Underrated galloper Uderzo (NZ) (Vadamos) took up pacemaking duties at Te Rapa on Saturday for the first time in his career, and it proved a masterstroke for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott as he never looked like being headed in the KPMG 1600 (1600m). The six-year-old gelding is far better known as a get back and charge home type so many were surprised when apprentice Rihaan Goyaram bounced him straight to the front and set up a leisurely tempo from race favourite Witz End (NZ) (Savabeel). It was evident…
Year: 2025
Nelson and McDougal’s jumpers shine at Te Rapa
The powerful jumping stable of Hastings trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal sprung to life for the 2025 season on Saturday with a feature double at Te Rapa. Nelson and McDougal secured their first jumps success of the winter with the up-and-comer Taika (NZ) (Mettre en Jeu) in the $40,000 Jones Trucking Hurdle (2800m). Just over an hour later, seven-time hurdle winner Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) made a seamless switch to the bigger fences in the $40,000 Dunstan Horsefeeds Steeplechase (3900m). Both winners carried the colours of the meeting’s major sponsor.…
Geneva impressive on debut
Good looking colt Geneva (NZ) (Time Test) looked to have a bright future for owners Jomara Bloodstock as he powered home to make a winning debut in the Direct Fats & Oils 2YO (1100m) at Te Rapa. The Kylie Hoskin-prepared son of Time Test came into the contest off the back of three trials, two of which he won including the last at Ruakaka over 1050m last month. Despite plenty of confidence in the Hoskin camp and from rider Kelly Myers, Geneva was somewhat overlooked by punters as he started…
The Locomotive faces enormous challenge in Monday’s Elitlopp
By Adam Hamilton The odds are firmly stacked against reigning Inter Dominion champion The Locomotive “doing a Pride Of Petite” in Monday morning’s Elitlopp in Stockholm. The former champion Kiwi mare Pride Of Petite is the only “Down Under” trotter to finish top four in an Elitlopp heat and qualify for the final when she ran sixth in the 1997 final. Most recently, the great Just Believe tried but struck trouble at a crucial stage on the final bend, galloped and lost all chance. The Locomotive will have to overcome…
Vale Jamie Searle
Jamie Searle, a proud Southlander and respected racing journalist, has died in Invercargill after a battle with cancer. Inducted into the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame for his contribution to the history of harness racing, Searle worked for the Southland Times between 1986 and 2022. Of those 34 years he was a racing reporter for 28 of them. He was still writing stories as his health deteriorated in recent weeks and was philosophical about his fate. “Everyone has got to fall off their perch at some time and I’ve really…
Lazarus joins stallion roster at Wai Eyre Farm
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Dual New Zealand Cup winner and $4m earner Lazarus is on the move. One of the all-time greats, the now 12-year-old superstar turned stallion has been bought by a group of owners including Wai Eyre Farm principal Darryl Brown and will now stand at the stud’s East Eyreton property in North Canterbury. “He’s on farm at the moment,” says Brown, “and he is now totally New Zealand owned,” Previously Lazarus had an international ownership group and stood at Alabar and Nevele R in…
Who wins and why at Addington tonight?
Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. Who wins and why at Addington tonight? By Brittany Graham The final Group 1 for the first half of 2025 will take place at Addington tonight (Friday) in the Welcome Stakes, alongside a pair of competitive open company features as part of a 10-race card, starting at 5.02pm. Race 6 7.34pm – Avon City Ford…
Winter specialist to kick-off at New Plymouth
Homebred gelding Tobias (NZ) (Complacent) was a revelation for owner-trainer Tony Dravitzki last winter, and the Stratford horseman is hoping he can find a similar vein of form over the colder months this year. The now seven-year-old son of Complacent won four races on the bounce last winter, including the New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m), before running fourth in the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) at Wanganui. Dravitzki has been pleased with the way his seven-win gelding has come up this time in and is looking forward to kicking off his preparation…
Rathbone heading north with promising stayer
Wanganui trainer Jo Rathbone has taken a golden opportunity to give a number of her stable a trip away to Ellerslie this weekend. Rathbone had not initially nominated for the Sunday meeting, but after seeing the initial line-up of runners, she has accepted with four horses, including progressive stayer Overdraft (NZ) (Burgundy) and the versatile Billy Boy (So You Think). “I saw that the fields were a little bit weak up there, so as a bit of an afterthought I late nominated all of them,” she said. “Billy Boy has…
Former Hong Kong galloper seeking breakthrough win
Former Hong Kong galloper Compulsory (No Nay Never) has been a model of consistency for Tim and Margaret Carter since joining their Cambridge barn late last year, and he will be out to score a breakthrough victory in the JRA Trophy 1400 at Ellerslie on Sunday. The six-year-old son of No Nay Never placed in just one of his 20 starts in Hong Kong for trainers Tony Millard and Michael Chang, but has thrived since arriving in New Zealand, placing in four of his five starts for the Carters. The…