By Jonny Turner Losing one of her best drives may not spoil Kerryn Tomlinson’s day at Ascot Park on Saturday. Tomlinson will be unable to reunite with Dont Ask with the trotter retired and scratched from race 8. The junior driver recently formed a great combination with the mare, trained by Alister Black. “She would be one of the best trotters I have driven regularly down here,” Tomlinson said. “She had great manners and good speed, she was a lovely mare to drive.” Tomlinson isn’t lacking horsepower to work with…
Category: Punting
Dunn a real chance to do “double”
By Michael Guerin John Dunn wants to achieve something that hasn’t been done in modern times, but even if he pulls it off he won’t get his name in the record books. Dunn dreams of winning both the trainers and drivers’ premierships this year, with the harness racing season running from January 1 to December 31. At the half way stage he has a great shot at both, kind of. But there are two small issues: he isn’t actually officially a horse trainer and to win the drivers’ premiership he…
Aussie trip on cards for Coastal Babe
By Michael Guerin Coastal Babe may loosely be on trial for a Queensland campaign when she resumes at Alexandra Park tonight but that doesn’t mean she has to win. The Group 1 winner races for the first time since finishing fourth in All You Need Is Me’s Northern Oaks on March 22, after which she was found to be off colour. Trainer Steven Reid gave her a spell which went a little longer than expected as he see-sawed on whether to aim Coastal Babe at the Queensland winter carnival. “When…
Hoffman trio good value at Addington
By Mike LoveWaikouaiti trainer Amber Hoffman will make the 300 kilometre trek north to Addington raceway today with a trio of solid chances. Kicking off Hoffman’s chances will be Petite Trixton ($5.50FF) in race 2 the Thank You Sam Taylor Vet trot over 2000 metres. The four year old Trixton mare has had two runs back since a long lay off for two good placings. With her good manners, and a front line draw over the testing 2000 metre distance, Petite Trixton should be in play. A few gear changes…
Ward Lamon due at Ascot Park today
By Jonny Turner Kirk Larsen is keeping his options open as he chases down a deserved win with Ward Lamon. The pacer has been brilliantly consistent through the autumn and winter, coming into race 7 at Ascot Park on Friday on the back of three second placings. While tactics look obvious for Larsen with Ward Lamon perfectly placed in barrier 3, the trainer-driver has plenty of choices in front of him. “From 3, it would be good if we were able to punch out and lead, but it’s not the…
Fingers crossed for Bolt’s latest comeback
By Michael Guerin One of the forgotten heroes of New Zealand harness racing is back at work for what his trainer admits could be his last campaign. Wonderful trotter Bolt For Brilliance has ridden a brutal racing rollercoaster since he demolished the likes of Sundees Son in the Rowe Cup two years ago, a victory that put him on the doorstep of greatness. But while the horse they call “Bolt” got that far, the door never opened. The two-time winner of the Harness Jewels, Bolt For Brilliance was at least…
South Seas Rock going for four in a row in Bluff Cup
By Jonny Turner Tyler Dewe is hoping to make the perfect start from his new base by winning the South Port NZ Ltd Bluff Cup at Ascot Park on Monday. Amid a great run of form, Dewe has taken up an opportunity to train at Tom Kilkelly’s property at Tisbury. The trainer has returned to where his harness racing career began, and will be working alongside Kirstin Green. South Seas Rock will be out to make it four wins on the trot for Dewe in Monday’s feature. Having settled in…
Dunns set to play key role on Sapling Stakes day
By Mike Love Premiership leading trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn have a lot of reasons to be confident going into both two-year-old features at Ashburton today. The Sapling Stakes at Group 2 level and the Helen Pope Fillies Classic at Group 3 will highlight today’s card. Race 6, the time-honoured Group 2 $60,000 Rakaia Seed Cleaning Sapling Stakes over 1700m will see the Dunns line up three of the six starters. Group 1 Welcome Stakes winner Got The Chocolates is undoubtedly the horse to beat, with the TAB opening him…
Well-bred two-year-old to make Cambridge debut
By Brigette Solomon Ardmore-based trainers Brian and Gareth Hughes line up two runners at Cambridge tonight, including the well-bred two year old Captain Sampson who makes his race debut. Captain Sampson is by Captaintreacherous and out of Millie Sampson, an eight race winning mare who also placed third in the 2014 New Zealand Yearling Sales Series Championship. The gelding, to be driven by Tony Cameron, starts from barrier three in Race two, the Hamilton Fencing Swift Stride Mobile Pace for two-year-old colts and geldings. The five horse field consists entirely…
Southern star kicks off big weekend for southern scribe
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk He calls himself “the King of Content” and Jonny Turner is hopeful his King’s Birthday weekend is going to get off to an early and successful start at Addington tonight. As an Invercargill-based racing journalist his stock and trade is writing about all things related to harness racing and producing content for his social media channels, especially from his home patch south of the Waitaki. But the proud Southlander also literally puts his money where his mouth is. His latest “project” is Southside…