Applications are now open for anyone wanting to get involved in Addington Raceway’s two Show Day slot races. The two $500,000 races – the Majestic Horsefloats LP The Ascent and the Hill, Lee and Scott The Velocity – will both be held on Friday, November 15. The process to find slot-holders for the two Listed races started last month with the 20 involved in last year’s races given the first option to get involved this year as well. “There’s been strong interest and great support from last year’s slot-holders,” says…
Category: Harness
Bug forces Alta Meteor out of Maurice Holmes Vase
By Michael Guerin The early favourite for Friday night’s Allied Security Maurice Holmes Vase at Addington will miss the race. Alta Meteor would have been perfectly placed in the Group 3 after beating many of his race rivals off a 30m handicap when returning to racing at Addington 11 days ago. But co-trainer Steve Telfer says a minor issue will keep Alta Meteor from taking his place in this Friday’s automatic qualifier for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup, which has a maximum back mark of 10m. “He came through…
Republican Party to start NZ Cup bid in October
By Michael Guerin New Zealand’s best performed pacer of 2025 is going to keep us waiting. Because Republican Party may not be seen back on the racetrack until October. Co-trainer Cran Dalgety revealed the surprising plan to HRNZ today, saying the Auckland Cup and multiple Group 1 winner is on a three-race preparation for the $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup on Tuesday, November 11. “He has come up great and looks fantastic,” says Dalgety. “But he is still about three weeks away from trialing. “We are looking at starting…
Max Delight’s connections ponder NZ Cup bid
By Adam Hamilton Old pacing marvel Max Delight could add to the powerhouse Aussie raid on this year’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. Trainer David Aiken admits the race is a “bucket lister” and knows Max Delight could be his last chance to have a runner on the second Tuesday in November at Addington. Despite age, nine-year-old Max Delight is racing in career-best form. He equalled his PB with a blistering 1min48.8sec mile win at Menangle on Saturday night. Just a week earlier, he won in 1min48.9sec. Those are his…
Newman’s “pretty special” win at Oamaru
By Jonny Turner Korbyn Newman’s return to the winner’s circle at Oamaru on Sunday was a special moment for his entire family. Captain Cool shrugged off his mid-race work to score a highly impressive first-up win for the trainer, with Tim Williams in the sulky. The three-year-old is raced by Newman’s uncle Mark and the estate of his late father Greg, who passed away in December of last year. Captain Cool was having his first start since then, and his outstanding victory delivered a moment for the Newman family to…
Bar Louie short-priced favourite for today’s Kurow Cup
By Jonny Turner Bar Louie’s talent isn’t in question as he approaches today’s Kurow Cup. The pacer’s sparkling winter form saw him installed a short-priced favourite for Sunday’s feature at Oamaru (3.14pm). Bar Louie will attempt to make it four-from-four this time in when starting from a 20m handicap for driver Tim Williams. While Williams knows Bar Louie is good enough to continue his unbeaten run in the South Island, he knows the Kurow Cup is a new challenge for the three-year-old. “He has been great this time in, but…
Mantra Blue “can win” at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin Zachary Butcher says there is a simple reason he is taking Mantra Blue to Alexandra Park tonight : he knows what is coming next. Butcher is the north’s leading reinsman these days but also trains a few horses headlined by the fast five-year-old mare who has won half of her 18 starts. Mantra Blue was originally going to trial rather than racing tonight but Butcher knows the Alexandra Park main pacing races are about to get a whole lot stronger and he wants to get out in…
Ricky May with some key drives at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin Ricky May hopes his fill-in driving proves a bit more productive at Addington tonight. Little Ricky is filling in for Big Johnny (aka John Dunn) while the latter is having a working holiday overseas and that means key drives like Triple G in the main pace, the Georgia Anderson Happy 21st Birthday Mobile Pace (8.36pm) and Better Be Quick in the It’s Time to Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace for the fillies and mares at 7.59pm. While May is stoked to be warming the seat on a…
TAB Racing Club has first starter at Addington
By Brittany Graham The harness racing version of the TAB Racing Club will officially get underway tonight (Friday) at Addington Raceway. After purchasing several high-quality yearlings at last year’s sales, Eun Sugno for the Dalgetys will be the first to don the dark blue and red TAB silks on race day. A big son of Captain Crunch out of star race mare One Dream, he has built nicely through some recent trials to make his race day debut a little earlier than anticipated. “Cran was rapt with the fitness improvement…
White with two debutants at Alexandra Park
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Already having his best ever season, trainer-driver Matty White has an interesting book of drives at Alexandra Park on Friday night. He will continue his association with the in-form pairing of Tytate and Bettor Reaction, and also line up two first starters from his Clevedon barn. Both two-year-olds, Milford, a Raging Bull gelding, will start in Race 2, the Tardina Stud – Here for the Horse Mobile Pace and Iron Mike Tyson, a $40,000 purchase from the 2024 National Yearling sales at Karaka,…