By Adam Hamilton Dexter Dunn remains the only Kiwi connection still in contention to win the inaugural Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship (UDC) after some unexpected twists on night one at Albion Park. The first blow to the Kiwi hopes came before the first of the 20 heats in the series was run when Carter Dalgety’s best drive, Waikaka Magic, was scratched from race four on opening night. It was $1.30 favourite and a win Dalgety needed to have any real hope of being a key player. But it was another…
Category: Punting
Wish Me Luck hard to beat in today’s Ashburton Cup
By Mike Love Wish Me Luck will be looking to continue the success of Hayden and Amanda Cullen’s brilliant start to their training partnership at Ashburton today. The five-year-old Vincent gelding is looking to go back to back in the Gallagher Insurance Ashburton Cup over 3200m after winning the Amberley cup on Waitangi day. “He’s come through Rangiora really well. He seems bright and he’s trained on great,” said Amanda Cullen. It will be Wish Me Luck’s first attempt at the extreme distance of 3200m but that does not concern…
Change to Final qualifying for Seddon Shields series
HRNZ has approved a requested alteration to the Bob Rochford Memorial Seddon District Trotters Series. Originally it was decided that trotters would only qualify for the $30,000 Final at Addington if they had competed in four of the 10 qualifying races. The heats started at Kaikoura last November and have continued on through the top half of the South Island over the summer. There are just two heats left, at Westport and Reefton on March 7 and 9. Now HRNZ has agreed to a change to the qualifying criteria. Now,…
Flip flops help do the trick for Franco Marek
By Michael Guerin Greg Manson did something he wouldn’t usually do with Franco Marek at Addington on Thursday night but he might be doing it a bit more from now on. The way the star of his five-horse stable won wearing flip flops in the main pace, on Thursday, The Peninsular Beachfront Resort – Mooloolaba Handicap Pace, they could be the answer to the high-class pacer’s problems. Franco Marek held out Vessen after wresting the lead off him mid-race and roaring home his last 800m in 54.6 seconds, the final…
Williamson and Hopes combine with two good chances at Cromwell
By Jonny Turner Matthew Williamson is itching to get into the harness racing hot seat at Cromwell on Friday. The Oamaru reinsman has received the call-up to drive two strong winning threats on the first of two days of harness racing over the weekend in Eurokash and Homebush Lad. Williamson is no stranger to wearing the Greg and Nina Hope colours but will link up with Eurokash for the first time in the feature trot, the Oakley Plumbing Supplies Handicap Tot (5.08pm) and the driver thinks he can make the…
Butcher returns after five month absence
By Michael Guerin Benjamin Butcher isn’t sure his return to race driving will bring him a win at Alexandra Park on Friday night but it will sure feel like one. The popular Waikato horsemen hasn’t been seen in a race since a smash at Alexandra Park in August that left him with a shoulder injury and concussion. It was the latter that has caused Butcher the most grief, with anybody who has had concussion knowing the “foggy head feeling” that Butcher had to go through. “It was pretty bad there…
Owners and Breeders of the Month for December and January
Every month Harness Racing New Zealand selects an Owner and Breeder of the Month. It is an entirely random selection though their horse must have won a race during the month. In December 2024 the Breeder of the Month was Anthony Smith after Fredastaire’s win at Manawatu on December 12 and Stonewall Stud syndicate member David Whitburn was Owner of the Month after Caught the Eye’s victory at Ashburton on December 22. In January 2025 the two winners were Phil Sherley (Breeder of the Month) for Eagle Hanover’s win at…
Merlin spearheads Kiwi challenge in Sydney
By Adam Hamilton The Kiwi flavour really ramps up at Menangle on Saturday night. Millionaire pacer Merlin, who races at Its Merlin in Australia, launches his quest to win the Miracle Mile in the Ultra Air free-for-all over 2300m (12.18am). Crucially, the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained star has drawn perfectly in gate one, with Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo drawn next door in barrier two. Purdon and Phelan stable their horses with the Fitzpatrick clan and Gavin Fitzpatrick will take the reins on Its Merlin this week. Its…
Kimberly Butt is all in on Next Gen
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Kimberly Butt can scarcely believe what happened at this week’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale in Christchurch. In a bit over two hours she signed off on three yearlings for a combined price tag of $350,000. “It was something you only dream of, it was incredible, a real pinch yourself moment,” says Butt And it all revolves around big spending Australian Joshua Davine and his N40 Racing. He was in direct contact from Sydney at the time. “Kim was getting a bit…
Submissions requested from Clubs on draft 2025/26 Dates Calendar
Harness Racing New Zealand is inviting feedback from clubs and kindred bodies on the first draft of the 2025/26 Dates Calendar. The calendar features a proposed total of 300 meetings, an increase of 11 over the current season, with the upper South Island getting nine new meetings and the North Island two more. The additional dates are not funded at this time. The Code Funding negotiations are underway. The number of meetings in the southern area remains unchanged, though Southern Harness will host 33 Sunday meetings, 13 more than at…