Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s trotting hero will miss the next big stop on the northern autumn circuit but some help could be on the way to keep the group races viable. Sundees Son obliterated yet another national record in the Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot at Alexandra Park last Friday night, taking over three seconds off the 2700m mobile mark in a relentless display that mirrored his Dominion demolition job in November. His rivals, headed by Muscle Mountain and Bolt For Brilliance, can breathe a sigh of relief as…

When Harness Racing New Zealand’s latest recruit Ollie Partridge says he’s “a numbers person” it doesn’t really tell the full story. The 28-year-old started working for HRNZ this year as its first ever Data Analyst. It’s a new role designed to provide detailed insight into all aspects of the sport, and specifically investigate what’s working well, and what’s underperforming, and why. “I’m loving it,” Partridge says, “harness racing is a new industry for me and I’m working much closer with IT than I’m used to, so great for my development…

by Adam Hamilton  Anthony Butt’s bulging CV just got bigger.  Butt’s remarkable contribution to harness racing was recognised with the Caduceus Club of Victoria’s Living Legend award. The former Kiwi was surrounded by family and friends at a glittering event at Melbourne’s Crown Casino as he accepted the award. Butt was an outstanding junior driver in NZ, became one of the country’s top drivers and, propelled by Blossom Lady, quickly made his mark in Australia’s major races. As well as winning the 1992 New Zealand Cup Blossom Lady gave him…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Derek Jones felt a sense of redemption when Kiss The Girls won the Rangiora HRC Waimakariri Business Winter Cup (2600m) on Sunday. The five-year-old gelding had to be pulled up in the Listed NZ Country Championship Final (3200m) last month after sustaining a punctured tyre. “We are absolutely rapt. We have had a bit of bad luck recently and it was really nice to get a lovely win today,” Jones said. “It is not very often that you get a horse that starts in…

By Jonny Turner It might not have been obvious that Nathan Williamson made a daring tactical move to win the the Group 2 Southern Supremacy Final with Sand Wave. Williamson made it back-to-back wins in the Diamonds Day feature following his win with Ragazzo Mach in 2021 when his three-year-old sprinted away from his rivals to score. Williamson quickly moved Sand Wave into the lead after he was crossed at the start by initial leader Mossdale Ben. Leading up with a hot favourite might seemed a regulation move to most.…