What a turbulent 24 hours it’s been for Mark Purdon ahead of tonight’s meeting at Auckland. Yesterday there were fears that his gun fillies High Energy and Millwood Nike might be scratched after both pulled up walking short after track work. High Energy has since been ruled out of the Group 2 Lone Star Sires’ Stakes 3YO Championships but the unbeaten Millwood Nike will definitely start in the $130,000 Group 1 Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes 3YO Fillies Final where she’s gunning for win number 14 in a row. And then…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Dexter Dunn confirmed to drive in Elitloppet
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Dexter Dunn has secured a drive in one of the world’s premier races, the Elitloppet in Stockholm, Sweden next week. It’s a major coup for the 10-time New Zealand champion driver who has earned more than $15m in stakes and been crowned driver of the year four times in North America. Dunn is scheduled to drive Stoletheshow, a Dream Vacation eight-year-old who earned a ticket to trotting’s big event with victory in the $240,000 Finlandia-ajo held at the Vermo Racetrack in Finland. Last…
Bionic Chance honoured in fillies race at Addington tonight
With the running of the first ever Woodlands Stud Bionic Chance Bracelet for the two-year-olds at Addington tonight we thought we’d look at the record-breaking filly the race is named after. By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Four words sum up Bionic Chance, according to Lindsay Kerslake. “She had incredible speed.” Kerslake was heavily involved with the star filly. His parents Alister and Betty co-bred the daughter of Majestic Chance, with Alister both the trainer and driver when she won debut at Waimate on Dec 14, 1985. He would…
Race day return for Bob Butt at Addington tonight
by Jonny Turner Bob’s back at Addington on Friday night. Bob Butt will make his highly anticipated return from back surgery to link up with a strong team from his own stable entered on the 10-race card. Butt’s first drive back from his injury lay off looks a good one in Brilliant Lulu. The three-year-old has trialled well leading into her debut in race 3. Though she’s likely to start at short odds, punters shouldn’t expect her to automatically zoom to the front from barrier 1. “She has trialled up…
McGowan goes back to back at Cambridge
By Michael Guerin David McGowan didn’t enjoy the kind of celebration you might expect after equalling his best driving season in 23 years at Cambridge on Thursday night. McGowan, who trains in partnership with wife Clare, made it two driving wins on consecutive Thursdays at Cambridge when Olegro was too good in the maiden trot. That followed McGowan reining Castana to win at the same venue last week and those two driving successes equal McGowan’s best season in the cart since 1999. Back then McGowan drove four winners and while…
Purdon with two leading chances in “Dad’s race”
By Michael Guerin Normally the name of a race has very little to do with the result but that may not be the case in the Roy Purdon Memorial at Alexandra Park tonight. The $45,000 feature is the final lead-up to next Friday’s Auckland Cup and lead-up races to Group 1s can be dangerous for punters as the driving tactics are often conservative as nobody wants to give their horse a gutbuster a week out from the more lucrative target. That could have been especially prevalent tonight as the pacing…
Doubt over top fillies for Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin Two of New Zealand’s glamour fillies are in doubt for tomorrow night’s Alexandra Park meeting. Stablemates High Energy (Lone Star Sires’ Stakes Trot) and Millwood Nike (Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Championhship) both pulled up short in their action after working on Thursday morning. Purdon notified the RIB and the TAB suspended markets on their two races while Purdon sought a veterinary inspection. “I don’t think they are serious issues and could be due to the wet weather up here and how it softens their hooves,” says co-trainer…
Key details confirmed for Handicapping Review
A comprehensive review of Harness Racing New Zealand’s handicapping system is about to get underway, with the members of the Review Committee and the Terms of Reference now confirmed. The HRNZ Board commissioned the review following feedback about the current system. The Harness Rating System Review Committee will identify the pros and cons of the present set up with the aim of finding “the fairest method of handicapping to ensure competitive racing throughout the country for all horses”. The committee will be chaired by Rob Lawson and also feature North…
Queen Elida’s possible tilt at the Elitloppet
By Adam Hamilton Brent Lilley (pictured above, far left) is loving being back “home” in New Zealand, but part of his mind is in Sweden. Although this year’s famed Elitloppet is still more than a week away, Lilley is pondering whether he could be there next year. “It’s more than 12 months away and there’s lots to play out, but I do think Queen Elida would be an ideal trotter to take to the Elitlopp,” he said. “She’s just so versatile. She can work early and is just so fast…
Old Town Road “more like his old self”
by Michael Guerin Trainer John Dickie has seen something this week he hadn’t in a long time from his exciting pacer Old Town Road. He ran past another horse. It may have only been a Pukekohe workout and the horse Old Town Road ran past, Kango, may have fought back to beat him but for Dickie the intent of his stable star’s sprint was a crucial pointer to his chances at Alexandra Park over the next eight days. Old Town Road was opened the TAB’s $2.70 favourite for tomorrow night’s…