Category: Meeting Previews

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

By Adam Hamilton Mark Purdon is buzzing as he prepares to hop back aboard young star Don’t Stop Dreaming at Menangle on Saturday night. Purdon was reunited with the four-year-old at Cobbitty Equine not far from Menangle yesterday after a few days buying at the NZ yearling sales in Auckland and Christchurch. “I drove him in work and he felt terrific,” Purdon said. “It works well to have the race this weekend rather than go three weeks between runs in the Chariots.” Don’t Stop Dreaming, who was driven by Jack…

By Jonny Turner Matthew Williamson hopes his run of success can continue at Cromwell on Friday. Williamson hasn’t just been winning on the track recently, with the trainer collecting the newcomer to training award at the New Zealand Harness Racing Awards on Monday. The Oamaru horseman is looking to cap a big week with strong results at Cromwell’s twilight card on Friday, and with many of the team who will step back out at the same track on Sunday. Deciding which Williamson runner to follow in race 5 could be…

Jonny Turner’s  selections for Gore     Race   Jonny TurnerRacing Journalist  Race 112.19pm 6 Classie Linc3 Takeitout1 Ideal Double5 Insarchatwist  Race 212.52pm 6 Dignify5 Wattle Hill10 Styrax3 Moment Of What  Race 31.20pm 3 Sidorova1 Vanessa Marie5 Cheer Me On2 Breeny’s Rock N Roll     Race 41.54pm 2 Superfast6 Warrior Easton8 Get Kraken4 Sly Tricks Race 52.30pm 14 Blithe5 Dem Bones Dem Bones7 Jordan Anne9 Our Superfund  Race 63.05pm 1 Smart I Am6 Foxfire Easton5 Olives Dream10 Mamma Mia  Race 73.40pm 4 Magic Sign7 Haley Robyn12 Netherton Franco9 Duke Of…

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

By Jonny Turner Punters shouldn’t put much stock into Da Vinci’s winning run over summer ending ahead of the Gore Summer Cup on Sunday. A last-start seventh might not look like the typical form reference of a next-up winner but trainer-driver Craig Ferguson thinks it can be. Da Vinci ended an outstanding four-race winning spree with a last-start seventh in the Amberley Cup at Rangiora. Though beaten, getting back on the tight-turning and leader-dominated Rangiora grass surface means Da Vinci’s last-start run is best forgotten. “He seems to be in…

By Mike Love Broadfield trainers Colin and Julie DeFilippi admit luck could take them a long way with their three charges at Rangiora today. The couple will line up two of those horses in race eight the Robin and Geraldine Rangiora Classic for $30,000, with full brothers Here’s Herbie ($6.50FF, Bob Butt) and Heza Sport ($8.00FF, Samantha Ottley). Heza Sport ran a close second last week to Jimmy James Maguire in the Hororata Cup at Methven, going down by only one length. “He’s been a little bit disappointing, but last…

By Michael Guerin Harness racing’s hottest new rivalry started way before punters had even heard of pacers Cold Chisel and Chase A Dream. The pair clash again in the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million at Alexandra Park tonight, the richest race on the night headlined by the sales series horses and the ideal lead-in to Sunday’s Karaka yearling sales. Cold Chisel won the two-year-old Harness Million at Addington last October but was outpointed by a sensational Chase A Dream in the Sires’ Stakes Final in November and their rivalry already…

Craig “The Whale” Thompson looks at Manawatu. 

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…