Author: NZHarnessNews

by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Co-trainer James Dunn knows one thing about The Falcon in tonight’s feature pace at Addington. “We will definitely be going forward, Plan A is to lead is but he doesn’t have to lead,” says Dunn, who trains the Bettor’s Delight five-year-old in partnership with his father Geoff Dunn at West Melton, just outside Christchurch. The Falcon has won many fans for his willingness to inject speed into races, ensuring they are genuinely run. And that doesn’t look like changing tonight. “We certainly want…

By Michael Guerin One of racing’s luckiest owners wasn’t feeling all that lucky for much of last Friday before The Race By Grins gave him a shot at one of the more remarkable doubles in New Zealand racing history. Australian-based owner Merv Butterworth is a regular investor in New Zealand Bloodstock, predominantly in harness racing, having owned 2015 New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Arden Rooney before spreading into thoroughbred ownership around the same time. As hard as winning one NZ Cup is to beat Butterworth has found a way this…

By Adam Hamilton Former Kiwi trainer Brent Lilley capped a big weekend with his two star trotters when Queen Elida won at Melton. It was just a day after stablemate Aldebaran Zeus impressively won his first run of his New Zealand raid at Cambridge last Friday night. And champion driver Chris Alford was aboard both. While Aldebaran Zeus will chase further feature race riches in NZ, Queen Elida will also hit the road. The five-year-old daughter of Love You is NSW bound early next month for the $100,000 Group 1…

by Jonny Turner Bluto continued the outstanding partnership between Graeme Anderson and Brent White when winning the Little Green Jug at Methven on Sunday. The three-year-old made it two wins from two starts with a powerful front-running performance in Methven’s take on the world-renowned Little Brown Jug. Anderson and long-time owner Brian Sceats bought Bluto at the national yearling sales and placed him with the Brent and Tim White stable. Trading horses between their barns is a recipe that has worked extremely well for Anderson and White. Bluto showed his…

by Jonny Turner Maurice McKendry has more than one advantage heading into the Three Wise Men series at Methven on Sunday. McKendry, Tony Herlihy and Ricky May make up the trio dubbed the Three Wise Men of New Zealand harness racing who will go head-to-head in a six-race driving series. Born and raised in Methven, McKendry started his incredible harness career in the region. “I did a lot of training around the track when I was starting out, so I know it pretty well.” “Though it was on the old…

Trottech’s  selections for Methven today.              Race   TrottechForm Analyst Race 112.00pm 12 The Ivy League6 Tilthesunsets8 Sandfly Bay13 Gold Nugget Race 212.25pm 8 Ideal Katch14 Pacific Clipper12 Shapely3 Zara Tindall  Race 312.50pm 3 Amazing Me6 Sweet Spirit8 Choco Lou1 Archie   Race 41.15pm 12 Janarty2 Sophia Bromac6 Peraki Reactor8 Nyla  Race 51.40pm 3 Izia7 Rachmaninov9 Lucky Way5 Take After Me  Race 62.15pm 7 Franco Sinatra6 Bluto4 Borrisokane8 Old Time Rock N Roll  Race 72.40pm 8 Beach Ball6 She’s Tough2 Jimmy James Maguire7 Artatac Race 83.05pm…

By Adam Hamilton Former Kiwi pacer Betterzippit upstaged some of Australia’s best pacers to win the inaugural $1mil Nullarbor at Gloucester Park last night. But the stories of the race were the continued remarkable rise of young trainer Jason Grimson and the mystifying drive on beaten favourite Magnificent Storm. Grimson surprised many by targeting the Nullarbor with Betterzippit, who had five of his first six Aussie starts for the Menangle trainer, but was yet to be proven at the top level. “When I heard the NZ race (Race by Grins)…

By Michael Guerin For the little pacer who can Copy That the winning isn’t the hard part. He proved that again in the $1million Race by Grins at Cambridge on Friday night as he led and raced away from Old Town Road to record a paint by numbers victory in New Zealand’s richest harness race. Nothing new in that, Copy That was always going to be the horse to beat after drawing to find his favoured pacemaking role, his little legs spinning in a happy rhythm being when he is…

by Jonny Turner From the moment the mobile left, Glorys Delight never gave her rivals a look in when she powered to victory at Addington on Thursday night. Driver Robbie Close let the Tony Barron trained mare roll along at a strong tempo in the lead and she simply ran her opposition off their feet. It was her fourth win in 18 starts. While she stood tall over her rivals in racing terms, Glorys Delight isn’t a physically imposing type. But she makes up for it with attitude. “She is…

By Jonny Turner If yesterday’s Winton meeting is anything to go by, harness racing fans are in for an incredible Diamonds Day at Ascot Park next weekend. A string of outstanding performances by key runners in Diamonds Day’s feature races has only heightened the anticipation ahead of Southland harness racing’s signature race day. The powerful performances started when Black Pearl produced a tough staying effort in the final heat of the Southland Oak series. The filly worked hard in the running, with driver Jonny Cox holding the parked position when…