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…
Author: NZHarnessNews
Big test for Captain Sampson at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin For Captain Sampson tonight’s handicap pace at Alexandra Park isn’t a question of class. It is more about the dual questions of manners and timing. Nobody who has seen the best of Captain Sampson doubts where he is heading, to open class and maybe one night to a Group 1 winners circle. But tonight the three-year-old at just his 13th start faces rivals like Jolimont and Little Spike who already proven at the top level and the ATC Members Handicap is also Captain Sampson’s first standing start…
Share A Dream well placed at Winton today
By Jonny Turner One of the final steps in a New Zealand Cup Week plan will be completed at Winton on Friday. Tyler Dewe put himself on the map as a trainer when Teddy Baker won the South of the Waitaki event on Show Day at Addington in 2022. Now Dewe is eyeing another victory in the popular feature event with his stable star Share A Dream. Share A Dream brings the best kind of form to Winton, having run second behind the talented Dreams Are Free in last weekend’s…
Cup and Dominion hopefuls in action across the Tasman this weekend
Dual IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee and Renwick Farms Dominion Trot favourite Jilliby Ballerini headline the Aussie stars tuning up for NZ Cup Week this weekend. Adam Hamilton takes a look at the must watch races. SATURDAY NIGHT : 10.03pm (NZ time) – MENANGLE It’s D-Day for Swayzee. It’s been a less than ideal campaign for the big beast, but the team insists he’s back on track and will show it this weekend. The punters agree with Swayzee a $1.25 favourite despite an outside draw (he will start…
Whale Watch – Alexandra Park
Craig “The Whale” Thompson is back with his best for Alexandra Park
Kaikoura meeting – Liftout
Kaikoura’s two day meeting has extra significance in 2025. The South Bay course will host the two opening rounds of the World Driving Championship and Monday will see the 100th running of the Kaikoura Cup. It promises to be a spectacular two days of racing so we have prepared a special lift-out to provide you with vital information on and off track. To see the liftout click here
Ranger and Rewiri Hill look to go back to back at Cambridge tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz Northern junior driver Monika Ranger has been in sparkling form of late, and this evening at Cambridge Raceway she’ll be looking to continue her winning roll when she partners last-start winner Rewiri Hill in the Race Ready With Betavet Handicap Trot (7:06 p.m.). It’s been a standout season for the talented reinswoman, who is enjoying her most winningest season to date in the sulky. From just 98 drives, Ranger has recorded 19 wins, 12 seconds and 14 thirds, returning an impressive UDR of .3095. In the last…
Kaikoura through the years – Part 6
The Kaikoura Cup will celebrate its 100th running this year. To mark the occasion Kaikoura Trotting Club historian Phil Gourdie is looking back at the history of the great race. This is the sixth and final part – The Kaikoura Cup / New Zealand Cup double. By Phil Gourdie In Cup number 43 in 1968 Humphrey was off a handicap of 36 yards over the 12-furlong journey (2400m). A solid pace was set, W E Lowe and Humphrey were required to cover the 12 furlongs in 3min 6.1seconds, the last…
Kingman’s NZ Cup bid to be known tomorrow
Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. By Brittany Graham Is Kingman coming? That question will be answered tomorrow (Thursday) by his owner Mick Harvey on whether the $28,750 late payment is lodged for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. Another hurdle was jumped today, however, at Club Menangle when the four-year-old stallion safely negotiated the tapes to gain his standing…
Two more announcements for THE ASCENT and THE VELOCITY
And now there are eight. Four more trotters and pacers have been announced for the two big Show day slot races at Addington Raceway on Friday, November 14. Habibti Pat (Habibi Inta) and Rogue Hero (Ford Contracting) will join Tarragindi and Meant To Be in the field for the Majestic Horsefloats THE ASCENT while Fate Awaits (Solid Earth Pty Ltd) and Greased Lightnin (Diane Reilly) are the two latest additions to the Hill Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY alongside Got The Chocolates and Marketplace. Habibti Pat is a filly in…