A new format’s been finalised for the TAB Show Day Punter of the Year Challenge at Addington Raceway. The Friday (November 14) meeting is always a massive part of Cup week and includes the two $500,000 slot races, the Majestic Horse Floats THE ASCENT and the Hill, Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY. This year’s Challenge will see one major change from previous editions – all transactions will be done on-line whereas last year teams were given a betting voucher and then had to bet on the tote. Each syndicate can…
Year: 2025
Track re-surfacing complete at Ashburton
Ashburton Raceway has had a major makeover ahead of its huge finish to the year. An entirely new surface has been laid, with around 600 tonnes of material being replaced. The work was overseen by Harness Racing New Zealand’s Track Facilities Manager John Denton. “We had a slight delay to doing the work because of bad weather earlier in the month but the whole process went smoothly,” says Denton, “we are confident that the track will provide an excellent racing surface.” View track video here The Ashburton Trotting Club will…
HRNZ delighted with latest turnover figures
Harness racing turnovers topped $3.5m for three meetings in this country over the weekend, a big increase on previous years. The Akaroa Trotting Club’s meeting at Motukarara moved from Saturday in 2024 to Sunday and the impact on turnover was telling. Overall turnover was $1.34m, up 67 per cent, with nearly 6000 more punters placing a bet this year, compared to 2024. It attracted the second highest number of unique punters at any Motukarara meeting and beaten only by the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club meeting there in December 2023. The…
Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 7 Ft. Peter V’landys
In an exclusive interview, Michael is in Sydney to chat with the man who made The Everest, Peter V’landys. They discuss the richest turf race in the world, the NRL, the man himself, and PVL’s future in his various roles. Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 7 Ft. Peter V’landys
Mighty result delivers timely RTR Sale update
Barry Donoghue has savoured his first top level success as a breeder and one that has boosted prospects of another major celebration. The Waikato-based horseman bred and sold Gr.1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) winner Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) and will offer a half-brother through his BMD Bloodstock draft at next month’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. “It was brilliant and not something that we expected or dreamed of until it came around,” Donoghue said. Globe’s latest victory at Caulfield has significantly lifted the profile of Lot 248,…
Classy field confirmed for Canterbury Classic at Addington this Friday
By Michael Guerin It is hard not to get the feeling the road to the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup actually starts this weekend. We may suggest that is starts with the first open class race of the spring or some of the others along the way. But it is not until you get all the big boys together in one place you get to really measure who is going in the right direction for November 11. Friday night’s $60,000 Lamb And Hayward Canterbury Classic at Addington is that race.…
Kiwis fire at Sha Tin
New Zealand sourced runners were to the fore at Sha Tin on Sunday with six winners from the ten races. Sky Heart (NZ) (Ardrossan) landed the fourth win of his 13-start career when fighting bravely to score in a Class 3 over 1400m. The Caspar Fownes-trained five-year-old overcame barrier 13 to win by a nose under Ellis Wong for the Kwan family after being sidelined for the best part of six months. “He’s a good horse and we’ve always had a very high opinion of him, but he’s just had…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 13 October 2025
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Berge on the board in New Zealand
French jockey Corentin Berge had to wait longer than anticipated to partner Sicillian at the races, but he made that opportunity count at Arawa Park on Sunday, earning his first win on New Zealand soil. Berge arrived in New Zealand last month and had five raceday rides prior to the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua (1400m), a take two aboard the Wexford-trained mare having been scheduled to ride her at Matamata last Saturday before the late abandonment. He retained the ride for the following weekend and had confidence that she could…
Antipodean stars in NZB Ready to Run Sale Championship
After a couple of unlucky runs in big races this season, Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) turned his fortunes around at Selangor on Sunday with a deserved victory in the RM300,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale Championship (1400m). Antipodean was bought for $23,000 by trainer Simon Dunderdale from Regal Farm’s draft at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. The star five-year-old has now had 20 starts for 12 wins and six placings, including a perfect six-from-six record over 1400 metres. Previously the winner of last year’s RM200,000 Selangor Gold Cup…