By Michael Guerin Nathan Delany can’t decide which one of the three-year-old pacers he takes to Alexandra Park is the best chance. But the goods news for the Pukekohe trainer and partner Ray Green is he thinks they can both win. Their stable have an army of talented young pacers in work including Sammy Lincoln (R2, No.3) and Lincoln Wave (R6, No.6) in early races at the shortened Auckland meeting tonight. The pair clashed at last Friday’s soaked Alex Park meeting and Lincoln Wave led throughout while Sammy Lincoln stormed…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Muscle Mountain huge hope to win fourth Summer Cup
By Michael Guerin Ben Hope says Muscle Mountain is ready to give punters what they want tonight and the way they want it too. The big boy returns after six weeks away from the races in the $40,000 Continental Summer Cup Trot at Addington, a race he has won three times before. There is no doubting Muscle Mountain is the best horse in tonight’s 1980m mobile as the winner of 39 races and over $1.1 million in stakes so the question punters taking the odds-on want to know is: is…
Racey Krusa looking to extend winning record at Oamaru on Sunday
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk At what is now essentially his local track, in-form trotter Racey Krusa heads back to Oamaru this Sunday. The nine-year-old has turned into quite the “surprise package” since joining Amber Hoffman’s Waikouaiti Beach stable late last year, winning four of his five starts with her, and finishing third in the other. And it’s not just that he’s stringing the wins together – it’s the way he’s doing it. In his last start, at Oamaru on Wednesday January 21, Racey Krusa was nicely situated…
Aussie’s big three to square off in Cranbourne Cup
By Adam Hamilton Champion horseman Luke McCarthy could hardly contain his excitement after New Zealand Cup winner Kingman drew perfectly in gate one for Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Cup (2555m). It is a huge advantage when he clashes for the first time in the same race with both Leap To Fame and Swayzee. Leap To Fame, who led throughout to beat Kingman into fourth spot in last Saturday night’s Group 2 Ballarat Cup, will start from gate four. Swayzee, winner of two NZ Cups and the reigning Hunter…
Selections | Taupo
Selections for Taupo’s meeting today . Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! RaceTime TrottechForm Analyst Race 111.30am 1 Buynowpaylater7 Aldebaran What5 Bella Muchacha4 Valentina Shevchenko Race 211.55am 1 Lincoln Maree7 Desistella8 Commander Lincoln10 Dream On Lou Race 312.22pm 8 Trifolium9 Brother Johnson6 Happy Hill2 Senior Constable Liz Race 412.55pm 5 Rasmussin Effect7 Get Set Party2 Valerei1 True Colours Race 51.22pm 10 McKendrick6 Melton Mogul5 Jahi3 Maria Kirilenko Race 61.47pm 7 Kenny Hill8 Conrad H5 Eagle Hanover1 Barsukov Race 72.15pm 1 Lincoln…
Butcher’s Little Beauty to sign off at Taupo
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk David Butcher’s hoping for a fitting finale for the well-performed You Little Beauty at Taupo on Monday. The Sweet Lou six-year-old, who’s won 13 races, will make her final race day appearance in the day’s feature pace, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Lake Taupo Summer Cup (4.17pm). After the race she will head to the broodmare paddock as she’s in foal to Legendary Hanover. “I’d love to get her up,” says Butcher. After she started out with Ross Paynter, You Little Beauty has had 40…
John Morrison with eight drives at Ashburton today
By Mike Love Ashburton trainer/driver John Morrison will have a strong presence on his home track today, with eight drives and a number of each way chances. The meeting, that celebrates the various clubs of Canterbury, was transferred from Methven after it was deemed unsuitable to race on following this week’s bad weather. Morrison considers Destiny’s Dream as one of his best chances in the final race of the day, Race 11 the Ashburton MSA & Super Liquor Mobile Pace over 2400m. Coming into today after some credible runs at…
In-form Brett Gray team heads to Riverton
By Jonny Turner It would be a tall order to ask Brett Gray to repeat his recent success at Riverton on Sunday. The Ryal Bush trainer had his best season when notching 40 wins in 2025 and just two weeks into 2026 he produced his first trifecta when Anita Mary, Blaze Lightning and Jaccka Evan filled the first three at Ascot Park last week. “It certainly was a thrill, all three horses went well and it was good to see Anita Mary win for Paul Hailes at the Northern Southland…
Sticky draw for Bazooka at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin This is the campaign in which Bazooka needs to stand up but trainer Steven Reid isn’t entirely sure tonight’s main pace at Addington will be the moment it happens. Bazooka resumes after a month away in the Touchdown Rentals Pace (8.55pm) in which he faces barrier 9 in the 1980m mobile but meets few horses with his natural ability. While Beside Me ($1.85) looked a superstar filly this time last year Bazooka ($3.70) looked an open class horse in the making a year ago. “To be honest…
Purdon with strong presence in opening Young Guns heat
By Michael Guerin Nathan Purdon has plenty of reasons to be excited as he heads to the first Alexandra Park meeting of the year tonight. Because not only does the meeting boast the first juvenile race of the season but Purdon dominates it with four of the seven starters. The $17,000 Breckon Farms Young Gun heat (8.05pm) starts a run toward the $100,000 final at Alexandra Park on March 20 and the series looks set to provide a great advertisement for Purdon’s new business now that he is training on…