Category: Harness

By Michael Guerin Some simple maths suggests Roydon Muscle can win the feature trot at Addington tonight. That is if trainer-driver Bob Butt’s prediction of what his stable runner is capable of is on the mark. Roydon Muscle is a relative newcomer to Butt’s care who after two disappointing performances at Nelson has been excellent in his subsequent two Addington starts. “We was working so well before Nelson I thought he had to be hard to beat up there but he didn’t race up to it,” explains Butt. “I thought…

By Michael Guerin Nathan Delany can’t decide which one of the three-year-old pacers he takes to Alexandra Park is the best chance. But the goods news for the Pukekohe trainer and partner Ray Green is he thinks they can both win. Their stable have an army of talented young pacers in work including Sammy Lincoln (R2, No.3) and Lincoln Wave (R6, No.6) in early races at the shortened Auckland meeting tonight. The pair clashed at last Friday’s soaked Alex Park meeting and Lincoln Wave led throughout while Sammy Lincoln stormed…

By Michael Guerin  Ben Hope says Muscle Mountain is ready to give punters what they want tonight and the way they want it too. The big boy returns after six weeks away from the races in the $40,000 Continental Summer Cup Trot at Addington, a race he has won three times before. There is no doubting Muscle Mountain is the best horse in tonight’s 1980m mobile as the winner of 39 races and over $1.1 million in stakes so the question punters taking the odds-on want to know is: is…

By Adam Hamilton Champion horseman Luke McCarthy could hardly contain his excitement after New Zealand Cup winner Kingman drew perfectly in gate one for Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Cup (2555m). It is a huge advantage when he clashes for the first time in the same race with both Leap To Fame and Swayzee. Leap To Fame, who led throughout to beat Kingman into fourth spot in last Saturday night’s Group 2 Ballarat Cup, will start from gate four. Swayzee, winner of two NZ Cups and the reigning Hunter…

Selections for Taupo’s meeting today .            Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! RaceTime TrottechForm Analyst  Race 111.30am 1 Buynowpaylater7 Aldebaran What5 Bella Muchacha4 Valentina Shevchenko            Race 211.55am 1 Lincoln Maree7 Desistella8 Commander Lincoln10 Dream On Lou   Race 312.22pm 8 Trifolium9 Brother Johnson6 Happy Hill2 Senior Constable Liz   Race 412.55pm 5 Rasmussin Effect7 Get Set Party2 Valerei1 True Colours  Race 51.22pm 10 McKendrick6 Melton Mogul5 Jahi3 Maria Kirilenko  Race 61.47pm 7 Kenny Hill8 Conrad H5 Eagle Hanover1 Barsukov    Race 72.15pm 1 Lincoln…

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk David Butcher’s hoping for a fitting finale for the well-performed You Little Beauty at Taupo on Monday. The Sweet Lou six-year-old, who’s won 13 races, will make her final race day appearance in the day’s feature pace, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Lake Taupo Summer Cup (4.17pm). After the race she will head to the broodmare paddock as she’s in foal to Legendary Hanover. “I’d love to get her up,” says Butcher. After she started out with Ross Paynter, You Little Beauty has had 40…

By Mike Love  Ashburton trainer/driver John Morrison will have a strong presence on his home track today, with eight drives and a number of each way chances.  The meeting, that celebrates the various clubs of Canterbury, was transferred from Methven after it was deemed unsuitable to race on following this week’s bad weather. Morrison considers Destiny’s Dream as one of his best chances in the final race of the day, Race 11 the Ashburton MSA & Super Liquor Mobile Pace over 2400m.  Coming into today after some credible runs at…

By Jonny Turner  It would be a tall order to ask Brett Gray to repeat his recent success at Riverton on Sunday. The Ryal Bush trainer had his best season when notching 40 wins in 2025 and just two weeks into 2026 he produced his first trifecta when Anita Mary, Blaze Lightning and Jaccka Evan filled the first three at Ascot Park last week. “It certainly was a thrill, all three horses went well and it was good to see Anita Mary win for Paul Hailes at the Northern Southland…