By Mike Love
Southland trainers will be looking to bring home a few slices of the Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 pie from Ashburton on Sunday.
A total of 28 Southland-trained horses will line up in the inaugural meeting.
The 12 $60,000 finals were created with qualifying taking place over the past five months by stallions with a service fee of $5,000 or less. All races are classed as Listed and will be run over 1700m from the mobile.
The shortest priced favourite of the southern-trained runners is November Nine ($1.50FF) for Riversdale trainer Carl Hanna in Race 1, the Smithfield Berries Mobile Pace for three-year-old fillies.
The daughter of Sky Major has won once and placed twice from six starts – her most recent effort can be ignored after getting things wrong over the crossing at Wingatui. She will be driven by Matthew Williamson.
“She’s been up at Brent and Tim White’s for a week and the reports have been good. I decided to send her up a bit earlier so they can give her a good run on the track leading into it,” said Carl Hanna.
“They’re happy so I’m happy.”
Hanna admits the small field of four will make it a tactical race.
“It’s the drivers’ problem now!”
Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray will take the highest number of horses up from the south with four runners. Two of those runners come in Race 3, the South Island Seed Dressing Mobile Pace for four-year-old gelding and entires.
Jaccka Evan ($12.00FF) for driver Jonny Cox and Foxing Easton ($20.00FF) for Brent Barclay both have attractive odds on offer and look sure to give a decent account of themselves.
“Foxing Easton has drawn not too bad, two the second line which is why Brent (Barclay) was inclined to drive that one. It could work out alright from there for them,” said Brett Gray.
“Jaccka Evan has drawn a bit wider so I don’t know what we will do from there. We will just leave it up to Jonny (Cox). He’s been racing alright.”
Gray’s best winning chance of the day is Ultimate Collect ($3.60FF) in Race 5, the Morrison Racing/Groundwork Services Mobile Pace for four-year-old mares with driver Mark Hurrell.
The mare by Ultimate Machete will need to overcome a horror draw of 15.
“I’m really happy with her. I think she’ll run a big race and be a big chance. There’s a few nice chances but she’s a nice horse and can run a good mile.”
Gray’s other runner is maiden pacer Our Twinkle ($35.00FF) in Race 11, the Majestic Horse Floats Mobile Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings and will have to take on the shortest priced favourite of the day in northern visitor Greased Lightning ($1.10FF) for trainers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan.
“It’ll be hard for him but we’ll have a chance at some minor money.”
Tisbury trainer Kirstin Green will be lining up three on the day including last start winner Madrik ($17.00FF) in Race 12,the Ashburton Engravers Mobile Trot for five-year-old and older geldings and entires.
“He’s working really well and seems to be in a good space. We will need a bit of luck though. On his day he’s capable,” said trainer/driver Kirsten Green.
Earlier on in Race 8, the Mainland Repairs Mobile for three-year-old trotting fillies Mor Moonlight ($14.00FF) will take her place from the unruly position. The One Over Da Moon filly has taken on strong company and acquitted herself well in her short career to date.
“I think quite a bit of this filly. I think she’s capable of competing with them. She showed that when an unlucky fourth in a good race at her second start.”
That was the Southern Trotting Oaks back on October 9 at Ascot Park which was won by none other than Ya Rite Darl who went on to win the Group 1 Queen Of Diamonds at Alexandra Park last Friday.
“Being on the unruly will make it tricky, but she’s capable of footing it with them.”
Green’s other runner is Garonne ($301.00FF) in Race 6, the A Team Construction Mobile for four-year-old geldings and entires.Green will drive all three runners.
Race 7, the Paul Summerfield Plumbing (2006) for five-year-old and older geldings and entires has the most Southland representation on the day with six runners throwing up their Stags.
Gore trainer Robin Swain takes two to the meeting – both lining up in race seven.
Bowlem Over ($9.00FF) to be driven by Kirstin Green has been racing fairly and should enjoy the competitive race. The Net Ten EOM gelding will be looking for win seven at start 59.
“He’s a bit of a grinder that doesn’t mind roughing it a bit. The harder they go the better,” said Robin Swain.
His other runner the free-legged Magnetic Beckers ($17.00FF) driven by Brent Barclay looks to have a decent minor money chance at a good quote.
“He’s a rough show from the draw because he does have a bit of speed if he gets a soft trip.”
Winton trainer Alister Kyle takes two to the meeting including Tash’s Bad Girl ($13.00FF), who will be driven by Tim Williams.
The seven-year-old Sir Lincoln mare is racing in the form of her life and lines up in Race 9, the Dairy Business Centre mobile pace for five-year-old and older mares.
“She’s always had the ability. It would’ve been nice to have drawn a bit closer in because she lacks a little bit of gate speed.”
Tash’s Bad Girl had a freshener before having a conditioning run at Winton on Sunday in preparation for this Sunday.
“We were happy with her run at Winton. She won’t disgrace herself and deserves to be there.”
Kyle’s daughter Natasha has been given a sound introduction to her driving career with their association. Natasha has been handling the mare brilliantly in her recent campaigns – driving her in three of her seven career wins as well as several placings on the mare.
“It’s been giving her great confidence – she’s done a great job driving her.”
Kyle’s other runner is Moon Light Terror ($501.00FF), a half brother to Tash’s Bad Girl, who lines up in race eleven and will begin at bolters odds.
Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 already a winner
By Brad Reid, NZ Standardbred Breeders
There is a genuine sense of excitement and anticipation heading into this weekend’s inaugural running of the Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 at Ashburton, and rightly so.
From its earliest conception, this initiative was designed to restore belief, accessibility, and aspiration for everyday breeders — and as we arrive at its first staging, there are already strong indications that it is beginning to do exactly that.
Perhaps the most encouraging signal to date has been the behavioural response from stallion owners and breeders alike. The Harness 5000 has played a meaningful role in driving service fee recalibration across the market, with influential stallions such as Pebble Beach, Lazarus, and King Of Swing all reducing their advertised fees.
Based on booking numbers from last month alone, those three stallions are collectively on track to save breeders in excess of $250,000 in service fees — a material reinvestment back into the grassroots of our industry.
Just as importantly, the initiative has created genuine opportunity for new and emerging stallions attempting to establish a foothold in a highly competitive marketplace. With current bookings across eligible stallions now exceeding 700, compared with approximately 550 mares served last season, the growth trajectory is undeniable.
That uplift reflects confidence — not only in the incentive itself, but in the broader concept of affordability, fairness, and commercial realism that underpins it.
From a racing perspective, while a couple of categories have drawn smaller fields than we would ideally like at this first attempt, it is equally important to recognise what has not occurred.
This has been far from the “bloodbath” some predicted. As eligibility numbers continue to build and stallion participation deepens, the Harness 5000 has all the hallmarks of evolving into something genuinely special over time.
Yes, there are standout performers in certain divisions. Horses like Tarragindi and Greased Lightning will rightly start short-priced favourites. But rather than viewing that as a negative, we should be celebrating it. These are high-quality performers produced from affordable service fees, reinforcing the very principle this series was built upon — that excellence and accessibility do not need to be mutually exclusive.
For many involved, this weekend represents a genuine Cup Day experience. The make-up of the fields tells that story clearly, with a strong representation of hobby breeders and owner-breeders who may not often find themselves competing for $60,000 finals on a single day. That breadth of participation is one of the Harness 5000’s greatest strengths and a critical indicator of its long-term value to the industry.
Looking ahead, it is acknowledged that the placement of the series on the calendar will require review for next season, particularly given the clash with Invercargill Cup Day and the flow-on impacts for the West Coast circuit. That said, these are refinements, not flaws. The broader reality is that a breeding-led incentive capable of generating revenue for the business, while simultaneously redistributing opportunity across a wide cross-section of participants, is a rare and powerful double-edged sword.
Finally, significant credit must go to the host club. The work undertaken to promote the event, create atmosphere, and deliver a full day of entertainment and racing deserves recognition. With so much action on offer throughout the day, the inaugural Harness 5000 shapes not just as a race meeting, but as an experience — and everyone involved deserves a genuine pat on the back.
The first iteration is never about perfection. It is about proof of concept. On that front, the Harness 5000 has already delivered — and its best days remain firmly ahead.
To see the Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 fields click here