By Michael Guerin Driver Ricky May admits Sunday’s $20,000 Garrards House And Hound Horotata Cup may not be the ideal comeback race for Jimmy James Maguire. But compared with what happened the last time he tried to go to the races the 3000m standing start at Methven will seem like a picnic. Jimmy James Maguire is having his first start since finishing eighth of nine in the Green Mile at Methven in early December, having been sixth to Don’t Stop Dreaming and Merlin in the Junior Free-For-All on Cup day…
Author: NZHarnessNews
40m back mark big hurdle for Sand Wave
By Jonny Turner Sand Wave might have the biggest task in front of him among the powerful team Nathan Williamson starts on Wairio Cup Day. While the pacer is the class horse of the field in Sunday’s 2400m feature, he is going to need to bring all of his best qualities to overcome a massive 40m back mark. Williamson knows exactly how big that task could be, especially if Sand Wave’s key rivals set a fast tempo from their lesser handicaps. But the trainer-driver is comfortable in knowing he has…
Who’s the best of the best?
By Michael Guerin Up for grabs: One crown. Condition: Well worn, plenty of former owners.Apply: In person at Alexandra Park, Menangle, Cambridge and Addington. That could be the advertisement for the role of New Zealand’s best pacer, a title with two very obvious applicants, both of whom race this weekend. Over the last four years the crown of New Zealand’s has sat on the head of Copy That, Self Assured and even briefly Akuta. Two of them are now injured and will not be part of our racing lives for…
Callaghan to partner Don’t Stop Dreaming at Menangle
By Adam Hamilton Exciting young Kiwi pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming will have a new driver at Menangle on Saturday night. Co-trainer Mark Purdon opted to run the four-year-old again this week after he came through a slashing second to Leap To Fame in the Hunter Cup in good order. “Brooke (Wilkins) said he travelled well up to Sydney (from Melbourne),” Purdon said. “I was absolutely thrilled with his Hunter Cup run. It was a big effort to come wide and make up the ground he did on a horse as…
Each way all day for Bob Butt
By Mike Love Woodend beach trainer Bob Butt heads to the annual Amberley meeting at Rangiora today with a trio of each way chances. Included in his chances is Get Up N Dance ($12.00FF) in the $25,000 Rangiora Equine Services Amberley Cup. After eight months away from racing, Get Up N Dance headed north to tackle the Marlborough Cup a couple of weeks ago after some slick workouts. However the six-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding found himself a little undone and on the fresh side. “Being fresh up he…
Trotter’s trotter set to make debut
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The man with the most harness racing of names makes a race day comeback at Rangiora on Tuesday. Steve Trotter will drive his own trotter Hoffn It at Rangiora in Race 1, the Cavalier Trotting Products – North Canterbury Trotting Trot (12.07pm). It will be his first drive since the 2014 season. “It’s been a while hasn’t it?” the West Melton-based trainer-driver agrees. Trotter is very much a hobby trainer who mixes training with his day job as a builder and helping out…
Same but different in Hawera Cup
By Brigette Solomon At face value Sunday’s Alabar Hawera Cup has a feel of deja vu about it. All but one of the 12-strong field are backing up from Friday’s Stratford Cup where the Matt Purvis trained Smoke On The Water was a dominant winner. However, Sunday’s feature may pan out differently with runners such as Idolou and New York Minute getting another chance after both galloped out of contention on day one, while Smoke On The Water will start off a 20m handicap. Whooshka, trained by David Marshall, also…
Whites chasing more Cups glory at Oamaru
By Jonny Turner Trainers Brent and Tim White won’t be lacking any firepower when they attempt to take the Waikouaiti Cup home on Sunday. The Whites have another grass track feature in their sights with Got You Covered, who ran to an easy victory in the Riverton Cup last week. The big difference this week is that the Whites have brought him back up, with Lone Wolf and Commander Ben also heading south to contest the day’s feature at Oamaru. Got You Covered takes top billing among the White team,…
Hawera set for big day’s racing
By Brigette Solomon Quantity and quality are the order of the day on the grass at Hawera this afternoon. The Hawera Harness Racing Club received strong nominations resulting in 11 races, with the two feature races of the day attracting quality horses with good depth of form. The Taranaki Steelformers Stratford Cup Handicap Pace (Race 10 – 4.49pm) looks very open and features a field of consistent performers, several who already have a country cup or two to their name. From the South Island, trainers Michael House and Matt Purvis,…
The Falcon is back at Addington, and in with a chance
By Michael Guerin Don’t give up on The Falcon just yet. That is the advice from regular driver Gerard O’Reilly as the rugged pacer heads to Addington tonight in what looks an ideal race. The seven-race winner of $165,000 meets a few horses who are well short of those marks in Race 6, the 1980m mobile for intermediate pacers. The best version of The Falcon is better than intermediate, with his strongest form last season very consistent with occasional trips to open class, like when he was seventh in the…