Author: NZHarnessNews

Former classy Kiwi pacer Triple Eight looks right on target for his upcoming Queensland raid. The seven-year-old capped a huge night for the in-form Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars stable, who snared a treble. Their other winners were La Captain (race one) and Momentslikethese (two). “It’s been a sensational month,” Sugars told thetrots.com.au Sugars and Tubbs are leading ambassadors for harness racing’s “Pacing For Pink” fundraising month. “Jess and I said leading into tonight we had a few good chances, if we were able to get the score on the…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Fresh off a pleasing night at Alexandra Park and Addington Raceway on Friday, Canterbury horseman Bob Butt will head to Phar Lap Raceway on Sunday hoping to continue his good run. Butt recorded three placings from as many starts at the two venues on Friday, including a stakes placing with Manhattan in the Listed Northern Mares Classic (2200m) at Auckland. Butt was delighted with her run and is looking forward to targeting some spring features with the daughter of Bettor’s Delight. “She went great,…

By Jonny Turner Group One-winning race mare Miss Moonlite keeps delivering for trainer Andrew Stuart and owner Shane Kirwan. The daughter of former star filly Dancingonmoonlight had her name up in lights again when her fourth foal Serious Moonlite took out the opening race at Addington on Friday night. Trained by Stuart, the four-year-old was expertly handled by Robbie Close who held the lead early before taking a trail. Serious Moonlite then dashed along the inner to score a deserved win after a consistent run of form over the past…

By Michael Guerin Jean Feiss could be excused for not being able to wait to get her glamour boy Self Assured back to Australia to show him off. But after winning a second $400,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup with the wonderful little pacer at Alexandra Park on Friday night she says taking him back to Australia really doesn’t worry her. “I will leave all that up to Mark,” says Feiss without a hint of parochialism. “I think he loves racing in New Zealand and I actually think it suits him…

By Michael Guerin Bolt For Brilliance gave Tony Herlihy the confidence this week to try and beat Sundees Son at his own game. So that is exactly what the champion trainer-driver did in the $250,000 Reharvest Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Herlihy worked his stable star to the front early in Alexandra Park’s greatest trotting race and never relented, even when hot favourite and two-time Rowe Cup winner Sundees Son moved up to sit parked at the mile. Herlihy kept the hammer down and outstayed the favourite,…

Backed into $1.40, Self Assured duly delivered in tonight’s Group One Trillian Trust Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park. It was the second Auckland Cup for Self Assured after winning in 2019. It was driver Natalie Rasmusssen’s second win too, after Vincent’s triumph in 2017. With regular driver and co-trainer Mark Purdon suspended this was Rasmussen’s first drive behind the superstar pacer and the win didn’t come without some anxious moments. Rasmussen made a mid race move to take the lead only for South Coast Arden to loop the field and…

The Tony Herlihy-trained and driven Bolt For Brilliance has beaten hotpot Sundees Son in tonight’s Reharvest Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park. Bolt For Brilliance went to the lead early in the 3200 metre Group One feature and while Sundees Son remain parked over the final lap, the defending champion couldn’t peg back the northern star as Bolt For Brilliance careered away. Temporale finished second with Sundees Son back in third. Bolt For Brilliance paid $4.30 for the win, the winning time was 4.01.24 It was his 18th career win in…

By Jonny Turner  Their draws have put Kentuckiana Lodge three-year-olds Casino Action and Invitation Only poles apart, but their form and ability have them much closer together. The Cran and Chrissie Dalgety trained pairing go head-to-head in race 1 at Addington tonight with Casino Action starting from the ace draw in barrier 1 and Invitation Only out towards the car park in barrier 9. Though the draws clearly favour Casino Action and driver Blair Orange, Dalgety doesn’t think Invitation Only and Sarah O’Reilly will be too far from the action…