Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin A perfect draw may have eased some of the pressure on junior driver Olivia Thornley when she takes the reins behind returning unbeaten pacer Millwood Nike at Addington tonight. The multiple Group 1 winner will be aiming to make it 15 wins without defeat when she contests the Nevele R 50 Years Of Success heat, her first race start since the Sires’ Stakes Championship at Alexandra Park on May 19. Millwood Nike looked ready for her return when beating stablemate Vessem at the trials last week but…

Waikato-BOP Harness Racing, Entain Australia and New Zealand (TAB) and Harness Racing New Zealand are excited to announce Australasia’s first slot race for trotters, the TAB Trot Slot (2200m, mobile) worth $655,000. The ground-breaking race will be run alongside The Race by Grins for pacers on the illustrious Night of Champions at Cambridge Raceway on Friday April 12, 2024. “Our vision for the Night of Champions is ambitious,” Cambridge Raceway CEO Dave Branch (pictured) said. “We want to make it the pinnacle night of harness racing in Australasia, more than…

NZ Cup still all go for Spirit Of St Louis Star Aussie pacer Spirit Of St Louis remains on target to tackle the New Zealand Cup. The former Kiwi, who has soared to a $1.2m earner with Team McCarthy, has one final hurdle to clear – Saturday week’s Group 1 Victoria Cup.“If he runs well at Melton, then we’re off to New Zealand,” Luke McCarthy said.Although Spirit Of St Louis has not raced from a standing start in Australia, he has trialled well and he won two standing start races…

Copy That’s bid for a record-equalling third New Zealand Cup is over. It’s been revealed the champion pacer has a knee injury which has him ruled out of the country’s biggest race at Addington on Tuesday, November 14. Copy That has had two runs this campaign, a third and a second at Alexandra Park in September. The winner of 33 races and more than two million dollars in stakes Copy That was vying to be just the fourth horse ever to win three New Zealand Cups in a row, joining…

Join hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin for this week’s edition of The Box Seat. 

By Mike Love Castelo De Vide gave Makarewa trainer Earl Swain a decent thrill at Gore when he won the Gore Septic Tanks Services Mobile pace over 2200m last week. And it was an overdue second success for a horse that earlier in his career looked destined for big things. “It was a very good win,” says Swain of his 41st training success, “I’m very happy.” It was Castelo De Vide’s second victory in 13 starts and nearly three years after his first, an eight length victory at Addington on…

Republican Party has been one of the big movers in the latest NZ Cup and Show week rankings. Not only did his win in Friday’s Group 2 Canterbury Classic at Addington seal him a place in the IRT New Zealand Cup it also saw his ranking climb seven places, from 12th to fifth. The Dalgety-trained pacer and champion driver Blair Orange made perfect use of the passing lane to head off Cup favourite Akuta and Macandrew Aviator. Macandrew Aviator’s third position also guaranteed him a spot in the Cup field…

By Michael Guerin When a great horse gets cut down by injury at the peak of their powers you can wonder whether they will ever be as good again. In the case of outstanding trotter Bolt For Brilliance, champion trainer-driver Tony Herlihy has no doubts. “Bolt”, as he is known, returns at Alexandra Park on Friday 10 months after fracturing his leg when hot favourite to win the Inter Dominion Trotting Final. He came off the track sore at Geelong on December 3, having finished a close second to eventual…