Author: NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Star four-year-old pacer Krug has earned himself a rest. The three-time Derby winner is in the paddock after a luckless end to his campaign when he locked wheels with South Coast Arden at the 900m mark in last Friday’s Taylor Mile. That took both horses out of the race and Krug out of the autumn. “He didn’t take any harm from it but he is ready for a break,” says co-trainer Cran Dalgety. “So he can have a good two months off now and I am sure…

There will be winners galore when Diamonds Day, one of the south’s premier harness race meetings, takes place at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill this Saturday (30 April). Ladies will have the opportunity to win a diamond ring, valued at $4200, courtesy of Coats & Schuck Jewellers and the Invercargill Harness Racing Club, through an on-course promotion that could not be easier. How to win this gorgeous piece of jewellery will be revealed next week. Ladies will also be welcomed onto the course with their first glass of wine free…

By Adam Hamilton  There is life left in Cash N Flow’s old legs yet. The nine-year-old led throughout for driver Jack Callaghan and easily won the Group 3 Bulli Cup at Menangle on Saturday night. Amazingly, it was his 25th win from just 51 starts at Menangle. Other winners well-known to Kiwis on the Menangle card were Bad To The Bone in the opening race, Town Echo for Jack Trainor in race three and Jason Grimson’s exciting Fire Fox in race four. Exciting former Kiwi trotting mare Funky Monkey returned…

by Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Trainer John “Coaster” Howe is eyeing a tilt at the Gr.3 NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes (1980m) next month with Maxwell Edison after his impressive maiden win at Ashburton Raceway on Monday. The Majestic Son colt was given a beautiful trip in the one-one behind Krackaling before driver Robbie Close guided his charge three-wide into open air with 250m to go. He was able to show a good turn of foot to run over the top of his rivals to win by a length over…

by Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Kowhai Magic will be out to capture her third successive win when she lines-up in the Sims Bakery Fillies & Mares Mobile Pace (1700m) at Ashburton Raceway on Monday. The daughter of Art Major returned to form three starts back when placing over 2000m and trainer-driver Terry Chmiel said she appreciated the step-up to 2600m in her next two outings. “She has got a bit stronger and she likes the further distance,” Chmiel said. “Her last two races she has got pretty good runs…

by Jonny Turner A strong book of drives has John Morrison ready to see the last grass track meeting before winter off in style. Among the horses the reinsman combines with is Franco Marek who will shoot for a hat-trick of wins when he starts in the feature pace at the Geraldine meeting on Sunday. And Morrison thinks he can do it. “He’s not a bad horse, he is learning the trade more than anything at this stage but he is still good enough to get the job done.” “He…

by Michael Guerin It was like we had all gone back in time at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Back to the days when there was no Covid so crowds could come to the track, when Aussies popped across the Tasman on the day of the races and when Spankem was leading and winning the Taylor Mile. And now with the months ahead hopefully looking far more like 2019 than the Groundhog Day of the last two years, driver Natalie Rasmussen says there is no reason Spankem can’t return to…

by Jonny Turner Junior driver Tom Nally has seized his opportunity with King Of The North and formed a winning partnership with the trotter. Nally and the Kirk Larsen trained squaregaiter made it a double from just two starts together when they powered to victory in race 4 at Invercargill yesterday. Nally took the reins behind the five-year-old in a junior driver’s event at Wyndham last week and bagged Larsen, who also races the horse, a penalty free win. Larsen kept faith in the junior driver and he was rewarded…

by Michael Guerin Trainer Craig Ferguson thinks the long road trips to Addington have helped Smokin Bandar grow up. And he will put that theory to test by setting him an even tougher task there next start. The Wyndham trotter overcame a 20m backmark to win a competitive lower grade trot at Addington on Thursday night, his third win on end. It was also the six-year-old’s eighth career win and fourth at Addington, which is rare enough for a Southland trotter but also the first time he has won at…