By Michael Guerin Two of the hotshots of New Zealand pacing are facing a race against time to be ready for their first assignments of their new campaigns, the Canterbury Classic in exactly a month. And that could leave both Self Assured and Akuta potentially heading to grass track racing to begin their road to the New Zealand Cup. Co-trainer Mark Purdon has had a bigger role to play in his partnership with son Nathan over the last week as Nathan spends a few weeks campaigning horses in Victoria. That…
Author: NZHarnessNews
“Frosty” gets elusive win in amateur drivers’ ranks
It’s taken a while but it was worth the wait for Warren Frost when he finally broke through at Rangiora yesterday. Driving now 10-win mare Ruby’s A Delight Frost took out in the Country Feast (Amateurs Drivers) Mobile pace by a neck from Foveaux Gambler and Smokin Annie. It was his 69th drive in the amateur ranks, after starting out in 2017. Post race the 62-year-old said : “it was a lovely feeling when I hit the front.” “There’s nothing better than driving them good and them going well too,”…
Aussie news – August 28
By Adam Hamilton Classy former Kiwi pacer Spirit Of St Louis showed he was right on target for next week’s $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile with an all-the-way Menangle win on Saturday night. The Sweet Lou six-year-old made the most of a gun draw (gate two) where driver Jack Callaghan took him to the front and turned the 2300m race into a dash home. Spirit Of St Louis ran a 1min54.3sec mile rate, but most impressed with closing splits of 54.6 and 26.9sec. It was the gelding’s 27th win…
Yesberg heads to Rangiora with strong team
By Jonny Turner Major Performer will be out to back up her smart debut victory at Ashburton recently when stepping out as part of a strong team Trent Yesberg has entered at Rangiora. The filly charged home from midfield to make an impressive start to her career earlier this month. Major Performer looks capable of stepping up in grade on Sunday and Yesberg is hopeful that’s the case. “She is a lovely filly, she’s very untapped we don’t know how good she is yet,” the trainer said. “She has trained…
Ben’s dream becomes reality
By Jonny Turner Ben Hope made his New Zealand Cup dream a reality when Mossdale Ben swooped home to win the Group Three Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington on Friday night. Just five days after taking out the Kurow Cup, the four-year-old claimed the first New Zealand Cup qualifier of the season in his toughest open class test. Like so many young horsepeople, Hope has dreamed of being able to compete in New Zealand’s greatest race. The reinsman won’t have to dream about it anymore with Mossdale Ben gaining automatic…
Ben’s back and with winning chances at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin Ben Hope is confident he has returned home at the right time. The 24-year-old harness horseman spent the winter in Victoria gaining experience and while he says it was valuable he also reminded him what a privileged position Canterbury harness racing holds as one of the few regions in Australasia where the code is stronger than thoroughbred racing. Hope is now back driving for his parents Greg and Nina and already won the Kurow Cup last Sunday on Mossdale Ben, who takes his next step down a…
Five things to look for at Addington on Friday
By Michael Guerin 1: Just how good are the open class pretenders? There is no doubting the Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase has some good horses, maybe even very good horses, in it but are they going to be good enough. The open class scene and the build-up to the New Zealand Cup is going to be completely dominated by the big three of Copy That, Self Assured and Akuta because they have won all our Cups in the last two years. Challengers like B D Joe and Old Town…
Itoje makes up for lost time with win on debut
By Jonny Turner Itoje stood tall to win his debut in style amid a drama filled running of a quality maiden race at Wyndham yesterday. The five-year-old announced his arrival from the harness racing wilderness with a powerful display to beat a line up billed as one of the deepest maiden fields seen in Southland in many months. At the ripe old age of five-years-old, Itoje made his debut on the trials track earlier this year for owner-trainer-driver Brendan McLellan, who races the horse with wife Megan. In his build…
Nathan Delany’s “emotional” first win as a trainer
By Michael Guerin It was an emotional victory for young horseman Nathan Delany at Cambridge on Thursday night and not just because it was his first training success. Delany has just started training and reined one of his five horses Illustrious Arden to win at her second start in race 2 on Thursday. “It was very emotional, firstly because of the win,” says the 23-year-old. “But it is a tough time for our family at the moment, it is the anniversary of my brother passing this week. He died when…
Can Allamericanlover make history in the Maurice Holmes Vase?
By Jonny Turner Tim Williams is hopeful giving away a head-start won’t be a headache for Allamericanlover in the Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington on Friday night. The Stonewall Stud mare will be out to make history in the first qualifier for the 2023 New Zealand Cup. No horse has started from a handicap in the 12-year history of the event, let alone won from the 10m mark Allamericanlover will face. Though they face a daunting task, Williams hopes his mare can overcome it with a fast beginning. “I don’t…