Category: Punting

By Michael Guerin Fresh from claiming one of our elite juvenile prizes trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan launch another wave at Alexandra Park tonight. The Clevedon barn won the Harness Million juvenile boys pace for the second year on end when Cold Chisel took out the $200,000 final at Addington last Friday, a year after Merlin won the race for the same owner Dean Shannon. “It was a good win because he only had the one lead-up run and while he got the right run I think there isn’t…

Improved stakes will be a feature of the Manawatu Harness Racing Club’s new 2023-24 season that kicks off with a six-race meeting on Labour Day (Monday). In all there will be 12 meetings at the club’s Palmerston North track between now and March 28, 2024. “We sought a lot of feedback, especially from northern trainers, to see what we could do to improve our fields and the recurring theme was to increase stakes – so that’s exactly what we have done,” says Manawatu HRC president Dan Lynch. “With the Entain…

Stable-mate dead heat at Addington It’s believed a piece of history was made at Addington when the Greg and Nina Hope-trained Celtic Spirit and Jack Tar finished first equal on Friday night. Records indicate it was the first ever dead-heat by two stablemates at Addington. Celtic Spirit and Ben Hope looked to have the race won, only for Blair Orange and Jack Tar to make up many lengths in the home straight. The last dead heat at Addington was Lizzie Richter and Zia Bromac on June 30. In all there…

Behind The Breeds is a new series where breeding enthusiast Don Rae takes a deep dive into the pedigree of some of today’s trotters and pacers. In today’s fourth edition he casts his eye on two recent qualifiers, A Reason To Fight and Rakero Ice. By Don Rae A Reason To Fight, 2 B g Father Patrick – Jaw D Nancy, is bred, owned and trained by Michael Howard at Motukarara. Jaw D Nancy is by Angus Hall from Ella Powell by Earl from Eilish Mac by Out To Win…

The HRNZ Annual General Meeting on Saturday 14 October unanimously adopted a resolution to introduce new regional and national consultation forums and a new merit and skills-based appointment’s process for the selection of the HRNZ directors. It was moved by the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association and seconded by Rangiora Harness Racing on behalf the Harness Racing Governance Working Group, a representative group of club leaders who have been working together for the last six months. The changes were put forward after extensive consultation with clubs and kindred bodies across the…

Join hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin for this week’s edition of The Box Seat. 

There has only been a minor reshuffle in this week’s New Zealand Cup and Show Week rankings. Ahead of this country’s greatest trotting race, the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington on Show Day, Friday November 17 Oscar Bonavena (3rd) and Muscle Mountain (4th) have swapped places, as have Bolt For Brilliance (6th) and Majestic Man (5th). Oscar Bonavena rattled home to win the Dancinginthedark Canterbury Park Trotting Cup last Friday, with Muscle Mountain finishing second. Bolt For Brilliance, a $2.30 favourite to win the Dominion, dropped a place after…

By Mike Love Burnham trainer Andrew Faulks had a day out yesterday when he trained a double at the Oamaru meeting. “It was good! I’m rapt,” said Faulks. The first of the double came with trotter Lucinda Hest who made her customary good beginning from the outside of the front line to lead for driver Blair Orange. She was able to fight off all challengers, winning by one and a quarter lengths from the Amber Hoffman trained Get Along. “It’s been a while coming for her. Her work had been…

Ian Dobson, one of harness racing’s most successful owners of all time, died this morning in Christchurch on his 90th birthday. Dobson, whose name is synonymous with the champion pacer Christian Cullen, started winning races in 1986 but, incredibly, was only now enjoying the best run of his life. To see Barry Lichter’s story on the man they called “Dobbie” click here         

Rangiora racecourse is out of action “until further notice” after gale force winds caused widespread damage over the weekend. Gusts of around 200 kilometres an hour swept acrosss the province, with Rangiora racecourse losing around 600 tons of its racing surface. “The track is down to its base in some parts,” says Harness Racing New Zealand’s Track and Venue Inspector John Denton, who was on site first thing this morning. “The worst part is just by the home bend.” A grader will start work today on re-distributing the remaining surface…