The three-year-old season is set to hot up this Spring. In the past the Harness 7000, the Sophomore Classic and the Trotting Fillies Classique have been held between January and May. In 2022 they will move to September and October. “The scheduling of the three races has been well received by owners and trainers,” says Sires’ Stakes Executive Martin Pierson, “they are top races in their own right but also serve as a perfect lead-in to the other 3YO Classics later in the year.” The Woodlands Stud Harness 7000 will…
Author: NZHarnessNews
After 28 wins there’s no more McLovin
By Adam Hamilton Classy former Kiwi trotter McLovin has run his last race. Trainer Andy Gath retired the dual Group 1 winner after a luckless run at Cranbourne last Saturday night. “This was always going to be his last campaign, but we felt the time was right now,” he said. “He’s been a great horse for us, taking us into so many big races. One of his Group 1 wins was the Bill Collins when he sat three-wide most of the race and beat them.” McLovin raced 98 times for…
End of an era for Ginger Woodhouse
by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After being involved in breeding and racing horses for more than 60 years one of southern racing’s most irrepressible characters has finally – and somewhat reluctantly – handed in his trainer’s licence. Bryan Gerald Woodhouse, universally known as Ginger, has decided he will not renew his licence for the 2022-23 season. “I had a fall and broke two of my ribs and I’ve lost part of my balance,” says Woodhouse, “there’s no way I can keep training my horses.” The incident happened in…
Bob Butt clinches Addington double
By Jonny Turner In the absence of their stable star, Bob Butt’s team continues to rack up wins. Butt doubled up at Addington on Sunday, producing La Reina Del Sur and Khal Drogo for training and driving victories. The wins have come in the wake of the retirement of Butt’s Group One winning trotter Heavyweight Hero. Together with the horse’s owners, the decision has been made to finish the 2020 New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All winner’s career on a positive note. “The best thing about it is that he is retiring…
Triple Eight upsets in Aussie feature
by Adam Hamilton High-class former Kiwi pacer Triple Eight stormed into contention for Queensland’s biggest races with an upset Albion Park win last night. The much-travelled seven-year-old made a lie of his recent mixed Victorian form and being a $31 outsider to storm home from last and win the Group 3 Mr Feelgood Open (2138m). Trained by Jess Tubbs and driven by Greg Sugars, Triple Eight was suited by the frantic and early midrace tempo, but still came from a seemingly impossible position to win easing down by 6.1m in…
Hope rates Pembrook’s Princess at Addington today
By Jonny Turner Ben Hope will be out to continue the strong start he has made to his training career at Addington on Sunday. Hope debuts Pembrook’s Princess from his stable on the back of a nice trial effort at Rangiora recently. Downed late by Raging On, the pair will go head to head in race 3. “She is a mare that I have had for about two months now.” “She has got some ability there but she hasn’t been easy.” “She can get a bit keen, so I have…
Anderson in high spirits ahead of Addington
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Graeme Anderson is in high spirits ahead of racing at Addington Raceway on Friday night. On Thursday, the Westwood trainer celebrated the maiden victory of juvenile pacer Spirit Of Arion at Wyndham and he believes the son of Sweet Lou has a bright future. “We won a nice two-year-old race today at Wyndham with Spirit Of Arion, he is a nice horse,” said Anderson, who trains in partnership with Mike Love. Anderson will be looking to add to his winning tally at Addington Raceway…
Williamson set to be key player at Wyndham
By Jonny Turner Nathan Williamson has found the key to Foveaux Strait at the perfect time. The pacer will start in a $20,000 Winter Racing Series Final at Wyndham after he exploded away from his opposition to score a massive five and three-quarter length maiden victory at Ascot Park last week. A solid performer prior to his winning effort, the four-year-old clearly took his game to a new level which Williamson credits to a change to the horse’s training regime. Though Foveaux Strait steps up in grade in Thursday’s feature,…
Meredith looking forward to Revell Douglas series finale
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Junior reinsman Zev Meredith is looking forward to heading to Cambridge Raceway on Thursday where he will have a book of five drives, including Whooshka in the 2022 Hygain – Revell Douglas Memorial Series Mobile Pace (2200m). The Kyle Marshall-trained mare finished runner-up first-up at Alexandra Park last month and Meredith is confident of a good showing from the four-year-old from gate four. “She went super last start fresh-up,” Meredith said. “Second run back she should strip fitter. It is a nice even field…
Addington Weekly : July 6
Here’s Greg O’Connor and Darrin Williams with the Addington News – July 6