Category: Harness

It’s Flying Stakes night at Cambridge tonight

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Champion trainer Barry Purdon is adamant Meant To Be (pictured above) has the motor of a good open class trotter. But tonight’s $40,000 Trotters Flying Stakes (7.01pm) at Cambridge could be a little too soon to see that motor pay dividends. Meant To Be is a trotting rarity having looked like an open class horse even when winning as a two-year-old, an age when most young trotters are still trying to work out where their legs are supposed to go. After a luckless back end to his…

Bob Butt with big team in at Nelson

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Bob Butt will venture north with a big team to one of his favourite tracks on Friday.  The Woodend-based trainer-driver will take six to Nelson’s Richmond Park. “Along with Addington I reckon it’s the best in the country, it’s a lovely big track and they can win from anywhere,” says Butt. Butt will drive five of his own and also have two outside drives, including the Tim Trathen-trained Shanky’s Shot.   “I’ve driven him in all his starts and he’s a lovely horse.” The…

Wilkins with genuine chances at Manawatu today

NZHarnessNews

By Jordyn Bublitz  With four drives at the five race meeting, Brooke Wilkins looks to have some genuine each way chances at Manawatu today. After having nine wins across the Tasman, 2025 was Wilkins’ first driving competitively in this country and despite only taking part in the latter half of the season she had seven wins from 42 race-day drives, with a highly respectable UDR of .2910.  That momentum has carried into the new season.  Wilkins wasted little time opening her account for the year, recording a winner at last…

Stevenson with three each-way chances at Timaru today

NZHarnessNews

By Mike Love  Ashburton trainer Wendy Stevenson takes three good each-way chances to Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru for their summer twilight meeting this afternoon. In Race 1, the Brosnan Transport Passing Lane Mobile Pace over 2050 metres Gotta Lather Up ($10.00FF) will be looking for a more economical run after having a couple of torrid trips since breaking maiden status at Oamaru three starts ago.  “We were pleased with him at Motukarara after drawing 16. Even though he only ran seventh he just couldn’t get in, and he’s still…

The “Franco” factor heads to Cromwell today

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  The race’s first few seconds are likely to decide whether Steven McRae goes home with today’s Shannon Farm Cromwell Cup again. McRae has been a fixture at the Central Otago summer harness racing circuit in recent seasons and is already enjoying another successful trip south before the final meeting at Cromwell.  Cinderella Franco was as impressive as any maiden winner south of the Waitaki in recent times when she sped to victory at Omakau on Friday. The filly will be out to make it two from two…

Omakau today : Wag Star, Pinseeker and Jonny Turner’s Five To Follow

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Craig Ferguson hopes playing chess rather than checkers with Wag Star will pay winning dividends in today’s Group 3 Central Otago Cup. Ferguson heads to Omakau knowing he has a horse to match it with any of his rivals in the 2000m feature. So the trainer-driver has been doing everything he can to encourage his stable star to show it to the big crowd that will be watching at Central Otago’s biggest annual race meeting. “He can be a moody horse and when he is on the…

Wag Star “looking pretty positive” heading into Omakau meeting

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Craig Ferguson hopes playing chess rather than checkers with Wag Star will pay winning dividends in today’s Group 3 Central Otago Cup. Ferguson heads to Omakau knowing he has a horse to match it with any of his rivals in the 2000m feature. So the trainer-driver has been doing everything he can to encourage his stable star to show it to the big crowd that will be watching at Central Otago’s biggest annual race meeting. “He can be a moody horse and when he is on the…

Selections | Omakau

NZHarnessNews

Selections for Omakau today.         Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet!   Omakau            Jonny TurnerRacing Journalist  Race 1 12.28pm 6 Mr Cash Man8 Destiny’s Dream7 Bettor Way3 Nyla   Race 212.59pm 4 Kairo8 Jaccka Jim11 Fiery Adi8 What’s The Whisper  Race 31.32pm 2 Turn N Burn3 Cinderella Franco10 Captain Christina12 Mighty Flying Miki  Race 42.06pm 8 Sonofamistery10 By Chance6 Rise Up N Dance9 Quinn   Race 52.42pm  8 Princess Sadie7 Dreams Pat3 Vertigo4 Randel Huston P  Race 63.17pm 2 Beluga5 Anita Mary3 Rockoutray11 Franco Seb     …

Big day for Kate Coppins at Tauherenikau

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  Junior driver Kate Coppins finds herself in an unusual position at the Wairarapa Harness Racing Club’s short and sharp dual code meeting at Tauherenikau on Friday. All four of her drives on the four-race programme are on heavily-favoured runners for Michael House. “I am very excited for it,” she says, “Micky always has all his horses on point.” Her drives will be Koko Kaboom (R1), Big Gee (R2), Million Dollar Chic (R3) and Goorambat Art (R4). Both Koko Kaboom and Million Dollar Chic…

Driving debut for Lane at Rangiora today

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  The New Year will also see a new driver step out for the first time. Josh Lane will make his race day debut with two drives at Rangiora’s 11 race meeting which starts at 12.25pm. “It’s been a goal for a long time, ” he says.  The 31-year-old, who works for Robbie Holmes at his Balcairn barn in North Canterbury, will take the reins behind Inquizitive Man for trainer David McKenzie in Race 4, the Jack Behrns Memorial Trot (1.50pm) and then MM…