By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Irwell trainers Peter and Mitchell Robertson are “hopeful” one of their two chances can go close at Addington’s midweek meeting today. The father and son combo line up two favoured runners in Ambleside Drive and Dream Boyz in Race 2, the Book Now for Owners Night March 28th Mobile Pace (4.40pm). They will be driven by Blair Orange and John Dunn. The stablemates make up a quarter of the eight horse field but the numbers aren’t necessarily good for the pair –…
Category: Meeting Previews
Warriors and Harness Racing in partnership
Harness Racing New Zealand and the One New Zealand Warriors have brought the two codes together in a partnership providing mutual benefits for both sports. The organisations are driven to cross-promote their codes to expand fan engagement and provide impetus for commercial growth. The first joint venture between HRNZ and the One New Zealand Warriors will coincide with the NRL club’s much-anticipated Anzac Day match against the Newcastle Knights at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch right next door to Addington Raceway, the home of New Zealand harness racing. There’ll be…
Brittany Graham on her NZ gig – “daunting but exciting”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk A mixture of the familiar and the unknown awaits well-known racing personality Brittany Graham as she prepares to take up a new job on this side of the Tasman. This week the born and bred Queenslander starts her new job with Entain/TAB. She’ll be a presenter on Trackside on shows including The Box Seat and Friday Night Lights. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous,” says Graham, “but it’s good nerves. “It’s a bit daunting but exciting too.” The harness…
Don’t Stop Dreaming to debut for Cullens at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin Star pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming has changed stables just two weeks out from the $1million Race by Betcha at Cambridge on Friday, April 4. The last-start Menangle winner has left trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon and joined Hayden and Amanda Cullen and will debut for them in Friday’s $60,000 Auckland Co-Op Taxis City of Auckland Free-For-All at Alexandra Park. Don’t Stop Dreaming faces a second line draw for the Cullens starting alongside stablemate We Walk By Faith in the 2200m mobile which is stacked with the majority…
Don’t Stop Dreaming to debut for new stable in Harness Million Final
By Michael Guerin Star pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming has changed stables just two weeks out from the $1million Race by Betcha at Cambridge on Friday, April 4. The last-start Menangle winner has left trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon and joined Hayden and Amanda Cullen and will debut for them in Friday’s $60,000 Auckland Co-Op Taxis City of Auckland Free-For-All at Alexandra Park. Don’t Stop Dreaming faces a second line draw for the Cullens starting alongside stablemate We Walk By Faith in the 2200m mobile which is stacked with the majority…
Harness Million to highlight harness racing week
Harness Million night at Alexandra Park on Friday will highlight harness racing action around the country this week. The first of the week’s meetings is at Cambridge tonight, followed by Addington tomorrow. Addington will back up two days later with Friday Night Lights action alongside a bumper card at Auckland. Addington’s feature will be the $30,000 Bob Rochford Seddon Districts Trotters Final while up north the NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO Fillies Final (7.34pm) is worth $150,000 and will be followed by the $200,000 Final for the Colts and Geldings…
TAB launches new self service terminals
By Michael Guerin Retail racing and sports punters are finally set to step into the modern world as the TAB launches new self service terminals. While the majority of New Zealand punters now bet online, increasingly through the TAB or betcha apps on their phones, there are still over 500 venues around the country where people can bet, many in pubs or clubs. The self service terminals at those venues can be a source of frustration for punters with their outdated systems, as any punter who has stood for what…
2025 Drivers Challenge confirmed for Methven
By Dave Di Somma, Harness Nes Desk A third Methven Drivers’ Challenge has been confirmed for next month, and this time it is literally the biggest yet. Four teams of three will battle it out over six penalty-free races on April 13, the club’s last meeting at Mt Harding before the winter recess. Sponsored by Jonny Cox and Kimberly Butt’s Roseland Racing, the Challenge will feature 12 drivers, all wearing their own stable’s colours (or colours they are closely associated with them). The four teams : Legends – Tony Herlihy, Maurice…
Team Teal close to $25,000
With the campaign finishing yesterday, Team Teal is likely to reach close to $25,000. Right now the figure stands at $23,495, with the final tally-up yet to be completed. With Wingatui’s four race card all being won by female drivers and Mikalya Lewis, Olivia Thornley and Jessica Young-Grant winning at Motukarara the final day of the campaign was a good one. The annual campaign, which raises money for ovarian cancer research, started on February 1 with money going to the cause every time a female driver wins a race through…
Swayzee banks $500,000 in record time
By Adam Hamilton Dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee banked a $500,000 bonus for connections when he demolished his rivals in last night’s Group 3 Renshaw Cup at Penrith. On the quick back-up after a luckless fourth in the Miracle Mile, Swayzee made it four wins and a close second in the five-race NSW Carnival of Cups when Hart let him show off for the packed crowd and win racing away by 20.6m at Penrith. His blistering 1min54.3sec mile rate for the gruelling 2525m trip took almost a second off Tiger…