Category: Harness

By Brigette Solomon Local trainer Stephen Doody will have a big presence with seven starters as he tries to continue a winning run at Manawatu today. “I was happy with most of the horses’ runs on Tuesday,” says Doody, “neither of Tuesday’s winners are backing up but Johnny Who joins today’s starters.” Doody trained a winning double on Tuesday with Mr Monty and Blue Chip Lou both driven by the country’s leading driver Blair Orange. The pair team up again today with Orange engaged to drive five of Doody’s horses…

By Michael Guerin It is advantage Cold Chisel after the barrier draw for $200,000 NZBS Harness Million at Alexandra Park on Friday. The Barry Purdon/Scott Phelan-trained three-year-old has drawn the ace for the feature of the night as he tries to go back to back after winning the two-year-old version at Addington in October. If he is able to complete the double he will mirror stablemate and ownership-mate Merlin, who won them both a year ago. Making the ace draw even better for Cold Chisel is the fact arch rival…

By Brigette Solomon Manawatu hosts its first meeting of the 2024 season today and junior driver Crystal Hackett is keenly aware any personal success will also benefit the Team Teal campaign. With seven drives, Hackett, who is a Team Teal Ambassador, looks to have several chances to do so. “I’m really happy to be a part of Team Teal,” says Hackett. “It’s my second year as an ambassador and I’m really pleased to already have driven a couple winners to earn money for the campaign.” In Race 1, the Outback…

Jonny Turner’s  selections for Wairio     Race   Jonny TurnerRacing Journalist  Race 112.55pm 4 Ukraine2 Music Mistress1 Duchess Of Kent5 Wild East  Race 21.20pm 4 Dignify1 Quercus Rubra3 Wattle Hill5 Our Superfund Race 31.48pm 2 Gunner Andy11 Frankie5 On Top Of The World3 Oh Micky     Race 42.19pm 1 Nek Delight9 Warrior Easton4 Sherwood Maggie12 Olives Dream  Race 52.59pm 3 Blithe6 Bill Bootit2 Night Watch5 Switch On     Race 63.30pm 8 Miraculous7 Song Sung Blue6 Built For Glory1 Jaccka Evan  Race 73.51pm 5 Vanessa Marie3 Zamperini2 La…

Craig “The Whale” Thompson is back with his best for Winton.

By Michael Guerin Driver Ricky May admits Sunday’s $20,000 Garrards House And Hound Horotata Cup may not be the ideal comeback race for Jimmy James Maguire. But compared with what happened the last time he tried to go to the races the 3000m standing start at Methven will seem like a picnic. Jimmy James Maguire is having his first start since finishing eighth of nine in the Green Mile at Methven in early December, having been sixth to Don’t Stop Dreaming and Merlin in the Junior Free-For-All on Cup day…

By Jonny Turner Sand Wave might have the biggest task in front of him among the powerful team Nathan Williamson starts on Wairio Cup Day. While the pacer is the class horse of the field in Sunday’s 2400m feature, he is going to need to bring all of his best qualities to overcome a massive 40m back mark. Williamson knows exactly how big that task could be, especially if Sand Wave’s key rivals set a fast tempo from their lesser handicaps. But the trainer-driver is comfortable in knowing he has…

By Michael Guerin Up for grabs: One crown. Condition: Well worn, plenty of former owners.Apply: In person at Alexandra Park, Menangle, Cambridge and Addington. That could be the advertisement for the role of New Zealand’s best pacer, a title with two very obvious applicants, both of whom race this weekend. Over the last four years the crown of New Zealand’s has sat on the head of Copy That, Self Assured and even briefly Akuta. Two of them are now injured and will not be part of our racing lives for…

By Adam Hamilton Exciting young Kiwi pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming will have a new driver at Menangle on Saturday night. Co-trainer Mark Purdon opted to run the four-year-old again this week after he came through a slashing second to Leap To Fame in the Hunter Cup in good order. “Brooke (Wilkins) said he travelled well up to Sydney (from Melbourne),” Purdon said. “I was absolutely thrilled with his Hunter Cup run. It was a big effort to come wide and make up the ground he did on a horse as…

By Mike Love Woodend beach trainer Bob Butt heads to the annual Amberley meeting at Rangiora today with a trio of each way chances. Included in his chances is Get Up N Dance ($12.00FF) in the $25,000 Rangiora Equine Services Amberley Cup. After eight months away from racing, Get Up N Dance headed north to tackle the Marlborough Cup a couple of weeks ago after some slick workouts. However the six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding found himself a little undone and on the fresh side. “Being fresh up he…