More than a fifth of the horses going under the hammer at Karaka on Thursday, June 26 will be Next Gen eligible. Harness Racing New Zealand’s ownership model premiered at this year’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales at Karaka and Christchurch. It was a big success with 56 Next Gen-sired yearlings being sold. Off the back of that HRNZ extended the scheme to the NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale as well. Of the 89 lots up for sale a total of 19 are from Next Gen stallions. The stallions and…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Next Gen group involved in high-priced and royally-bred yearling
A half sister to multiple Group 1 winner Duchess Megxit, Princes Lulu has gone full circle even before she’s even hit the racetrack. Princess Lulu (Captaintreacherous – Kensington Kate) was co-bred by the Patterson Bros Racing Syndicate, the same group that race Duchess Megxit. They sold her, as Lot 147, at the 2025 National Yearling Sale for $250,000 to Duchess Megxit’s co-trainer Barry Purdon. But that was not the end of the story In a bit of a twist her vendors then negotiated a deal to buy her back and…
Brendon Laidlaw’s breeding debut at NZB Sales
Among all the industry heavyweights a hobby trainer will be on debut at the 2025 National Standardbred Weanling Sales at Karaka on Thursday, June 26. The usual suspects – Alabar, Macca Lodge and Woodlands Stud – dominate the sale numerically but that’s not phasing Waikato-based Brendon Laidlaw. “I just want to give it a go and hopefully it will be the start of something,” says Laidlaw. He will offer up Lot 1086, a bay filly by Ultimate Machete out of Asuka. “She has good conformation and seems to have a…
Winter Edition of Breeding Matters Now Available
The publication is free to access and available now:Click here to read Breeding Matters – Winter 2025 The Winter 2025 edition of Breeding Matters has landed—and it arrives at a pivotal time for the breeding industry. Published by the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association (NZSBA), the latest issue covers the people, ideas, and initiatives shaping the season ahead. This edition takes a deep dive into the recently announced Harness 5000—a groundbreaking $720,000 race day designed to reward breeders using sires at the more accessible end of the market. We explore…
Quirky Trotter Crazy Gets Another Shot at Cambridge
By Jordyn Bublitz After getting things wrong at Alexandra Park on Friday night, Crazy is set to step out at Cambridge Raceway this evening, and local trainer Tim Hall is confident the quirky campaigner is ready to deliver—if he can keep his cool. The eight-year-old son of Crazed returned from a two-year Australian stint in January. Due to a lack of mobile racing for trotters here in New Zealand at that time, Hall made the decision to send him across the Tasman in search of more suitable racing opportunities after he developed…
Morrison Eyes Winter Series Final with Lottie’s Moment
Ashburton trainer John Morrison heads to Addington with three runners today for the Yaldhurst Hotel race day, with his main focus on the feature Winter Series Final. The feature on the card is race six, The Yaldhurst Hotel Silk Road Winter Series Final mobile trot over 1980m for $25,000 for fillies and mares, which gets underway at 4.11pm. Morrison trains and drives second favourite Lottie’s Moment ($3.40FF) in the event. She was an emphatic winner at her previous start at Addington, while the Ben and Greg Hope trained Freya ($2.40FF)…
Telfers Extend Premiership Lead with Addington Double
Steve and Amanda Telfer had a good night at Addington raceway last night, training two winners to extend their lead in the trainers premiership. C C Ardern smashed them in the Garrards Horse & Hound Handicap pace with driver Tim Williams. The gelding negotiated the standing start well, was restrained but unable to slot in for the first six hundred metres of the race. From there Williams made all the right moves to end up 1×1 from the one thousand metre mark before the field broke up at the quarter.…
Ashburton to host “Harness 5000” in December
A $720,000 race day has been announced for Ashburton Raceway this December. A total of 12 finals will be held but they will be only open to trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception. The “Harness 5000” finals will be for 3YO, 4YO and 5YO and older Fillies and Mares and Colts, Geldings and Entires for both gaits. Each final will carry a stake of $60,000 and will be limited to a field size of…
Kumanovo Delivers at Cambridge After Testing Road Back
by Jordyn Bublitz It was a rewarding night at Cambridge Raceway for trainer Owen Gillies and the connections of Kumanovo, as the mare notched her second win in just three starts. Driven confidently by Zachary Butcher, Kumanovo showed a strong turn of foot to take out the Gavelhouse.com Handicap Trot, validating Gillies’ belief in her ability. It’s been a bit of a journey getting the daughter of Father Patrick back to the races, and Gillies couldn’t be prouder of how she’s coming to hand. “She’s been a hard horse to handle, and it…
Telfers look to extend premiership lead
by Mike Love Current training premiership leaders Steve and Amanda Telfer look set to edge a little further ahead on the leaderboard tonight at Addington raceway with seven runners across three races. “It’s been a really good run – long may it continue,” said co-trainer Amanda Telfer. In race one tonight, The Peninsular Beachfront Resort mobile pace over 1980m, driver Tim Williams links up with Miki Flybye ($1.55FF) for the first time under race conditions. The three year old Always B Miki gelding will need to overcome the unruly draw,…