By Jordyn Bublitz Team Coppins will again be out in force at Cambridge tonight as junior driver Kate Coppins looks to continue her good form in the sulky. She has three drives, all for her grandmother, Morrinsville trainer Jill Coppins. In Race 4, the Wednesday Quiz Night at The Clubhouse Handicap Trot she takes the reins behind Bonny Parker, who ran third her last start at Cambridge on May 6. It was her first placing in five starts. “It was a huge improvement for her, we’ve had a lot of…
Year: 2025
The Lazarus Effect going for three in a row at Winton today
By Jonny Turner Carter Dalgety is opting for quality rather than quantity this harness racing weekend. Dalgety heads to Winton on Thursday to team up with a select book of drives including The Lazarus Effect. The talented pacer will put his unbeaten record for trainer Bob Butt on the line in search of a penalty-free junior driver’s win. “I was thrilled to get the call-up from Bob,” Dalgety said. “I know he has always been a lovely horse, even before he raced Nathan Purdon had a good opinion of him.”…
AUDIO: Neville Morgan on Racing HQ
Racing HQ with Steve Hewlett Kovalica hasn’t won since the Qld Derby, however, he has been racing the elite since. Owner Neville Morgan says the guaranteed speed in the Doomben Cup should see him be competitive. CLICK TO PLAY AUDIO
More meetings and more races proposed for 2025-26
Harness racing will have an extra 146 races and 15 additional meetings, under the just-released draft calendar for the 2025-26 season. The extra dates will see a total of 304 meetings and 2817 races in the 12 months from August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026. The 15 additional dates will be : NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club (6)Auckland Trotting Club (4)Waikato – Bay of Plenty (4)Oamaru (3)Banks Peninsula, Invercargill and Methven (1) The clubs losing dates are : Kapiti Coast (2)Forbury, Manawatu and Rangiora (1) Of the ATC’s four meetings…
Chase A Dream scratched from Aussie trip
By Michael Guerin Chase A Dream’s Queensland campaign and any hope of a stud career are both over before they began. The exceptional but erratic four-year-old was pulled out of the Rising Sun at Albion Park in July 5 on Wednesday morning by co-owner and trainer Mark Purdon following a so-so second to stablemate Rubira at the Pukekohe trials on Tuesday. That means he won’t board a plane to Sydney on Sunday with Rubira and Oscar Bonavena, instead staying home and heading to the spelling paddock. But before then he…
Guy stable targets Taranaki with in-form trio
A shortage of senior riders at Te Rapa has Danica Guy on the road this weekend, taking an in-form team of three to New Plymouth’s Saturday meeting. The first of her hopes is Wild West (NZ) (Atlante), an eight-year-old son of Atlante who brought his best to the track last start, powering over the top of his rivals to score in Rating 65 grade. Guy had hoped to return to the venue of that victory on Saturday, but without a suitable rider, she’ll venture further afield with the choice of…
Lhasa delivers poetry in motion with stylish Cambridge win
Talented sprinter Lhasa (Hellbent) was at the peak of his powers on the Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, schooling his rivals despite a hefty weight impost. The five-year-old recorded his first four victories on the surface, but proved he was much more than a one trick pony when defeating a class field of open gallopers on the turf at Trentham in early March. He continued solid form through his next couple of starts, but looked a major threat back on the synthetic, starting a $2.60 favourite ahead of Ultimate Focus ($4). …
Full circle moment for Express Yourself
It’s a full circle moment for Group One performer Express Yourself (NZ) (Shamexpress) this week, with the daughter of Shamexpress being offered once again on Gavelhouse.com. The now six-year-old mare was initially purchased off the online platform by trainer Nikki Hurdle as a tried three-year-old, after having two starts as a juvenile. Hurdle had been taken by the filly when watching her in several trials and was delighted to secure her with a final bid of $6,550 and quickly syndicated her amongst a group of friends. “She was a horse…
Kennedy lines up powerful team at home meeting
Wingatui trainer Terry Kennedy will have plenty of firepower at his home meeting on Friday, where he will be represented by nine runners, headlined by Nobellem (NZ) (Belardo) in the Positive Signs + Print Rating 75 (1200m). The daughter of Belardo has been in pleasing form for Kennedy, who races her in partnership with his wife Debbie, having placed in her last two starts over 1200m. She has been freshened since her last-start runner-up effort at Wingatui in March, and Kennedy is hopeful of a bold showing from barrier nine.…
New test ahead for top hurdler
Star hurdler Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) will make his debut over bigger fences on Saturday at Te Rapa, offering an insight into what his jumping campaign may consist of this season. Among a stable of highly-talented jumpers including The Cossack (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), Nedwin has established a sterling record of his own, winning two editions of the Wellington Hurdles (3200m), a Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and a Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) over three seasons, amassing over $300,000 in prizemoney. The 10-year-old has one of the country’s highest hurdle ratings, prompting trainers Paul Nelson…