Category: Harness

By Jonny Turner Share A Dream can take his comeback story to another level with victory in one of Sunday’s Southern Surge Finals at Gore. It was only in March that the pacer’s chances of making it back to the track were up in the air. Share A Dream showed promise early in his career in Canterbury before spending around 14 months away from the races through injury. But during a whirlwind last couple of months, the five-year-old has raced through the grades under the care of trainer Tyler Dewe.…

By Jonny Turner  It should be straightforward for one of Phil Williamson’s rising stars, but not as easy for another in the finals of the Southern Surge. Southern harness racing’s newest series is set to finish with a bang with eight outstanding finals set down to be run at Gore on Sunday. The Williamson-trained Rangitata could claim the title of being New Zealand’s best handicapped horse when he starts in the first final of the Southern Surge. The three-year-old was a powerful winner of his first start in the first…

By Mike Love  Rakaia trainer Stuart Sutherland takes two runners to the Rangiora meeting on Sunday, both of whom look each way chances.  Sabi Sands ($4.40FF), in Race 2, the Barnsy’s All Trade Services Pace (1.10pm) over 2000m, is backing up from last Sunday’s debut effort at the Kurow meeting where he ran third. “He’s come through the run well. He’s eating up and seems a happy horse,” said Sutherland. The big four-year-old gelding by Sunshine Beach, who will be driven by Kimberley Butt, has had his fair share of…

By Jordyn Bublitz  How fortunes can change in the space of a few weeks. On July 31 Dreams Of Eric fell soon after the start of his race at Cambridge. Last night the promising three-year-old colt was back at the track and in the winners’ circle after delivering a determined front-running victory in the NZ Farmers Livestock Mobile Pace. Drawn wide in barrier 8, Dreams Of Eric faced a tough task on paper, but co-trainer and lessee Nathan Delany was quietly confident in the colt’s chances after some sharp work…

Boom pacer Marketplace has had his first serious hit-out ahead of what promises to be a massive few months. The Bettor’s Delight three-year-old, a winner of 10 of his 16 starts, hasn’t raced since his Group 1 success in the Garrards NZ Sires’ Stakes Series 3YO Colts and Geldings Final at Addington on May 16. He then had a five week break before heading to the water walker at Brian and Leslie Court’s in Canterbury. Then there was some light cantering before getting the hobbles back on and the serious…

By Jonny Turner   Theoretically Always Dreaming should be winning his Southern Surge Final at Gore on Sunday. But with lucrative stakes up and an outstanding series about to culminate, theories can go out the window. Always Dreaming is part of a powerful squad that trainer-driver Nathan Williamson lines up on a big day for southern harness racing. The three-year-old beat the same field he faces from the same tough draw in his excellent Southern Surge heat win at Ascot Park a fortnight ago. As the pacer was fresh up…

By Michael Guerin Tonight’s $40,000 Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington (8.14pm) isn’t Franco Marek’s Grand Final but it holds his ticket to his Grand Final. The hard-running pacer looks the most likely beneficiary of his last-start conqueror Alta Meteor missing tonight’s Group 3 race after he beat many of these home when finishing second last start. While owner-trainer Greg Manson was pleased with that performance tonight’s race has always been his early season aim with Franco Marek because it includes a golden ticket  for the winner into the…

By Michael Guerin Scott Phelan knows Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah are up to open class.  What their co-trainer doesn’t know if whether that is good enough to win their comeback race at Alexandra Park tonight. The two four-year-olds resume for Phelan and senior training partner Barry Purdon in a serious 1700m scamper at Alexandra Park tonight, up against Akuta, who was super costly for punters when being beaten in a similar race two weeks ago. Akuta should be fitter for his third that night and could be ready to…

There is just one week to go before nominations close for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup and the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. Nominations opened on August 11 and already there has been significant interest from both sides of the Tasman.  Though numbers are expected to increase markedly before the deadline so far there are 20 nominations for the Cup and 19 for the Dominion. This year no nominations will be accepted until payment has been made. Nominations close at 3pm (NZT) Thursday,…