By Jonny Turner Yet again it has been proven that a horse with ability and Phil Williamson’s masterful hand are a potent combination. In the depths of winter while most star three-year-old trotters are off the scene, Tarragindi is taking huge strides towards his big spring targets. The trotter cleared out for an emphatic win for driver Nathan Williamson, on a big Friday night at Addington for his father Phil, who later produced Becky’s Girl for an effortless debut victory for driver Brad Williamson. Tarragindi showed all sorts of ability…
Day: 14 June 2025
Hackett ok after Alexandra Park heroics
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Top junior driver Crystal Hackett is nursing a few bumps and bruises but is otherwise ok after an eventful and scary time at Alexandra Park last night. She had just won Race 8 with debutant Buddy Guy at the park and was returning to the stabling area when the two-year-old got spooked. Hackett was tipped from the sulky and got dragged along the infield. “It was a good distance and it was at a good clip,” Hackett says, “it certainly felt…
NZ Amateur Drivers championships set for big finale
The New Zealand Amateurs Drivers championships looks set for a big finish at Addington tomorrow (Sunday). The Raceway will host the final two heats of the four-race series, with Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan all tied on seven points, one ahead of Alan Edge, and Michael House and John Kriechbaumer on five. Wigg won last night’s heat at Addington thanks to a determined finish by the Matt Purvis-trained Almighty Clever in the IRT.Your Horse. Our Passion Mobile Pace. Almighty Clever will back up at the Raceway tomorrow as…
Campaldino triumphs in Brisbane Cup
The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) looms as a possible spring target for New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines), who continued his rapid rise with another outstanding win in the A$400,000 Gr.2 XXXX Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Within the space of nine weeks, the Ghibellines gelding has strung together four increasingly impressive victories. He kicked off with wins in the Orange Cup (2100m) and a Benchmark 78 handicap on Randwick’s Kensington track, prompting trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to take him to Brisbane and raise the…
Pier picks up Stradbroke consolation
A runaway victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm was a proud moment for Pier’s (NZ) (Proisir) connections, but they could also be forgiven for wondering what might have been in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). Pier ventured across the Tasman as the winner of four races in New Zealand, headed by the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in 2022. The son of Proisir has found a promising vein of form in his latest preparation, producing powerful finishes for placings in the Listed City…
Soldier Boy tastes victory after three-horse Te Rapa war
Stratford visitor Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir) made a long-awaited return to the winners’ enclosure when he came out on top in a three-horse tussle in the SKYCITY Hamilton Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Gavin Sharrock-prepared galloper hadn’t been seen on top of the victory podium since he claimed the Listed Maron Cup (2200m) at Trentham in January 2023. Sharrock has never lost faith in his versatile son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who tends to excel on tracks with plenty of cut in them. With Te Rapa coming…
Belles Beau completes Wanganui double for Patterson
New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson had a perfect two-from-two day at Wanganui on Saturday, capped by potential black-type contender Belles Beau (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Loaders Civil (1340m). Patterson had only two horses entered all weekend, and both of them produced impressive performances at Wanganui – Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) in the Hirepool 3YO (1340m) and Belles Beau in the day’s open sprint. “Two wins from only two runners is a really satisfying day, and I think they were two good performances by a couple of very progressive…
Waikato Steeplechase caps memorable day for Matthews
A thrilling victory on Afterallthistime (Deep Field) in Saturday’s Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) capped a Te Rapa double for Portia Matthews that was unforgettable in more ways than one. Matthews won both of the steeplechase races on the card, having previously taken out the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial (3900m) in extraordinary fashion aboard Uncle Charlie (NZ) (Alamosa). Six of the seven horses in that field were out of contention by the end of a chaotic first lap, leaving Uncle Charlie the only one still standing. Uncle Charlie mixed…
Exciting prospect remains unbeaten at Wanganui
Robbie Patterson has unearthed another potential topliner from his New Plymouth stable as progressive gelding Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) kept his winning Wanganui record intact with victory in the Hirepool 3YO (1340). The three-year-old son of Time Test opened his career with a fourth on his home track back in February. Patterson gave him a few weeks off to recover from that effort before producing him to score by more than four lengths in a maiden contest at Wanganui in late May. Ma Te Wa returned to the…
Hello Romeo resumes on winning note
Saturday’s A$150,000 Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1000m) at Sandown was Hello Romeo’s (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) first appearance since the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January, and the talented two-year-old resumed in style. Hello Romeo comes from the first New Zealand crop by Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain, and he brought up a first southern hemisphere win for the sire with his victory at Bendigo in November. His performances in that initial preparation prompted trainers Ben, Will, and JD Hayes to take a shot at the Karaka Millions in Ellerslie,…