Category: Harness

The Ordeal and the New Brighton Cups highlight Friday night

NZHarnessNews

It’s Friday night and that means a huge night of racing at both Addington and Alexandra Park. Direct qualification for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot is on the line at Addington while Jeremiah looks the one to beat in the new Metro Final at Auckland. Sherlock returns in tough first up assignment at Addington. By Michael Guerin The TAB bookies and trainer Nathan Purdon don’t see eye to eye on Sherlock’s return at Addington on Friday tonight. While both think he can win…

Key changes for New Brighton and Ordeal Cup fields at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Two key changes from the last New Zealand Cup lead-up to the next at Addington on Friday could have a huge impact on the result. The Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup is the next major Cup lead-up this Friday and the conditions look similar, a 2600m standing start with plenty of the same names as the Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase won by Dalton Shard two weeks ago. But there are two big differences. One is the return of former age group star Sherlock, who was…

McDowell hoping to get Blue September off on winning note

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love Blue September, the annual New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation fund-raiser, starts at Ashburton on Sunday. Every time one of the Blue September ambassadors wins during the month money will go to the campaign thanks to contributions from Harness Racing New Zealand as well as individual clubs and sponsors. Last year around $30,000 was raised, with hopes that will be surpassed this year. Already $3000 is in the kitty already after three of the ambassadors, Blair Orange, Jonny Cox and Robbie Close did a sky dive in Auckland…

Friday Night Lights – two-year olds to the fore

NZHarnessNews

It’s Friday night with action again at Alexandra Park and Addington. Up north the Telfers have a huge team of two-year-old fillies in race 5, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Sires’ Stakes Heat, while at Addington there’ll be a lot of interest in the return of another gun two-year-old in Ukraine. Telfers line up six in Sires’ Stakes heat By Michael Guerin It is bring-your-own-sulky-night at Alexandra Park tonight. Not for everybody mind you, just some of the driver’s partnering the Team Telfer horses in Race 5, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Sires’ Stakes…

Bring on The Muscle “ready” for race day return at Winton

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner Star southern three-year-old Bring On The Muscle will start telling trainer Clark Barron about his future endeavours at Winton on Thursday. The Barron stable lines up two horses in the talented three-year-old trotter and the more than handy maidener Always On Sale, both bred and owned by the trainer’s wife Jackie. Bring On The Muscle looks to have returned in excellent order ahead of what should be a big spring campaign judging by his recent workouts. “He seems to have come up well and he is telling…

Orange back to earth and heading to Cambridge’s Tuesday meeting

NZHarnessNews

It’s already been an action-packed couple of days for the country’s leading driver Blair Orange as he heads to Cambridge today to drive at the new Tuesday meetings. Today’s meeting will feature seven races, starting at 4.57pm, to be followed by Winton on Thursday, Auckland and Addington as the venues for Friday Night Lights and then the annual Blue September fund-raiser will kick off at Ashburton on Sunday. Orange has four drives tonight. He drove three winners at Rangiora on Sunday to go to 114 for the year. The six-time…

Nairn looking to continue success at Rangiora today

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love Trainer Paul Nairn produced an impressive winner at Addington Raceway on Friday night and will looking for more of the same with two strongly-supported runners at Rangiora today. The “Master” will slip on the silks to drive Wypout ($3.30FF) in Race 4, the Remembering John Russell – A Veteran Member Trot and High Noon ($3.50FF) in Race 10, the Rangiora HRC Thanks Country Feasts Trot. Both are currently second favourites. Nairn was successful at Addington with Forgiveness, driven by Bob Butt. Despite doing all of the donkey…

Selections | Auckland and Addington tonight

NZHarnessNews

It’s Friday night! Selections for Auckland and Addington.        Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race Auckland Aaron WhiteCommentator  Race Addington Matt Cross Commentator  Race 15.53pm 6 Regal Girl8 Pantani9 Bolt For The Hill4 Hughie Wallace  Race 1 5.06pm 1 Captain Moonlight6 Treasure Cove2 Revolution7 I’m Rockin Race 26.19pm 11 Nelson’s Boy4 Upstage6 Major Major5 J T Boe  Race 25.39pm 10 Double Jeopardy1 Brando4 Bronson8 Ragazzo Major  Race 36.49pm 6 Seaside Rose8 Wicked Wanda1 Clouding Over5 Kourtney Kardash  Race 36.06pm 6 Zoltan Boscik12 Tyron Eros7 A Fine Patrick11 Confessional  Race 4 7.14pm…

Maurice Holmes Vase to highlight Friday night action at Addington and Alexandra Park

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin John Dunn says there is strength in numbers for the country’s leading stable as they prepare for the $40,000 Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington tonight (7.58pm). But he is unsure whether that will be enough to help their stable win the automatic qualifier for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup even though they have six reps in the 2600m standing start Group 3. Team Dunn, which is officially Robert and Jenna but might as well have John’s name on the stationary too, have Double Time,…

Stellar field confirmed for Friday’s Maurice Holmes Vase

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Team Dunn are set to be the major players at the first big-time Addington meeting of the spring as they bring out of the big guns on Friday night. The premiership leaders of Robert and Jenna Dunn have a remarkable six starters in the $40,000 Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase, the pacing centrepiece of the night while they also have Sunnys Sister returning in the Basil Dean Trot. Add in Aardiebythehill and Mighty Logan in that mobile 2600m and they will have nine starters over the two…