Author: NZHarnessNews

Vale Alan Clyma

NZHarnessNews

Alan Clyma, a life member of the Forbury Park Trotting Club, is being remembered as a “gentleman who was passionate about harness racing”. In his business life he operated a fish processing business at Sawyers Bay near Dunedin and was a keen hobby trainer in his spare time, holding a licence for 20 years from 1996. He trained 15 winners, with Stand Easy his best horse, winning six of them. In three of his victories – in 1999 and 2000 – he was driven by then junior driver Kirstin Barclay…

News Briefs : 13 April

NZHarnessNews

Recognition for Ricky It’s been a while coming but Ricky May’s been officially recognised for his 3000th winner. The victory with Sheeza Artist was at Addington in July last year. On Sunday at his home track at Methven he was presented with a plaque celebrating his accomplishment by Harness Racing New Zealand’s General Manager – Racing, Catherine McDonald. He’s just the third ever to hit 3000, following on from Tony Herlihy and Maurice McKendry. Methven also held a successful fund-raiser for clerk of the course Graeme Mee. The 72-year-old faces…

Williamson excited about juvenile debutant

NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Otago trainer Brad Williamson is looking forward to heading north to Addington Raceway on Wednesday where he is set to kick-off the career of two-year-old filly Krackaling. The daughter of What The Hill has had three trials leading into her debut and Williamson is expecting a bold showing after drawing the ace marble in the Johnnie Walker Mobile Trot (1980m). “I am pretty happy with her, she is a nice wee horse,” said Williamson, who will also take the reins. “She has come up…

Young guns out to make their mark in The Race

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin There is only one group that strikes more fear into New Zealand harness racing drivers than battle-hardened Australians intent on leading our major races. That is young, fearless Australians who could do just about anything. And that is a perfect recipe for the $900,000 The Race by Grins at Cambridge on Thursday night. Four of the young guns of New South Wales descend on Cambridge for the inaugural running of New Zealand’s first ever major slot race and they add a dimension to the race often lacking…

Everything you need to know for The Race

NZHarnessNews

The Race is here, and to mark the occasion here is a lift-out with all the information you need for Cambridge Raceway’s big meeting on Thursday, April 14. At 8.55 pm The Race will feature nine of the best pacers in Australasia with $900,000 at stake. It’s New Zealand’s richest harness race, and the country’s first ever slot race. Enjoy! Download The Race liftout here

Popular home track victory at Methven

NZHarnessNews

Was there a happier person at Methven on Sunday than local trainer-driver Neil Burton? Well known for his work on the mower around the Mt Harding circuit Burton took out the first, after a barnstorming finish with his own horse President Pat. The grin said it all. “That’s one each now,” Burton told Harness Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong post-race, “pacing and trotting.” “He’s been a lot of time cos he’s a real nervy type of horse.” Having originally qualified as a trotter the eight-year-old son of Le Pres won as a…

Fourth Ratings Race Added

NZHarnessNews

As entries are strong for the pacing division of the Ratings Showcase (RATTO races), an extension of the conditions to four races for pacers has been approved. We have put together mock-ups of the fields based on the information available at 5:00pm Monday, and these are subject to change. Pacers’ Races Mockup Trotters’ Races Mockup Withdrawals close Tuesday at 10.00am.

South Coast Arden “ready” for The Race

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Brent Mangos has fired the first tactical shots of the $900,000 The Race at Cambridge on Thursday with South Coast Arden. Which means if the Pukekohe trainer-driver gets his way his second favourite could be settling a long way in front of favourite Self Assured in the big-money slot race. The two favourites drew potentially the worst two barriers when South Coast Arden got barrier 7 and Self Assured the outside of the gate barrier 8 for the 2200m mobile. Self Assured’s trainer-driver Mark Purdon says he…

Aussie News : April 11

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Anthony Butt and fiancé Sonya Smith are going to have some fun with new stable addition Lady In The Sky. The four-year-old Muscle Mass trotting mare thrashed her rivals first-up from a spell and in Butt and Smith’s stable for the first time at Melton on Saturday night.  Butt used the pole to lead, pinched a 31.6sec second split then dashed home in 57.2 and 28.1sec to win as Lady In The Sky liked by 6.4m in a 1min58sec mile rate for 1720m. “We like her. We…