Category: Harness

By Mike Love   Ashburton trainers David and Stacey White have a handy team of young horses bubbling away in their barn. Today they take two live chances to Addington’s short and sharp Sunday meeting. In Race 1, the New Zealand Bloodstock Mobile Trot (1.36pm) over 1980m, debutant Condor ($3.90FF) will take his place, driven by co-trainer David White.  The two-year-old Bold Eagle gelding has trialled well, including footing it with stablemate Montara who ran a promising second first up.  “I can’t really split those two ability wise,” says White. …

By Michael Guerin Good chances with bad draws sum up the Blanchard trio of trotters at Cambridge tonight. But co-trainer Vaughan Blanchard, who trains with his father Peter, says any one of their three square-gaiters could overcome their setbacks on a busy night for the stable. The Pukekohe trainers will take six reps to the races tonight, three of each gait, and almost all with recent form to suggest they can be serious chances. But if they are to get a win it is most likely to come with one…

By Adam Hamilton  The statistics tell the story of how enormous Leap To Fame’s task is to win a third Ladbrokes Inter Dominion final at Albion Park on Saturday night. However you map the race, it is almost certain the champion Queenslander will spend much of the race working outside the leader, who is most likely to be his main danger Captains Mistress. That’s different to how Leap To Fame has won his two Inter Dominion finals in 2023 and 2025 at Albion Park when he has worked to the…

By Adam Hamilton  The rise and rise of former Kiwi mare Captains Mistress is poised to go to another level in Saturday night’s $1 million Inter Dominion final at Albion Park. A dramatic barrier draw has seen Captains Mistress challenge defending champion Leap To Fame for favouritism. Two-time winner Leap To Fame drew poorly off the back row (gate 11), while the brilliant Captains Mistress will work to the lead from barrier six. Underlining the impact of the draw, Leap To Fame eased markedly from $1.50 to $2.20. It’s the…

By Mike Love  Sarah O’Reilly has two drives at Addington’s meeting today with both runners paying under $2.00.  Firstly today, in Race 5, the Winky Cross Dulcet Tones Pace (5.04pm) over 2000m, O’Reilly links up with Bettabe Lou ($1.60FF), trained by her father Gerard. The three-year-old Sweet Lou filly has had two starts so far in her career, and was narrowly beaten on both of those occasions.  “She is going really good races. Last time out she had to do it the tough way and just got beaten up the…

By Jonny Turner  Talent and natural improvement can combine to propel the team from Macca Lodge into the winner’s circle at Ascot Park on Sunday. Trainer Brent McIntyre and stable foreman Carl Hanna will line up Hazel Grace and Delphyne after the pair produced nice fresh up efforts at Winton a fortnight ago. Hazel Grace stepped up sharply from running steady times in her trials and workouts to produce a late-closing second in her debut.  All signs point to the filly going one closer for driver Nathan Williamson on Sunday.…

By Michael Guerin Champion horseman Tony Herlihy’s well-oiled trotting production line might need to go up a cog if he is to keep producing winners at Alexandra Park tonight. Herlihy is our most successful horseman of either code having driven 3746 winners in New Zealand and plenty more at Group 1 level in Australia. As great as he is with pacers Herlihy has always had an affinity with driving trotters but that has been even more pronounced in his training career, during which Herlihy has always seemed to have at…

By Michael Guerin Sam Thornley is both satisfied and surprised and the two emotions meet in the same race at Addington tonight. The satisfaction comes from his numbers in his first season as an open driver, his 33 wins so far putting him well on track for a 50 or even 60-win plus season and a place in the top 10 on the national driver’s premiership. “It is going really well because first season out of juniors can be hard but I have been able to carry on pretty much…

By Adam Hamilton  Tom Bagrie is confident Dash Dosh can add to her already rewarding Queensland raid with another bold showing at Albion Park on Friday night. Bagrie and driver John Dunn were thrilled with the four-year-old mare’s slightly luckless second to dominant winner Jilliby Dreamlover in last Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Great Square. They clash again in something close to a repeat of the Great Square, albeit for much less prize money in the Pryde’s Easifeed 3&4YO Trotting Feature on Friday night (11.11pm). “She ran so well last…