Author: NZHarnessNews

Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin join us for this week’s edition of the Box Seat.

By Michael Guerin Harness racing’s $900,000 slot race secured maybe its most important contender yet with Australian visitor Mach Dan already in Auckland to prepare for The Race. Mach Dan is the second of two Australian-based pacers to secure slots in The Race in the last two days, with former Kiwi mare Spellbound also now coming to the April 14 race at Cambridge on a hit and run mission. That means nine slots in the new race, based on The Everest concept, are as good as gone with one signing…

By Jonny Turner Graeme Telfer looks a big player at today’s Timaru meeting when he steps out three horses on their home track. Telfer starts two horses in the feature trot at Phar Lap Raceway, with his consistent mare Szybka Lane to go around in race 5. As they are in any trot, early manners are crucial to the chances of the Telfer trained Hanover Da Moon and Prince Ranier’s in race 6. Hanover The Moon was slow away in his last outing at Oamaru before working home nicely to…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Michael House was once again at his dominant best at Manawatu Raceway on Tuesday, winning five of the eight race card. “It was wonderful,” House said. “I was very pleased for Sarah (O’Reilly, driver), she drove wonderful. They were key drives for her (winning with Petronelli Gee and Southern Storm). “Blair (Orange, driver) did his normal brilliant stuff (winning with Sharp Lou and Superstar Legend). He was a little disappointed in a couple of his drives which should have gone a little better. “I…

By Michael Guerin Hot favourite True Fantasy is still being aimed at next week’s Northern Oaks even though she will miss the final lead-up at Alexandra Park this Friday. The outstanding filly was beaten out of a place for the first time in her career when fourth in the Peter Breckon Memorial at Alexandra Park last start and has been overcoming a slight respiratory issues since, possibly caused by the extreme dust and heat in the north. Co-trainer Mark Purdon has had her treated and the stable wanted to wait…

HRNZ Reminder – Covid 2022 If you are feeling unwell, have symptoms of Covid-19 or you or a household member have tested positive to COVID 19 you must not be attending race meetings, trials or work-outs. Please follow the Government guidelines and isolate until you have had a negative test. “We understand that these are difficult times ” says Harness Racing New Zealand’s General Manager – Racing Catherine McDonald, “but this is a reminder of what we have to do, and that’s looking after the participants in our sport to…

By Jonny Turner The Regan and Robbie show swept all before them, paving the way for some big race targets in their two-from-two effort at Ascot Park on Saturday. The Regan Todd trained Treacherous Gall booked herself the chance of being aimed at New Zealand’s best two-year-old fillies races when taking out the Northern Southland meeting’s Group 3 Fillies Classic. Just one race prior, also thanks to a pinpoint drive from Robbie Close, Street Hawk secured a start in the Group 2 Southern Supremacy Stakes Final with a smart heat…

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Young Taranaki trainer Brodie Ellis is looking forward to heading south to Manawatu Raceway on Tuesday where he will line-up two runners, including Hampton in the Doug Bradley Painter Mobile Pace (2000m). The son of Sportswriter returned to form last start when finishing runner-up over 2200m at Cambridge Raceway and Ellis said he has responded well to a change in training. “We were stoked with his last start run,” Ellis said. “It was good for the owner, who isn’t very well, he was happy…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  With nine wins, Sarah O’Reilly will end up the most successful Team Teal driver this year, and has seven more chances to add to the tally in the final meeting of the campaign at Manawatu tomorrow. The Canterbury-based junior is the only female confirmed for the meeting at Palmerston North and has drives in all but one of the eight races. “There are always things to work on,” says O’Reilly, “but it’s been a good week with four winners so that’s pretty good.”…