Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Trainer Steven Reid has come up with a simple plan to win tonight’s $110,000 Caduceus Club Classic with Coastal Babe as Group 1 racing returns to Alexandra Park. “I am going to give Matty (White, driver) the reins and tell him to do whatever he wants,” says Reid. While that might sound a little vague heading into the first huge race of the juvenile fillies pacing season, Reid says it is too early in Coastal Babe’s career for her to have a definitive racing style or know…

by Don Rae Behind The Breeds is a new series where breeding enthusiast Don Rae takes a deep dive into the pedigree of some of today’s trotters and pacers. In this edition he casts his eye on North Canterbury and North Otago. The North Canterbury Owners and Breeders trials on 13 September showcased two potentially smart young trotters to swell the ranks of promising juveniles. Pasternak (2 B g Volstead – Lara Lass trained by Ross Houghton) and Lil Whip (2 B f Father Patrick – Eilish Aimee trained by…

Come along and support the Blue September Campaign with a fun night of Bingo at Spectators on Tuesday 26th September.  $25 for each ticket includes your Bingo cards and nibbles. Contact courtney@hrnz.co.nz to book your spot today – tickets selling fast and bookings close today (Thursday 21st)

By Michael Guerin A moment of weakness could lead to a Group 3 win for Tony Herlihy at Addington on Thursday night. The all-time champion driver flies south today to partner Walkinonsunshine in the $45,000 Macca’s Lodge Sires’ Stakes Classique for the three-year-old trotting fillies, not the sort of return trip you would usually expect Herlihy to be making for an outside drive. He drove Walkinonsunshine at Alexandra Park when she won the Great Northern Trotting Oaks and then when she finished second in the Northern Trotting Derby in the…

Big and exciting changes have been confirmed for the country’s juvenile trotters and pacers. The new initiative, a partnership between Harness Racing New Zealand and Entain, is all about encouraging 2YO racing, and rewarding both breeders and owners. Terms and conditions have now been agreed for a new 2YO Bonus series, as has the tentative 2YO race programme from January 1, 2024. The new bonus scheme will see payments of $12,000 for any 2YO Trotter or Pacer winning his or her first race in a 2YO only race, with $8000…

By Michael Guerin Regular Inter-Island flights for racehorses look set to return with the first major beneficiary to be New Zealand Cup week in Christchurch. Negotiations are being completed that could confirm weekly flights between Auckland and Christchurch starting as early as the third week of October, giving the connections of horses heading to Canterbury’s massive Cup Week the option to fly them down. Just as importantly, if the new deal is struck, horses who head to Cup week, or any South Island race meeting, will be able to fly…

This week’s edition of the Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.  

Aardie’s Express has been the big mover in the latest IRT New Zealand Cup rankings. The mare jumped from 30th place to 15th in the rankings after her Group 3 Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. Other movements in the rankings include Republican Party jumping up to 12th from 17th, and Anything Goes moving to 11th, both being rewarded for their minor placings in the Hannon Memorial. Deceptive also passes a few with his 5th in the race moving to 34th from 40th. The top 10 rankings all remain the…

By Michael Guerin Lady Luck and star juvenile filly Kiss seem to have gone their separate ways in the second half of 2023. The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained filly has looked maybe the best young female pacer in the country with two wins and two huge placings in her four starts but she has come up with the outside of the front line in the $110,000 Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Not that she isn’t getting used to it as she has had to contend…