Author: NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Alicia Harrison enjoyed being back doing what she loves at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday – driving winners. The local horsewoman was involved in a horrific car accident in January when she was on her way to the Karaka Million race meeting at Ellerslie, which left her bed-ridden for several weeks after suffering a broken sternum and ankle. “It was extremely scary,” Harrison said. “We were driving up to the Karaka Million and there was a guy in a ute on the wrong side of…

By Michael Guerin Driver John Dunn admits the gap between Sundees Son and his two young gun rivals is closing. But whether it has closed enough to see him beaten in tonight’s $100,000 Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot at Alexandra Park is the question. Nobody doubts Sundees Son is the best trotter in Australasia, especially over longer trips, but he has been beaten in his last two Alexandra Park starts by first Bolt For Brilliance and then last week Muscle Mountain when they have settled in front of him. It…

By Michael Guerin Self Assured looks set to take his road less travelled to a place he knows very well in the $100,000 Dawson Harford Messenger at Alexandra Park tonight. The glamour pacer has been backed off the board to win tonight’s Group 1 and cap a remarkable month in which he has already won the inaugural running of The Race at Cambridge then finished a booming third to stablemate Spankem in the Taylor Mile last Friday. In both those races he started from barrier 8 over the sprint trips…

By Adam Hamilton  Former exciting young Kiwi trotter Musafa Metro is on trial for races like the Inter Dominion and Great Southern Star when he steps into the big league at Melton on Saturday night. Off the back of a stunning last-start Melton win, trainer-driver John Justice decided to throw the now four-year-old Musafa Metro into his first serious open-class test in the Group 3 Vulcan Trotters’ free-for-all (1720m). Musafa Metro, bought for big money last season by Justice’s main client Mark Gurry, was second-up from a spell when he…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Zachary Butcher is hoping Sharkies Girl can make a splash on debut at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday when she lines-up in the Shaws Mobile Pace (2200m). The Auckland trainer has been pleased with what he has seen from the daughter of Sweet Lou in her two public hit-outs, and he is hoping that form can transfer to raceday. “Her trials have been okay so hopefully she steps up to that maiden grade and goes a good race,” Butcher said. “It was only a two-horse…

By Michael Guerin The coup to replace the two kings of New Zealand harness racing might only last week. Because an almost complete reversal of draws will see both Self Assured and Sundees Son start odds-on in their respective group 1s at Alexandra Park this Friday as the north’s huge autumn of harness racing continues. Both were beaten after wide draws saw them settle back last week and then copped traffic problems, which resulted in Sundees Son finish second to Muscle Mountain the Steward’s Mile and Self Assured third to…