Category: Punting

A Monday double-header will get this week’s harness racing action underway, with the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting now only eight days away. Always a critical lead-up to Addington, the second day of the Kaikoura meeting features the Group 3 White Morph South Bay Trotters Cup (3.53pm) and the Group 2 Alabar Kaikoura Cup (5.12pm). Both are worth $60,000. Manawatu will also hold a mini meeting today with its six race programme starting at 12.55pm. It’s the first of four meetings during the month. On Tuesday, November 19  the…

By Adam Hamilton  Champion Aussie pacer Leap To Fame is still a huge chance of contesting Tuesday week’s $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway despite a shock twist to his trip yesterday. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said he was “almost fully packed and ready to go” when a precautionary blood test showed Leap To Fame’s levels weren’t quite right. “I was surprised, shocked even,” Dixon said. “He’d gone so well at Menangle last Saturday night winning and everything seemed good this week. “I just thought I’d take a…

Craig “The Whale” Thompson is back with his best for Kaikoura 

The 2024-25 Seddon Shields Trotting Championship Series, which will culminate with a $30,000 final in March, will kick off on Alabar Kaikoura Cup day on Monday, November 4. Targetting R51-70 trotters, the series will be held around the top half of the South Island between November this year and March 2025. It will be known as the Seddon Bob Rochford Memorial Trotting Series after the Kaikoura legend who died suddenly at Westport in March this year. Bob was a well-known harness racing stalwart, a former Kaikoura Trotting Club President and…

By Mike Love  Racey Krusa has beaten the odds by winning the Rakaia Mid-Week Golfers Mobile Trot at Methven yesterday.  The seven-year-old Peak gelding was almost retired about a year ago until owner and breeder Bruce Graham decided to opt for a wind operation.  “He had a bit of a rough run there for a while, but we got it corrected about a year ago,” said Graham. “It’s one of those things where we decided to bite the bullet and do it.” “I was pleased when we saw this mile…

By Adam Hamilton  Champion pacer Leap To Fame will have a travelling mate when he jets over to Auckland tomorrow (Sunday). Trainer Grant Dixon confirmed his underrated four-year-old Aroda will join Leap To Fame on the flight and, hopefully, in Tuesday week’s $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway.  Aroda, a former Kiwi who boasts 13 wins from 38 starts and over $240,000, has enjoyed a terrific season. He is right on the borderline for a start in the Cup. The son of Art Major won the Group…