Category: Punting

Thornley leading the charge at AYDC

NZHarnessNews

Kiwi representative Sam Thornley now leads the Australasian Young Drivers Championship after a brilliant effort at Bathurst in New South Wales last night. The Canterbury-based reinsman had a second and a win to go to 43 points after four heats of the championships, eight points clear of his closest challenger Victoria’s Ewa Justice. Heading into the second night of the championships he was fifth. In the first heat last night he was second with Special Spin, behind Justice and Romero, while in the second he got the perfect trip and…

Mare runs “cracka” ahead of Invercargill Cup day meeting

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Patience paid off when Seacracka ran to an easy fresh-up victory at Oamaru yesterday. The four-year-old made her first outing since October last year a winning one when speeding home in slick closing sectionals to win for trainer Jonny Cox and driver Carter Dalgety. Seacracka competed in good company for the late Katie Cox before she was sent for an extended spell and then joined Jonny Cox’s barn.  Judging by her trials leading into her victory, and her Oamaru performance, she’s returned bigger and better for it. …

Telfers head south with three talented fillies

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  The Canterbury raid is on ahead of Group 1 Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup Day. As they have done ahead of several of Southland’s best meetings in the past, Stonewall Stud’s Canterbury team are in the south to compete in the final southern lead up meeting before Invercargill’s big day on December 20. Trainer Amanda Telfer is in Southland with three talented fillies who will be boost their Invercargill Cup Day hopes with victories at Winton on Thursday. As a race winner, Spicey Crunch looks handily placed…

Abernethy aiming for more success at Manawatu today

NZHarnessNews

By Brigette Solomon  Driver Jay Abernethy has already scored a winning double at Manawatu this week and hopes his luck will continue tonight with a handy book of five drives that include both Tuesday’s winners.  Abernethy’s first win on Tuesday was with the Arna Donnelly trained Rough And Ready who took out the Hawera Harness Racing Is Good To Go Are You? Mobile Pace. Abernethy quickly found the front to dictate the pace throughout. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding was full of running and looked in no danger of being beat in…

News Briefs : Dec 11

NZHarnessNews

A remarkable father and son trans-Tasman success story, a milestone for Murray Gibbs,  and changes to the feature race calendar and the Rangiora trials all feature in this week’s News Briefs.  Two wins, two countries, same time  Father and son Kirk and Tristan Larsen (pictured above)  completed a remarkable double on Sunday, winning races at the same time in two different countries. Kirk drove Falcon’s Watch, paying $23.90, to win at Wingatui in Otago while Tristan reined home Maestro, also at double figure odds ($14) to win the Gunbower Trotters…

Early 21st birthday present for Crystal Hackett at AYDC

NZHarnessNews

Crystal Hackett’s having a week she’ll never forget across the Tasman. Today the talented junior turns 21, just a day after winning the second heat of the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships (AYDC) in Sydney. She’ll mark her birthday with two more drives at Bathurst tonight, at 8.37pm and 10.03pm. Hackett’s competing in her third AYDC. Yesterday her win at Menangle came with Cabana. It was a Kiwi quinella, with Our Chiquitita and Sam Thornley second. “We were a day early and to drive a winner on my birthday would be…

Dalgety’s late bid for the Junior Drivers’ premiership

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Wednesday’s racing at Oamaru could make or break Carter Dalgety’s national junior drivers premiership hopes. The midweek meeting is at the beginning of an impressive line-up of drives Dalgety has over the coming five days.  Dalgety (52) heads to Oamaru eight wins behind premiership leader Sam Thornley (60)who has a five-win lead over Wilson House (55), though this week Thornley is away at the Australasian Young Drivers Championships.  While Dalgety knows catching to two talented drivers in front of him is a huge ask, he knows it…

Tact McLeod returns to action at Menangle this Saturday

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton   Tact McLeod’s Inter Dominion campaign may have been thwarted, but the emerging Kiwi pacer will chase some other big races in Australia. Trainer Mark Jones confirmed the Bendigo, Ballarat and Hunter Cups were on the menu for the gelding, who was scratched from a late bid at the NSW Inter Dominions with an abscess. Tact McLeod, who hasn’t raced since a luckless fifth in the Group 1 NZ Free-For-All at Addington on November 15, will return to racing in a support race at Menangle at Saturday…

Tough draw for Princess in Queen of Hearts

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Last Friday’s stunning Alexandra Park debutante Princess Meritaten faces an even tougher task when she returns for the $100,000 Woodlands Stud Queen of Hearts this week. Princess Meritaten’s win had to be seen to be believed as she flew home from a seemingly hopeless position to win on her northern debut last Friday. It looked the perfect lead-in to this Friday’s Group 1 but the Canterbury mare has not fared well in the barrier draw for the fillies and mares mobile 2200m. She has drawn the outside…