By Mike Love Ashburton trainer-driver John Hay returns from winter hibernation to line up his well-thought-of gelding Moonshiner on the grass at Methven today. In what could be the omen bet considering the full moon this weekend, Moonshiner is a $3.50 favourite in Race 7, the Peter Lagan Standardbreds Pace over 2400m at 2.49pm. “I haven’t raced anything over the past few winters. I went on holiday for a month, so he (Moonshiner) had five weeks off. “I’m working eight at the moment. All just young ones and qualifiers. He’s…
Category: Meeting Previews
Cyclone Rebel upsets at big odds at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin As one door closes, another opens. That tells the tale of Cyclone Rebel, who caused a mammoth upset winning on debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night at $70 on the tote. The son of Bettors Delight had to be good too, overcoming a second line draw in the hands of Matty White to divebomb Andretti, whose drive from Andre Poutama to be trailing early from barrier eight deserved better. But the winner did what very few juveniles do, particularly in Woodlands Sires’ Stakes heats and trainer…
Alta Meteor and Oscar Bonavena seal Cup day starts at Addington
By Michael Guerin It was the night of the “we didn’t know what to expect” horses at Addington on Friday night. Not that anybody doubted the ability of Alta Meteor, Got The Chocolates, Oscar Bonavena or even earlier winner Treacherous Baby going into Friday night’s massive 13-race card. It was just that all of them had at least some of questions hanging over their heads. They answered those questions with sheer class. In the case of Alta Meteor in the Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup it also helped he…
Cyclone Revel upsets at big odds at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin As one door closes, another opens. That tells the tale of Cyclone Rebel, who caused a mammoth upset winning on debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night at $70 on the tote. The son of Bettors Delight had to be good too, overcoming a second line draw in the hands of Matty White to divebomb Andretti, whose drive from Andre Poutama to be trailing early from barrier eight deserved better. But the winner did what very few juveniles do, particularly in Woodlands Sires’ Stakes heats and trainer…
Paddock to Podium – HRNZ’s big investment into breeding
Harness Racing New Zealand is proud to unveil Paddock to Podium, a bold new breeding incentive. Starting on January 1, 2026 it is designed to reignite and grow our foal crop. The scheme offers a 5% credit to the listed breeder of all prize money won by NZ-foaled 2YO – 6YO horses finishing 1st to 4th in all races in New Zealand, other than in Group and Listed races. For Group and Listed races, $1000 will be split among the breeders of horses finishing 1st–5th. These credits can be used…
Benjamin Butcher gets notable first at Cambridge
By Jordyn Bublitz Benjamin Butcher reached a special milestone at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night, driving one of his own horses to victory for the very first time. The achievement came with I Can Too, in the Xmas Packages On Sale Now @ Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace. Despite an awkward draw on the outside of the mobile, Butcher pressed forward early to take the lead. From there, he rated the race perfectly and held off challengers to win by the narrowest of margins. For Butcher, it was a special moment…
Methven kickstarts grasstrack season
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Laurence Hanrahan is hoping for a bit of beginner’s luck at Methven on Sunday. The meeting at Mt Harding is the opening grasstrack meeting of the spring. It is also his first meeting as Methven Trotting Club president, having recently taken over from Michael Heenan. It’s his first stint as president. “I’ve been on a committee a while,” says Hanrahan, “I’ve had a few breaks but it will be somewhere around the 20 year mark.” Hanrahan says he’s a bit nervous about…
Top southern trainers hoping to “party” at Addington tonight
By Jonny Turner The business is done at home and now the attention turns to Addington. Brett Gray and Nathan Williamson were both in winning form at Wyndham on Thursday, pairing up to deliver Party Up Denario a deserved win. Now both trainers head to Addington on Friday night, taking up a powerful Southland squad between them. Gray starts the unbeaten Miki’s Deal in Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Preludes which opens a great night of racing. Williamson takes a powerful team of five north including Off The Canvas, Palladium, Clotilde…
Akuta returns to Addington as countdown continues to NZ Cup
By Michael Guerin Akuta is on a hiding to nothing in homecoming at Addington tonight. But trainer-driver Mark Purdon says he won’t be the one piling the pressure on his exceptional pacer. The former Auckland Cup winner has returned to Canterbury, where he was born and trained for most of his career, to start his run at the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup on November 11. That next step is in the $40,000 Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup tonight and after returning to winning form last start and then…
Sooner The Bettor gets “perfect” race at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin On paper the small but select main pace at Alexandra Park tonight looks one of the great ratings certainties ever. But things often aren’t that simple where Sooner The Bettor is involved. The five-year-old finds himself as a Miracle Mile runner-up, to Leap To Fame of all horses, and starting from the ace in a mid-grade mobile 1700m, the Breckon Farms Mobile Pace (5.50pm) tonight . Add to that he has gate speed, the two next most favoured pacers in the race are his stablemates Better Knuckle…