Author: NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After having the perfect start to her driving career 15 years ago, Sam Ottley is now the most successful female driver in New Zealand. The 32-year-old steered Takemybreathaway to victory at Addington yesterday to register her 678th career success, overtaking Cambridge trainer-driver Nicky Chilcott. “It’s been a good old battle with Nicky and I’m pleased to have got one ahead ahead of her,” Ottley told Harness Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong post race. “It was my goal at the start of the season ….so to…

By Adam Hamilton Brilliant Kiwi-owned mare Queen Elida just keeps clocking-up the wins. The Brent Lilley-trained star toyed with her rivals again to win last night’s Carlotta’s Pride free-for-all (1720m) at Melton. It was her sixth win from 10 starts this season and took her career record to 42 starts for 24 wins, 13 placings and $510,285. In contrast to her preferred sit-sprint style, driver Chris Alford happily parked outside the leader and Queen Elida was simply too classy and fast in a dash home of 57.1 and 28.3sec at…

Trottech’s  selections for Addington today.              Race   TrottechForm Analyst Race 112.58pm 8 Classie Linc6 Olive Cook1 Valynda7 Maximilian     Race 21.23pm 4 Krackaling2 Eyre I Will6 Racey Krusa9 Boyz Invasion      Race 31.48pm 6 Fernz Goldy1 Reformed10 Atomic Traveller11 Big Mama Morris  Race 42.13pm 3 Rockenroll Graduate4 Don Juan13 The Craic2 Searing Light  Race 52.38pm 7 Crown The Moment10 Bet N Win13 Curator9 Spiritinthesky Race 63.10pm 12 Archie4 Fernleigh Blackbird9 Arizonawildcat10 Off The Edge Race 73.41pm 3 Te Rapa6 Magic Dash7 Brother Love9 Wynberg…

by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk There’ll be both familiar and unfamiliar names in Sunday’s amateur driving race at Addington. High profile trainer Michael House has just taken out his amateur driver’s licence and will drive one of his own horses, Valynda in the Davey Butt Right Now Mobile Pace. The race will kick start the nine race card – the Bob Butt Racing Stables Race Day. Also in the opening race is visiting Australian driver Brad Peisley, who will drive Olive Cook. He’ll be making his New Zealand…

By Mike Love, Harness News Desk Sweet Belle provided a much needed pick me up for Ashburton trainer Gerard O’Reilly at Addington on Friday night when she won the tighter assessed Alabar mobile pace over 1980m. O’Reilly has recently had a hip replacement, and was watching from his couch at home while he recovers. “I got the hip done about 10 days ago. I’ll be out for about two – three months. “It was good last night, exciting! Plenty of encouragement from the couch.” Sweet Belle was restrained by driver…

By Jonny Turner Bill Bootit added to the outstanding record of his dam Cochy Bondu when running to an effortless win at Ascot Park yesterday. The four-year-old chased a tearaway leader throughout, as the outsider The Bronx set up an exciting contest in race 1. Though he had to bring the rest of the field up and close the gap on the leader, Bill Bootit scored with plenty in hand as Williamson judged the pace perfectly. “You just have to try and judge the pace and I left as much…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Dual-gaited warhorse, Take After Me will clock up his 200th start as a trotter at Addington on Friday night, and it seems he’s nowhere near finished. The Holmes Hanover 12-year-old has had a total 323 starts, since first racing as a three-year-old, with four pacing wins and 14 as a trotter. “I knew he was close to 200 because my old mate Trevor Grant and Rachmaninov brought up 200 the other day and I knew we were next,” says Take After Me’s trainer…

By Adam Hamilton Star former Kiwi pacer Magnificent Storm continues to scare off his rivals in WA’s free-for-all ranks. Not long back, his scheduled race was scrapped due to lack of entries. Last week, Magnificent Storm thrashed his only four rivals. And Friday night there are only three rivals left in the $A30,000 Members’ Sprint (1730m). It should be another cakewalk for WA’s best pacer as he prepares for his first interstate trip when he heads to Brisbane early next month for three races, starting with the $50,000 Mr Feelgood…

By Michael Guerin Champion trainer of trotters Michelle Wallis says Springbank Mason is the best chance of the six she has starting in the main trot at Alexandra Park tonight but that assessment comes with a warning. “We are the worst tipsters of our own horses,” laughs Wallis about the horses she trains with husband Bernie Hackett. The couple almost always have the biggest hand in trotting races at Alexandra Park tonight but even for them six in the main trot of the night is an impressive display of horsepower.…