By Jonny Turner After securing one of the most satisfying wins of his career, Hayden Cullen can cap an outstanding weekend at Oamaru on Sunday. The trainer heads south hot on the heels of producing Winelight to win the $150,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Fillies Final at Addington on Friday night. While no stranger to big race success following his time with Mark Purdon and the All Stars Stable, Cullen and his family have taken their solo training operation to big heights from humble beginnings, in little over a…
Category: Harness
The New Zealand Cup 30 years ago – Bee Bee Cee
It’s 30 days until the running of the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington raceway on Tuesday, November 12 so why not look back at the winner of the great race 30 years ago. In 1994 it was Bee Bee Cee By Dave Di Somma, Harness News desk Bee Bee Cee can lay claim to an unusual New Zealand Trotting Cup statistic. He raced in three New Zealand Cups and finished at the bottom and the top of two of them. He won at his first attempt against a…
Marketplace sets Addington alight with “tough and brave” win
By Michael Guerin The richest win of Regan Todd’s training career wasn’t about the money. Sure, it helps Todd owns 10 per cent of Marketplace, the wonderful two-year-old who set Addington alight winning the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million on Friday night. But the cash influx Todd will share with the other owners wasn’t what had him buzzing after the race. “I was thrilled to see him do it like that, to be so tough and brave,” said Todd. “At the 600m I thought he might be in trouble but…
Bazooka wins at Alexandra Park before big move south
By Michael Guerin Impressive Alexandra Park winner Bazooka is moving to a new home. But that doesn’t mean he is leaving trainer Steven Reid because Reid is the one doing the moving. Reid moves to Canterbury in nine days where he will set up training out of the Rakero Racing property used by Tom Bamford. Reid moves south as his partner Bella Storer is from there and her father, well-known harness racing owner Reg Storer lives there. So the couple will head to Canterbury with 10 horses, including Bazooka. It is…
Bet N Win too good in Group 3 at Addington
Bet N Win has again shown his undoubted class with a commanding win in tonight’s Group 3 Dancinginthedark (USA) Canterbury Park Cup Handicap Trot at Addington. The David and Stacey White-trained trotter started quickly and went straight to the lead for driver Bob Butt. From there the win looked a formality, ahead of two longshots in Mystic Max and Love N The Port. Al three now automatically qualify for the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day on Tuesday, November 12. Impressive at recent trials,…
Question mark over Leap To Fame’s NZ Cup campaign
By Adam Hamilton Leap To Fame’s $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup quest is not over, but it is hanging by a thread. The champion Aussie pacer was sensationally scratched this afternoon from tomorrow night’s $300,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton where he was a dominant $1.20 favourite. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon confirmed the five-year-old was battling “a virus of some sort.” It ruined his chance to become only the second pacer to win Australia’s pacing “Gland Slam” – the Victoria Cup, Hunter Cup, Inter Dominion and Miracle Mile.…
Borcoskie notches up win 100
By Mike Love Holly K’s victory brought up Brent Borcoskie’s 100th training success at Addington Raceway on Wednesday, and he was chuffed. “It’s nice to get that ticked off,” said Borcoskie. Holly K made a flyer in the Sweet Lou The Most Popular Sire Of 2023 Pace from the 2000m stand for driver Blair Orange. The pair led the entire journey before putting a few lengths on them at the top of the straight and holding on to win by one and a quarter lengths from runner up Ester Lucy.…
Princess Sadie gives Matthew Williamson “biggest training win”
By Jonny Turner While many Ascot Park racegoers had looks of shock on their faces, Matthew Williamson couldn’t wipe the smile off of his. Williamson continued his dream harness racing season when Princess Sadie dashed home to win the Dancinginthedark M Southern Trotting Oaks. Given the calibre of filly Princess Sadie is, there would usually be no real surprise in seeing her win such a feature race. But when red-hot favourite Empire City was in front and cruising at the 400m, the victory needed to be earned. Harness racing fans…
Stars come out to play at Addington tonight
It’s Friday night, and what a Friday night it is with a massive night of Group and Listed races at Addington. By Michael Guerin Harness racing’s King Midas has been back in Canterbury this week and he likes what he sees. But even Mark Purdon admits winning won’t come easy at a star-studded Addington meeting tonight. The meeting hosts six black type races which when you add it to Alexandra Park tonight and Aussie champions Leap To Fame and Just Believe racing at Melton tomorrow to prepare for IRT New…
Matt Cross goes race-to-race at Addington tonight
It’s a massive meeting at Addington Raceway tonight and commentator Matt Cross has done the form on all 12 races. Race 1 4:56pm NZB STANDARDBRED 2YO COLTS & GELDINGS MOBILE PACE I was impressed with Midnight Miki here last week. He buzzed off the gate and was only worn down late by The Lazarus Effect. He’s the only horse on the second row here and it looks like he may get a chance to work into the race at some point. Two starts back he ran some excellent sectionals…