Author: NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton A minor bleed and 28-day ban for Kiwi star Copy That marred an otherwise memorable Hunter Cup at Melton last night, won by Honolua Bay and top driver David Moran. The setback continued Copy That’s horror run of “issues” on Melbourne raids, but trainer Ray Green is adamant it won’t impact his quest to win the $1 million Race by Grins at Cambridge on April 14. Copy That became fired-up after an unsuccessful burn to take the lead from pole marker Spirit Of St Louis. He over-raced…

by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Teal Pants ambassador Crystal Hackett looks a driver to follow on the second day of the Hawera meeting today. The talented junior driver’s good book of drives includes $3.80 favourite Nelson’s Boy in the day’s feature, the South Taranaki Club Hawera Cup Handicap Pace at 3.34pm. Nelson’s Boy was a hard luck story on Friday, galloping just as he looked like he was going to take out the Colin Jones Memorial Stratford Trotting Cup. He still managed third behind Hesashorething and Franco Hoffman.…

by Jonny TurnerLittle brother has given Get Up N Dance a hard act to follow in the Waikouaiti Cup on Sunday. Broodmare gem Dance N Delight has already produced an impressive winner this week with the three-year-old Art Major gelding Rise Up N Dance impressing at Addington in just his second start at the races. Big brother Get Up N Dance, by Rock N Roll Heaven, will be out to make his own mark on the Oamaru grass. According to trainer Bob Butt, the 3000m staying test looks ideal for…

By Adam Hamilton Just Believe became the “King” of Australian trotting last night. His easy win in the $300,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star at Melton followed the Inter Dominion final victory on December 10. It’s been the most remarkable few months for the trotter, who only joined Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars’ Larajay Farms stable in September. The seven-year-old has won nine of 14 starts for Tubbs and Sugars with another four seconds and a third. In that time, he’s banked close to $500,000. In contrast to his tough…

By Michael Guerin Driver John Dunn loves the new Mighty Looee but he is just worried about how much further he can go. Because this new 2023 iron horse version of the son of Sweet Lou is getting awfully close to serious open class and his new tactics may not wash in the big league. Mighty Looee made it three wins on end in 2023 when he again led and blazed some sensational times at Addington on Friday night, his 53.9 last 800m and 26.1 final 400m about as fast…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Cambridge trainer-driver Matthew White didn’t have long to wait before bringing up a significant milestone at Hawera this afternoon. In the very first race of the day, the Taranaki Steelformers Handicap Trot (2100m), he got the second favourite Mocca Francy away safely from the 30m mark and then lobbed the one-one before beating Bun In The Oven by a neck. “She has shown a bit of form of late and got a nice trip.” It was White’s 200th driving success in New Zealand.…

After only one day Team Teal has already topped the $1000 mark. The annual campaign that raises funds for ovarian cancer research started yesterday and will go through till the middle of March, with money raised every time a female driver wearing the teal pants wins a race. Harness Racing New Zealand and the individual clubs each contribute $100 a win, while extra funds are also provided by individual sponsors. Yesterday at Oamaru Team Teal ambassador Gemma Thornley won with Lizie Richter in the very first race. Her win was…

by Jonny Turner A cool, calm and collected drive behind Lone Wolf saw Sarah O’Reilly reach 200 wins in the sulky at Oamaru on Thursday. Being tucked away four back on the markers for much of race 6 wasn’t a problem for the Brent and Tim White trained pacer, with O’Reilly expertly plotting a passage to win. After being stuck on 199 wins for a couple of weeks, the junior reinswoman was delighted to tick off her 200-win milestone. “It is a bit of a relief.” “(I was stuck on…

By Adam Hamilton Will it be fourth time lucky for veteran Kiwi star Majestic Man in tonight’s Great Southern Star at Melton? It hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Phil Williamson’s gelding in the past, but despite now being an eight-year-old, this really looks his chance to win Australasia’s biggest trotting race. Majestic Man first tackled the Great Southern Star when it was just a one-off race, but galloped and ran last in 2020. He returned the next year when the format returned to a heat and final on…

By Michael Guerin Ben Hope isn’t where he wants to be tonight and his favourite horse Muscle Mountain isn’t there either. But he expects the outstanding trotter to get a compensation victory in the $27,500 Continental Event Hire Trot at Addington tonight.  Currently he’s at $1.20 to win.  How different things could have been for the pair as Muscle Mountain was targeting the Great Southern Star at Melton, also run tonight, until a cold set back his preparation and ultimately saw a change of programme. “It was just niggly,” says…