Author: NZHarnessNews

Out The Gate heads to Cup day

NZHarnessNews

The popular Out The Gate team will be in action tomorrow on racing’s biggest day at Addington Raceway.  For the first time the trio of Guy Heveldt, Brendon Popplewell and Mitch James will be spending up large throughout  the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting.  The high energy show was launched in August and their regular Thursday timeslot on Trackside has attracted a lot of interest.    To get involved people need to scan the QR code below and then invest in the “Hosted Pot”. Out The Gate runs like…

Three very different chances for Mitchell at Manawatu today

NZHarnessNews

By Jordyn Bublitz  Trainer Fred Mitchell has made the trip to Palmerston North plenty of times before — but today’s Manawatu meeting has a bit of everything with three of his runners set to go around. First up is Cathy Freeman in Race 1, the Te Kawau Mobile Pace. The four-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou steps out for just her second run this campaign after a long break, and while her first-up effort at Cambridge on October 23 didn’t catch the eye, her trainer wasn’t discouraged in the slightest. “She…

James MacDonald poised to win second WDC title

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Only a disaster can stop Canada’s James MacDonald from winning his second World Driving Championship title at Addington Raceway on Tuesday. In Sunday’s heats at Winton the Netherlands’ Jaap van Rijn was the individual star with three wins from the day’s four heats to climb from eighth to third overall, behind MacDonald and Australian Gary Hall junior. Van Rijn’s wins came with Shezza Vinnie in Heat 16, Jordan Anne in heat 18 and in the last heat of the day with Mouton Cadet.…

MacDonald with slender lead heading to Sunday’s four heats at Winton

NZHarnessNews

Canada’s James MacDonald has just a nine point lead heading into Sunday’s four heats of the World Driving Championship at Winton. After 15 of a total 20 heats, he has 130 points, with Australia’s Gary Hall junior next on 121. New Zealand’s Blair Orange is fourth on 107 and still very much in contention. Strong southern connection for Gary Hall junior at Winton  By Jonny Turner  Southland trainers will have a foot in two camps when the World Driving Championship comes to Winton on Sunday. The southern harness racing fraternity…

Friday Night Lights recap – Addington and Alexandra Park

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Tom Bagrie has a late message for slot holders in the $500,000 Ascent at Addington next Friday. “Just in case anybody has anything go wrong, and we hope they don’t, you can tell them we are keen to help out,” says Bagrie. The “we” in that sentence are Bagrie and the other owners of high-class filly Dash Dosh, who recorded the fourth win of her career very convincingly in the Horses Perform Better On Betavet Trot at Addington on Friday. In a race that changed complexion enormously…

Blair Orange fourth heading into Winton heats of WDC

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The World Driving Championship (WDC) is heading towards an exciting and close finish after five more heats were held at Addington on Friday night.  After 15 of the 20 heats Canada’s former world champion James MacDonald has 130 points, just nine ahead of Australian Gary Hall junior (121). Mats Djuse (Sweden) is third on 111 with New Zealand’s Blair Orange well within striking distance on 107 (23 behind MacDonald). Orange’s big moment was his win with Always A Menace in the first of…

From “pretty average” to record-setter – Blair Orange’s 3000 wins

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Blair Orange has today become the youngest ever harness racing driver to bring up 3000 winners in New Zealand. The Canterbury-based 47-year-old brought up the milestone winning with Always A Menace in Heat 11 of the World Driving Championship in front of friends and family at his home track, Addington.  “It hasn’t sunk in but it’s a pretty cool thing,” he said post race.   He is just the fourth driver to get to 3000, following on from Tony Herlihy, Maurice McKendry and…

Final fields for THE ASCENT and THE VELOCITY

NZHarnessNews

The fields are now complete for the two $500,000 slot races at Addington Raceway on Show Day (November 14). Always Dreaming, a seven-race winner for Nathan Williamson, will fill the slot taken by Arna Donnelly Racing in the Hill, Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY. He is the 10th and final horse to be confirmed. The two emergencies for the races will be : Berrettini (THE VELOCITY) and Illicit Love (THE ASCENT).            

Friday night lights at Addington and Alexandra Park

NZHarnessNews

Friday Night Lights sees racing at Addington and Auckland tonight as the sport gears up for its biggest week of the year. Ya Rite Darl will start the night’s shortest priced favourite at Addington which will feature five more heats of the World Driving Championship while Arna Donnelly’s team could well be to the fore at Alexandra Park.  Ya Rite Darl tuning up for THE ASCENT at Addington By Michael Guerin  A late change of plans will see exciting trotting filly Ya Rite Darl head to Addington tonight rather than…