Category: Punting

by Jonny Turner A theme has developed in the lead up to New Zealand Cup as an outstanding field has been confirmed for the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. The race isn’t short of serious open class talent with the stellar line up including stars like Pembrook Playboy, One Change and Republican Party. But like last week’s New Brighton Cup, the race is packed full of emerging horses out to make their mark and seriously boost their hopes of making the New Zealand Cup. Aardie’s Express, Franco Norton and…

This week’s edition of the Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.  

By Jonny Turner Franco Humbie’s owners returned to the winner’s circle at Methven on Sunday to enjoy more success following their chance introduction to the pacer. The four-year-old impressed in his return to racing when scoring a fresh up victory for trainer Ben Waldron and driver John Morrison. Franco Humbie is raced by a big group of owners who came together following a suggestion from Waldron’s long-time client Neil ‘Timmsy’ Timms. “They are a great bunch of lads that race him,” Waldron said. “Neil Timms was at the stable one…

By Adam Hamilton This latest All Stars’ raid on Victoria has certainly been a success. Exciting three-year-old filly High Energy made it two-from-two on the trip (and eight from nine in her career) for Purdon Racing when she easily beat older rivals at Melton last Friday night. Greg Sugars took the daughter of Father Patrick straight to the front from gate three and won as he liked. And talented three-year-old The Real Sherlock, who won a heat of the Vicbred series, won his way through the final with a solid…

By Jonny Turner There will be plenty of familiar sights when grass track harness racing returns at Methven today. Punters will be greeted with big, even fields and wide-open betting races when a fantastic 11-race programme gets underway. There will also be another familiar sight at the picturesque Mount Harding Raceway – that of Paul Nairn lining up key runners in trotting races. Among them is the impressive recent Addington winner Head Em Up. The two-year-old produced a massive debut victory at Addington recently when recovering from an early break…

By Adam Hamilton Owner Hass Taiba says the New Zealand Cup is a “very real option” with gifted Aussie pacer Captain Ravishing. Initial plans were to spell the star four-year-old after his terrific first-up third in last Saturday night’s $2.1mil TAB Eureka after an interrupted preparation. “He’s come through it so well, we’ve changed plans,” Taiba said. “I think we’d be crazy not to have a go at the Victoria Cup now (October 14) and then, if he comes through that well, take him to New Zealand. “He’s still in…

By Michael Guerin If trainer Steve Telfer was to have dreamed up the perfect comeback performance from B D Joe it would have looked a lot like Friday night’s Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup. Not only did the bold-going pacer justify favouritism in winning but he did so in the least stressful and harmless way possible and ticked the good manners box on the way through. “It was about the perfect return to racing,” said Telfer, who trains with his sister Amanda. “He stood up and stepped away, which…

A total of 78 nominations have been received for the IRT New Zealand Cup and Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington during Cup and Show Week. Nominations closed this week, with 46 pacers put forward for the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday, November 14 and 32 for the country’s premier trotting race the Dominion Trot three days later on Show Day (November 17). Among the nominations for the Cup are the Australian-based Swayzee, Loyalist, and Spirit of St Louis while the champ Copy That is vying for a history-equalling third…

Racing is set to return to the all-weather track at Gore on September 28. At this week’s HRNZ Board meeting it was decided that the Gore all-weather track could be used again as a race day venue while the current National Venue Plan is underway. The final plan, which will guide how races and resources are distributed across New Zealand’s racing venues, is expected to be delivered by October 2024. The all-weather track at Gore has not held meetings since 2020, though has been retained as a busy training facility…

By Jonny Turner Huki Fella put adversity well behind him when he registered the first siring victory for Lord Forbes at Wyndham yesterday. The three-year-old impressed when powering home from off the speed to beat a handy line up for trainer-driver Craig Ferguson. Huki Fella is partly raced by the man behind his sire Lord Forbes, in Gavin Forbes. Forbes owned and raced Lord Forbes who won 11 races during an 118-start race track career. There were no grand plans for Lord Forbes to join the country’s siring ranks once…