Aussies out in force at Addington on Show Day

After Swayzee and Just Believe’s heroics on Tuesday, the Australians will play a huge role at Addington on Friday as well. In all there will be eight Aussies fronting up, headlined by Just Believe (again) and young trotting sensation Keayang Zahara. Catch A Wave ready to return to winning wins  By Adam Hamilton  Former Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave is ready to add to his Group 1 haul in tomorrow’s Allied Security $200,000 Group 1 NZ Free-For-All (1980m) at Addington (7.48pm). On paper, the eight-time Group 1 winner only…

The Trials ‘Report Card’ – November 14

What was worth noting from all over the country for the week ending 14/11/2024 Princess Gracy (2f Sweet Lou – Princess Jessie) Tr. Z Butcher Pukekohe (7/11/24) In front soon after the start of this qualifier, always going well, sprinted sharply to leave her rivals in her wake, off stride very late when well clear and because of this, did not get her ticket even though she was nearly 8 secs under the required time. MR:2:01.3, 800m in 59.8, 400m in 27.6. First foal of a well bred mare who…

Carter Dalgety focuses on busy book at Ashburton

By Mike Love  Canterbury junior driver Carter Dalgety will have to come down from cloud nine after Republican Party went a huge race to finish third in Tuesday’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway.  “I’m over the moon – he ran a thriller. He seems really bright too so he’s come through it super,” said Dalgety. Dalgety is only the second junior driver to have placed in the New Zealand Cup. Dalgety’s friend and mentor Dexter Dunn being the only other junior to achieve that with Bettors Strike,…

Another Aussie is poised to shine at Addington

By Michael Guerin It says a lot about just how special Keayang Zahara might be that she is almost the most hyped Australian at this New Zealand Cup week.  And while the three-year-old Victoria trotter has a long way to go to match the heroics of now dual IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee and or Renwick Farms Dominion Trot winner Just Believe, her New Zealand debut on Friday is almost as eagerly anticipated. The beautiful and bold Victorian trotter has been lured to Addington by the new $500,000…

News Briefs : November 13

Cup day turnover increases  Turnover from yesterday’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup was over $7m, up four percent on last year. Latest figures from the TAB show that total turnover was $7.2m for the 12-race programme, the second highest over the past decade, just behind the $7.5m from two years ago. The New Zealand Cup itself attracted turnover of $1.8m, with the Renwick Farms Dominion second at around $600K, up nearly 40 percent on last year. Final crowd attendance numbers have yet to be confirmed though Addington reports a sizeable…

Houses go four from seven at Manawatu

By Brigette Solomon  It was business pretty much as usual, and expected, for the House juggernaut at Manawatu this week. “I’d anticipated they’d all go good races as most of them had been racing well and we had targeted this meeting for them,” says driver Wilson House, “but it was pretty awesome to get four winners.” All four were trained by his father Michael and went out as short-priced favourites.  The Canterbury-based House stable has become well adept at travelling their horses to where they will be most competitive, with…

Swayzee’s big gamble pays off with back to back NZ Cups

By Michael Guerin The biggest gamble in New Zealand Trotting Cup history paid off at Addington on Tuesday. Just. Australian bully boy Swayzee outmuscled the locals to defend the title he won last year, fighting off Don’t Stop Dreaming in the iconic $1m IRT-sponsored  race. The pair surged four lengths clear of Republican Party and a slightly disappointing Merlin, who after tracking the first two found this particular 3200m just a little outside his comfort zone. That Swayzee was in the race at all was a surprise and a stroke…

Great mates combine for Group 1 glory

By Jonny Turner  Two great mates from Wyndham completed their climb to the top of New Zealand harness racing with Marketplace’s sensational win in the Group 1 Woodlands Stud Sires Stakes Series Final on New Zealand Cup Day. Marketplace proved himself to be a class above New Zealand’s two-year-old colts and geldings with his powerful winning performance for trainer Regan Todd and driver Craig Ferguson. Todd and Ferguson followed the same path into the harness racing industry, growing up in Wyndham and jumping the Menzies College fence to go and…

IRT New Zealand Cup Day – Race to Race

It’s NZ Cup day – harness racing’s biggest and most important meeting of them all.  Today there’ll be 12 races, starting at 12.08pm, and there will be race by race coverage of them all as they happen. Be sure to check out hrnz’s social media channels as well to keep up to date. RACE 1 : $30,000 SAUNDERS ROBINSON BROWN HANDICAP TROT (3200M) Cup day 2024 is underway with a big wide open field of trotters over 3200 metres and fittingly it was seven-time New Zealand Cup-winning driver Ricky May…

Just Believe set to extend Kiwi trip

By Michael Guerin If you love a great horse the news out of the $400,000 Group 1 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on Tuesday is good. If you have anything to do with New Zealand’s best trotters, not so much. Australian champion Just Believe came to Addington on Tuesday and did what he does, cruised to victory in another Group 1 for driver Greg Sugars. The hottest favourite of New Zealand Cup day was never in danger of defeat, having too easy a run but, more importantly, too large…