Category: Harness

By Joshua Smith, Trackside.co.nz Last week will live long in the memory of northern race caller George Simon. On New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington Raceway, he became a Group One-winning standardbred breeder when Marketplace took out the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m), and four days later he called Talentoso, who he bred and part-owns with his wife Maryanne, to victory at Tauranga. “It was an unbelievable week,” Simon said. “I was calling Te Aroha last Tuesday and I just sat in the commentary box and watched…

Every month HRNZ picks at random an owner and breeder of the month. The only proviso is that their horse must have won a race during the month. For October Josh Lester was given the owner’s award after Brother Love’s win at Addington on October 3 while breeder of the month was Alan Edge, after Off The Edge’s win at Addington on October 16. Owner of the month : Josh Lester It’s rare for Josh Lester not to be at the races to urge his horse home but he wasn’t…

  A detailed review will be held into New Zealand Cup week with industry leaders saying initial signs have been largely positive. The sport’s biggest week wound up on Friday after the Cup and Show Day races at Addington and Ashburton’s “meeting of emerging talent” on Thursday. “We knew Show day needed a good shake up and what was delivered was fantastic,” says New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club Chair John Hartnell, “and the turnover on Friday reflected that.” Turnover was $4.3m on 13 races on Show Day Twilight, up by…

By Adam Hamilton  Australia’s loss is New Zealand’s gain. In an absolute coup for NZ’s upcoming feature meetings, champion Aussie trotter Just Believe will stay in NZ rather than chase an historic third successive Inter Dominion title in NSW. Co-trainers Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars made the final call today after days of uncertainty. “It’s been a really tough call, not because of Just Believe, but more the two pacers (Better Eclipse and Hes From Heaven),” Tubbs said. “There was no real upside in NSW for Just Believe, not when…

The NZ Sires’ Stakes Board congratulates the winners over IRT NZ Cup Week & especially the: Woodlands Stud NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO C & G Final – MarketplaceNevele R Stud 3YO Fillies Final – Treacherous BabyDunstan Horsefeeds NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO Fillies Championship – Captains MistressIRT NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO Trotters Championship – Meant To BeBob McArdle NZ Sires’ Stakes Southern Mares Classic – Dance Till Dawn The Board also wishes to advise that 2YO Sustaining Payments have been emailed/posted but these are not due until Monday, December 2, 2024.…

By Mike Love  Waterlea trainer Allan Shutkowski inched ever close to 50 career wins when when Fredastaire was successful at Ashburton’s Cup Week Showcase meeting on Thursday. Handled superbly by driver Jim Curtin, the three year old Ultimate Machete gelding was able to secure an economical run in the Spraymarks Roadmarking and Traffic Management Mobile Pace. He was then presented at the top of the straight to chase down tearaway leader A Better Jackalack to win in a close finish. Fredastaire stopped the clock at 2:58 for the 2400m with…

By Jonny Turner  Don’t be too surprised if you don’t see another winning salute from Nathan Williamson at Winton on Sunday. The trainer-driver will be back racing in the south, fresh off producing his first Group 1 training victory with Captains Mistress in the Dunstans Sires Stakes Series Final at Addington on Show Day. Williamson gave a very rare salute as he crossed the line, completing what could be considered an overdue elite-level victory considering his outstanding talent and record as a trainer. While it may have appeared the horseman’s…

By Adam Hamilton  The Aussies only snared the one win on Show Day at Addington Raceway, but it was the one that stole the week. Keayang Zahara’s mesmerizing win in the $500,000 Majestic Horse Floats LP The Ascent also capped the greatest NZ Cup Week in history for Aussie raiders, winning three of the “majors” with the 10-horse team who crossed the ditch. Swayzee did his thing, again, in last Tuesday’s IRT NZ Trotting Cup. The way he did it was just so Swayzee. Defying his daunting travel and racing…