Category: Punting

HRNZ’s Trials and Workouts coverage to be expanded in 2025

NZHarnessNews

A solution has been found to two harness racing trials/workouts “black spots”. Effective immediately, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) has finalised agreements with two videographers to provide footage of the North Otago trials at Oamaru, and the Mt Hutt workouts at Mt Harding Racecourse in Methven. “We have been very mindful for some time that both North Otago and Mt Hutt have not been covered,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden,  “they were black spots in our trials and workouts coverage.” Now action from both venues will…

Butt’s driving double at Roxburgh

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Amid a tough week, Kimberly Butt produced a pinpoint drive to clinch a fitting victory in yesterday’s Peters Genetics Roxburgh Cup with Commander Ben. Butt recently lost her grandfather, master trotting trainer Dick Prendergast who passed away last Friday. With Prendergast hailing from the Central Otago region, it has been appropriate that Butt has been in outstanding form on the Central Otago summer harness racing circuit. “I had a bit of a bad run at the West Coast right when Grandad died, but back down here in…

Tact McLeod goes down by nose in Bendigo Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Exciting Kiwi pacer Tact McLeod was denied victory in the very last stride of last night’s $75,000 Group 2 Bendigo Cup. Having his first run in Victoria, the lightly raced Mark Jones-trained gelding was smashed in betting from $2 to $1.50 and all looked ideal when driver Anthony Butt took him to a comfortable lead from gate four. With his main dangers back in the field or making midrace moves, Butt was eager to “roll along” through a middle split of 58.2sec and 28sec-flat third quarter. Tact…

Harrison Orange gets double for Michael House at Tauherenikau

NZHarnessNews

By Brigette Solomon  Trainer Michael House and Harrison Orange combined to score a winning double at the North Island’s first race meeting of the New Year at Tauherenikau yesterday. “I rung Harrison three weeks ago to see if we could organise for him to come down and drive at these central districts grass track meetings and I’m really pleased for him that it’s paid off and he’s driven a couple of winners for us,” said House. “He’s grown up watching his Dad (Blair Orange) drive a few hundred winners in…

Republican Party looking increasingly likely for Hunter Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Auckland Cup hero Republican Party looks set to join the growing Hunter Cup party. A race that threatened to be a tad thin for star power just a couple of weeks ago, now promises to deliver an explosive start to 2025. Already, Leap To Fame looks certain to defend his crown, newly crowned Inter Dominion champ Don Hugo is a lock, emerging Kiwi talent Tact McLeod is headed towards it and $2 million-earner Catch A Wave also has the Hunter Cup in his sights. More recently, star…

Williamson looking to build on 2024 success

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  After an all-conquering season, Matthew Williamson hopes to keep his momentum going in 2025 with a big Roxburgh Cup day on Saturday.  The trainer produced a personal-best 39 wins in 2024, making him the leading trainer both in Otago and south of the Waitaki River. Though he is undoubtedly the public face of his operation, Williamson was quick to credit those behind the scenes for his breakout season. “If you had told me at the start of last year that we would have ended up where we…

Oscar heading back across the Tasman

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Five years is a long time to wait for redemption. In racing entire careers start, blossom and end much quicker than that all the time. But on Febuary 1, five years after he last raced and finished unplaced in the Great Southern Star, Kiwi speed machine Oscar Bonavena is heading back to Melton for a another shot at the title. The title has of course changed. The Great Southern Star was 2760m mobile back on February 1, 2020 when Oscar Bonavena sat parked and finished a brave…

Echappe makes all the right moves at Rangiora

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Canterbury trainer James McDonald’s confidence in his horse was well placed when Echappe won at Rangiora yesterday. The Always B Miki four-year-old raced parked for much of the Keith Woolley Fencing Mobile Pace only to run down the pace-making Newbiemains Arden, winning by just over a length. “She is usually better coming off a horse’s back with one run at them but we thought we would take luck out of play,” says the Ladbroooks-based MacDonald. Driven by Gerard O’Reilly, it was the mare’s…

New Year’s Eve sees 2024 out on a high

NZHarnessNews

Harness Racing New Zealand is delighted that 2024 has finished with a flourish, with Auckland’s New Year’s Eve meeting a success both in terms of crowd numbers and turnover. The Auckland Trotting Club’s twilight meeting was popular with racegoers and turnover was up markedly on last year with latest figures showing the 10-race programme amassing $1.4m, compared to $823K in 2023, and $1m for 10 races in 2023. The increase is in line with a 20 per cent increase in harness racing turnovers across the board this year, compared to…

Mo’unga and Pinseeker dominate market for Central Otago Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Tactics look set to be the key factor as Mo’unga and Pinseeker go head to head in Thursday’s Group 3 Central Otago Trotting Cup at Omakau. The two star pacers head a field of just five runners confirmed for the 2000m feature. While the pair are closely matched on talent, Mo’unga and Pinseeker appear poles apart on the early tactical speed they’ve shown so far. The Regan Todd trained Mo’unga is a noted mobile speedster who can overcome drawing the outside of the front line with a…