By Mike Love Princess Sadie will be out for listed level spoils today as she looks to win the Macca Lodge Sires’ Stakes 2YO Fillies Classique at Ashburton today. Princess Sadie has been very strong in her three career starts to date, including showing some blistering gate speed to lead from wide out at Addington last time. Oamaru trainer and driver Matthew Williamson is going in with some confidence. “She came through that run really well. She seems to be handling the racing at this stage. She hasn’t had the…
Category: Punting
Big draw upgrades for many for Show Day features
By Michael Guerin Most of the big-race favourites for the massive Show Day meeting at Addington should not have to repeat the Group 1 heroics we saw on Cup Day. Because while the winners of the Group 1s on Tuesday all came from the second line to record astonishing winning performances on Friday most of the big names who could draw well have. The obvious exception is hot favourite Muscle Mountain in the $300,000 Renwick Farms Dominion as he had to draw wide on the second line as he starts…
Creatine filly raising money for Katie Cox Appeal
by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After facing his own cancer battle, Gerald Cayford felt compelled to help out Katie Cox. He responded by putting up a Creatine yearling he owns on auction site gavelhouse, with all proceeds going to the Katie Cox Appeal Fund. The horse named Courageous Katie is currently at $2000, with the auction closing just after 7pm on Friday night. “I’ve only met Katie once but when you think of what she’s going through and I thought you have to do something.” “The response from…
Agreement reached over Forbury Park site in South Dunedin
Update : Forbury Park The Forbury Park site in South Dunedin will soon be on the market, following an agreement this week between Forbury Park Trotting Club Inc (FPTC), Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and SEED Housing Limited. In 2019, SEED Housing contracted to purchase land at Forbury Park from FPTC with a view to developing affordable housing that is resilient to the future impacts of climate change in consultation with the local community. A new Racing Industry Act came into force in 2020 granting HRNZ new powers in respect…
Michael Guerin’s take on IRT New Zealand Cup day
By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s most important and historic harness race got a shot of Aussie adrenalin at maybe the perfect time when Swayzee smashed the locals in the $750,000 IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington on Tuesday. The New South Wales pacer won the tactical early battle over Canterbury favourite Akuta and was able to stroll to the lead after a lap, from where he never looked like being beaten. While Akuta moved to park outside him with a lap to go and even secured the trail at the…
Purdon trifecta in Sires’ Stakes final
By Mike Love A breathtaking display by Chase A Dream spearheaded a Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained trifecta in Tuesday’s Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes final at Addington. Heading home We Walk By Faith and Major Hot, Chase A Dream made it his fourth win from six starts in a dazzling performance to secure his first Group One victory. A hot pace early saw the Bettor’s Delight colt stalk the speed with driver Olivia Thornley, before making a move from the 800m. Chase A Dream made up at least a dozen lengths…
Aussies upstage trans-Tasman rivals in IRT New Zealand Cup
By Jonny Turner The king’s reign extended to Australasia when Jason Grimson added the name of one-time battler Swayzee into the history books of New Zealand’s most prestigious harness race. Known as King Grimmo to some of his fans, Grimson continued his incredible rise as a trainer with the help of an outstanding tactical driver from his fellow countryman Cam Hart to win the New Zealand Cup at Addington on Tuesday. Thanks to Hart’s brilliant early manoeuvring and Swayzee making a swift beginning, Swayzee left his New Zealand rivals in…
Rowe Cup winner shines on IRT New Zealand Cup day
By Jonny Turner Never doubt the old master. Maybe his hair is a little greyer than it once was. Maybe the same can be said about his renowned moustache. But his ability to produce a trotter to win on the biggest of stages hasn’t changed a bit. With the Group 1 Dominion just three days away, Phil Williamson showed Love N The Port was back to his brilliant best with his front-running win in the Group 3 Worthy Queen Trot. Driver Matthew Williamson paid tribute to his father Phil for his…
Don’t Stop Dreaming in dominant FFA win
By Jonny Turner Don’t Stop Dreaming gave his army of backers a fright before speeding to a sensational win in the Group Three Junior Free-For-All on New Zealand Cup Day. Usually a display of pacing perfection, the Mark and Nathan Purdon went roughly as the mobile left in the first feature event on New Zealand harness racing’s biggest day. But under the cool and calm hands of the master himself, Mark Purdon, the brilliant three-year-old got his gait sorted before going on to an all-of-the-way win. The wash-up in the…
IRT New Zealand Cup Day – Race by Race
IRT New Zealand Cup day at Addington – Race by Race Race 1 : SAUNDERS ROBINSON BROWN HANDICAP TROT The opening race of the day and a trot over 3200m is always a tricky proposition. Masterly started a very warm order ($2.50) but broke at the start and played no significant part, with punters rocked by Cody Banner making a big move at the 600m and going to win by trainer Ricky Allen and driver Matty Williamson. He paid $41.20 and $14.40. Zsa Zoe and Muscle Bank completed a $38,416.80…