Author: NZHarnessNews

The Netherlands take out Heat 4 of the WDC at Kaikoura

NZHarnessNews

Jaap van Rijn (The Netherlands) has registered his first win at the World Driving Championship. And it was a powerhouse performance at the South Bay race course in Kaikoura in heat 4 of the WDC.  Van Rijn made a mid race move with favourite It’s Tough and from there it was all over. The Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained four year old has been in outstanding form and just powered away from his opposition to win effortlessly. It was his fifth win in his last six starts. For van Rijn it…

Swayzee ruled out of IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup

NZHarnessNews

Two-time champion Swayzee is out of the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. The Jason Grimson-trained star was vying to become just the fourth horse to win three New Zealand Cups in a row but today he’s been officially withdrawn from the $1m feature at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. The news was not unexpected. Over the weekend it was reported he had a suspected cold and was scratched from a race at Menangle. He also missed last month’s Victoria Cup with a bowel infection. Australia’s two starters in the…

Gary Hall Junior off to a flier in WDC

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   Australian representative Gary Hall Junior will take a 15 point lead into the second day of the World Driving Championship at Kaikoura on Monday. On Sunday the multiple Group 1 winning driver from Perth had almost the perfect start to WDC 2025 with two wins and a second from the opening three heats. He has 44 points, with Italian Giampaolo Minnucci second on 29, and former world champion Pierre Vercruysse third on 21. New Zealand’s representative Blair Orange is sixth equal on…

The WDC starts today!

NZHarnessNews

It’s here! Today will see the start of the World Driving Championship 2025. Ten of the world’s best drivers will battle it out over the next nine days, starting with three races at Kaikoura today. Heat one is Race 5 @ 2.35pm.Heat two is Race 7 @ 3.47pmHeat three is Race 9 @ 5pm  To see the media guide produced specifically produced for the WDC click here 

Selections | Kaikoura

NZHarnessNews

Selections for Kaikoura today.         Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet!   Kaikoura      TrottechForm Analyst  Race 1 12.20pm 12 Delightful Dreams7 Courage Reactor4 Gimmesomelovin10 The Highlander     Race 212.47pm 6 Fox Terror5 Fear Gogh3 Star From Heaven2 Special Edition  Race 31.26pm 6 Prince Teka11 Kowhai Sunburst2 Royal Diedre4 Pasternak     Race 41.57pm 1 Blaze Craze2 Scotlynn Crunch4 Spirit Of Atlanta8 Fear The Diva  Race 52.35pm  4 Hoof It Hagrid5 Val Thorens1 Billy Kimber2 Steelintheheel  Race 63.08pm 4 Franco Elvis6 Whatz My Choice3 Here Comes Marty8 Jesse Owens …

WDC drivers officially welcomed in Christchurch

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  The official welcome has been held in Christchurch today for the international field of drivers here for the World Driving Championship. The function at the Commodore Hotel featured a traditional powhiri and was attended by eight of the 10 drivers involved, their entourages plus representatives from HRNZ and other interested parties. The two drivers not there were Gary Hall Junior who had some passport dramas and a delayed departure from Western Australia while American whizz kid Brett Beckwith was due later this afternoon. …

Golden Gait now awaits for two impressive Alexandra Park winners

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin The two highlight winners at Alexandra Park on Friday may be at different ends of their careers but they are both heading in the same direction. And that is the Golden Gait Finals at Alexandra Park next month for both Lord Popinjay and Captain Sampson.  Veteran trotter Lord Popinjay continued the best form of his life when he overcame a 30m handicap in the main trot for in-form driver Monika Ranger. He had every reason to be beat at it looked like he would struggle to catch…

Swayzee unlikely for third New Zealand Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Champion stayer Swayzee’s quest for a slice of IRT NZ Cup history looks over. The mighty seven-year-old was scratched from a vital lead-up race at Menangle tonight (Saturday) with a suspected cold. Given Swayzee hasn’t raced since October 4 and the NZ Cup is just 10 days way, it’s hard to see any way he’s on the scheduled flight tomorrow (Sunday) week to Christchurch via Auckland. Trainer Jason Grimson told Melbourne’s SENTrack radio the trip was now unlikely and plans would be finalised after he spoke with…

Gary Hall’s mad dash to get to the WDC

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Champion driver Gary Hall Jr’s quest to win the World Driving Championship was almost over before it started. Just hours before the Hall Jr was due to fly to Perth to Christchurch, via Sydney, he lost his passport. If not for a woman at the passport office working a remarkable two hours past closing time, he would have been out of the series, which starts at Kaikoura tomorrow. “When I get home, I’ll be straight back to the office with a big gift for her, she was…

Winton winner earns trip to Cup week at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Brett Gray had to change his New Zealand Cup Week plans immediately after Friday’s Winton meeting. Gray’s talented trotter Julie Jaccka burst back into winning form, putting a frustrating run behind her and booking her ticket to Addington in the process. Julie Jaccka starred on New Zealand Cup Day when winning a middle-grade trot, but her chances of returning to defend her victory this year looked slim after a run of ordinary form. Though two of her recent misses had come in Group races, the five-year-old wasn’t…