People’s Choice’ Best Moment of the 2024 Season have been found and now it is time to have your say as to what the best moment was for the season. The finalists are:– Samantha Ottley becoming the first female driver to drive 100 winners in a 12 month season– Tom Bamford’s first Group 1 win with Rakero Rocket in The Christian Cullen– Crystal Hackett’s first Group 1 win on Mach Shard in the Group 1 Taylor Mile paying over $150…
HRNZ’s Trials and Workouts coverage to be expanded in 2025
A solution has been found to two harness racing trials/workouts “black spots”. Effective immediately, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) has finalised agreements with two videographers to provide footage of the North Otago trials at Oamaru, and the Mt Hutt workouts at Mt Harding Racecourse in Methven. “We have been very mindful for some time that both North Otago and Mt Hutt have not been covered,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, “they were black spots in our trials and workouts coverage.” Now action from both venues will…
Butt’s driving double at Roxburgh
By Jonny Turner Amid a tough week, Kimberly Butt produced a pinpoint drive to clinch a fitting victory in yesterday’s Peters Genetics Roxburgh Cup with Commander Ben. Butt recently lost her grandfather, master trotting trainer Dick Prendergast who passed away last Friday. With Prendergast hailing from the Central Otago region, it has been appropriate that Butt has been in outstanding form on the Central Otago summer harness racing circuit. “I had a bit of a bad run at the West Coast right when Grandad died, but back down here in…
Tact McLeod goes down by nose in Bendigo Cup
By Adam Hamilton Exciting Kiwi pacer Tact McLeod was denied victory in the very last stride of last night’s $75,000 Group 2 Bendigo Cup. Having his first run in Victoria, the lightly raced Mark Jones-trained gelding was smashed in betting from $2 to $1.50 and all looked ideal when driver Anthony Butt took him to a comfortable lead from gate four. With his main dangers back in the field or making midrace moves, Butt was eager to “roll along” through a middle split of 58.2sec and 28sec-flat third quarter. Tact…
Harrison Orange gets double for Michael House at Tauherenikau
By Brigette Solomon Trainer Michael House and Harrison Orange combined to score a winning double at the North Island’s first race meeting of the New Year at Tauherenikau yesterday. “I rung Harrison three weeks ago to see if we could organise for him to come down and drive at these central districts grass track meetings and I’m really pleased for him that it’s paid off and he’s driven a couple of winners for us,” said House. “He’s grown up watching his Dad (Blair Orange) drive a few hundred winners in…
Republican Party looking increasingly likely for Hunter Cup
By Adam Hamilton Auckland Cup hero Republican Party looks set to join the growing Hunter Cup party. A race that threatened to be a tad thin for star power just a couple of weeks ago, now promises to deliver an explosive start to 2025. Already, Leap To Fame looks certain to defend his crown, newly crowned Inter Dominion champ Don Hugo is a lock, emerging Kiwi talent Tact McLeod is headed towards it and $2 million-earner Catch A Wave also has the Hunter Cup in his sights. More recently, star…
Williamson looking to build on 2024 success
By Jonny Turner After an all-conquering season, Matthew Williamson hopes to keep his momentum going in 2025 with a big Roxburgh Cup day on Saturday. The trainer produced a personal-best 39 wins in 2024, making him the leading trainer both in Otago and south of the Waitaki River. Though he is undoubtedly the public face of his operation, Williamson was quick to credit those behind the scenes for his breakout season. “If you had told me at the start of last year that we would have ended up where we…