by Michael Guerin New Zealand’s best pacing mare is set to add her stamp of class to a new series of races being widely welcomed by trainers. HRNZ has announced the new Mare’s Spring Schedule to provide consistent racing for mares without having to take on the boys. The Canterbury-based series of six races starts at Addington on August 29 and runs through until Show Day at Addington on November 14, where it ends with the Bob McArdle Classic. It contains a $17,000 kick off race, one race of $25,000,…
Category: Harness
Oscar primed for one final Inter Dominion tilt
by Adam Hamilton Oscar Bonavena has at least one more booming run in him. Co-trainer Nathan Purdon said the nine-year-old “looked a million bucks” as the $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final draws closer. “I’m pleasantly surprised how good he is, especially after the two mistakes and the chasing he had to do the other night,” he said. “I was just saying this morning how sound he is and how great he looks. “He might have looked a bit showy last Saturday, but he’s spot on now.” This time there is…
News Briefs: Kiwis chasing titles, stallion rosters revealed
Herbertson leads as Kiwi quartet chase in Young Drivers Champs The 2025 Australasian Young Drivers Championship is heating up, with Victoria’s James Herbertson staking a dominant early claim as the competition leader heading into the final rounds. Three heats were held at Albion Park on Tuesday night and another three last night, where all four of the New Zealand representatives recorded a placing: Carter has two second placings, and Sam, Wilson and Harrison have a third placing each. But it’s Herbertson who’s set the benchmark, notching up three wins and…
Gray lining up powerful 12-horse team
by Jonny TurnerSouthland’s biggest day of winter harness racing so far is looking Gray. Brett Gray lines up a powerful 12-horse team at Winton’s Winter Rewards Finals Day on Thursday. Beating her stablemates may prove to be the biggest challenge for Gray’s stable spearhead Haley Jaccka in the tightest assessed of three Winter Rewards Finals for pacers. The mare returned from a freshener with a bang, powering along the inner to win a hectic affair at Ascot Park ten days ago. And according to her trainer, she’s thrived since. “That…
Loteria looking to step forward in Cambridge debut
by Jordyn Bublitz Loteria is set to make her Cambridge Raceway debut tonight in what looks to be a perfect stepping stone for the mare as she continues her return to racing. The four-year-old daughter of Majestic Son, trained out of Clevedon by Sammy Kilgour, is a well-travelled campaigner. She began her career across the Tasman as a two-year-old in Australia before joining Sammy and her partner Josh Dickie on their move back to New Zealand. After a strong start to her racing career on kiwi soil, Sammy made the call…
Early favourites dominate futures markets for November features
The Tab recently opened some long term markets around feature races in November so here’s an early look forward with harness analyst Greg O’Connor. The three-year-old season has a predictable feel to it with last season’s 2yo’s of their respective season’s dominating the early bird markets. Marketplace is basically $1.40 in every major race he is likely to line up including the2nd running of the Velocity and of course the jewel in the 3yo year, the Garrards NZ Pacing Derby. His nearest rival and most likely to bridge the gap…
Gemma Thornley lands Addington double and closes in on major milestone
by Michael Guerin Gemma Thornley may find herself forced to make a tough decision if the second half of 2025 goes as well as she hopes. The 25-year-old was the punter’s princess at Addington on Sunday when she reined favourites Belmont Valor and Action Major to win consecutive races before her aunty Olivia Thornley won the very next race for an unusual family treble. It wasn’t Gemma’s first daily double and she even drove at treble at a deep south meeting a couple of years ago but she acknowledges the…
Barrier draws set the scene for Inter Dominion Grand Finals
by Adam Hamilton The first 200m will go a long way to deciding young Kiwi star Bet N Win’s winning chances next Saturday night’s $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final. Bet N Win drew well in gate five and will move even closer into four if emergency Sir Fahrenheit doesn’t gain a start, but his main danger Arcee Phoenix drew even better in barrier one. All eyes will be on the start and whether trainer-driver Chris Svanosio can muster enough early speed on Arcee Phoenix to hold the lead. In contrast,…
Inter Dom night two wrap
By Adam Hamilton STACEY White just wants one more slice of good luck. White and husband, David, were all smiles after young trotting star Bet N Win made a clean sweep of the Inter Dominion heats, albeit in slightly different style last night. While the five-year-old led throughout on opening night, driver Bob Butt led again, but opted to take a sit on the talented but headstrong London To A Brick when challenged in the early stages. Bet N Win picked up well late in a sizzling last half to…
Stubing back on track
By Michael Guerin Stubing may have a way to go to pay back the patience trainer Trent Yesberg has shown in him but the Canterbury trainer thinks he is on the right track. The 34-year-old horseman take just two members of his 15-strong harness racing team to Addington on Sunday and thinks both can win. But in the case of Stubing even a third career victory will leave him a bit behind on the bills after a frustrating start to his career. “When he first started racing we really liked him…