By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk In 2023 Lesa Clarke made her first ever purchases at the National Yearling Sales in Christchurch. Today at 5.57pm at Addington she’ll find how good a judge she is when Vin’s Deal makes her race day debut in the Still Time To Breed With Woodlands 2YO Fillies Mobile Pace. “Sometimes there’s a horse that just takes your eye, as soon as she walked out of her box I knew,” says Clarke. Clarke has owned around 20 horses over the years -“I have five…
Category: Punting
Keayang Zahara camp feeling the pressure “a bit” ahead of Derby
By Adam Hamilton Friday night has all the hallmarks of the Grand Final for freakish filly Keayang Zahara. On face value, most expect the three-year-old to just turn up in the $200,000 Garrards NZ Trotting Derby at Addington, and win again. But driver Jason Lee sees it a little differently. “We think it’s her biggest test for a few reasons,” he said. “It’s as strong a field as she’s met, it should be a real staying test and it’s at the end of a long first (racing) campaign for her.…
The NZ Derby – 50 Years ago
This Friday’s $300,000 Garrards New Zealand Pacing Derby at Addington has attracted a quality field including the likes of Better Knuckle Up, Jeremiah, Chase A Dream and last start winners Renegade and Bazooka. Half a century ago it was a very different Derby – essentially a one horse race dominated by one of the greats. The NZ Derby 50 Years ago – Noodlum Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Health wise he was not 100 per cent but Noodlum still outclassed his opponents at the New Zealand Derby on November…
Audacity topples quality field to win Akaroa Cup
By Mike Love Local trainer Steve Harding recorded his biggest win when Audacity took out the Cabins 2U Akaroa Cup at Motukarara on Saturday. And he didn’t have to go far for the win – he lives just down the road at McQueens Valley. “It was very impressive,” he said of Audacity’s performance, “it’s only just sinking in really.” Audacity made a good beginning from the unruly 10 metre mark with driver Ross Cameron. They worked into the three wide line from the 2000m, improving gradually to mid-field. Cameron…
HRNZ : Foal update December 2024
HRNZ : Foal update December 2024 Application forms to register this season’s foals were posted out recently to the person who according to our records is the first named owner or lessee of any mare with a 2023/2024 service record. If you have not received an application form and believe you should have, please contact this office. Remember the cost of registration is $195 per foal if application and payment is made by 1 April 2025. The form should be lodged and paid for by the due date even if…
Group 1 glory on the line at Addington
Addington will run two contrasting meetings this week, with its First December Midweek meeting tomorrow ahead of Derby Race night on Friday. There’ll be eight races on Wednesday, starting at 5.19pm. Friday’s meeting, starting at 5.01pm, is highlighted by the Trotting and Pacing Derbies, as well as the inaugural running of the $200,000 Christian Cullen for the four-year-old pacers. The features of Auckland’s Friday meeting include the $40,000 Thames Goldfields Summer Cup where the likes of Sooner The Bettor and The Big Lebowski will battle it out, the $40,000 Caduceus…
Queen Elida carrying Kiwi hopes in Trotting IDs
By Adam Hamilton Former top Kiwi horseman Brent Lilley thinks he can do his part to give this NSW Inter Dominion some serious New Zealand flavour. An untimely setback to Mark Jones’ emerging pacer Tact McLeod robbed the Kiwis of an actual runner in this Inter Dominion, but Queen Elida has very strong ties across the ditch. The star six-year-old mare was bred in NZ by “Boof” McKenzie and is still owned by him, Tony Barron and their families. Throw in the Lilley connection and there’s lots of Kiwi about…
Oscar makes it three in Methven Green Mile
By Mike Love Multiple Group 1 winner Oscar Bonavena turned record-breaker at Methven yesterday. The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained eight-year-old inched ever closer to $1m in stakes earnings with a record third win in the Woodlands Stud Green Mile around the Mt Harding circuit. Blair Orange speared Oscar Bonavena to the lead with arch rival Muscle Mountain sitting parked. Turning for home Oscar Bonavena had a decisive break before Muscle Mountain made his move, cutting the buffer to just half a head at the line. Oscar Bonavena’s winning time of…
Plenty of quality at Green Mile day at Methven
By Mike Love It’s Green Mile day today at Mt Harding racecourse in Methven, with the trotters and pacers battling it out in two $25,000 features. Race 6 (3:37pm), the Woodlands Stud Green Mile Trot looks set to be a match race between Oscar Bonavena and Muscle Mountain while in Race 8, the Methven 4 Square Supermarket Green Mile Australian visitor Better Eclipse is a dominant $1.70 favourite. Last start Group 1 winner Oscar Bonavena ($1.80FF) is looking to go back to back in the Green Mile, and claim his…
Donnelly and Butcher star at Alexandra Park
By Brigette Solomon It was the Arna Donnelly – David Butcher show at Alexandra Park last night. They combined to take out both of the feature pace races, with Butcher also driving a treble. “It was a really good night,” said Donnelly, “the team all went raced really well including Chase Me who finished second earlier in the night.” Donnelly’s first win for the night was with Jolimont who took out the Franklin Pacers Country Cup Handicap Pace giving the Sweet Lou gelding his eighth win. The start of the…