Securing a key barrier draw has Flying Ellie ready to go two-from-two in the Group Three Caduceus Club Of Southland & Alabar Fillies Classic at Ascot Park today. The Nathan Williamson trained filly goes into the 2200m feature after beating all of her rivals in a lead up event at Winton last week. Her biggest challengers already faced a big ask to turn the tables on her, but when Flying Ellie drew inside Always Ticking and Major Envy it got even harder for them. While Williamson thinks highly of both…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Nicholas Cage upstages hotpots in Founders Cup
By Michael Guerin Nicholas Cage may have staked a late and very unlikely claim for a spot in the $1million Race by Grins with his upset Founders Cup win at Alexandra Park on Friday. But even if he doesn’t make it to our richest race his performance to defeat Akuta and Copy That suggests he will be in open class before long. The four-year-old easily held the lead in the 1700m mobile and after a soft opening section he cruised his last 800m in 55 seconds, the last 400m in…
She’s Tough, too tough in Kawatiri Cup
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Brad Mowbray will be sure to have starters on the West Coast more often after taking out the Kawatiri Cup (2600m) with She’s Tough at Westport on Friday. It was the first time the Leeston horseman has campaigned a horse on the other side of the alps and he was delighted to make a winning start. “I have never been (to the West Coast), that is the first horse I have even sent so it was great to get the win,” Mowbray. She’s Tough…
Vale Trevor Wilkes
Trevor Wilkes is being remembered as a well-respected and universally-liked man who “lived for racing.” A race caller for more than 40 years, he retired at the end of the 2021/22 season. He died after a battle with motor neurone disease in Christchurch this week, prompting an outpouring of tributes, with many praising him as generous, kind-hearted and well-liked. In his 43 years behind the binoculars Wilkes’ first love was calling the dogs. Famously he only missed one meeting through illness in all that time! Such was his contribution to…
The tale of a reluctant trotter
They’re an unusual combo – an unraced Peak six-year-old who had no interest in being a racehorse and Anthony Slaney, a 24-year-old electrician from Cambridge. But recently they combined to be the best performers in the Standardbred team that took on the Thoroughbreds in the Battle of the Breeds at Cambridge Raceway. “I was really proud of him – we got two thirds and a fourth so took out best standardbred overall.” Originally destined for the racetrack things did not go well for Valhall (Peak – Chiola Closeup). “He was…
Busy weekend ahead for Beveridge
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Rugby will always be Phil Beveridge’s first love, but he has found a sport that is now a close second – harness racing. Beveridge is an icon in the West Coast community, having represented Buller for nearly 30 years on the rugby field, his last appearance just 16 months ago when he answered the call of coach Nathan Thomspon to help out in the front-row. Beveridge found it hard to walk away from the sport, but harness racing has provided another competitive outlet and…
Night of upsets at Cambridge
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk It was a night of upsets at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night and the meeting’s feature, the Bay of Plenty Cup (2700m), was no exception. Three victors paid more than $30 on the undercard prior to the main event, with Sonsofthemerch winning Race 2 ($50.40), Majestic Bundy Race 4 ($37.30), and May Delight Race 6 ($32.50). Trainer Logan Hollis was intent on continuing the outsider trend with his charge Bet West. The Bettor’s Delight gelding was rated a $21 winning chance with bookmakers, but…
Two pacing superstars go head to head at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin There are words of warning around the two pacing superstars returning at Alexandra Park tonight but such is the class of Akuta and Copy That it may not matter. The pair return in the Lincoln Farms Founders Cup over 1700m (8.54pm) and with only six starters their dominate the market as you would expect from multiple New Zealand Cup and Derby winners. Both Akuta and Copy That are using tonight’s race as the first step down a path toward the $1million Race by Grins at Cambridge on…
The Box Seat – March 8
Check out this week’s Box Seat with hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin.
Big day for Northern Southland Trotting Club
The Northern Southland Trotting Club returns to Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill this Saturday (11 March) when the club comes to town with a day of top-quality harness racing. Feature races include the Group 3 Caduceus Club Of Southland/Alabar NZ Fillies Classic for 2-year-olds over a distance of 2200m for a stake of $30,000, the Tip Top Southland/Night ‘n Day Autumn Cup raced over 2700m for a stake of $15,000, the Mark Jones Racing Stables/Gordon Sutherland Memorial Trot for a stake of $12,000 over 2700m plus the prestigious Stella Frost…