Category: Harness

Got The Chocolates confirms status as NZ’s best three-year-old

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin There isn’t much Robert Dunn hasn’t achieved in his career. He was winning the biggest pacing Cups decades ago and Diamond Racing then started adding big trotting success to their arsenal just a few years ago. But now, when he should be in the twilight of his career, the man known as “RJ” has found another special horse, this time to share with daughter-in-law and training partner Jenna and his son John. Because Got The Chocolate is the real deal. He has to be because he shouldn’t…

Gus too classy as he secures Group 1 Cup week double

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin The hesitation in Pete McMullen’s voice suggests there could be relief in sight for New Zealand’s beleaguered open class trotting stars. Because after driving Gus to a massive Cup week Group-1 double the Queenslander says he may not be back for the first half of 2026. McMullen was all controlled aggression to add the NZ Trotting Free-For-All to the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot from Tuesday, sitting parked to hold out Muscle Mountain and Oscar Bonavena in another no-argument performance, with leader Jilliby Ballerini fading out. It capped…

Emotional win for Jess Tubbs in THE ASCENT

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin For a few tear-soaked minutes at Addington on Friday there were no borders. No Australia, no New Zealand, no nationalistic racing pride, no sides. Tracy The Jet may have lived up to her name leading throughout in the $500,000 Ascent to continue the total Australian domination of this week at Addington yet that wasn’t what was on anybody’s mind.  This was about brave trainer Jess Tubbs and her late husband Greg Sugars. Tubbs trains the Victorian trotting filly and brought her back to Addington, the place Greg…

Show Day 2025 – Review

NZHarnessNews

The twilight Show Day meeting, complete with four Group 1s and the two $500,000 slot races, is underway at Addington Raceway. It promises to be one of the great race days of the year and there are trans-Tasman battles right across the day. By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  IRT SIRES STAKES SERIES 2YO CHAMPS MBL TROT (G1) The day’s opening Group 1 started in similar fashion to Tuesday’s IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting – and that was with an Australian victory. Victoria’s Kyvalley Ray, trained by ex-pat…

Hat-trick beckons for Captain Sampson at Cambridge tonight

NZHarnessNews

By Jordyn Bublitz  Promising three-year-old pacer Captain Sampson will look to keep his winning streak intact when he lines up tonight at Cambridge Raceway in the 2025 Thames Pacers Country Cup (8.23pm). The son of Captaintreacherous is trained by the father and son team of Brian and Gareth Hughes, and has been a revelation this campaign, winning both of his starts at Alexandra Park in style.  He’ll be handled once again by his regular driver Tony Cameron, but faces a fresh challenge this evening, having been handed a 20-metre handicap…

It’s Show Day with four Group1s at Addington

NZHarnessNews

It’s Show Day and that means four Group 1s and two $500,000 slot races at Addington Raceway. Can Merlin win the New Zealand Pacing Free For All again against Leap To Fame and co and who will prevail in the battle of the three-year-olds – will be it Marketplace or Got The Chocolates? Butcher with key Show Day drives   By Michael Guerin Leading New Zealand driver Zachary Butcher says the hard edge the Australians are bringing to Cup week at Addington could actually help him today. Today’s Show Day…

Options galore for Show Day at Addington

NZHarnessNews

With options including the Big Dogs and the Aussie Assault, the TAB has released some key betting information for Addington’s huge Show Day meeting tomorrow.  The meeting, starting at 2.09pm, features four Group 1s as well as the two $500,000 3YO slot races, THE ASCENT and THE VELOCITY. The TAB will guarantee $10,000 First 4s on all 13 races with a guaranteed $50,000 Late Quaddie, starting on Race 9, the AZAP Electrical Trotting Free For All at 7.09pm. Beyond that there are many other ways to tackle one of the…

Lee looking for change of luck in Trotting Free For All

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Jason Lee is trying to look on the bright side of the one that got away. That was Tuesday’s Renwick Farms Dominion with Jilliby Ballerini after the Australian mare was a good thing beaten in almost a case of friendly fire. Lee drove the perfect race early to secure the trail behind fellow Victorian trotter Arcee Phoenix and a lap from home couldn’t believe his luck. It soon changed. Queensland trotter Gus attacked down the back straight and Arcee Phoenix picked a bad day to have a…

Kingman opts out of Friday’s Show Day Free For All

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin New Zealand Cup hero Kingman will skip Friday’s Pacing Free-For-All as trainer Luke McCarthy heads home to New South Wales to drive his stable star. Yes, you read that right, the horse who sat three wide to beat Leap To Fame and the best Kiwis in Tuesday’s $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington may not be the best in McCarthy’s stable. Not officially anyway. McCarthy also trains Inter Dominion, Miracle Mile and Eureka winner Don Hugo, which would at least give him the title of…

Marketplace opens a $1.85 favourite in THE VELOCITY on Show Day

NZHarnessNews

Marketplace has gained the early advantage over Got The Chocolates in Friday’s $500,000 slot race at Addington Raceway. The two star three-year-olds have forged quite the rivalry of late and the next installment will come in Race 11, the Hill, Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY on Show day (7.33pm). Got The Chocolates has got the better of recent clashes but on Friday Marketplace has drawn handier at 2, with the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained star at 6. In the early markets Marketplace is a $1.85 favourite, with Got The Chocolates…