By Michael Guerin The two biggest young guns of New Zealand pacing face potentially brutal barrier draws at Friday night’s mammoth Addington meeting. And the causes of both Marketplace and Jumal could be made even more difficult by their key rivals drawing the ace in each race. The 13-race card is stacked with outstanding fields with a common theme of the best horses getting the hardest jobs. That was not unexpected in the Commodore Hotel Main Pace in which Akuta and Republican Party share the 25m backmark or in the…
Category: Harness
Rakero Rocket back in form with Methven Cup win
By Mike Love Rangiora trainer Tom Bamford can breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now – after Rakero Rocket showed he is on track for the second Tuesday in November with yesterday’s Alabar Methven Cup win. The five-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding has given Bamford a few sleepless nights recently with a few things not lining up how he would’ve liked. “It’s been well documented he had a bit of trouble after his trial leading into his first run. I spent a lot of time trying…
Mach Shard’s new life in the Show ring
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Zoe Cobb was a casual follower of Mach Shard during his racing days – now they are the best of mates. The Waikato-based Cobb acquired the multiple Group 1 winner shortly after he retired this year and they have already had success in the Show Ring and have some big targets ahead. “It is the kindest and most gentle horse you would ever meet,” Cobbs says, “he’s been an absolute pleasure.” She first spotted Mach Shard with HRNZ re-homer Jo Ferguson at the…
Leap To Fame wins and Swayzee beaten across the Tasman
By Adam Hamilton The Aussie raid on New Zealand Cup Week is looking more imposing by the day. Four confirmed raiders and possibly even a fifth, headed by champion Leap To Fame, impressively won lead-up races last night (Saturday). Having his first start since snaring his second Inter Dominion title on July 19, Leap To Fame cruised to victory over stablemates Aroda and Free Thinker in a 2138m free-for-all at Albion Park. The six-year-old was nursed to the line by trainer-driver Grant Dixon to win by 6.5m in a 1min53.9sec…
Franco Marek looking to solidify Cup spot at Methven today
By Mike Love Franco Marek ($5.50FF) will be looking to make his case stronger for a spot in this year’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup by producing a stout effort in today’s Group 3 Alabar Methven Cup (4.36pm). Currently ranked 13th for the New Zealand Cup, Franco Marek, who will start from a 10 metre handicap, gets his chance to move in the right direction today in a race where conditions should suit the big gelding and Lincoln trainer Greg Manson believes the seven year old A Rocknroll Dance is…
Whale Watch – Methven
Craig “The Whale” Thompson shares his thoughts on Methven today.
Go ahead given to Methven meeting
Methven’s meeting tomorrow (Sunday) will go ahead as planned. There were concerns that the meeting would have to be transferred to Addington Raceway after this week’s poor weather in Mid Canterbury. But after a track inspection today by a group including HRNZ representatives, club officials and the Racing Integrity Board it was decided the meeting would proceed as planned. The track, currently rated as dead, has held up well which is a credit to the work done by everyone at the club. The first of the day’s 11 races will…
Indulge Me upsets in Sires’ Stakes heat at Addington
By Michael Guerin The southern invasion at Addington is about to get longer and stronger. And that could see trainer Nathan Williamson with at least three major race chances during Cup week as he continued his profitable spring at headquarters on Friday night. A week after two-year-old trotter Duchess Maria won the inaugural Sundon Trot at Addington last Friday her Williamson stablemate Indulge Me came from the worst possible draw to blast past some talented juvenile pacing fillies in the Dunstan Feeds Sires’ Stakes heat. It was only her second…
Sooner The Bettor seals place in IRT NZ Trotting Cup field
By Michael Guerin While there was no surprise in the quinella in the Holmes D G at Alexandra Park on Friday night it raised a very interesting question. Is winner Sooner The Bettor going better than this time last year or is Merlin going worse? The answer might be a little bit of both. Sooner The Bettor made it three wins on end to start this campaign and earned his golden ticket into the IRT New Zealand Cup when he led, trailed his stablemate then clearly outpointed him in the…
Masons watch on as colts offered up at Lexington Yearling Sales
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk It’s been an unusual Friday for Auckland-based couple Trent and Kristie Mason. The principals of Mason Bloodstock today watched on-line as the second of their two colts went under the hammer at the Lexington Selected Yearling sales in Kentucky. It is certainly uncommon for breeders based in New Zealand to be represented at the prestigious American sale. Earlier in the week their first colt, Lot 632 Virgin King (Huntsville – Virginontherocks) sold for $US42,000 ($NZ72,000). Today Rodeo Stranger (Tall Dark Stranger –…