Author: NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Not surprisingly Bulldog Hanover has dominated the annual Dan Patch awards in the USA, and star Kiwi driver Dexter Dunn had a big night too. The awards, run by the US Harness Writers Association, were held at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando Florida. In 2022 Bulldog Hanover became the fastest pacer of all time when he won at the Meadowlands in 1:45.8. He became a sensation both within and outside the sport as he compiled a winning record of 14 from…

What a week or so it’s been for Team Tomlinson as part of Team Teal. The annual fund-raiser for ovarian cancer research started on February 1 and goes through to mid March with money raised every time a female driver (and her teal pants) wins a race. Money is raised through Harness Racing New Zealand ($100 per win), the clubs ($100) and individual sponsors as well as donations and other sources. There were 10 wins by Teal Pants drivers over the weekend including Kerryn Tomlinson taking out the ladies’ only…

By Jonny Turner Home track heroics were the order of the day at Gore’s Summer Cup meeting yesterday. Trainer Tony Stratford produced a winning double on his home track with horses who had contrasting form in Is He Watching Me and Vincent Can Gogh. Fellow Eastern Southlanders Ross and Chris Wilson also scored with Hot Fizz before taking yesterday’s feature with Brookie’s Player. Brookie’s Player has taken his game to a new level since resuming from a spell with yesterday’s win in the Gore Summer Cup for driver Mark Hurrell…

By Adam Hamilton  Tim Williams can’t wait for next week’s NSW Oaks. The gun Kiwi driver described Kahlua Flybye’s win in a heat of the Oaks last night “just about perfect.” In a surprise, Kahlua Flybye was shuffled to three pegs when buzz local Peaceful led and then took a sit on Sky Blu. “I didn’t think we’d be there, but it actually turned out great,” Williams said. “She got into the open in plenty of time and she’s very, very quick coming off the back of a helmet. “She…

Just days after Muscle Mountain broke his own New Zealand record, his full sister has sold for $130,000 at the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch. The Greg and Nina Hope-trained speed machine lowered his own 1980m mark by more than a second when winning by nearly three lengths at Addington on Friday night. He stopped the clock at 2:21.8 with driver Ben Hope saying he did it “reasonably easily”. “He’s like no other horse I’ve driven,” Ben said. It was his 24th win in just 38 starts, with stakes…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Wilson House flew back home to Christchurch a happy man on Sunday night after a pleasing week of results at Manawatu Raceway. He ended the week on a high when reining home a double for his father Michael House at Palmerston North on Sunday, and led home a stable trifecta in the last. “It was a great day for the team,” Wilson said, with the stable winning four races on the seven-race card. “We have had an outstanding week with eight wins, one galloping…

By Jonny Turner Regan Todd has his home province’s biggest day on the agenda of his Addington winners Cardwell Bay and Holy Hecka. Todd went two-from-two at Addington on Friday night with the smart three-year-olds who could be aimed at Southland’s Diamonds Day if they keep up their good form. The trainer admitted he asked a lot of Cardwell Bay in her return to racing, but with a little bit of luck on her side she delivered. “I was going to trial her but not often you get the chance…

By Michael Guerin Racing legend Peter Wolfenden, whose fame transcended harness racing, has died. One of the greatest drivers in New Zealand history and the man who guided the career of the best ever Australasian standardbred in Cardigan Bay, Wolfenden passed after a brief illness, aged 88. Wolfenden won a remarkable 14 New Zealand drivers’ premierships, Inter Dominions, New Zealand and Auckland Cups and for three decades had no peer as a driver. “He was phenomenal,” says New Zealand’s most successful ever reinsman Tony Herlihy. “When I started driving Wolfie…

By Michael Guerin The first day of yearling sales week defied the challenges facing the harness racing industry when some big numbers were put up at the Karaka yearling sale on Sunday. A buoyant mood and hot action of the top of the boutique catalogue saw an outstanding average even if the middle and lower market, as so often if the case at the sales, had its struggles. The New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred sale was topped by a $300,000 filly (lot 74), a half sister by Captaintreacherous to Elle Mac,…