Month: February 2023

Addington Raceway chuffed with their Coast to Coast debut

NZHarnessNews

Having ticked off multisport’s biggest race, Addington Raceway’s Coast to Coast team insists this is just the start. For many, the energy sapping trudge from Kumara to New Brighton is a one-off. Not so for Addington’s three lycra wearing adventurers. They have already put their names forward for next year. “It was such a great experience,” says Addington Raceway’s Chief Executive Brian Thompson, who conquered the event along with Property and Facilities Manager John Denton and IT Manager Andy Ross. Their combined time for the 238 kilometres was 16 hours…

Team Teal cruises past $11,000

NZHarnessNews

Harness Racing New Zealand’s Teal Pants campaign is going from strength to strength. The annual initiative started at the beginning of the month and already $11,000 has been raised, with all proceeds going towards ovarian cancer research. Yesterday’s Hororata Trotting Club meeting at Methven was a particularly good one. Seven female drivers won races for the cause, with Kirstin Green, one of five Team Teal ambassadors, adding to the tally at Invercargill. The Riverton Trotting Club at Ascot Park had a big emphasis on Team Teal yesterday, which will see…

Dunstan Battle of the Breeds returns to Cambridge Raceway

NZHarnessNews

Dunstan Horsefeeds Battle of the Breeds is back at Cambridge Raceway on Sunday February 26, bigger and better than ever before. Cambridge Raceway have partnered with Love Racing to bring a whole lot of standardbred vs. thoroughbred fun to the Waikato-BOP Harness Racing club’s meeting. The Dunstan Horsefeeds Battle of the Breeds, a three-phase equestrian event held in the infield to showcase the equine heroes of both codes in life after racing, will kick off prior to race one with a host of familiar riders and horses entered. The ultimate…

Mott ready to Roch in Lightning

NZRacingDesk

Jamie Mott’s opportunity aboard Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) came about due to a fellow rider being suspended, but he is hoping to cement his position in the saddle aboard the mare who could be bound for England later in the year. Mott will partner Roch ‘N’ Horse in this Saturday’s A$1 million Gr.1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington. Trainer Mike Moroney called on Mott for the Gr.1 Champions Sprint (1200m) after Patrick Moloney was suspended in the Melbourne Cup and the duo scored an upset win over Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the A$3 million feature.…

Newmarket tilt for Imperatriz

NZRacingDesk

After a dazzling performance in winning Saturday’s Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, connections of star four-year-old Imperatriz have decided to raise the bar. The Mark Walker-trained mare will now contest the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 11, aiming to emulate compatriot Roch ‘N’ Horse, who won the time-honoured sprint last year. “We think she is in career best form and we had been thinking prior to Saturday of going to Brisbane, but we think she deserves a chance of going to an elite race…

Family triumph for MacGregor at Riccarton

NZRacingDesk

Veteran trainer Alby MacGregor got to savour a three-generational triumph when Times Ticking won at Riccarton on Saturday. Running for the first time past 1600m, Times Ticking defied 62kg to wear down Bully Boy to win the C S Stevens Memorial Banks Peninsula Cup (1800m). It was a special triumph for the 75-year-old Wairarapa trainer as the horse had been stationed for the past three weeks with his son Dean at Rangiora, north of Christchurch, and his grandson Matthew acted as Times Ticking’s strapper on Saturday. “Matthew is 18 and…

Dee booked for Legarto in Guineas

NZRacingDesk

Jockey Michael Dee has been booked for the plum ride on top class filly Legarto in next month’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m). The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained three-year-old will trial this week at Cambridge and will venture across the Tasman for the March 4 Flemington assignment. The winner of her first five starts, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), Legarto was defeated for the first time when fourth behind Prowess in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) when enduring a troubled run from an inside draw. New Zealand’s…

Miracle Mile boost for B D Joe

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton New Zealand’s main Miracle Mile contender B D Joe’s prospects have been boosted even before he heads to Saturday night’s Newcastle Mile. In a late and surprise move, Team McCarthy has opted to skip Newcastle and run Bondi Lockdown in the qualifying sprints at Menangle on Saturday week. Regardless of barrier draws, Bondi Lockdown would have been a clear favourite for Newcastle after two fantastic runs, including a Menangle win last Saturday, from two starts since joining Team McCarthy. The key to the Newcastle Mile is that…

Nathan Williamson joins 1000 win club

NZHarnessNews

by Jonny Turner Nathan Williamson etched his name into harness racing’s history books the same way he began his career when scoring his 1000th driving win in New Zealand with Janaka’s Delight at Ascot Park yesterday. Williamson’s incredible success in the sport started when driving the maiden trotter Brooker to victory at Forbury Park in August of 2005. The star reinsman joined his brother Matthew Williamson in New Zealand’s 1000 win club when expertly handling another maidener in Janaka’s Delight. Win number one came in his father Phil Williamson’s colours…