The New Zealand Equine Research Foundation has released its latest bulletin. It includes a story on harness racing star Carter Dalgety’s trip to the USA after winning a Valachi Down Young Achiever scholarship. To see the bulletin click here
Year: 2025
Carston in for a good time at Riccarton
Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston will have a strong hand at his home track’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, with 10 stable runners to go around. He will have a three-pronged attack in the Book A Suite Mid-Winter Xmas Races 21 June Rating 65 (1400m), spearheaded by Tough Time. The five-year-old gelding was in pleasing form over summer, winning his last two outings, and will look to pick up where he left off when first-up on Thursday, where he will jump from barrier five with jockey Leah Hemi aboard. “He was really…
Manners key with short-priced trotter at Addington today
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The stable has three runners engaged but Ben Hope will be one and done at Addington’s midweek meeting today. All three of the Greg and Ben Hope-trained runners will be short priced favourites on the seven race card. Hope’s sole drive will be with Viva La Vida in Race 2, the Unhinged Racing Syndicate Mobile Trot (4.55pm). At last look he was paying $2.15 in the six horse field. “He’s very short isn’t he?,” says Hope. “But he’s not a bad wee maiden…
The Cunning Fox sticks to hurdles
Hurdle racing’s new star The Cunning Fox (NZ) (Reliable Man) will not try to replicate his super jumping form on the flat, with the emerging grey galloper to miss Saturday’s Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington. Co-trainer Patrick Payne said on Tuesday he has decided the Australian Hurdle (3900m) at Sandown on June 1 is a better option, rather than racing on the flat at Flemington. “He’s come through Warrnambool really well and I nominated him (for the Ramsden) just to have a look, but I just think we will…
Change of date for Cambridge meeting
There’s been a change of date confirmed for the Waikato – Bay of Plenty Harness Inc’s meeting at Cambridge next month. Originally scheduled for Thursday, June 26 it will now be held two days earlier on Tuesday, June 24. The reason for the change is a clash of dates with the NZB Standardbred Weanling Sale. The NZB National Standardbred Weanling Sale will be held in conjunction with the NZB National Thoroughbred Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday, June 26. For any more information contact matthew.peden@hrnz.co.nz
Marketplace (and co) out to break Purdon’s decade-long domination
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The draws haven’t done him any favours but Marketplace will start a commanding favourite in Friday night’s $200,000 Group 1 New Zealand Sires’ Stakes 3YO Colts and Geldings Final (9.34pm). The Final is the feature on a big night of Group and Listed races at Addington that includes the Group 2 Ricoh Bionic Chance 2YO Fillies Bracelet, the Group 3 Sport Nation – NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes, the NZB Standardbred Uncut Gems Aged Trotters Classic, the Rico Lodge Uncut Gems Mares’ Classic and…
More than 1000 pay last respects at Greg Sugars’ Memorial Service
By Adam Hamilton The huge impact Greg Sugars had on New Zealand harness racing and its people was evident for all to see at his Memorial Service at Melton yesterday. Mark Purdon made the trip across, Gavin Smith spoke superbly, while David and Stacey White, along with Josh Dickie and Sammy Kilgour were just some of other Kiwis to travel to Melbourne for it. Then there was a group of Kiwi trainers, drivers, owners and fans who banded together at Addington to share the moment and watch the live stream,…
Lindsay Park chasing Oaks glory
Talented Lindsay Park filly Chase Your Dreams (NZ) (Contributer) will press on to the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) next month after running second in the SA Fillies Classic (2500m). The $2.80 chance was beaten home only by Danny O’Brien’s Litzdeel but her run despite doing plenty wrong was pleasing to her training trio. “She still ran a credible second doing a few things wrong, we just need to iron those things out,” JD Hayes said. “She just hung in on the straight, which was a bit annoying and she was…
Featherstone takes leap into Kiwi jumping scene
Will Featherstone is the latest English jumps jockey to answer New Zealand’s call, travelling across the world to further his riding career on Kiwi soil. The 21-year-old has family roots in racing, following in his father’s footsteps in becoming a point-to-point jockey, and he has been race-riding for the past four seasons, while working under Jamie Snowden. “I’ve always ridden horses, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t,” Featherstone said. “I got into racing pretty much straight away really, I’ve always wanted to be a jockey because my Dad…
Synthetic suiting Southland stakes winner
Ascot Park trainer Sabin Kirkland is a big fan of Riccarton’s synthetic track, and so is his stakes winner Buoyant (NZ) (Dalghar), who will be out to keep his unblemished record intact on the surface on Thursday. The six-year-old son of Dalghar was victorious on the track three years ago before returning to the surface earlier this month where extended his unbeaten streak to two after taking out his 1200m event. The Southland galloper has remained in Canterbury and will have his third crack on the polytrack in Thursday’s Happy…