By Michael Guerin The new superpower of one of New Zealand’s elite stables could help them end the season as our leading money makers at Alexandra Park today. While there are two Group 1s tonight, the $250,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup (7.35pm) and $100,000 Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot (6.25pm), most of the national harness racing premierships are already decided. Team Telfer had the trainers premiership won six months ago and put an exclamation mark on that when they broke the national record with win 169 for the season at…
Author: NZHarnessNews
It’s on again – Republican Party vs Merlin in tonight’s Auckland Cup
By Michael Guerin When one of our greatest ever horse trainers says has no doubts Merlin can handle the 3200m of tonight’s $250,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup you have to listen. But as confident as Barry Purdon is in the most favoured of his three reps in tonight’s Group 1 at Alexandra Park, he also admits the enormity of the challenge they face in beating favourite Republican Party. Barry Purdon has trained eight Auckland Cup winners, his first an incredible 47 years ago with Sole Command. He and training partner…
Deceptive Lee “pretty forward” for Reefton Cup
By Mike Love Elgin trainer David Mitchell joins the party on the coast for the final day of the circuit today. He takes three sound chances to the Reefton meeting, including Deceptive Lee in the feature, the $25,000 Rosco Contractors Reefton Cup over 2500m. “He seems pretty forward,” said trainer David Mitchell. Deceptive Lee has not raced since winning at Addington in September but has been to the workouts. “His last workout at Methven was good and a bit of form has come out of that.” It will be tough…
Tanzania aiming to go back to back at Motukarara today
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan lines up two good chances on what will be a huge meeting at Motukarara today. The 13 race programme gets underway just before noon with big open fields the order of the day. The day’s feature is the Paul Renwick Joinery Motukarara Christmas Cup (4.03pm) where the Hanrahan-trained Tanzania will be one of many chances. The Rock N Roll Heaven five-year-old won the race last year and is going into today’s contest in good form with two seconds in…
Republican Party opens at cramped odds for Auckland Cup
By Michael Guerin Cran Dalgety shakes his head when he looks at the TAB market for the Trillian Trust Auckland Cup. It is not that the Canterbury trainer doesn’t believe his stable star Republican Party should be a warm, or even hot, favourite for the $250,000 iconic feature at Alexandra Park on Wednesday night. It is just that Dalgety never thought he’d have a pacer paying $1.40 to win one of our great races. “It is kinda crazy when you think about it,” he says. “We don’t often have $1.40…
Could today be the day for Team Telfer?
By Jonny Turner The southern harness racing scene could be even more important to Stonewall Stud after the MLT Gore Cup on Saturday (4.24pm). Trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer go into the Gore Christmas Trots meeting as equal record holders for the most wins in a New Zealand harness racing season with Roy and Barry Purdon (1993-94). The Stonewall Stud trainers have two chances to make the record their own and bag their 169th win of the year when Double Jeopardy and Slots start in the MLT Gore Cup. The…
Teaz feeling the nerves ahead of Phoebe Stud Harness 5000
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Northern trainer Jason Teaz admits he’s “as nervous as hell” in the lead up to Sunday’s Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 at Ashburton. The Ohaupo-based horseman will line up Stone Cold in Race 6, the $60,000 A Team Construction Mobile Trot. The Wishing Stone four-year-old is one of just a handful of northern horses who have made the trip south. Their scheduled Wednesday flight was cancelled though all horses arrived safely 24 hours later. “I was a bit worried there for a bit,” says…
Southlanders hungry for piece of Harness 5000 pie
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)…
Southlanders hungry for piece of Harness 5000 pie
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)…
The Golden Gait – Race by Race punting guide
By Michael Guerin Tonight is one of the most unique night on the New Zealand racing calendar, bringing the top class and battlers together racing for the same money under the same conditions. The Golden Gait series is designed to reward horses who regularly start at Alexandra Park during the year with 10 mobile mile finals all worth $50,000. That means former Miracle Mile runner-up Sooner The Bettor (R5, No.7) goes around for the same money over the same trip as 10-year-old veteran Benjamin Button (R7, No.8) who will be…