by Frank Marrion, courtesy Harness Express The recent burst of form from Lottie’s Moment has been a reminder as to the tragic passing of Katie Cox last year. Cox bred the four-year-old daughter of Majestic Son and raced her briefly in the spring of 2023, when she was placed in all three two-year-old races behind the likes of Wilma’s Boy and Princess Sadie. Lottie’s Moment has won three of her eight races this time in for John Morrison, but her last three starts have been particularly good. She won a…
Month: July 2025
Australasian Young Drivers Team NZ Lift-Out
With a strong team of NZ Junior Drivers heading to Brisbane to contest the Australasian Young Drivers next week we put together a lift-out with profiles, stories and the racing schedule. You can view it here
Racing Codes Unite to Shape the Future of NZ Racing Infrastructure
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ), supported by TAB NZ have today announced the launch of Project Stamina, a landmark collaboration to develop a unified Master Plan for the future of New Zealand’s racing infrastructure. This joint initiative marks a strategic shift from reactive maintenance to long-term, future-focused investment across both Thoroughbred and Harness racing codes. “We have reached a critical point that calls for bold decision making. Project Stamina is about making the necessary decisions to ensure our infrastructure supports a thriving future for horse racing…
Green and Delaney team out in force at Alexandra Park
by Michael Guerin Ray Green may be way past a normal retirement age but he is still looking for his next good horse. “That doesn’t stop,” says Green, who just three seasons ago completed a New Zealand Cup double with Copy That. The 79-year-old still trains at Pukekohe, these days with Nathan Delany, and while they may not have a pin-up horse the stable is still a regular Friday night force. Their 23 training wins for the season, which in harness racing runs the calendar year, puts them second behind…
Franco Sinatra tackles tough handicap at Addington
by Michael Guerin Cran Dalgety may be taking one of the best horses at the meeting in Franco Sinatra to Addington tonight but that won’t be the highlight of his harness racing weekend. Because tomorrow sees the return to the stable he runs with wife Chrissie and son Carter of arguably New Zealand’s best pacer Republican Party. The now mutiple Group 1 winner of the Auckland and Invercargill Cups as well as the Messenger and Roy Purdon Memorial, Republican Party has spent the last month on the water walker and…
ATC members to vote on Franklin Park sale in bid to save Auckland harness racing
by Michael Guerin The Auckland Trotting Club could finally dig itself out of a $120million financial hole with the potential sale of its training track to be voted on by members on July 23. But while the ATC board have to ask their members for permission to sell the Franklin Park training track in Pukekohe, in reality they either vote in favour of the sale or risk losing harness racing in the region all together. The ATC has been under enormous financial strain since the building of apartments with commercial…
Prix De Turn gets a second chance
Having been left in the paddock waiting to be picked up for a career in the equestrian field, Prix De Turn (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) is making a comeback to the racetrack. Having not raced since the Yarra Valley Cup (1968m) in March last year, Prix De Turn heads to the Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. A rising seven-year-old, Prix De Turn has only two wins to his credit, including the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley, from 18 career starts, but has always displayed plenty of talent. Prix De…
Fresh Kosciuszko takes trip to Caulfield
Trainer Dan Meagher is banking on fresh legs with his former Singapore champion Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) when he runs at Caulfield. Lim’s Kosciuszko is coming back in distance from 1400m four weeks ago to contest the Gr.3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday. Meagher is banking on Lim’s Kosciuszko’s proven ability and lining up in a weight-for-age race on Saturday as being pivotal to the gelding’s chances. Lim’s Kosciuszko won 22 of his 30 starts in Singapore and Hong Kong and has raced twice in Australia, finishing third first-up at Flemington before a midfield finish at…
Chantilly Lace chases Hawera breakthrough
Chantilly Lace will attempt to cap a series of eye-catching efforts with a return to the winners’ circle in the Scott Roberts @ Metcalfe Real Estate Handicap (1600m) at Hawera on Saturday. The stakes-performed U S Navy Flag mare has gone winless in 10 starts since taking out a 1600m Rating 75 at Wanganui at the end of November, but her recent performances have been full of merit. She has produced strong finishes for fourth in the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui on May 31, fifth in the…
Fourty Eight to continue the ride for Frac Club and Fannins
The Frac Club’s partnership with trainers Shaun and Hazel Fannin is off to a stellar start through rising steeplechase star Jesko, and up-and-comer Fourty Eight will attempt to add to that run in Sunday’s Cody Singer Memorial (4000m) at Woodville. The Frac Club is an emerging micro-share syndicator that rose to prominence earlier this year through the deeds of three-year-old filly Zormella, who won two of her five starts and was runner-up in the Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m). The group has extended its reach into the winter months by purchasing…