Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Team Blanchard achieved a special family milestone at Cambridge on Thursday and the head of the clan says there is an unheralded member of their success story. Father and son partnership Peter and Vaughan Blanchard trained their 100th winner together when Always B Stunning made a winning debut in race 2 and win No.101 was only an hour away when trotter Majestic Ruby confirmed her promise with a huge win in the night’s main trot. Peter Blanchard has of course trained 100s of winners but says for…

By Michael Guerin Champion trainer Mark Purdon is adamant Self Assured is in the best form of his career but he isn’t sure that will be enough to win tonight’s $90,000 Dawson Harford Messenger at Alexandra Park. Self Assured has been magnificent all autumn, having a hard run in three consecutive open class features but still winning one and placed in two others, including only just being nosed out by stablemate Akuta in the Taylor Mile last Friday. Akuta isn’t in tonight’s 2700m Messenger so you could make a strong…

By Jonny Turner Bob Butt is hopeful the real Kikorangi Blue can front up at Addington on Friday afternoon. The mare returns to her favourite track after what looked just a plain last start performance in the Southern Belle Speed Series at Winton. After sitting in the trial, the five-year-old edged up the passing lane to run fifth. Kikorangi Blue was clearly better in her prior two outings, running to second placings behind the talented No Matter Wat. Butt is hopeful the mare can bounce back to that kind of…

By Michael Guerin Punters are used to superstar driver Zachary Butcher being the man to follow in the sulky at Cambridge but that extend to the training ranks tonight. Butcher has his usual handy book of drives but one of the members of his small stable in Sharkies Girl (R4, No.1) also looks hard to beat. She has won on the Waikato track before and has had no luck lately for a variety of reasons, a bad barrier last start, copping early pressure in a hard-run 2200m the start before.…

Harness Racing New Zealand Chief Executive Gary Woodham will be taking a short leave of absence, after suffering a medical event at work yesterday. After undergoing surgery at Christchurch Hospital, Gary’s condition has stabilised over the last 24 hours. He’s expected to return home over the weekend. In Gary’s absence General Manager Corporate Services Liz Bishop will be responsible for all operational and financial matters and General Manager – Racing Catherine McDonald will deal with everything racing-related. Our thoughts go out to Gary and his family and we ask everyone…

By Adam Hamilton The early signs are very promising for former star Kiwi pacer South Coast Arden in his new home. Now with Paul Fitzpatrick in NSW, South Coast Arden made his first public appearance since leaving Brent Mangos’ NZ barn when he trialled at Menangle midweek. “He had a nice run in behind the leader and won the trial,” Fitzpatrick said. “Gavin (Fitzpatrick) said he felt good and did it comfortably. “They only went a 1min54sec mile but that’s about what we wanted because it was his first trial…

Here’s Greg O’Connor and Darrin Williams with the latest Addington News. 

Check out this week’s Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin. 

Grass track turnovers strong With winter fast approaching grass track racing is now on hold till spring. The final grass track meeting was at Geraldine last Friday. Since Methven on September 11 last year there have been 39 race days on the grass in this country with latest figures reinforcing their popularity. Average turnover was $944,631.59 per meeting which is well up on the all weather ($796,969.09) with the average Gross Betting Revenue (GBR) at $183,772.28, compared to $128,672.03 for the all-weather. Favourites won 30.1 per cent of the time…

By Michael Guerin Ex-pat trainer Brent Lilley was thrilled with Aldebaran Zeus’s draw for Friday night’s $90,000 Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot, until he saw who had drawn inside his star trotter. Aldebaran Zeus will start from barrier two over the 2700m mobile and would normally be expected to blast straight to the lead but drawn directly to his inside is hot favourite Muscle Mountain, a rare Kiwi open class trotter with gate speed similar to a top Australian trotter. Lilley is still confident Aldebaran Zeus will have the speed…