By Jonny Turner Allamericanlover must pull off a remarkable feat if she is to win the inaugural running of the New Zealand Country Championship at Addington on Saturday night. The Steve and Amanda Telfer comes into the 3200m feature after a powerful mile (1609m) victory at Wyndham. Doubling a horse’s distance range is a big challenge for any stable, but it is something Amanda Telfer is comfortable Allamericanlover can handle. “She is pretty good and she doesn’t carry a lot of weight, so she doesn’t take too much to get…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Allamericanlover hoping to keep the best for last
Allamericanlover will be all the rage in today’s $100,000 Hydroflow NZ Country Championship Final at Addington. The winner of two of her last three starts and eight from 15 overall, the four-year-old mare opened a $2.30 favourite for the 3200 metre feature at 8.12pm. Trained by the Telfers and driven by Tim Williams, Allamericanlover will start off 10 m in a quality field that also includes the likes of The Falcon, Last Tango In Heaven, and last start winners Rough And Ready and Sam’s Town. Tim Williams talks about Allamericanlover’s…
Thornley clinches first stakes win
By Jonny Turner Olivia Thornley took the pressure of driving a $1.30 favourite in her stride to notch her first group race win with Don’t Stop Dreaming’s victory in the Kindergarten Stakes on Thursday. Thornley gave the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen trained two-year-old a perfect run in the trail to allow him to dash to a stylish win in the mile feature. The reinswoman was elated to be able to rack up her first stakes race win and repay the faith Purdon and Cullen had put in her to…
Favourite Self Assured too good in The Race
By Michael Guerin Champion horseman Mark Purdon only had one complaint after favourite Self Assured won New Zealand’s first ever slot race at Cambridge on Thursday night. “He should have won by more,” laughed Purdon after the $900,000 The Race by Grins. It was tongue in cheek but also a nod to the physical dominance of Self Assured as he overcame the widest barrier and having to sit parked for the last lap to win harness racing’s new glamour race. Kept out of the early burn as first Alta Orlando,…
Thornley ready for big opportunity
By Jonny Turner The experience of handling harness racing stars is set to be a massive asset for junior reinswoman Olivia Thornley when she drives Don’t Stop Dreaming in the Kindergarten Stakes. Thornley will find herself in a position many young drivers dream of – taking the reins behind a hot favourite from the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen stable in a time-honoured group race. Though she is the rookie of the field in terms of experience, having driven horses like Amazing Dream, Elle Mac and Beyond Words means it’s…
Club News : Lindsay Blackmore
Long-standing committee member and now Banks Peninsula Trotting Club patron Lindsay Blackmore has had a more than 50 year involvement in harness racing. And that includes 23 wins as a trainer. Here he talks about his life as a trainer and administrator.
Williamson debutants impress at Addington
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Phil Williamson left Addington Raceway with a near perfect result on Wednesday. The Oamaru trainer went to the Christchurch track with two debutants and went home with a win and runner-up result. Well-bred filly Majestic Love made the perfect start to her career when taking out the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Handicap Trot (2000m). Driver Brad Williamson gave the daughter of Majestic Son a quiet trip on the markers before joining the running line with a lap to go. He drew her out…
It’s all go for The Race
By Michael Guerin The man who made The Race happen knows he is witnessing a miracle. Not because the $900,000 slot race at Cambridge tonight has actually got off the ground even when several leading industry officials doubted it but because of the remarkable series of events that have unfolded since. Cambridge chief executive David Branch was given the full support of his board and created the new race which will likely be worth $1 million next season. When Branch first sought slot holders in December he hoped he would…
Self Assured primed for huge run in The Race
By Michael Guerin Champion trainer Mark Purdon thinks he has solved the problem that has robbed Self Assured of champion status in time for tonight’s $900,000 The Race at Cambridge. The best pacer in the new slot race has got the worst draw but the greatest trainer, making for some interesting mental calculations for punters wanting to back him. Harness racing is being dominated like never before by horses racing on the marker pegs, with the speeds the elite horses run and their increased fitness levels meaning those back or…
Longtime NZB administrator calls time
After nearly 22 years helping facilitate the trading of standardbreds, Rachel Deegan admits she’ll “miss the people but it’s time for a change.” Her job as standardbred administrator for NZB Standardbred is currently being advertised, with Deegan taking up her new role as office manager at Rangiora Equine Services in North Canterbury early next month. “It’s been a great job and the best part is the people,” she says, “there are a lot more nice ones than not so nice ones! I’ll miss the people but it’s time for a…