Category: Meeting Previews

By Jordyn Bublitz  Tracy Cadwallader has never made any secret of how much The Big Bang means to her, and at Palmerston North on Thursday the lightly raced gelding rewarded her patience in memorable fashion.  The four-year-old son of Sweet Lou stepped up in the Join The Turbos Syndicate Mobile Pace, scoring the first win of his career in only his second race day appearance. The victory was particularly special for Cadwallader, who not only trains The Big Bang but also bred him.  “I foaled him myself, he’s been with…

By Jonny Turner  Mark Hurrell will go the extra mile to link up with a strong book of drives at Winton on Sunday. Hurrell was meant to be racing on his home track at Wyndham but a wild Southland storm put an end to that after carnage hit Young Quinn Raceway. It is a case of quality over quantity for Hurrell at the Wyndham Harness Racing Club meeting at Winton. The reinsman takes four drives and rates Ultimate Cullect the best winning hope among them. She is a $2.15 favourite…

By Adam Hamilton  The tide has turned, at least for now. The Aussie influence in New Zealand’s biggest races has been growing over the past few years, but this week was utter dominance. From the seven major races the Aussies contested, they won six and finished third in the other. The likes of Swayzee, then Just Believe, Keayang Zahara and Leap To Fame have paved the way for this week in the past couple of years. But not even the most biased and passionate Aussie fan could have confidently predicted…

By Michael Guerin Nobody loves consolation prizes. They are nice and all and even more so when they come with winning part of the $200,000 stake Friday’s Allied Security NZ Pacing Free at Addington did. Leap To Fame won that lion’s share with his lion’s heart carrying him to the winner’s circle just days after his humungous second in the IRT New Zealand Cup. Most horses would have still been at home, having an nice nap in the Canterbury sun, but Larry did what Larry does. He got up, went…

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…

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…

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…