Author: NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Two of the greats of Australian harness racing, Chris Alford and Andy Gath, were honoured at the Victorian Horse of the Year Awards. Alford, who turns 55 this month and is rapidly closing in on a Down Under record 8000 career wins, was awarded the Gordon Rothacker Medal for distinguished and sustained service to the industry. “I can’t remember the last time I cried, but I have tonight … it’s just such a surprise,” Alford said. In a lovely touch, organisers had Alford’s mum and three children…

By Jonny Turner The passion matched the performance when Outback Man ran to a debut victory at Ascot Park on Saturday. The three-year-old led throughout in what was effectively a repeat of his excellent trial win on the same track earlier this month, when scoring for trainer Tony Stratford and driver Blair Orange. Outback Man is raced by his Central Otago breeders Graham and Dianne Sinnamon. Graham Sinnamon could easily be described as one of southern harness racing’s most passionate supporters and that was evident when he cheered home his…

By Adam Hamilton It was fitting that a former Kiwi star gave Greg Sugars a “welcome home” present at Melton last night. Sugars has spent much of the past month in NZ with Better Eclipse and Triple Eight. Rejuvenated veteran A Gs White Socks was driven with confidence by Sugars and thrashed his rivals in the Golden Reign free-for-all. It was the nine-year-old’s 17th career win and his fourth victory from his past five starts for Jess Tubbs. X X X Australia’s top trotter Just Believe will have his final…

by Jonny Turner Exciting three-year-old Triple G is among an outstanding team Diamond Racing take to Rangiora on Sunday. Triple G goes into the Rangiora Three-Year-Old Stakes after producing three excellent performances this time in. The pacer has won twice, with his only defeat coming in a strong second placing behind star three-year-old Don’t Stop Dreaming. Triple G has been up on the speed in all three runs, but he may not be on Sunday after drawing on the outside of the front line. But driver John Dunn is confident…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After a harness racing career that spanned nearly 40 years, former Pukekohe-based trainer Jeff Crouth has died in Northland. From 1977 to 2014, Crouth had 232 wins and accrued nearly $3m in stakes, before making a big lifestyle change. “He retired to head up north and go fishing,” says Trish, his wife of 53 years. They settled in the Northland coastal community of One Tree Point. Throughout his decades of training one of Crouth’s main drivers was champion reinsman Maurice McKendry. “Jeff was…

By Jonny Turner Bargain buy Boarding Call delivered again at Addington on Friday afternoon when running to a deserved victory. Matthew Williamson found clear air along the passing lane for the mare to take out race 3. The win was Boarding Call’s seventh – she’s gone on to rack up six more victories than Williamson and wife Charlotte had hoped for when they purchased her in a gavelhouse auction. “We got her off Gavelhouse, we were hoping she might win a race because we bought her as a broodmare.” “We…

By Jonny Turner Outback Man just needs to produce a repeat performance of his debut at Ascot Park on Saturday. The Tony Stratford trained pacer was an outstanding qualifier on the same track earlier this month. Though he didn’t smash the clock, the three-year-old looked well above average when powering to a 10-length trial win, ahead of his first start in race 3. “He has always shown a little bit, we have had him from day dot and we’ve always liked him,” Stratford said. “He is really starting to click…