By Jonny Turner Bar Louie’s talent isn’t in question as he approaches today’s Kurow Cup. The pacer’s sparkling winter form saw him installed a short-priced favourite for Sunday’s feature at Oamaru (3.14pm). Bar Louie will attempt to make it four-from-four this time in when starting from a 20m handicap for driver Tim Williams. While Williams knows Bar Louie is good enough to continue his unbeaten run in the South Island, he knows the Kurow Cup is a new challenge for the three-year-old. “He has been great this time in, but…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Mantra Blue “can win” at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin Zachary Butcher says there is a simple reason he is taking Mantra Blue to Alexandra Park tonight : he knows what is coming next. Butcher is the north’s leading reinsman these days but also trains a few horses headlined by the fast five-year-old mare who has won half of her 18 starts. Mantra Blue was originally going to trial rather than racing tonight but Butcher knows the Alexandra Park main pacing races are about to get a whole lot stronger and he wants to get out in…
Ricky May with some key drives at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin Ricky May hopes his fill-in driving proves a bit more productive at Addington tonight. Little Ricky is filling in for Big Johnny (aka John Dunn) while the latter is having a working holiday overseas and that means key drives like Triple G in the main pace, the Georgia Anderson Happy 21st Birthday Mobile Pace (8.36pm) and Better Be Quick in the It’s Time to Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace for the fillies and mares at 7.59pm. While May is stoked to be warming the seat on a…
TAB Racing Club has first starter at Addington
By Brittany Graham The harness racing version of the TAB Racing Club will officially get underway tonight (Friday) at Addington Raceway. After purchasing several high-quality yearlings at last year’s sales, Eun Sugno for the Dalgetys will be the first to don the dark blue and red TAB silks on race day. A big son of Captain Crunch out of star race mare One Dream, he has built nicely through some recent trials to make his race day debut a little earlier than anticipated. “Cran was rapt with the fitness improvement…
White with two debutants at Alexandra Park
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Already having his best ever season, trainer-driver Matty White has an interesting book of drives at Alexandra Park on Friday night. He will continue his association with the in-form pairing of Tytate and Bettor Reaction, and also line up two first starters from his Clevedon barn. Both two-year-olds, Milford, a Raging Bull gelding, will start in Race 2, the Tardina Stud – Here for the Horse Mobile Pace and Iron Mike Tyson, a $40,000 purchase from the 2024 National Yearling sales at Karaka,…
New Zealand bookmakers to allow successful punters to win more
By Michael Guerin New Zealand racing and sports punters will get the opportunity to win more off the TAB and Betcha under rule changes coming into play on Thursday. The TAB and its new brand Betcha will boost the limits on what punters will be guaranteed to be allowed to win, providing more clarity for its most successful customers. Bookmakers around the world restrict their more successful punters to how much than can bet to win on fixed odds markets otherwise risk being cleaned out by professional or smart punters…
Vesta looking for maiden victory at Ashburton
By Mike Love Vesta will start the shortest priced favourite on the day at Ashburton today as she tries to break through for her maiden victory. Leeston trainer Megan Swain lines up the A Rocknroll Dance mare in Race 2, the Fulton Hogan Pace over 2400m at 1.05pm. The four-year-old is having her fourth race this campaign and will be driven by Tim Williams. Vesta will start at $1.75FF ahead of equal second favourites Swift Guy and Interrorgator at $5.00FF. Swift Guy will be driven by Leo O’Reilly for trainer…
Alta Meteor produces statement win at Addington
By Michael Guerin Happy but not surprised was how co-trainer Amanda Telfer sums up one of the best training performances of her career. Because when Alta Meteor stomped past some very good horses on a soaked Addington home straight on Friday night, he was only showing Telfer what her team had been seeing at home. Telfer runs the southern barn of what is unofficially our premiership winning stable and their golden winter was probably capped by the win in the NZI Insurance National Handicap Pace. Alta Meteor hadn’t raced since…
Pass mark for Akuta after third at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin It wasn’t perfect but it was the next best thing. Because while Akuta may not have won his comeback race at Alexandra Park on Friday he came out of the race with a big tick and trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon still came away with the win. That was courtesy of Treacherous Baby, the stablemate of the hot favourite in the $20,000 World’s Best Hoof Oil Pace, the 1700m centrepiece of the Alex Park meeting. Akuta was fresh up to the races after 20 months and what…
He’s No Romeo among Williamson’s best chances at Southern Surge 2
By Jonny Turner Matthew Williamson is hoping to make up the difference on day two of the Southern Surge at Invercargill on Sunday. Day one at Winton last week was a case of close but not quite close enough for the Oamaru trainer, who racked up plenty of top-five finishes with his team. With the move to Ascot Park and some key draw upgrades, Williamson is hopeful he can land some of the boosted winning stakes on offer during the series this week. Judging by his Winton effort He’s No…