Category: Punting

Dexter wins six Breeder Crown races in epic weekend

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Dexter Dunn’s incredible year in North America has just gone next level. The 10-time former Kiwi champion set a new Breeders Crown record at the Meadowlands in New Jersey over the weekend and in the process become the first driver in North America to win more than $15m in 2024.  Over the weekend Dunn was at his best in the Breeders Crown series. There were 12 races at The Big M with Dunn taking out half of them. That beat the previous record…

Kiwi-bound Aussie star makes it 11 from 11

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Awesome young trotting filly Keayang Zahara overcame a tricky draw to stretch her unbeaten record to 11 wins in Sunday’s $75,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters’ Derby (2690m). It capped her preparation for a New Zealand trip where the first target will be the inaugural $500,000 The Velocity at Addington Raceway’s Show Day Twilight races on November 15. Five of Keayang Zahara’s wins have been at Group 1 level and she only started racing in April. The daughter of Volstead drew inside the back row, but driver Jason…

Smoke On The Water too strong in Tuapeka Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Nothing went right for Smoke On The Water in the Tuapeka Lodge Tuapeka Cup except his winning result. The Canterbury pacer made a successful southern raid when digging in bravely to win after sitting parked for much of the Ascot Park feature. Smoke On The Water’s victory was a family affair with Matthew Williamson doing the driving for his brother-in-law Matt Purvis. The pacer is also raced by Williamson’s father-in-law John Purvis, alongside Graeme McMaster and David Lawn. While hopeful he had earned the position of favourite…

Merlin “working great” ahead of Ashburton Flying Stakes today

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Merlin faces an old threat and a new one in the Ashburton Flying Stakes today but co-trainer Scott Phelan isn’t worried about either. The northern star has been New Zealand’s best pacer this year and looks the biggest local threat to Aussie champion Leap To Fame in the $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington in 15 days. The latter confirmed his NZ trip with an effortless win at Menangle on Saturday night and now he is coming to the Cup it looks like only Merlin…

“Larry” locked in for New Zealand Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Addington, here we come. Leap To Fame locked in his first trip across the ditch for the $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup with a dominant win at Menangle last night. It was everything trainer-driver Grant Dixon and owner Kevin Seymour hoped for after his recent health scare. “You couldn’t ask for more. He won well, did it easily, ran a quick time and came through it really well,” Seymour said. “We’re off the NZ Cup now and can’t wait to get there. “It’s race we’ve been…

Green with many each way chances at Tuapeka

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Betting on green looks like a very workable strategy for Tuapeka Lodge Tuapeka Cup Day. Kirstin Green starts seven horses at Ascot Park on Sunday and each one of them appears to have genuine eachway claims. Among the trainer-driver’s strong team is Emily who ran a very creditable fifth in last weekend’s Group Three Dark Horse Trot. After handling her toughest test well, the mare is ready to fire again this week. “She seems to have come through that run well, hopefully she can take advantage of…

Pinseeker heavily favoured to bounce back in Sunday’s Tuapeka Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Harness racing fans can expect the real Pinseeker to stand up in the Tuapeka Lodge Tuapeka Cup on Sunday. The brilliant pacer comes into the Ascot feature on the back of two disappointing efforts going by the extremely high standards he had set himself in just nine prior starts. He will start a red hot favourite ($2.05FF).  While there may appear to be some doubt as to exactly where Pinseeker is at in his current preparation, trainer-driver Jonny Cox doesn’t share any of those concerns. “He is…

HRNZ Breeder and Owner of the month – September

NZHarnessNews

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. September’s winners were Jason Lissette as owner of the month. He’s part of the syndicate that race Iron Brigade who won at Cambridge on September 3 while the breeder of the month was Price Bloodstock (Katrina and John Price) after Republican Party’s win in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru  High profile Winton-based breeders the Prices had a double celebration on the day…

The Trials Report – October 25

NZHarnessNews

Who’s been impressing at the trials and workouts all over the country over the past week?  Winton Harness Workouts- Friday 18 October Race 1- Wild East (2g Always B Miki- Bay Jet) Tr- LB Pearson Had a couple of starts earlier in the year in pretty hot two-year-old fields and was having second preparatory run back today. Worked his way to the front for driver Brent Barclay before taking the trail behind Shezabettorgirl (Brett Gray), and wore the leader down in the shadow’s of the post (neither driven out). They…